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All,
Just a thought on this beautiful hot Summer night. I’m wondering if I am seeing a resurgence in the popularity of the TD replica. I am AMAZED at the response I get from young people, most of whom have NO idea what they are looking at. They have none of the “Purist” attitudes about the replica being a “fake” or a poor copy of the original, because they don’t know what the original is.
Anyway, the last of these TD kits popped out of the molds around 1995, and it seems like the market is on the up side. Just an interesting topic for discussion (I think)
Rich
RichBelfay 40044.8726041667 Rich, I have loved MGTDs since I was a small boy but as I grew to the age to own one I somehow kept getting sidetracked partly because I could never afford one,you know , family, and other more pressing matters.I got my first replica in 1994 and spent a lot of time with it for a year or two but then let it set for a while. Two years ago we got our first computer and I found this site and realized that I was not alone in this and when I saw how many replica owners were out there , it sparked that flame again. I feel like I know you guys and after meeting Pink MG [Mark] for real I am encouraged by the sharing of info as well as our mutual problems ,titles registration,mechanical,etc.I can’t speak for everyone but for my part ,there is renewed interest for sure.
Larry
Being the youngest member I can verify that no matter which generation you are a member of MG TD replicas as awesome, cool, fun, and respected.
I love having a car that most everyone my own age has never heard of, but they all envy and drool over. I do get sick of people asking if it’s a kit, but then again it does give me the opportunity to explain why it’s so much better than the original. I would love to see more of these on the road, It would be great to see a diverse spectrum of donors, colors, options and accessories too.
The bottom line is, these are great cars and great fun. Anybody would be proud to own or drive an MG replica, and addicted after their very first drive. I know I was.
Geoff
Rich and Larry As I look to the head light bucket of the future
I am sorry to say the future is sad if you look on the Internet there only a few ‘TD’ kits almost all are 25+ year old kits not finished or 1/2 done someones dream undone 
. the only kit I have seen ,is out of New Zealand $19,000 using a Mazda Maita Donner that you still have to buy! The TD’s will always get LOOKS and questions. I see a lot of 1930 something Fords ,Cobras ,T-buckets and others, mostly V8s the hobby is not gone just it seems MG TD’s are to under powered . I like my 32 MPG and the unique look . Last year at the Pigeon Forge Rod Run only 2 TD’s and the other WAS one. 2 out of 1000 cars sad ,1 SSK kit car, and many glass cars V8s all DanDan,
Yeah, I know, they’re probably (very probably) not coming back, but if you have a well built kit, I don’t think you’re going to have any problems selling it for a bit more than you paid.
I just got back from another local “Cruise Night” and I can tell you that there were lots of very nice cars, and that my car received as much if not more attention than most of them. It is a classic design and amazingly even people who have never seen one and have no clue as to what they are looking at, consistently say “That is a BEAUTIFUL Car!!” It’s an old design, it looks different from any other car and it never fails to turn heads. I’m thoroughly enjoying the car and the attention that it gets!
So who says that nostalgia isn’t what it used to be? (besides maybe Yogi Berra)
Rich
Hey Geoff,
Glad to hear you’re still enjoying the TD. I was afraid that with that Arizona heat the car might have ended up as a red spot in the driveway
Just kidding, and besides as they say, it’s a ‘dry heat’
Rich
Geoff ,Rich and all the others; Enjoy all the questions most have not seen a original and never will there were more TD replicas made in the US than Morris did in England !! ok now one reason i looked and found a chevette powered kit it is the closet to the power of a TD engine, and the engine was first used in the Vauxhall in 75 /G.M. England / My Grandson and I go to the local ” cruise in ” being a tourist town there is no end of new people to ask questions and he enjoys telling them all about the car he helped bring back to life.!! I love my kit car…So look in old garages and barns there more that need to be brought back to life….. Dan
I had always wanted a TD since my grandmother gave me a toy one in 1956. After years of waiting and research, without question the replica is the better choice in all areas. I get a lot of looks and thumbs up and waves from all sorts of people. I know many of them have no idea of what they are looking at, but I think they really appreciate the style. Off and on I have had thoughts of getting one of the ebay kits or half finished replica clunkers that people don’t take care of and making molds off of them, but decide not to do it. It seems the Cobra is the choice today. Like Dan said.
I have seen a MGTD replica with a 350 V-8 on board
. All the car shows that I go to, I always see a line of Cobra’s, and only once a TD. I think we are a strong bunch holding on tightly to our love of the classic MGTD 
. I do think there is a market for them, just slimmer than before.For those who have not read this funny review of the real MGTD will really appreciate the replica as a vast improvement over the original rust bucket.
http://www.cartalk.com/content/testdrives/Reviews/mgtd.html
JasCochran40044.9646064815
And why not? Here’s my take on Original vs. Reproduction
Original:
A good friend is now about 5 years into a restoration of an original ’52 MG TD.
