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The top isn’t the issue. Damage to the paint, gelcoat, interior and windshield from sand, gravel and the assorted chunks of pavement kicked up by traffic is, not to mention rain, hail and bird poo.
Wrapping the car in a full cover sounds like a good idea until you consider how much abrasion will be caused by a flapping cover over how many miles?
Your only concern is not having a top to protect the interior. How much faith do you have in the weatherman?
The risk of road damage while the car is on a transporter is far less than the risk from simply driving the car. In fact, the “risk” is probably close to zero. If it was problematic, new cars would not be delivered to dealers on open car carriers.
You do NOT want to ship the car, on an open car carrier, with a car cover on it. Abrasion is one issue. Having the cover tear loose is another. I doubt the transporter would agree to that. They would incur a huge liability if the cover were to tear loose, land on the windshield of a following car…and, well you get the idea.
I had my ’65 Plymouth Satellite shipped from Los Angeles to New Jersey. It traveled on an open car carrier, on the top level. The transport company told me they always put convertibles on top to avoid damage to the soft top from potential leaks from cars above. An oil drip on paint can be cleaned up. An oil drip on a fabric top will probably damage the top permanently.
PMOSSBERG40801.6409490741
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)
True. New cars are shipped on open carriers. But Avantis are shipped in closed trailers because the flexible paint on fiberglass can’t stand up to as much abuse as today’s magic potions on steel. I’d think twice about exposing the old gelcoat on a TD replica to road rash on an open carrier.
Then again, if a top is available for your TD you could take a chance on road rash and wind up with a top for the price of a closed trailer.
At the end of the day, if the difference in cost is manageable, it’s obvious that covered is “safer” than open.
But seriously folks, if we were worried about road rash, how would we ever drive our little cars? I still think there is more exposure at ground level, driving the car, then there is on a transporter.
As far as flexing, my Duchess has been on the road since 1983. And not just on back country roads. A lot of her road time has been on interstate highways. The gel coat remains uncracked. And the biggest “road rash” knick is from when I dropped a screw driver on a fender.
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 think I’ll request qoutes for an enclosed carrier on the top, even though that might increase my overall cost. No cover on it while it’s being transported, other than the truck soft or hard enclosure.
Since there is no roof on the car, enclosed is probably a good idea. Rain or other precipitation is your worst enemy.
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)
Should I continue in this thread or start a new one?
Does anyone have experience with Chevy 283 engines?
You should make it a new thread…with an appropriate subject line.
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 ended up with an enclosed single bed trailer towed by a one ton truck, sharing a ride with a Model A, also destined for Phoenix. The ending bid was about the same as my original bids were to haul it in a multi-car open carrier, not paying extra for top rack placement.
I got a call tonight from the carrier, and he expects to be able to deliver my new one by noon tomorrow, while I’ll be at work, 30 miles away. If it doesn’t look like rain someday this week, I’ll drive it into work if she’s in good enough shape. She’ll need some upholstery work, and a panel under the dash to corral the wiring, but I’m hoping that she’ll polish up nicely.
Take your time and savor the moment and don?t hurry to work, take a sick day and enjoy the ride.
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Sounds like a day off to me too!
Good luck with the new addition to the family!
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 wish I could afford a day off. I’m only 5 weeks into my new job and don’t have paid time off yet. I will have to wait until after work and then decide if I will go to the meeting I’ve been planning on tonight for a few months, or stay home with my new gal and take her for a spin.
I got lucky with the timing of the car cover. It arrived last night, just in time for the delivery. I wasn’t expecting the car until Friday or Saturday, so this came as a surprise yesterday afternoon.
First Drive Report: I got home after work last night and my new car was covered with the the TD car cover that had arrived just the night before. I peeled it back and took a little time to view it, knowing it wasn’t showroom quality, but I had not seen close up photos of the imprefections and repairs needed.
The driver’s side fender mounted mirror is missing. The are signs of love on every body panel, so a buff and finsih job and maybe some touch up paint in the future.
I got in with a shoehorn, and I’m not a big guy, but with a big steering wheel and a non-sliding seat, it is a tight fit to slide in. But once in, the fit is fine, a bit cramped in the pedal well. It’s an automatic transmission, and I don’t see room down there for a clutch pedal if it was a standard.
The engine sounded good, with a deep loud rumble. This is not an MG engine by any means. I backed out of my driveway and started down the street, but she immediately died.
I learned two things after that. It seemed that she was out of gas and the gas gauge was reading over full, and she is not as light as my London Roadster, meaning I can’t roller her by myself. My VW mechanic neighbor came to leand a hand to try pushing her back into my driveway, but we got stuck going up from the street, but at least she was out of the street, albeit blocking the sidewalk. I left to fill a 2.5 gallon gas can.
