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MG TD TF 1500 - Body panel fitment question

On a TD...I'm rebuilding my body! It was in a poor shape when I got the car so I have have few very reference points. Do the front and rear side panels just butt up to each other (under the door) or are they spot welded together? I have read somewhere that there is a steel piece let into the side timber...do they fasten to that somehow?
Thanks..
c caygill

There is a joint between the front and rear quarter panels under the door. This seam is open, with a piece of metal about 3/4 of an inch wide behind the seam. The wood piece under the door has a rabbit recess for this piece to fit in. Searching the archives will probably show pictures. I can post pictures later this afternoon if that would help.
The best way I have found to set this up is to have one quarter panel overlap the other and use a hacksaw to cut one panel, resulting in a nice seam with parallel sides.
It is important to leave this seam there, as there is a fair bit of movement between the panels.
David
D. Sander

Correct David, I was about to answer the same.

The TF however has this piece spot welded to the underneath of the front quarter panel, for the rear to sit over and but up flush with the front panel.
Rod Brayshaw


Very early 1952 TD
I had replaced my front Q-Panels. The rears were partially original with about 10" of the lower part welded in as repairs. When I went to assemble I had the same issues. Asking here I found out about the tabs.

Going back and looking at the remains of my original Q panels, which I had saved for 45 years, the tabs were welded to them as Rod noted on his TF. Since my Q-panels did not come with these and since they were already painted it was two late. I made up some inserts to fit into the existing reliefs. (Reliefs in frame 1 of the montage, inserts in frame 2. These were primed and painted to prevent rusting.
I attached the inserts with SS screw nails.
I then formed the front Q-panels over the inserts. (Third frame)

For what ever reason there was no excess on my replacement panels so the gap was what ever I got but it was not too bad.

Jim B.

JA Benjamin

This (poor) picture shows the metal piece rabbited in to the wood, minus the quarter panels.

D. Sander

The finished seam between the quarter panels.

D. Sander

I think its best to fill the gap in the overlap with a flexible material that will not restrict movement but will resist water penetration. Just a shot of body or seam sealant will do it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Thanks very much chaps, Very quickly answered my query!
I've probably got some more coming....!
c caygill

I'm messing about in this area at the moment. Can anybody suggest what an acceptable, average or desirable gap between these two panels would be when completed? My driver's side, which seems original, shows about 8 mm which appears to be much less than Dave's gap.
Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

The space between mine is what I have seen on original cars. Mine is a comfortable hacksaw blade width. I lapped one panel over the other, and used one quarter panel as a guide to hold the hacksaw when I trimmed the other. I only cut about 1/4" off the other panel.
David
D. Sander

Thanks Dave. That should've read "much more than Dave's gap." Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I had a look in my collection of TD pics but the only one I could find was of Barbara Day's TD. The gap on her TD looks to be just a tad smaller than the one on my driver's side. Cheers
Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Hi Peter, I don't know whether I've got this wrong but I think this thread is about the gap on the flat panels under the doors. When you mentioned 8mm I thought you were referring to the gap between the running board and the guard. The gap on my flat panels is about 1mm.
Regards, Don TF 4887
Don Walker

G'day Don. We're both on the same page. I guess the gap on Barbara's is about 6 mm or 1/4" in old speak. I believe from earlier threads that her car is original but I may be wrong. I've seen examples from a millimeter or two to about 8 mm.

I've just been right through the gallery on Chris's site but there are no clear shots of this area, except on the variant, which has no gap at all, as the panels appear to have been welded together. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

One thing that I think most T series owners are forgetting about which is that each of the bodies were hand built. As such, there will be variable tolerances in the gaps between body parts. Probably, the subject gap was designed so that they could vary somewhat between the different cars. Maybe some will have a hacksaw blade thickness gap while others may have a greater one. As long as you can get your doors to fit properly with the double click lock, I would not worry about the space between the front and rear lower panels.
Jim Merz

I agree Jim. I won't be looking to reduce the gap on mine as that would mean ripping the body apart. I'm happy that they match on both sides at about 8 mm. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Mine is about 1/8" and has never been altered.



Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 17/11/2015 and 19/11/2015

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