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MG TD TF 1500 - Strange

I ordered a plug for the end of the tube on my tire rack from Moss (406-400). It is on the left in the photo. On the right is a used one I found on ebay. They are very different - at least in the part that shows when installed. I don't understand why. I am definitely not a machinist but it seems to me it would have been just as easy to make the shape correctly. That makes me wonder if it was intended for something else.
Other differences (that don't matter): aluminum instead of iron, solid instead of hollow.
Any thoughts?

B Mooney

Hi Mr. Mooney - that type of thing drives me nuts too. I always wonder why you would go to all that trouble and then make it incorrectly (when a correct reproduction would not be too difficult).

I would contact Kelvin Dodd at Moss and send him your photo. They make be able to change the specification on the part - and begin supplying the correct one.

Glad you were able to find a proper used one.
DLD

I wonder if there were variations over the years on the originals?
Geoffrey M Baker

Try Martin @ Abingdon Spares LLC.
If you can not get satisfaction from Moss.
ASL usually has parts that Moss does not, & they are usually better quality.
Len Fanelli

This sort of thing has been going on in Moss Motors since Al Moss was in charge. They even have personnel dedicated to flushing these things out but still they persist. And sometimes you are sure the effort to making it wrong was more than making it what it turned out to be.

I suspect a lot has to do with overseas production where it is just too much of a hassle to get them to do it right and the production numbers are so low nobody that will do a good job will give you a decent price. So they basically throw up their hands and take 'good enough'.
Christopher Couper

I have a good friend who was the COO for a major worldwide tool distributor and the stories he tells about quality control in dealing with China would make your hair stand on end.

He says if you want quality go to Taiwan and Europe. I am sure Moss experiences the same issues especially with the small quantities they order. You almost have to deal with a third party who is the go between. I ran into this when dealing with brokers of electrical parts, etc. it is a real issue and you need BIG orders to really apply enough pressure.

He told me of what he called "hotel quality samples" and then you would get the production items and they would be inferior. For example you saw copper windings on motors and aluminum ones were actually received.

Like so many things with old cars you do the best you can or can afford.
JWP Policastro

This component on my early TD is made of rubber & I'd assumed that it was original. I'm also very interested in determining what was fitted originally, whether there were any changes during the production run & whether Kelvin Dodd actually does anything about it. Like so many others I'm more than a tad peeved with the lack of quality control at Moss. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

From Martin Cooke @ ASL:
we do have the correct ones, aluminium but correct and we also have the originals for sale as well.
Len Fanelli

Not exact, but easy to chuck it up and turn it to correct shape.
George Butz

This thread was discussed between 04/01/2016 and 07/01/2016

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