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edsnova wrote:This was the car stored on the lift for 20 years, right? That might have something to do with the ride height?
Yes it is… I thought something similar. How long would it take to “settle” back down on the springs…
Meanwhile, I must admit that I like that odometer reading…
KentT2013-03-06 08:37:30Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Did they run that car regularly–or at least spin the engine? If not, your valve springs are going to be like your torsion bars–only more likely to fail once you start running it. Several valve springs have likely been compressed for decades, while others have been uncompressed. The ones that were compressed will be weak.
Ed, I doubt it has been run regularly. They have a battery charger on it this morning, seeing if the battery will take enough charge to see if it will start. Meanwhile, they’ve confirmed that all the lights, wipers, etc., work. They just got it down off the rack yesterday, washed it, inventoried the parts, and are still trying to get it going. I’m trying not to discourage that, since I’d rather them drain the fuel system and get it running than have to do that later. Here’s hoping they also bleed the old fluid out of the brake system while they’re at it.
We started at the “as is, where is” discussion point, and I’m trying to get them to the point where I can actually test drive it, even if only around the parking lot, before I hand over any $$… that means they’re having to do work that they had not originally planned to do…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Kent, I know that you are smarter about this stuff than the average bear, but at risk of sounding too motherly: It is my understanding that you plan to tow it home with a tow bar? When I bought mine, the prior owner said “good tires, lots of tread”, well they were ancient. But, I must admit, lots of tread. Scary. I have towed cars all over the country and depending on the tow vehicle and the toad, sometimes it is darned near impossible to sense a blowout or a flat.
When you’re looking over the car, check the date stamps on the tires to see how old they are.
Thanks — and I appreciate the concern. I may end up springing for a set of tires before “dragging it home” once I’ve inspected the car and the tires.
As far as towbars — I’ve towed a ’64 Sunroof Beetle from San Antonio TX to Hampton VA, and then from Hampton VA to Ogden UT, all behind an ’84 Vanagon Weekender… and then from Ogden UT to Makato MN, behind an F-150, not to count shorter tows along the way…So, no, this isn’t exactly my first rodeo with a VW towbar…
KentT2013-03-06 13:26:17
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...You’ve piqued my curiosity. What would you be doing in “Mankato, MN”? I’ve been there. lots of family in the area.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"billnparts wrote:You’ve piqued my curiosity. What would you be doing in “Mankato, MN”? I’ve been there. lots of family in the area.I worked for a software company founded by locals, originally named “Clear With Computers.” Worked there for 4 years, and moved on when the company was sold to venture capitalists who later changed the name to “Firepond” — I’m not sure they’re even in business any more…
My wife (at the time – ‘nother story) and I were both also in the AF Reserves up at Minneapolis. I spent 15 years active duty in the AF, then another 12 in the Reserves before retiring. Trying to find locations that had both the primary job and an AF Reserve job kinda limits the options. The next move was to Central Massachusetts, where I finally retired from Westover Air Reserve Base…I moved back home to the hills of Tennessee last summer… and telecommute, part-time from home, as I wait for the SS check to kick in — assuming it is still there in another year or so…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...PMOSSBERG wrote:Just a couple observations…from afar…very far…I guess just a couple things to ask the current owner about.My biggest concern…the entire body assembly is sitting way high. It’s impossible to tell why from a few pics, but there is huge space between both front and rear wheels and their respective fenders.
And I’m a bit put off by the way the hood meets the grill shell. The curves simply don’t match.
Nothing insurmountable here…just think you should ask.
1. The height had not been adjusted in any way to compensate for the lighter body. Bill said he normally adjusted ride height after the kit was completed, and this one never was. Good news is that I don’t have to deal with someone’s chop/rotate job but the bad news is that I have to deal with adjusting them myself …
2. The hood is not really installed — no hinges or latches — it’s just setting on there for the pics. So, I’ll get to fine-tune that adjustment/fitment myself.Got a few more pics today — not the best quality, though. Here’s a pic of the tube frame, from the rear. Note that this doesn’t use a VW pan and tunnel at all. It’s more like the London Roadster — and the floorboards are new, flat 18 ga steel.
Couple pics inside the bonnet. Nothing really surprising here. Don’t like the initial placement of that windshield washer reservoir, but that’s easily fixed. Does have the fan blower installed for the defogger…as you can see, the hood has never been permanently installed.
