November, 2012, to July, 2014
I
bought this MG primarily because I needed a project, once my Porsche
912 was largely complete. While the MG appeared superficially to be in good condition,
it could best be described as worn out: most of the parts needed
repair, clean-up and paint, restoration, or replacement. The engine had been
run without oil pressure, so it needed to be repaired. The interior also needed
restoration. My goal was to create a solid, good looking,
mechanically sound car, but not necessarily one
that would win any car shows. A show-car restoration simply was not my interest.
The project began in late 2012 and was completed in July of 2014.
I've always liked the T-series MGs, even though (or maybe because) they are a bit of an anachronism. Although it looks like something out of the 1920s, the TD is the first of the MGs to have a modern suspension design, combined with the T-series' modern engine. It's a real car. It's also the car that introduced Americans to sports cars and opened the American market to British cars. It's historically important and genuinely classic.
Below are a few pictures of the restored car. Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version of any picture. See the links below for pictures of the car as I received it and throughout the restoration process.
The restoration consisted of a number of subprojects; I've tried to organize them that way, not chronologically. For that reason, some of the pictures may seem to be a little out of order.
A page of before and after pictures, just to give a flavor of what was done. The links below provide the details.
Here's what I started with.
Engine, Transmission, and Drive Train
More of a repair than a rebuild, as I didn't redo the whole thing. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The external parts of the engine needed restoration, too.
Suspension, Brakes, and Steering
The brake hydraulics, suspension, and steering were completely rebuilt.
The car was torn down to the frame, and the frame and body were completely restored.
The electrical system, as I received the car, was a nightmare. It was completely redone, and modern relays and fusing were installed.
The interior needed some help to get it into attractive condition. The car received new seats, panels, and carpet.
The project is finished. Now what?