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Hello, I am new to the forum. I recently purchased a vw based fiberfab MGTD. I am perplexed as to what muffler I can use to prevent heat from the muffler from bubbling the paint on the apron above it. It has a monza 4tip muffler now( wrong look) and since their is no sheet metal between it and the fiberglass it will destroy the paint. Also the previous owner who built it had a scat shifter and it was almost impossible to find 1st gear. I put the original vw shifter and it is no better. Any suggestions on adjusting this would be greatly appreciated. I am very excited to have found thos site and look forward to corresponding with other owners.
Welcome…wait for the VW based owners to wake up and your answers will arrive.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Welcome! If you are from Tn, you must know KentT. 😀
First the muffler question: Most of us run some sort of aftermarket muffler. The one I run and see most often is an EMPI 3487 which is not a performance muffler but looks TDish with it’s chrome single tip. If there is nothing goofy about your build and you have the engine tin installed you will probably have no trouble with your gelcoat or paint.
Shifter: Check Rob and Dave’s VW resource (google it) and Muir’s VW book for the Compleat Idiot. There is a bushing around the shift rod that is a common problem on these older VWs. When it is worn, hard and sloppy shifting results.
Please post some pictures.
If you are new to VWs or TDr’s, you could observe a lot just by watching (a Yogi-ism) at one of the shows that we go to. The biggest show is this coming weekend in Carlisle, PA.Royal2014-05-09 06:38:31
Welcome aboard Dana.
ÂRoy nailed it. The most likely suspect for your poor shifting is a worn bushing inside the tunnel.ÂTake a look at this post.ÂÂThe third and fourth pictures show the bushing and the shift rod. The thread also talks about how you replace the bushing.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 to you Dana. The shift rod bushing is not a fun job, but very manageable for a novice and a good introduction to the joys of the TD Replica. When you’re done you will be happy with your car’s shifting.
Better yet to add the “quick shift” kit available at all VW aftermarket retailers. The spendy one, made of metal, retails for about $18. The cheap plastic one is more like $6. That’s the one I got. It works just fine.The PN#3487 exhaust actually looks just like a TD exhaust from any angle except underneath. It’s a cheap part also at about $80 mail order but if you want to come to Carlisle you can have my gently-used three-year-old one to try on for size. Bring the car and we’ll swap it in on the show field with ya.ÂDana,
The CMC/Fiberfab kits do have a problem w/ the mufflers being to close to the apron – you will see this on a lot of cars w/ burnt aprons – mine included. I ended up getting a heat shield from a modern car in a junk yard that shields the Cat from the car. This seems to help a lot in my case. ÂThe cat heat shield is a great idea schu!
ÂI had been thinking about the blistering paint issue. In 32 years with my VW powereed Duchess, I’ve never had a problem. But I guess this is another of those issues that “varies by mamnfacturer.”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)
Schu. How is the cat heat shield secured to the underside of the valance? Not sure if I’ll need one but in case………………….. 🙂
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackAllen,
Not that easyI ended up using the stainless steel straps you can purchase at the car parts places ( Auto Zone etc. ) for securing the exhaust heat wrap. Comes in different sizes and strapped it to the top of my exhaust pipes that were ( in my case ) directly in contact w/ my apron. I also used the adhesive sided heat shield ( says up to 1500 degrees ) directly to the bottom of  my apron as extra insurance.It seems to have helped a lot.ÂStill scorched but covered by my spare tire so not visible unless I remove the spare.It took me awhile to find a good asbestos Cat shield because it looks like most of the newer cars have gone away from them – I looked for 80’s-90’s era cars and found what I needed.I think it was off a Japanese SUV – a pain getting under a car in the junk yard and removing. Bring metal shears/snips.  ÂThanks to all for the warm welcome.I will post some pic’s next week(busy mother’s day weekend). I will definitely check out the EMPI muffler,shift kit and heat shield advice. The MG was recently painted by the previous owner so I hate to scorch it. I also now have a carb problem. It has a Holly 2bl and it starts right up every time,but then dies.I have to keep patting the gas to keep it going. I think I may have a leak at the base of the carb. It is a strange looking carb for the vw as the fuel adj screw is directly at the back of the carb by the fan housing making it very hard to get to. Again thanks to all.I am very glad I found this site and look forward to reading all the post.Â
The 2bbl Weber progressive came standard on Ford Pintos. It was adapted for the VW and works great–once it’s set up right–and if you have a good manifold that gets it some heat from the heads so it doesn’t ice up.Â
I think Roy has that carb or one very much like it.ÂI suspect that you may have a Holley Bugspray carb. Probably a model 2100. If so, it is not progressive. Also, if the idle mix screws are facing forward then it is mounted backwards (from most installations).