The sheet metal is in the rafters of his garage, the chassis is stripped bare.
The rest of the car is in boxes around the garage. Oh, and he got to move the
disassembled car from one garage to another when he moved a couple years ago. Maybe this is not your typical experience…but I’ve heard many stories with a lot in common to this one.Reproduction:
I built my Duchess in 1982. It took me nine months, working evenings and
weekends. I didn’t keep very good track of the actual build hours. That would
have made it seem like clocking into work.In December 2009, it will be 27 years since I first backed her out of the
garage. Problems? Of course. One. I crossed the wires on the left rear
running/brake light & turn signal. But that was because the light socket wires did not match the schematics. I had a fifty-fifty shot at getting it right. I guessed wrong.She now has 27 years on her. Damn! That’s more than half my life!
The only significant down time was when I pulled the engine to build a new one.
And a couple of times I’ve had brake issues, because she sits in an unheated,
uninsulated shed during the winter months. The brake cylinders do not like all
the moisture and lack of use.From NJ, the Duchess and I have been as far west as Cincinnati and Indianapolis
(two different trips). She’s done laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
(very, very cool!) and at Pocono. She carried us newlyweds away from church in
1990. She did the same for my best friend and his wife a few years prior. She’s
been all over New England, including helping my wife and me win first place in
the rookie class of One Lap For Kids in 1993, a time-speed-distance rally on
public roads in Connecticut (BTW, we zeroed one of the timed sections; that
means we hit the timing clock exactly, to the hundredth of a second).Coming home from the Indianapolis trip, the Duchess carried me through the
absolute worst rain I have ever driven in…in any car…and at night. I could
see only the taillights of the truck in front of me. But figured I was better
off moving forward than sitting on the side of the road. The only leaks came
from the sewn seams in the roof.And…she has never left me stranded. Well, OK, once. I ran
out of gas on my first tankful. That’s when I realized the gas gauge was a bit
“off”.And still, people will ask…is it a real car? It sure is!
And more reliable and easier to maintain than an original.
And the above is nothing. They’ve both passed away, but two senior citizens and former members of the New Jersey Replicar
Club,
each had a front engine TD replica. Each car had a matching trailer. Those cars and the
gentlemen and their wives had been driven to all of the lower 48 states. Try that in
an original!Does it sound like I am a fan of the kit car world? You betcha.
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)
Can you believe I have only been able to drive my TD for a little over two weeks. But I was amazed by the response she received it that time. I had two young men tell me how beautiful she is. I’ve told this story before but it bears repeating “I had a young guy race up to the Mrs and I at a traffic light and yell out to us that my TD was the most beautiful car he had ever seen”.
I was shocked at the local cruise in at the number of people who had their picture take standing by my car. They passed up the vintage Vettes and Hot Rod’s to have their picture taken with my car. Amazing …
I have a good friend who has a “REAL 52 TD” for sale fully restored. I asked him why and he complained about it unreliability and uncomfortable ride. “It’s not fun to drive but looks great” is a direct quote. My car looks great and is fun to drive. BTW watching EBAY the cost of quality replicas has nearly double since last year.
All,
Thanks for all the responses. It’s funny how you can just throw out an idea and get so many responses, particularly if there are emotional ties. Paul, 27 years!!! That is AWESOME!! Clearly we are all having fun Owning, Fixing, Driving and Talking about our TD Replicas. I for one have stopped thinking of my car as a “Replica”. It is similar in appearance, but about as different from the original mechanically (and electrically, thank God!
) as can be. My hat is off to the people at Morris Garage for their Classic and Timeless body design, but not much else.Mel, I have similar stories of people who had no idea what the car was, telling me it was the most beautiful car they had ever seen. I can tell you that it was certainly one of the most photographed cars last night! …And how about Ringo’s story that his car was still turning heads while it was being loaded on to a flatbed with a dysfunctional power plant
(This is my new Icon Combo. It means Bitter/Sweet)Drive on and Enjoy the ride!
Rich
As an owner of two replicas I can say they both have there merits.
These two don’t get together often but they seem to get along fine when they do.
My wife loves the MG do to it’s lack of comparison power.
I think the cobra has it’s role in the fast pace environment of MA but NH is a slower pace and perfect for the MG. They both get considerable attention whereever they go and I’m proud of them both.
Rob,
Beautiful cars!
And that is an awesome photo.
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)
All,
See? There you go. Rob is a trend setter. Every Cobra owner should also have a TD Replica for the Wife to drive
Also, that is a Great photo and two beatiful cars!
Rich
W O W I love the pair British / American in red
I guess I’ll have to save up !! i don”t know if anyone knows but Carroll Shelby first raced a 49 TD he would love the pair as we do. DanTechnically, it’s a British/British pair.
