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What company maunfactured your replica, Fiberfab, Classic Motor
Carriages, British Coach Works, etc.?
Additionally, is it a front or rear engine kit? What is the exterior
color, interior color, and roof color?
Cheers
Brian
The Ebay item number is 8068558818. The title is British
Coach Works BCW Hub Cap 1952 MGTD MG TD Replica. My
Ebay user name is 1984whales. If you have any questions
please feel free to contact me.
Brian
If you have any BCW components leftover after your rebuild
that you are going to get rid of, like the gauges, please let me
know. I am collecting BCW stuff whenever I can find it.
Brian
Hi Pink MG,
You might be interested to know that the company that made
the BCW gauges is still in business. They can repair, reglaze,
restore gauges if you are interested.
Brian
Hi,
BCWs have a spare tire carrier with a real spare tire. The spare
tire can swing out of the way when you want to open the
engine lid on VW models. I would be happy to send you some
close up photos to aid you in your modifications. Send me your
emails.
Cheers,
Brian
If you have a BCW replica check out Ebay. BCW used the
original TD windshields which come up for sale quite often on
Ebay.
Brian
Slogram,
BCW’s id plates should be located in the trunk on the cowl (this
is the body piece underneath the windshield).
A few suggestions for identifying a BCW in a photo.
If the car you are looking at has suitcase type hinges on the
hood, it is not a BCW. BCW used a long stainless steel hinge
on the driverside similar to the original TD type hinge.
If it does not have a real spare tire, it is not a BCW.
BCW’s will only have original TD windshield components, tail
lights, and running lights. Take a look at Jerry’s car. Fyi, there
was another kit car company that used the same original MG
parts, but only in its top line model. BCW only used original
parts.
BCW did not use faux wire wheel hubcats, although owners
could have put them on themselves. BCW’s hubcats did have a
BCW on center emblem.
These are just a few key things to look at in any photo to see if it
is a BCW.
If in doubt feel free to contact me.
Brian
BCW #183
If I see a BCW for sale anywhere, I will let you know. Usually,
one comes up for sale every two months.
Brian
BCW #183
Hi,
Unfortunately many replicar companies cut corners using parts
such as the lights that were not authentic MGTD. I do not want
to be critical of any of the other kits, since beauty is truly in the
eye of the beholder, especially when it comes to a car that you
built yourself and put your heart and soul into. Rather, I would
recommend that you find a British Coach Works car like I have
if you are looking for authenticity. BCW made both front and
rear engine kits. The fiberglass parts were of exceptional
quality and came from the factory trimmed and predrilled.
Practically all the accesory/trim parts on the car, other than the
fiberglass body panels, were original MGTD parts purchased
from Moss motors, a supplier of replacement TD parts. BCW
used the following original TD parts, windshield, front and rear
lights, bumpers, fender mirrors, license lamp, door handles,
hood support, door hinges, grill, rubber trim, and others.
Original TD body panels were used to make all the body molds
used for the fiberglass. BCW’s also have a real spare tire
unlike some kits.
The BCW company prided itself on making an authentic TD kit.
My father and I choose to build a BCW over other kits 20 years
ago because of this, and I feel that it was an extremely honest
advertisement. If I were to do it all over again, I would chose
BCW again, albeit I would probably build a front engine model
instead. Hope that helps.
Brian
What type of TD replica do you have Jim? Fiberfab, Classic
Roadster, British Coach Works, etc.????????
Brian
I use racing seat belts in my rear engine BCW. The 3″ wide lap
belt is bolted to the tunnel on the inside and to the reinforced
corner of the floor pan (near the rear torsion bar) on the
outside. They have worked very well for me in these mounting
positions and are comfortable.
You don’t want to skip using a shoulder restraint —- you and
your passenger WILL regret it. A friend of mine wrecked her TD
replicar. It was a small front end collision but because she
didn’t have a shoulder harness she hit the steering wheel and
caused serious damage to her face and throat.
I have a 2″ racing shoulder harness with my belt. It has two
straps (one for each shoulder) and they connect to the lap belt
at the clasp. I connected it to a steel frame that I made that sits
in front of the engine, underneath the body and roof. The frame
connects to BCW’s subframe.
The lap and shoulder belts work very well for me. They make
driving the car more enjoyable because I don’t move around at
all. The only disadvantage (a small price to pay) is that the
racing seat belts take longer to put on than a standard car
seatbelt.
I would be happy to provide more information if anyone would
like it.
Brian
Can someone please post a picture of teardrop, so that I may
see what one looks like. FYI, I have hoping to find/make a
small trailer for my BCW too.