I really do like mine. If you search this site for bugspray there are some of my ramblings about it. And on YouTube I posted my initial test run. You do need to have an isolated plenum intake with good carb preheat and then enjoy with no problems.
Thanks to all for the helpful info.However,bad news. I got the carb adjusted and the engine started up just fine.Drove just a couple of miles and came home.Next morning I fired it up again and it sounds as though a rod is knocking.Not sure what happened.Everything seemed to be fine. Temp.,oil press. etc.
Probably not a rod knock then. These are noisy little engines. Pinhole exhaust leak can sound like a knock. So can other stuff. I thought I had one last year & now pretty sure I didn’t.
It’s not that it never happens. But it’s not something that happens all that often.ÂAgree with Ed. Â Rods are not a common problem. Â Rocker arms & pushrods are more common issues, for example. Â
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Thanks. I will check the rocker and pushrods. It is very loud. I had just adjusted the valves and it was running so well it really has me bummed out. If I do have it rebuilt I will probably jump it to a 1776 or 1835. Maybe I’m just looking for an excuse. I will repost what I find. Thanks for the imput.
Happy news, it was a bad muffler! Very happy owner. I am having trouble adding pics but will keep trying. I also have sloppy steering. Will pull gas tank to ck connections. Engine running great. Now on to other issues.
Play in steering ( about an inch)
Shift bushing
When changing gears I feel a slight bump in the body.Any suggestions?
Thanks
Took care of sloppy steering yesterday. Previous owner did not install the spacer keeping the shaft centered in the column. Also had a loose bolt where shaft connected to the steering box. My quick shift kit and all bushongs have been shipped from Jbugs in California. Hope to fix that anfd put on the new empi muffler this week. Starting to come together!
Thanks to all. I am still trying to post pics!While we’re on the subject of the Steering Box and adjusting same, I just came across this post from a guy whose job was rebuilding VW steering boxes in the 1990s. Go about halfway down thsi thread to the post by hotrodsurplus. It is very worth reading whether you plan to turn the screws on your steering box or already did it.
Thanks. I am attempting to replace my shift bushing today. Since I cannot get to the shift rod at the rear to disconnect it from the tranny and therefore cannot move the rod forward, how do I change it? Also got my new eempi muffler today. i will post how it goes later. You guys have been so much help on everything else I hope you have a fix for the bushing. I could shoot the guy who built this car. It would have been so lsimple to change b4 he dropped the body on!
Dana, Â I believe that I remember correctly: the bolt that attaches the shift rod to the transaxle must be completely removed in order to separate the components. Â Take it all the way out as the rod that comes out of the transaxle has a groove that captures the bolt even if it is loose and apparently free.
How do I get to the connection. Since the ody covers the access plate on the pan? Do I go from underneath? Sorry I am a real newbie!
 Danna, The acess plate for the connection for the shift connection is at the rearinside of the tub. It is covered posibbly by carpet . Look in the build manual for body it is located were the shift linkage is shortened. The bushing it self is aa 2 piece plastic bushing and it goes over the shaft and is pushed into the bracket which is attached to the tunel. The rear coupler has a bolt annd nut that has to be removed to get the shift rod out. The acess plate is were vw has body serial number stamped.Hop this helps.
ÂDanna, Forgot to say unless PO put flooring over acess plate only carpet should be covering the plate. I have a Fiber fab and Classic  and both are not covered by the body. @ screws to remove plate one bolt on rear coupler and then 2 bolts on gear shift plate. Mark shifter before removing it and not which way the plate is pointing when removing it . Plastic bushing more than likley laying in tunnel. Coupler can be carefully pulled out of shifter acess hole. While apart get new coupler bushing at rear.
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