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Happy to say that I just purchased a 1952 MG TD Relica in very good condition. It is a FiberFab model built in 1986 on a Volkswagon chassis. My wife fell in love with this car when it was sitting on an empty lot with a for sale sign on it. So, like any good husband, I purchased this little beauty for her birthday. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to drive it yet. I’m 6’2″ and I can barely depress the cluth all the way. How could she at 5’2″? So I went to a custom shop and bought some peddle extenders. That works for the brake but not the clutch. I can move the seat up a couple inches but that would make the ride for me real tight with respect to the steering wheel. So my question is, can I move the peddles up? How much is involved with that? Is it possible? I’m not that mechanical. Any suggestions? Thank you all….
Mr. Big
On all VW TD kits the pedals have been relocated. One methoid is to connect the existing pedal cluster to new pedals with steel flatstock bars which pass through the floorboard behind the new pedals and connect to the old pedals which are under the gas tank. The other common method was to remove the existing pedal cluster from the donor car, cut a new hole in the side of the tunnel and re-install the pedal cluster in the original manner to the side of the tunnel by shortening the cables inside the tunnel to match the new location.
Both methods could certainly be re-done to a different location. If your car was done by the first method, it is fairly simple to cut some longer bars and move your pedals further back. I’d get help from someone “mechanical” if you are confronted with the second method…actually moving the pedal cluster on the tunnel requires some skill and familiarity with the unusual manner in which VW clutch assemblys work at the pedal end. Good luck…hope your wife enjoys the car!
No, old friends, MY car still isn’t finished! I got side tracked into a very involved artistic project (an outgrowth of all the fiberglass work on the car) and in the middle of that lost our very closest family friend to fighting in Iraq which set us all back quite a bit. Haven’t given up on Merlin, just put him away for awhile.
Michael the Merlin guy
Michael,
Thanks so much for your suggestions. I will take this to a body shop and see what can be done. My wife is really excited although if we get this problem resolved, she’ll want to drive and I’ll have to be the passanger more than a few times. Thanks again…..Bob
Bob,
If you look at the Download Manual section of this site you can see what Michael is talking about. That should get you started.
Dale
I have a Fiberfab MiGi that uses an aftermarket pedel assembly.The clutch is hydraulic,and the kit includes a slave cyl.that hooks to the clutch in the back.The unit is self contained,and bolts to the floor with 4 bolts.The unit is made by Neal,and is sold for use on sandrails.I did find the gas pedel on it kind of useless,so I made my own with a hinge on the floor.The best part is you can put it where ever you like it.
There is a set of Neal pedels and masters on ebay right now.But it ends in 13 hours.There is also a Wildwood pull type slave cyl on there too.Just punch up Neal on ebay motors and it will come right up.I punched slave and found the pull type cyl.too.Both of those items come up on there regularly.
I also forgot,check out lovinbuggies.com They make a plate to bolt your stock pedels to that bolts anywhere you want it to.If you type sandrail on ebay a lot of this stuff will come up.
Bob,
Classic Roadsters offered an adjustable seat frame for the VW chassis. It is intended for use with Classic Roadsters bench seat. But I think it could be modified for use with a bucket.
I bought the parts but never used them and would be glad to sell them. Contact me off line at pmossberg@iso.com if you want to discuss this further.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Thank you one and all for your help. Presently the MG is at an antique car shop and the mechanics are trying to figure out the best way to adjust the pedals. I will be sure to pass on all this info to them. It should get them thinking in the right direction. I’ll let you all know what they end up doing. Thanks and have a great day everyone…..BigKrup
The best and easiest way to get the pedals closer is to do what is described above by Merlin:
“The other common method was to remove the existing pedal cluster from the donor car, cut a new hole in the side of the tunnel and re-install the pedal cluster in the original manner to the side of the tunnel by shortening the cables inside the tunnel to match the new location.”
The accelerator cable is easy to shorten, the clutch cable needs to be shortened and the brake pedal rod to the master cylinder lengthened.
You may get by only having to drill one hole…put the front hole of the pedal assembly in the back hole that now exists and drill one new hole for the rear pedal assembly hole. I drilled an access hole on the opposite side of the tunnel and then made a small patch.
By the way…my driver’s seat bottom was nearly on the floor and the pedals were spaced for my 6’3.5″/260 lb size. It was comfortable for me but everyone else that sat in it looked like a little old lady…all you could see was hair (or lack of it) and knuckles!
If you decide to move the pedals, Classic Roadsters assembly manual had excellent instructions. I’d be gladto photocopy them and send them along.
In addition to shortening the clutch and acelerator cables and moving the pedal cluster…
Those cables run in tubes within the center tunnel. You need to cut those tubes, deburr the cuts and reattach the tubes to the inside of the tunnel.
And you have to move the stop on the floor for the clutch and brake pedals (or make a new one).
It’s all pretty straight forward. And there’s no real need for your mechanic to figre it out on his own.
Lemme know if you want the detail directions.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
The shop will have our MG ready on Tuesday. I’ll let you all know how it worked out. Thanks everyone. Big
For those of you who might be interested, the shop bolted a small clutch pedal about 6 inches in front and to the side of the the existing clutch. They bolted this pedal to the floor and connected it to the existing clutch with a rod. This rod is easily removed and the new pedal can fold down flat on the floor and be covered by the mat. This is great for me because I’m tall and can still use the old clutch pedal. With a quick connect the short pedal is in use and my wife can now drive. It works for both of us. The accelerator and break pedals were fine for her. But that clutch needed her full leg extenson and then some…..Now my next project …. the interior. It has an orangy rug colored floor and this really has to go . Happy trails to one and all. Big
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