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Hello, I am a new member. I am trying to find out if
there is a certain kit car that would better meet what I
am looking for. I have always loved MG TD’s ever since I
saw Chevy Chase driving one in Funny Farm. However, I
like the performance of newer vehicles too. I do want a
project car. I am looking for a kit car that would
provide a much faster 0-60 time than the 18.2 sec a real
one produced. I have always driven automatics and would
love it to stay that way. And I would like to keep close
to the original proportions. I know there is a kit car
out of New Zealand that uses a Miata as a donor vehicle.
Great except it is pretty expensive and has to be shipped
international. I think a kit based on a Chevette would
probably be the best. Is this correct or should I be
thinking of something else? And if a Chevette one, which
one?
Welcome to the forum. All the kits have a potential to be a lot quicker than an original MG-TD. As you already know, straight line acceleration is determined mainly by the horsepower to weight ratio.
That being said, several options for a project TD kit arise:
1) VW based: The lightest of the kits and probably the most vibrant aftermarket of the 3 “type” of kits is for air-cooled VW parts. Probably the easiest and cheapest priced TD kits to score too. Even in stock VW form, a 50+ hp dual port 1600cc motor will motivate you to 60 mph a lot faster than 18.5 seconds. Plus you can “hot rod” VW engines, use bigger air cooled VW’s like a Type IV motor, even use water cooled Subaru or Mazda Rotary swaps. IMHO, a mildly modified air-cooled Type 1 VW motor will provide all the motivation you’ll need….most bang for the buck and easiest to construct.
2) Ford based: The heaviest kit. Although based on the Mustang II/Pinto donor suspension and drivetrain, these custom full frame kits would allow you to build a Cobra (small block) eater using the correct components. The M-II/Pinto front suspension is used on today’s streetrods and it’s basic parts were used in the 1980’s asphalt modifieds and late models. You can use 8″ or 9″ Ford rear ends and custom rear suspension if 1/4 elliptical leafs are not your bag. Almost any V6 can be fitted between the frame rails and any 3 or 4 speed OD trans can be used. A small V8 would also fit, but makes them nose heavy. I actually started one of these builds using a warmed up Buick 3.8L V6, a TH200R4 trans, an 8″ Ford posi rear, tubular/coil over M-II/Pinto front suspension and the kit set-up rear suspension (1/4 elliptical leafs). Keep in mind that this drivetrain is found in the Buick Grand National…one of the fastest 1/4 mile production cars ever built by an American manufacturer…and they weighed almost two tons!
3) GM based: Chevette/Pontiac T-1000. Again these kits are about the closest to a real TD in feel. The donor cars are hard to find, as are the parts. Not much aftermarket stuff is available for their suspensions (the front is the same one used on the Pontiac Fiero), they have torque tube rear ends and the automatic is only available in a 3 speed. IMHO, the truest and best made kit was Chevette based, the British Coach Work kit. The fiberglass was hand laid and all the body hardware was from a real TD. The molds were even made from a real TD.
Whatever you decide, all the manufacturers kits were not created equal. Some are much higher quality than others. However, if you are doing the build, you can correct some of the deficiencies yourself.
Plus, you’ll get a ton of advice from the peanut gallery here on the forum.
Hi and welcome to the forum.
I own a VW based London Roadster and a Chevette based British Coach Works as well.The LR is very reliable and a marvel of simplicity but the BCW is more like the original MG and better quality in general.Performance of both is as good or even slightly better than the original but I prefer the BCW because the front engine setup .
If you want an automatic transmission , you will need to stay with a front engine car and the Ford based ones are more performance oriented because of the larger displacement engines. Fords are 2.3 liter while the Chevettes are 1.4 or 1.6
Fiber Fab/Classic Motor Carriage cars are probably the easiest to find,while the BCWs and Classic Roadster Duchess are a little rarer.
Check out the photo gallery at the top right to see a good assortment of TD replicas .
All the above is my own ”humble” opinion and is not intended to put down any one or their particular preference,we all have our favorite that seems best to us.
I guess i’ll put my .02 cents in ,,, if you can find an automatic chevy,ford or a manual VW you will have an enjoyable toy
many hours of work that go by fast ,, you will want to drive and find that the TDs are as much fun as a fast Camaro or Mustang with less gas DanHi Joel.