Once I got the gas into her, and discovered what the white knobbed pull switch on the dash is for, the fuel pump turned on and we were moving forward. I took her on the city street just outside my neighborhood and headed for the freeway. The engine roared and had no trouble keeping up and passing traffic. There are no side wings, so wind buffeting at freeway speeds was pretty dramatic (was I really exceding 100 mph or is my speedometer way off, along with the odometer not working (my second replica with that problem)?
The brakes, though, were said to be disk and I expected to be able to stop quickly and securely. Much to my dismay, they don’t seem strong at all, and I get more slowing down from taking my foot off of the accelerater pedal than I do putting it down on the brake pedal. I learned really quickly to allow sufficient braking distance, but as they are now, I could not trust them in an emergency. This is something I was to address before new top.
There’s some cosmetic damage, like ruined carpeting in the well behind the seats, where two stereo speakers where laying, unconnected, leaving two large holes in the rear panel of that well. I’m missing some screws to secure the dash panel, and it’s a mess of wires underneath, with no cover to hide anything. The spare tie has a hub cap that wasn’t in the online photos and the wheel is different from the four on the ground. I was surprised to see rain spots on the running boards. Supposedly, it went from a covered building into the enclosed trailer all the way to my house, then covered with the car cover. The carpeting in the driver’s footwell bunches up and is looking unkempt.
I knew it didn’t have a top, but there are snap receptors on the windshield and body, but not on the door. I’m not sure how side curtains would be installed there, but that’s a task for the top shop.
The gas tank overfilled and made a mess at the gas station, but I got her home in one piece and covered back up.
It was a mixed emotion night for me.
with that nmotor and light body you should be able to do 120 to 160 easy. And as ED Said YAAAA HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
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I’d say the plus side of the ledger (it starts, runs, rolls, turns and stops) more than outweighs the minus side (brakes need attention, no top, various cosmetic fiddly bits to fix). On balance, I’d say you’re sitting pretty — if maybe a little tight.
As for doing 100 mph, maybe your speedo is like mine, and is marked only in kph.
Thumbs up, Mark!
1981 Lafer TI
1600 cc Type 1 engineThe good news is that the bad news isn’t fatal. Once you fix the carpet, install a mirror, bleed the brakes, install speakers, fix the instrument ground and give it a buff and shine, the car will be yours.
The big pieces are all there. Enjoy the ride.
When it came time for me to leave the car show/sock hop last night, my car would not start or even turn over. With the help of my neighbor 1957 Chevy guy, we found a loose battery connection and a loose starter connection. The lead battery clamp has been beaten and the bolt and nut to tightening are frozen and can’t be tighten any more. the clamp slides off the post with just a hand twist, and there is evidence of arcing, as if from a loose connection. It won’t start up this morning.
Can I replace just the battery post clamp, or do I need to replace the entire ground wire, too?
MGLondonRoadste40824.520787037
All the parts stores sell replacements for the end of the cable. You cut the bad cable end off with a hacksaw or wire cutters and the new part clamps to the cable using small bolts. Replacing the entire cable is probably better but replacing just the end will work.
Make sure you clean up the battery post also, using a mild sandpaper or scotchbrite pad or something, to get whatever oxidation from the arcing is off it, to get a nice clean connection. Clean up and sand the starter connection until it’s bright metal for the same reason.
If you replace the battery clamp on the end of the cable make sure you put the right size on – sometimes the battery posts are 2 different diameters to avoid connecting it up wrong. Usually these things come in a pack with both of them, if you just buy one, get the right size.
mrlmd40824.652962963Marine stuff is sometimes thicker and stronger. They even make “gold plated” ones but for $7 a terminal color me skeptical.
Last night, the helper guy (Troy) pulled out what he called was a $3.00 tool and proceeded to polish the battery terminal and then pulled out a brush to clean out the connector insides. Then he took a utility knife and cut out some of the connector. By the time he pounded it back into place, I couldn’t turn it with just my hand. It was nice and tight.
But I still plan to replace it as soon as possible. I don’t have wire cutters big enough for that cable, but I once saw some used by an electrician in my last job. That tool from Germany made a clean cut without crimping, like a small wire cutter does. I’m afraid that was an expensive tool.
About the pounding comment. The battery posts are attached to the plates at either end of the battery. They can be broken internally by beating on the cable terminal to make it tight. Cables/connectors are cheap enough.
No pounding.
The starter would not turn over this morning at first. I wiggled the negative connection just a bit and it started the engine on my next try.
Connections shouldn’t wiggle. Was the cable loose on the post or did the post move?
You will be amazed at how comparable the cost of a new cable is to a set of connectors. On the rack at Autozone, Pep Boys and your favorite auto parts store.
If the post in the battery is moving around you need a battery. One the shelf alongside battery cables.
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