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MG TD TF 1500 - 'Ashleigh' TF 1414

We're getting there...

I've always felt in terms of this whole restoration progress is that getting the car painted was reaching the top of the mountain. Once you reached that milestone it is all downhill slope from there.

My first ever post to the BBS was Oct 2011 introducing myself and TF 1414. Where has the time gone??

Meet Ashleigh showing off her new light grey paint just like she rolled off the assembly line Nov 30, 1953.

I've still have some work to do but for now she sure does looks great.

It's too cold to do anything in the barn in New England and I've still have some things to get completed that will be finished just in time when it gets a little warmer to work outside again.

Interior kit:

Tom from Kimber Creek in Indiana who has taken over for James Collinburn in the UK is doing the Bright Red interior. He has all of James' patterns and materials and will be sourcing his leather for the seats directly from Connolly Leather Ltd. Tom is going to be a great asset for T series interiors.

Chrome:

What I had left to do was the parts to the windshield and brake lever. I sent those parts last week and I should have them back in six or seven weeks.

Wiring harness:

Ordering from Rhode Island wiring. He said it would take about three to four weeks to complete.

Below are a few pictures. First picture is my Mom and Arthur. This whole entire thing started back when she was sixteen and went with her dad to pick up the car in Providence, RI in 1957. Lots of memories in that little car.

Hope to have some more pictures of the progress on the BBS by early Spring.


Frank
TF1414


Frank Cronin

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Frank Cronin

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Frank Cronin

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Frank Cronin

last one...

Never see it with the felt covering it but....

Frank Cronin

Beautiful. Post the rest of your progress up that mountain.

Tim
Tim Burchfield

Looking very good Frank. Did you do the paint yourself? Is this Birch Grey?

Bill Chasser
TD/c-8151
W A Chasser

Looks fantastic Frank!

Matthew.
M Magilton

beautiful!
J K Barter

Frank
I have added you to Jeff Payne's list on ttalk.

Beautiful car.
Rick

Frank,

Great effort on your TF. So good to see things done correctly and with care.

I am progressing with our TF1500 with the chassis frame now being fitted up and the body panels painted. It is very gratifying pulling the boxes off the garage shelves and extracting fully rebuilt/restored everything.
I do feel it is a shame in some ways that all the detailed work on the running chassis will be covered up by the body !

Images to come later.

Cheers
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Looks great Frank! When they reach that stage, it seems like forever for the day you take it for it's first drive, but very rewarding! Nice work. PJ
PJ Jennings

Frank,

Looking wonderful, you have done a great work to get it this far along. I've always admired the few gray TFs that I've seen. Very straight and excellent fitting panels. I particularly like the fit of the hood. Welting is a perfect match.

Charlie
Charlie Adams

Looks awesome! I love the attention to detail. I too placed my tool box lid on the side curtain lid to paint it, but I have a black car! Purist thing, I enjoy knowing there is blackmovwrspray on the black wood... I can't wait to see it! Are you going to GOF 102 in Lebanon?
David
D. Sander

Why can't I see the images of Frank's beautiful car????
R.M. gardner

Going to be a really nice looking car.

I am going to follow up with Tom from Kimber Creek to look at his colors for my TD.
Bruce Cunha

Great going Frank.
Looks a treat and the fit of those panels is impressive. First drive will stay with you forever!

Kev TF6288
K Simonsen

Congrats on "reaching the top of the mountain"
The results are excellent.
What is the blue oval badge on the right engine side panel?
Rick
TF-1500 8926
R.T. Walsh

Great work Frank. Thank you for posting the pictures. They are of interest to all but also provide encouragement to others on the same path.

Kind regards,
Michael
M R Calvert

Frank: I love that gray color. So classic. Will be really sharp with the red interior.

R.T. Walsh:

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_european.htm
Christopher Couper

Thank you for the nice comments.

I owe it to everyone on this board the encouragement I've received along the way to where I am right now.

I'll be asking questions and reaching out in the future to get this where it needs to be. So stay tuned!

Dave: I'll do my best to get the TF done by the GOF in NH. I have vacation time and weekends to pull this off.

Charlie: Thanks for the comments. The piping was painted with a flex additive the same color as the wings. Perfect match.

Rick: Chris Couper provided a great link to his website of the MG European dealers. This badge is shows it was originally purchased from Christian Odendahl dealership Frankfurt Germany. Most likely this TF was purchased from an American GI and shipped back to the United States. I had Maxwell Enamels restore the badge. She polished it up and re-plated it nickel like it was originally. Picture is below.

Bill: I had a painter do it. I went to a lot of British car shows and inspected the paint jobs. I saw an MGA that was really nice and asked the owner who did the work. I bet that is how they get a lot of their referrals. The color is Porsche Sport Classic Grey. Birch grey had some green in it but the PSCG color does not. This is more neutral. I think if you put Mathew Magilton's TF next to mine you may see the slight difference. Choosing colors is time consuming as you already know well. Once I found the closest color match I was happy with, I had the paint ordered and didn't stress about it.

Once I get the trimmings back from Kimber Creek, I will post some pictures. I do think there will be some interest what he has to offer compared to the "Big Box" suppliers.

Best,

Frank
TF1414



Frank Cronin

This thread was discussed between 27/01/2018 and 31/01/2018

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