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I am very happy to announce to you all that I now have the entire Classic Roadsters VW-Based Duchess assembly manual available in PDF format.
I will be sending it to our gracious founder and site host. But until it gets posted to the Download Manuals section I will be glad to email it to you. Just send me a private message with section or sections you need.
There are six files:
Part 1 – Disassembly and Chassis Prep
Part 2 – Body Assembly
Part 3 – Dash and Electrical
Part 4 – Body and Interior
Part 5 – Final Check List and Test Drive
Part 6 – Templates
I also have the Wiring Diagrams available separately. While these are specific to Classic Roadsters Ltd.’s factory supplied wiring harnesses. I believe they would be useful for the owners of any VW based MG TD Replica.
Please note that even though I will email them to you directly, these manuals are copyrighted material owned by Classic Roadsters. I share them with you under the same terms of use that we post on the front page of the Download Manuals section, which I have modified to fit this situation:
TERMS OF USE and Copyright Notice.
These manuals were and are original works of the manufacture. I do not know of Copyrights still in effect. I will email only one copy of the manual to any requestor. I will not charge any fee and freely distribute these manuals with the intent that they are to be used as a replacement for car owners.
If you are a Copyright holder of the Classic Roadsters’ Ltd. manuals, please contact me immediately and I will cease any and all redistribution.
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)
Paul, this is great news! Especially for a newbie like me… I’ll PM you my e-mail address. Thanks for all your work in this – this will help our efforts immeasurably!
Jim
Everything is on its way Jim!
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)
Paul,
Just wanted to say thank you for putting your Classic Roadster’s Duchess Assembly Manual in the Download Section.
For those who haven’t taken a look at the manuals in that section, the Classic Roadster’s manual is far and away the best of those listed.
After going through all of them I have noted some small differences here and there but all are practically the same. One may give an added tip that the other doesn’t. The biggest difference I found was in the Roadster’s Assembly Manual. There is a procedure for installing a “Ballast Box” in the front trunk area. Even comes with a template to make the wood top. And it talks about adding sand in the box and another area in the trunk to hold 80 pounds of more sand if needed. The other two manuals make no mention of that. Perhaps a duchess builder can expound some on that.
Anyway….thanks again Paul for doing that. You guys make it very enjoyable being part of the club.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackI think you’re going to want to omit the ballast box. It’s only there to wieght-up the front end and make up for a bad design element in the original kits.
The problem: TD Replicas remove about 300 lbs from the front suspension, owing to the lighter body and the rearward shift in weight distribution. Most of these kits account for that by lowering the front suspension via the “cut, turn and weld” method described in these build manuals You get a lower (more correct) ride height and a way-too-stiff ride.
This is dangerous on bumpy roads, panic stops, all kinds of routine situations. The ballast reportedly doesn’t do much to ameliorate this.
Mark (“Pink MG”) and a couple others on this board have scienced this thing out, and the general conclusion is you get an adjustable front axle beam and remove all or most of the smaller leaf springs.
That softens the spring rate to something like what it should be for the weight of the car. The ride height is independently adjustable, so you can go a little high or a little low, as desired.
Reportedly, this makes the car both more comfortable and safer. Leaving the sandbags off the front will make it a step quicker too.
I say all this tentatively, having bought the new axle beam but not taken the day or two I’ll need to install it. Very much looking forward to driving Bridget after I get this done, probably over the winter.
TERMS OF USE and Copyright Notice.
These manuals were and are original works of the manufacture. I do not know of Copyrights still in effect. I will email only one copy of the manual to any requestor. I will not charge any fee and freely distribute these manuals with the intent that they are to be used as a replacement for car owners.
If you are a Copyright holder of the Classic Roadsters’ Ltd. manuals, please contact me immediately and I will cease any and all redistribution.
You are though, man
Just a comment on newkitman’s post
Classic Roadsters manuals are NOT in teh Download Manuals section yet.
I need FrankieD to do that.If you want a copy, send me a private message.
Actually, I believe a combination of PinkMG’s suspension softening and some ballast provides the best handling car. Without a couple hundred pounds over the front axle, the weight distribution is absurd!
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)
Alfredo,
Hover over the Library link in the tool bar near the top of the page, then click on Manuals.
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)
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