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...All I can say is it looks intact. Should be no major surprises. BUT I’m not a VW guy.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Well, I went with “Plan B” for several reasons, a few of which were:
1. The PA car (Plan A) did NOT have the initially advertised dual port engine, only a 1500 single port per the ID number (though now being advertised as a 1600, assuming a rebuild/upgrade)… The 1500 engine # is not a “show-stopper” but does decrease its value (to me) and raises the whole question of “truth in advertising” of a car I’ve yet to see first-hand…2. Rather than fix the frame alignment issues previously disclosed, and as promised, they modified the fan shroud to gain the needed clearance, which makes any subsequent engine upgrade more difficult, and reinforces the whole “truth in advertising” issue…3. Though I’d planned to drive up to PA this coming weekend with my towbar to see/buy Plan A, the guy with Plan B bought another Harley on short-notice, forcing him to drop his price for a quick sale. So, I towed this project home – having checked it out personally before, hearing it run, etc:
It, too, is a 1500 single port, but it was never advertised otherwise – and it was 400 miles closer. I’d checked it out last Friday while in the area. Car was last registered (as a 1969 VW) and inspected in 1998 and has been stored in a barn or garage since. It needs more work to get it on the road, I need to correct some assembly issues, and it will likely never look as good as the Plan A car. But, the difference in cost allows a lot of lee-way, especially when I was looking for a Sunday afternoon driver instead of a show-car to begin with…Here’s a “before pic” with it still on the towbar in my driveway. Ordered a clutch kit for it (known, advertised issue) and some other parts such as mirrors last night — now the fun begins…Thanks everyone for your input and assistance!
KentT2013-03-20 10:30:22Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Yes, those are hood pins. They used a piano hinge and hood pins. I want to replace the piano hinge, and perhaps add the more common lever-action closures, but the hood pins will have to remain due to the holes.
I can live with that…KentT2013-03-20 09:04:33
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Congratulations on your TDr purchase. Just my personal opinion. but the one of a kind tubular frame could have been an on going problem in the future.At least the VW pan design has stood the test of time and if something does go wrong,parts are available. These cars don’t have to be perfect to be loads of fun.
Congratulations on the new arrival!
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)
Congratulation on your new ride. Good luck.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Larry Murphy wrote:Congratulations on your TDr purchase. Just my personal opinion. but the one of a kind tubular frame could have been an on going problem in the future.At least the VW pan design has stood the test of time and if something does go wrong,parts are available. These cars don’t have to be perfect to be loads of fun.There’s likely a lot of validity to that… At least MOFOCO has the replacement convertible reinforcement bars available for Beetle and Ghia convertibles, should I later find that there’s too much body flex for my taste. This pan also has the emergency brake and heater controls relocated, a big plus. The pan is solid — I checked it out closely, especially in the original battery area — and has not had replacement panels put in, as far as I can tell. It’s all original German steel…As it is, I have some work to get it roadable, in addition to the clutch. Fuel tank was absolutely dry — and we started it and ran it by filling the carb bowl and running it dry several times. There may still be undiscovered fuel tank/line issues. I’ll want to remove the tank and make sure it is clean, while replacing fuel lines.The brakes were down also, with no fluid visible in the reservoir. Those are a total unknown — so I plan to pick up a few cans of fluid today, and see if I can bleed them, and go from there, while waiting on the clutch to arrive.As I said, there’s quite a bit of work to be done…
KentT2013-03-20 10:26:43Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Kent, Since you have to pull the engine to change the clutch, you may want to get the engine running before pulling, even if on a portable fuel tank (I have an old lawnmower tank), and up to temp. Then you can check oil pressures and take compression pressure readings. If compressions are low, it is a very simple quick thing to change to 1600 jugs and pistons. I ended up changing the oil pump to improve pressure and going up to 1600cc. A lot of us have single port engines and now that I put the Holley Bugspray 2bbl on, I’m happy with a 1600sp. The other big advantage of the dp engine is that it came with a doghouse oil cooler, but I’ve yet to have any overheating problems. You may also want to check crankshaft endplay. (If memory serves, it is .004 spec.)
Congrats on your purchase. Have fun.Welcome to the MG TD scraped knuckle group. My wife doesn’t let me go our to dinner with her unless I triple scrub my hands. Byproduct of building an MGTD…..
Glad you got the TD home and can start working on her. Gottta pick a name too!
Gabe…Boraxo and brillo soap pads mean you only have to clean you hands once. Mught take a week to grow back some skin but hey! Ask me how I know.Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackCongratulations Kent. Now the fun begins! Looking forward to hearing about your progress here on the forum.
Don Loveless
Ford Pinto Fiberfab
Rochester, MICongrats again to you Kent
OK now I have to stick up for those of us who have custom frames/chassis’s ie LR’s and the like .I have been told by two respected custom foreign garages that my chassis/frame is built like a tank(I have a LR).with that said I guess I dont have to put Royal’s “fail Safe “catch on my doors so they don’t “Fly open” when the chassis flexes while rounding the corners tightly. 😛John, The first time my doors flew open was in my TF-1500 and I attributed it to body flex. The last time was many years later in my MiGi and was because of my knee.
ps, the fail safe catch post got so few responses, that I thought no one read it.Roy
for sure everyone read it …the Fail safe catch is a good idea…
I was just being facetious Roy.I did get a catch from West Marine but havent installed it yet ..Now since I am not capable of fixing my gear (no garage )when i tear it up on the track while driving it like I stole it ..I simply drive it like I didnt!There is another good guy here in Wilmington area for us un-gear heads -Autoworks -Carl Wilson..who specializes in foriegn etc. who is going to look over the LR and advise what if any standard car components are used in fron t in etc.jebarry2013-03-20 18:20:32
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