Welcome aboard!
I’m trying to think of something brilliant to say, but these guys have covered the bases.
I feel like I built my VW powered Classic Roadsters Duchess in pre-historic times. I had no choice, it was VW or nothing when I bought my kit in 1982.
I believe the Miata based kit you mentioned is actually an MG TF reproduction. You’d be the first one here if you did that!
I like Mark’s summary. Consider what YOU are looking for your car to do, how you intend to use it, how “accurate” you want it to be.
That will help you narrow down your search.
A comment on accuracy…. dimensionally, most of the reproductions are fairly close to an original TD, probably within an inch in any measurement.
To my eyes, the biggest issue is that some kits do not use a full height TD grill. The grill is such a focal point of a TD, original or reproduction. I simply prefer the look of the kits that use the full original grill.
Enjoy the hunt and the decision process Joel!
We’ll be with you every step of the way.
Although… I’m not so sure that’s a good thing…. as you can see already, ask a question and you are going to get more opinions than we have members!
PMOSSBERG40610.9557638889
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)
If I really wanted a project I’d hold out for a BCW Chevette and ditch
the drive train, then adapt a stouter engine to that–2.8 to 3.1
60-degree V6 maybe?–with maybe a TH200R4 behind it. Chevy s-10 pickup truck drivetrain. Project with a
capital “P” though, and that stands for “pool” which somehow rhymes with
“trouble.”If I just wanted an automatic TD-like ride with some grunt I go for a Ford-based kit. Cover that Pinto gear selector with a leather boot though.
Paul, I agree with you on the kits with the full height grille. Back in 1994,when I bought my first TD replica, I was too excited to notice that the grille was too short,as compared with the original MG. I’ve spent the last 17 years wishing it was the correct height. It appears that the designers of the kit mounted the body farther back on the VW pan which allowed the ”gas tank” engine cover to be closer in size to the original.If they had added about three inches to the hood and front fenders ,the MG grille would have worked and they would have had the best of both designs. Seems like I remember that some of the earlier kits required that the VW pan be cut and shortened and the shorter grille may have been their solution to eliminate that problem and cut down on the assembly time.
Great! Thank you for all of the quick replies. Where do you guys find is
the best place to go looking for one. I know e- bay, craigslist and
sometimes forums like this one. I have seen that sometimes there are
some at the county auctions. Has anyone been to one, I would think
these would probably end up being over priced.
Got mine on Craigslist but if I was real dedicated to getting a deal I’d be haunting–hate to say it–estate sales. Also grab up as many of those penny shopper and you-pay-to-look classified ad papers I could find. “Bargain News” it’s called up in CT. I’d be searching for an older demographic that, maybe, isn’t so Craigslist and ebay-savvy.
‘course then there’s this board. A guy on here a few months ago let an unassembled Fiberfab kit go for like $1,000. Begged people to take it.
These cars won’t probably break your budget.
If you’re interested in a VW based kit try http://www.thesamba.com
Go to the classified tab and do a search for MGTD in the Other VW category. I know there are three at the moment.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackDon’t know where you are located, but my original “Pink MG” which became Bill Collins “Angelica” was sold a couple years ago to guy just off the Washington D.C. beltway in Virginia.
A week or so ago, Larry Murphy spotted it on eBay. Maybe if you PM’d Bill, he has the guy’s name and phone number?
I built the car, Bill added/changed some equipment like the exhaust, a box in the “trunk”, a line lock for hill top stops/starts, powder coated engine tin, etc.
In the eBay pics it looks a little worse for wear and he was asking a bit more than what I believe is today’s market value, but it may be worth investigating?
I am in the SF Bay Area. But I would consider transporting a long
distance if something like that other kit for $1000 came up again.
I am trying to find the dimensions inside the front hood.
Does anyone know where I can find those?
got the size for a Chevette f/f kit made in 1977 at the radiator 17inches , at the fire wall 30 ” front to back 32 inches I hope this helps I bought mine from craigslist Sacramento and was a mess
but it was as rep-ed by the seller Good Luck Dan
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