Carroll chose the British ACE to stuff his Ford V8s into.
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)
The Art work, design are British but both were made in the USA the AC Ace was powered by a poor Bristle 6 cylinder the 260 289 427 and 428 V8 made the car what it is today .AC built just over 1000 of the Ace 1962-1969 if it were not for the US kit car companies we would never see the flowing lines of a TD or a cobra I stand British / American maybe the other way around …Dan
Hey Dan, I agree. All I meant by my British/British comment is what you wrote, “…the art work and design are British.”
The picture is of two British designs,
regardless of what is underneath. Heck, I have German engineering under
my TD’s skin. But that doesn’t make the design German.I agree with you that American Ford V8s “made” the Cobra what it was. But the AC ACE was a success story, even before Carroll came along.
We’re a TD site, but here’s some Shelby history.
Carroll Shelby first raced a flathead Ford drag car in January 1952.
He first had to race AND turn the steering wheel in May 1952 in an MG TC, in Norman, Oklahoma. Carroll beat the other MGs. He raced the TC again the same day, going up in class and beating the likes of Jaguar XK 120s! If it hadn’t been for his heart problems, Shelby might well have gone on to be one of the winningest America drives ever.
On to the car….
AC built the ACE from 1953 to 1962. Most sources place the production number at 686.
The
straight six in the AC ACE was pretty standard in the 1950s. Even
the venerable
Corvette started it’s life with a 6 cylinder. British manufacturing in
the early 1950s was still trying to recover from being bombed into
ruins during WWII. That’s also major reason why our 1952 MG TDs look
like 1930’s cars. They built what they could!AC lost its engine supply deal and Carroll Shelby came along with an offer to help them continue manufacturing by dropping in an American V8. AC agreed, pending an engine supplier. Carroll went first to Chevy. They refused. So he went to Ford. And history was made.
Shelby built Cobras from 1962 and to 1967, starting with a 260 inch V8, then the 289, working up to the 427. He made 630 260/289s; and about 350 427/428s.
Shelby is legally the manufacturer of record. But every Cobra made in the ’60s was
manufactured by AC Cars in England and shipped to Shelby for completion.I love the irony there. Shelby has given grief (legal and otherwise) to a lot of Cobra replica manufacturers. But his cars were kit cars. He received rollers from the UK and installed drive-trains and improved suspensions.
While successful on the track, the Cobra was a commercial failure and production ended in
1967. AC continued with V8s (albeit not called Cobras), selling them in Europe until late 1969.So AC built and sold the cars for 12 years (53-62 and 68-69). Shelby for six years. AC built 680 prior to Shelby, I cannot tell how many afterwards. Shelby built 980 Cobras. It’s likely the Brits and Americans come out about even on production numbers.
Ah car history. Too bad this stuff wasn’t covered in high school. I bet more kids would have paid attention.
Shelby’s gripe with the reproduction manufactures also bugs me. Most of us cannot not imagine owning a million dollar original Cobra. But at $50k to $100K, a reproduction is within the reach of more people; a stretch to be sure, but within reach. The reproductions put the Cobra out there for even more people to see, I think making Carroll’s original even more well known and perhaps more valuable.
I believe all our reproductions, TDs, Cobras, Speedsters or any other “copy”, enhance the image and value of the original.
PMOSSBERG40045.9422453704Paul 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)
Paul Yes Yes the kit car companies have done more than the original manufactures to gave us all the ability to hold our dreams the only thing i regret is you can still get some cool kits in europe not here,
but that may change if more people get to see our cars . DanRoad trip!
There’s a huge kit car show in Stoneleigh UK, Sunday May 2 & Monday May 3 2010.
http://www.grosvenorexhibitions.co.uk/
Ignore the quilt stuff and scroll down to the kit car show.
Then we come home and all meet at Carlisle PA for the Import/Kit-replica Nationals May 21-23 2010.
I’d settle for a bunch of you driving your MGs to Carlisle to help spread the kit car gospel. Do I hear an Amen?
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)
Paul, nice history lesson, just one correction 🙂
Cobra’s such as mine can be had or built for 25K but if you decide to build one you really need to be willing to put in the effort as these take time, money and dedication to complete. Hope to meet you and others at Carlisle some day as retirement is not that far away. Working on cars and building them is a great hobby which challenges us as well at times frustrates us but at the end of the day the sense of pride and accomplishment make it all worth wild.
Enjoy these cars but hold on to your daily driver 🙂
My son was driving through a small town in extreme NW Arkansas and snapped this with his cell phone. It appears to be a replica, the wipers are where they should be
. Makes me think about how many are really out there, enjoyed by so many. There is another red one, just need to get the owner to join up.
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