Brian
Hi all,
On my BCW rather than moving the bench seat back and forth,
which would be uncomfortable because the steering wheel
would be to close to the driver?s chest, I made pedal extenders
for shorter drivers to use. The extenders bolt onto the clutch
and brake pedals. The accelerator seemed to be all right for
everyone. The extenders work well except that they take a
couple of minutes to put on and they have to be taken off before
I can drive. They also beat up my pedal pads, although with a
simple design change I could resolve that problem.
I have been toying with the idea of going to a fully hydraulic
pedal assembly (clutch, brake, and accelerator pedals).
Performance VW shops like Bugstuff and CB Performance
carry hydraulic pedal assemblies for dune buggies. With the
hydraulic assemblies, pressing on the pedal actuates a piston
behind the pedal creating pressure in a line running to a slave
cylinder that turns that pressure into movement, just as in any
braking system. With the use of flexible hoses at the pedals (to
connect them to the steel lines) and a pedal track mounting
system, all three pedals could be easily relocated for different
drivers. Performance shops also carry track systems for
mounting the pedals to the floor pan.
Brian
Mark,
I am very jealous of your new seats. I can smell the leather in
the photo. My BCW still has the “rich corinthian leather” that
came with the kit but someday I will upgrade. If I may ask, what
did it cost?
Also what was the manufacturer of this poor car that you are
rescuing? I can’t believe that someone who would build their
own car, would leave it sit outside in such a condition. My BCW
has always been parked indoors, except on my journey cross
country.
BTW, the process you went through, the things you learned, the
mistakes you made or didn’t, and the company you used, as
you installed leather seating in your car would be a great FYI
post in the General Discussion section.
Brianssa84whales38301.3722800926
There is a 1977 VW Beetle chasis with IRS for sale at
http://www.kitcars.com for about $500, if you are interested.ssa84whales38294.4414583333
I would recommend that you find a later model chassis with IRS
(Independent Rear Suspension) like I have. From what I have
read in the past the Swing Axle models apparently have some
undesirable handling characteristics, albeit I have no personal
experience with them. You can find a fairly thorough
discussion of IRS and Swing Axle in ?How to Hot Rod
Volkswagon Engines? by Bill Fisher.
Off hand, some other basic things I can recommend that you do
in your project.
Thoroughly rebuild your chassis (sandblast/paint/new ball
joints/new brake and fuel lines, new brake master cylinder,
rebuilt steering box, new wheel bearings, rebuild CV joints,
transmission, etc). Check the tunnel sections very carefully for
rust. New sections are available that you can have welded in if
you find any problems. Better to handle problems now than
after you have put the body back on. Make sure everything is
perfectly straight and level, and a chassis in the the end that is
as good as new.
After painting, coat the entire chassis with 3M?s Rustfree. This
is clear rustproofing that will allow you to see any rust that
might pop up in the future rather than hide it like a typical tar
based rustproofing does. Don?t glue anything like your carpets
to the chassis. This is a roadster, you will get poured on some
day, and if you can?t lift the carpets to dry it out you?ll get rust.
Check the suspension carefully and install one of the
aftermarket products that will allow height adjustment on the
rear suspension when it sags. This can?t be done later without
removing the body. Install caster shims on the front for better
handling.
Upgrade to both front and rear disc brakes. You won?t regret it.
Eliminate the stock mechanical fuel pump and install a rotary
electric pump in the front under the tank.
Upgrade from a generator to an alternator for better electrical
output.
Make sure that your steering column and the extension are
perfectly inline with the steering box. This is critical. If there is
a bend, even the slightest, it will put strain on the safety section,
which will break while driving.
BTW, what company made your MGTD kit?
Hope that helps, Brian
Hi Jim,
Are you starting from scratch — finding and rebuilding your own
VW chasis? I actually didn’t realize that there were any
companies out there still making MGTD replica kits.
Brian
That is great info. I have two questions.
First, If you already have a lowered front suspension via the
cut-rotate-weld the upper torsion bar method can/should the
secondary leaves be removed, if so how many, and how will
this in turn affect handling?
Second, I currently just have the stock sway bar on the front. It
has been reccomended to me by some (but not all) VW experts
that I install the 1″ dia front sway bar and a 1″ dia rear sway bar.
I currently don’t have any rear sway bar. Can anyone tell me
from experience with their TD how this will affect handling on
my TD replica and how would the large front and rear sway
bars interact with the removal of leaf springs?
Thank you
Brianssa84whales38281.958599537
