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MG TD TF 1500 - Factory tub picture question

In this picture from the TD line at the factory, you can clearly see the black paint on the inside of the tub. But if you look at the first and second car on the passenger side above the wheel well, there is what looks like unpainted wood with a black area towards the center.

Any thoughts of what we are looking at?



Bruce Cunha

Here is a blow up of this area.

I thought perhaps the body is painted prior to the wood being put on as some of Chris's pictures appear to be painted under the wood areas, but if you note both one and two cars have black back wood.



Bruce Cunha

Was the wheel arch/rear shelf section painted in black undercoat as a sub assembly before becoming a body tub? Also, the camera is facing the sky lights creating a shadow problem.
M Magilton

What I think you're seeing is shadows.

The interior of the whole tub was painted body color. Mostly from overspray to get the tin painted that was nailed over to the wood.

The only black is a tar / alphalt substance that was applied to the fuel tank back board and along the bottom rail under the door.

This is what I have.



Frank Cronin

2


Frank Cronin

3



Frank Cronin

4



Frank Cronin

5


Frank Cronin

I may take a guess that what we may be seeing in your pictures is the rear of the tub partially upholstered. In this case, the wheel arch covers.

Frank

TF1414
Frank Cronin

What year is your pictures frank? The interior was sprayed with the same black primer as the exterior prior to paint. I have seen TD's with a moderate amount of exterior paint on the inside, but have also seen (ncluding mine) where there is just an edge of overspray of the body color on the interior.

No tar/coatings were used that I have been able to find on the interior.

That could be light coming in from an upper side window, but the fact the first two cars have pretty much the same light area would seem to throw that idea out.
Bruce Cunha

Here is a later TD on Chris's page with the inside of the doors painted body color, but you can see the black primer on all the other parts

# 175 https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/Pictures/TD11272/Thumbnails/mgtd_gallery_thm_TD11272.htm

I bet it had to do whith who was painting on that day. Since is was not automated, each painter probably had their own pattern for covering the car.
Bruce Cunha

Frank -

Was the body frame painted body color. If not, how was it masked?

The body frame in your photos doesn't appear to be painted body color. The gusset between the body frame and the wood front inner side rails is a good example.

Also, please tell me more about the tar/asphalt substance. Where was it applied? What is a modern equivalent that will give me a visual idea of what it was?

Thanks,

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Some cars (TD's?) were painted/oversprayed with body color extensively on the inside and some very little with the black being the primary color. My car was mostly black (it's a red/red car) except for the extreme edges of the body components. I suspect is was the discretion/attitude of the painter at the time.

I also think there is lighting coming into play on the picture at the top of this thread.

It's also possible that they may have masked these cars early on and then gave that practice up later.
Christopher Couper

The year of the car or the date when the pictures taken?

TF1414 Nov 30, 1953 Birch grey / red interior.

Photos from 2013

The black you see in my pictures was no doubt applied after the paint spray with a brush. I also inspected this in person at the time.

No evidence of exposed black primer anywhere. The whole interior of the tub was sprayed painted body color.

Unsure what this black exactly is called but it seems to be some kind of weather proofing AFTER the tub was painted for the wood. My guess some type of pitch, bitumen types, coal tar material to preserve the wood. Something similar what they used interior and the exterior below the water line for wood ship building.

The link to TD 11272, it's probably the same substance that went on the exterior side of the wood tank board. See picture 78.

Back to my car, you can see the "brush marks" on the body frame that got on the grey painted front quarter panel in picture one in this thread. Neatness was not that important since it was unseen anyway with the interior panels.

Please take a look at CC site Original MG TF.

TF 9052, look at pictures 170, 171, 172, and 173 in the chassis and underside pictures. Do doubt this was applied with a brush after the tub was painted.

Lonnie, you can mask the metal frame if you like. I did. It would make the tub "neater" and less to touch up after you paint the tub body color. If any over-spray, just touch it up.

Frank

TF 1414



Frank Cronin

TF 9052 pics 189 and 190 are good examples as well.
Frank Cronin

Frank: "No evidence of exposed black primer anywhere. The whole interior of the tub was sprayed painted body color."

The center of your doors are the black primer. Your painter was just aggressive with your color coat. Many cars were painted like yours but you can find others (my car) where they just did the edges and left much more of the black showing.
Christopher Couper

Bruce the black you are seeing is the clip for the side curtain.
W A Chasser

Attached photo courtesy of Rob Brayshaw in New Zealand showing factory paint over the very thin black primer on the door pillar of a TF. The brushed black in the lower areas was necessary because the tub was mounted on a trolley and the bottom surfaces were not easily accessible to the spray gun.

M Magilton

I don't see anything on the rear of TD 11272 but the black primer that the car was done in. My back board was painted silver. I sanded this off and found the primer black.

It does show how the painter worked. 11272 has a wider strip of red paint on the rear panel than my car had. A lot more of the panel is painted red. You can image in your head the painter making a pass at the top, along the sides and on the bottom. Just enough so you saw body paint when looking at the edges of the fuel tank. No taping, no measuring.

It is possible that they changed things up by the time the TF was being produced. I would think that as production continued, they would have looked at ways of doing things easier and faster.

One of the things that we have to remember is these were not Rolls Royce's or even Morgans. As I understand it, fast production was the goal as there was a need to get a lot of cars sent overseas.

When I stared my restoration, I wanted to learn as much as I could on how the cars were produced. Chris and I have had some conversations on this issue. How did they do this?
Bruce Cunha

Rear shelf (side screen box floor) of a friends TF. The rectangular shadows are where the tool box lid was painted in birch grey by the body factory. The measurements are the same. Two or three coats of paint for that item. These boards are normally covered in black felt.

M Magilton

Now that is an interesting find.
Bruce Cunha

This thread was discussed between 06/06/2019 and 09/06/2019

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