- This topic has 42 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 10 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I’ve been enjoying the posts here for several months. That, plus the price, helped me choose which replica MG TD to buy. I’m sure I’ll be asking a lot of questions. Thank you all for the info I’ve received here so far.
My choice was, (I think), an 81 Classic Roadster Ltd. Duchess on a 1974 VW. I drove it
home 70 miles on a 50 degree day with the top on but no side curtains.
Nearly froze as the seller advised me it had no heater. I learned a few
days later it does indeed have a good working heater. Hard to believe
he owned it for 6 years and didn’t know. I’ll post some pics as soon as I figure out how.It needs lots of TLC. Has been neglected at some time and obviously has spent some time setting outdoors.
I’ve been working on it almost non stop for the 2 weeks I’ve had it. I
had the tears in the top repaired and other than that the top and side curtains are in very
good shape and are surely not original. I was able to get a pretty good
shine back on the gel coat with paste wax, and finished up with a good
coat of Lemon Pledge.The tires were weather cracked so I had
new installed and let the tire place dispose of the old ones. Big
mistake. I’m pretty sure the new tires are faulty as after 3 tries they
have been unable to balance them. They blame the wheels, but it didn’t
shake and bounce with the old tires. Hope for a good ending here.The body is in excellent condition! How it’s survived 31 years with no scratches or cuts is nothing short of amazing.
It
has a slight shifting issue… sticks in gear if you fail to down shift
all the way to first before coming to a complete stop. It has a new
yoke and bushings at the tranny end of the shift rod so I suspect the
front end though it looks OK.After 6 hours of bird-nest
untangling under the dash I have all the lights and gauges working
except oil pressure and fuel gauge. Parts on order. It passed
inspection and I drive it as weather permits which is not a lot with
this weather pattern. Need wiper blades BTW.I see why you all love to drive these
things! I can’t go around the block without waves and honks and other
reactions from folks of all ages. It’s fun to work on and keeps me
out of the pool halls.Dick
Welcome! very nice TD
If you Want to know something all you got to do is ask. Someone will have the answer. there’s a lot of know how here.TDREPLICA Map
http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=7f9174ad614e43b680deba085b0abf48
Yay! Another Classic Roadsters Duchess!
Welcome aboard Dick. Glad to have you.
Even happier to know our dues are not yet too expensive!Good looking car!
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)
Welcome.
She cleaned up real nice.Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Welcome to you, Dick. Please tell more about the tires. I might have a similar problem.
I hear tell you can balance out-of-round tires by shaving the tread at a performance tire shop.
Welcome Dick, A tire guy once told me that “you can balance a square block of wood, but it won’t ride worth a damn.” Let me tell you about my recent tire experience.
Last year, I bought 4 (actually 5) wheels with “lotsa good tread left” mounted tires. Put them on and it rode terribly. Awful On a smooth road it was all over the place. Bouncing and so bad that I would not exceed 30 mph without fear. When I got back home, I checked the tire pressures. The prior owner had pumped them up to 80# plus. (The lowest was 80#) I don’t know why, but there it was. The belts inside the tires had become separated and after convincing myself that 5 relatively new good looking tires were junk ($$$), I bought new ones…………..and lived happily ever after. All’s well.Welcome aboard Dick. Great looking TD you have. She polished up really nice. If you are looking for something that will polish up faded fiberglass/jel coat keep in mind a boat supply/parts shop. A lot of our TD fixtures are marine fixtures. And they know a lot about polishing fiberglass. Again….welcome aboard and don’t forget to log in the registry. You may see someone else with a TD near your location. newkitman2013-06-02 10:27:11
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackThanks to all for the welcome and the tips. All of the cars I’ve seen here give me an unreachable goal. Gorgeous one and all! Right now I’m working toward the “looks OK from across the street at midnight in a heavy fog” finish.
I will do the registry thing. Is there a way to tell if the car is factory built or customer built? The close fit of the body parts on this one makes me believe it was either factory built or assembled by a very picky customer.
Wow 80 pounds of air would be like riding on solid rubber fork lift tires.
The new tires don’t have a mfg name that I can find. The sidewalls say CLASSIC RADIAL LL800 165/80R15 M&S ALL SEASON. Pressure is 32 all around.
The standard VW wheels are attached with 3000 foot pounds of torque, give or take 500 pounds. Standard tire store torque specs. (A little tongue-in-cheek there.) My shop compressor is set on 120 PSI and the impact tool can’t remove the lug bolts. Using a standard cross-wrench with the outer end supported, and my 200+ jumping down hard I can loosen them.
The tires all run out of round from 1/16 to 1/8. The rims are about the same maybe a tad less. Neither is excessive IMO. One tire has a low spot of 1/8 vs being out of round like the other three. I’ll do some more rotating today but I’m beginning to see another new set of tires in my future.
I’ll try the marine polish. The gel could for sure have a higher gloss.
Anyone know of any particular areas to check for rattles and clunks? I’m searching for loose bolts or anything that might make a noise on a bump. The battery is mounted solid and I’m making a bolt-down bracket for the jack and tools.
I’m thinking new shocks too but from posts here it may be that removing some of the spring plates may be the only answer to a softer ride.
Clear skies,
Dicktire pressure: 16 front (not a misprint), 26 back. Or 24. You’ll feel it. It will feel better.
Absolutely with Ed on the tire pressures.
Ran my Duchess at about 30 for over twenty years.
Learned here VW radial pressures should be 18 front/26 rear.
What a difference!
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)
WOW…really? I’m way off then. I just refinished the wheels and mounted the tires (165/80-15) and am running 28 in the front and 30 in the rear. A buddy of mine said that was right for a VW, but I assume from your post above, I can go that low due to the lighter weight body…correct? What is the difference? Better ride or better handling or both? Thanks.
SamSam, I used to run 16 front and 24 rear in stock bugs with bias-ply tires, as best I recall. That 28-30 is very high. …
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Sam,
The tire pressure numbers you are seeing here are for stock VW Beetles (yup, really) and not because of the low weight of our TDs!radials: 18 lbs front; 27 rearbias ply: 16 lbs front; 24 rearFor those that need to see to believe:
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..thanks. Just went out and set my tire pressures to 18 front/28 rear just because I like even mumbers.
SamLet us know your reactions after you drive her!
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 didn’t see anyone reference marine fiberglass rubbing compound. I bought an unassembled kit with the fenders and small fg parts still wrapped and looking like the day they were shipped. The body was oxidized after 30? years of exposure. Compound got it back to a close enough match. ie midnight in a light mist. You might wait for other comments, the people on this site are incredibly helpful, but I can’t see that I’ve done any harm and it really did come a long way back to glossy. Mike
With my resurrection, I’ve had good luck so far with Meguir’s Ultimate Polishing compound, followed with Meguir’s Marine Wax.
If you don’t wax relatively soon after compounding to fill those open pores in the fiberglass, it will turn white and dull quickly…It’s still too soon to see how long that marine wax will hold up.KentT2013-06-06 07:49:47
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.