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Some MG T cars that are all or mostly fiberglass get respect from MG purists. The secret, I think, is having one of those brass plates somewhere on the car that says “Abingdon.” I may just drive Bridget over to this guy’s house for a chat.
Took her to work today, by the way. Made it in pretty easy–24 miles in light traffic.
And sunny. Going home was a bit tough. Cloudy, getting dark; syncros felt pretty balky with all the slow speed shifting in normal rush hour traffic. Couple times I had to give up on finding second gear and just go for the long lug in third.
Could me me–not used to the car–or could be the clutch needs adjusting. I’m thinking maybe syncros though. I’m pessimistic like that. Anyone know better?That TC based race car is Sweet witha capital “S”! Thanks Ed.
I have one of those brass Abingdon ID plates. Bought it years ago at Carlisle Import/Kit Car show. Never got it engraved with my VIN. I should dig it out!
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)
I had a similar problem with shifting. On the top of the transmission there is a grease fitting and an area that needs grease. The only way to get to it is by removing your seat. there should be a panael or hole there. Heck of alot easlier to try before. you tear it down.
Thanks, Richard. The shifter on this thing is incredibly sloppy. I’m too dumb to know if that’s “normal” for an old VW or not, but thinking maybe some bushings might need attention. Grease sounds like a good idea too. I’ll have a look at all the easy stuff before contemplating a major tear-down.
Ed, I can see from the pictures in your gallery that your car has individual seat bottoms. The plate to access the shifter coupling is under the carpet between the seats.The shifter tube connecting the transaxle to the shift lever passes thru a support in the tunnel.The support has a plastic bushing that wears out and then allows the shifter tube to move arround too much. Any excess wear in these parts can cause problems with shifting the gears. There is also a feature that keeps the trans from going into reverse unless the shift lever is depressed which then allows the shift lever to move farther to the left and then shift into reverse.If things get worn enough it is possible to shift into reverse without depressing the lever.This may be what is happening when you are intending to shift from first to second gear.Hope this helps.
That’s it!
I think I’ve seen that bushing for sale for like $2 somewhere. I’ll bet it’s a joy to install.
At least the seats won’t have to come out…. Then again, I’ll be moving the e-brake anyway….
Ed Fix the shifter first. The e-brake stuff will be in the way when installing the bushing. Also check the coupling that connects the shifter tube to the shaft at the front of the transaxle.
I just replaced the shifter bushing in my “regular” ’74 Beetle. It’s not a bad job.
When I straightened out the botched job on the first Pink MG’s VW shifter, I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the tunnel under the shift rod coupler. The pan was a Super Beetle and had a bulkhead welded to the front of the spine/tunnel that accepted a Standard Beetle torsion tube. That sealed off the hole on the front of the tunnel making is impossible to get the shift rod out the front of the car.
The hole I drilled allowed the much shortened shift rod to be removed out the hole in the bottom of the car. I drilled the hole just after the bottom of the tunnel starts to kick back up toward the transaxle/torsion bar “yoke”.
It is very important that a VW shifter is exactly perpendicular to the tunnel when the car is in neutral or you will never find the correct gears, either 1st and 2nd (tilted forward) or 3rd and 4th (tilted backwards).
I actually had to get a new shift rod and redrill it to correct my problem in addition to replacing the disintegrated nylon bushing. USE PLENTY OF GREASE and I even polished the rod where it contacts the bushing.
Pink MG40253.6241203704
Thanks, Mark. I’m just now looking at the parts I might need for the shifter job. Not sure which bushings, etc. to order for a ’69. The good news it they’re all cheap.
Pretty sure I’ll still have the inspection plate behind the new shifter location. Was thinking the rod could go in and out through that, since it’s so much shorter than stock. Not the case?
Oh yeah, and regarding my “needs a brass plate to be a real TD” theory:
grabbed this one on tha Bay for $10. Not as cool as Paul’s, I guess–since it’s already got some other ’52 TD’s number. But I still think it’ll buy me some street cred from the Faithful. Far as I’m concerned, (when discussing matters with “real MG” guys, anyway) Bridget is now just a very highly modified original MGTD.edsnova40253.9637847222
Ed,
I think the shortened shift rod is still too long to pull it through the inspection plate. The center tunnel is not high enough to get you the clearance you need to tilt the shift rod.
I’m relying on memory, so it’s worth a shot. But I don’t think it will work.
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)
OK, Paul. The Manual says “remove front bumper.” Well, my front bumper should come off easy enough. Not quite sure what I’ll be using to work a 2-foot rod through six feet of tunnel. But since everyone else can do it, I probably can too.
If anyone has that trick handy, let me know. And thanks again for the good and useful advice.
Long arms!
Actually, it’s pretty easy. Here are a two approaches.
If you have an electricians “fish line”, the stiff wire that they use to pull wiring, just run it into the tunnel through the front access panel, atttach it to the shift rod and pull the rod out.
If you don’t have that, a long broom stick will work. Just slide it in, attach it with wire or string to the front of the shift rod and pull it out.
With either approach…before you pull the shift rod out…
Attach a length of wire to the back end of the shift rod, longer than the tunnel. This way you already have a wire in place when it is time to pull the shift rod back into place.
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)
It will not come out the couple inspection hole as Paul said.
Paul’s suggestion for the remove and reinstall are spot on.
I polished the shifter rod where the little nylon bushing rides. Put the bushing in the shift plate first, grease the crap out of the rod (wheel bearing grease) and slide it through.
BTW, I didn’t use that little circle spring clip on the new bushing. The SAMBA guys claim it’s not necessary to hold the bushing in place.
http://www.Wolfsburgwest.com is a good source for OEM VW parts.
Thanks, I’ll check them out. I kind of got the hang of shifting her with the sloppy bushing last weekend, but definitely going to do the bushing job before Carlisle.
Tomorrow I’ll have a run at getting the brake lights working again. Tried to wire up a big high central brake light last Sunday and ended up with all of them off for good. As someone else said, This is fun, right?
Yes Ed, it’s fun.
Easiest way to wire the third brake light (anyone remember when NHTSA called them the “CHMSL”?) is to just tap into hot line of one brake light and then run a separate ground off the third brake light.
Having no brake lights makes me think you simply blew a fuse.
Gold Star to the first one that properly fills in the words to CHMSL
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)
Thanks, guys. Yeah, I’ll be checking the fuses (again) as well as the grounds, hot leads bulbs and that infernal brake light switch on the master cylinder–replaced last week after the mishap. I’m sure she’ll come around.
For James:
Although to split hairs, it was actually Center High Mounted Stop Light.
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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