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MG TD TF 1500 - Tach and Speedo Clamp

Another of those "was this on the TD" questions

Green, in his TD restoration book, lists this picture of the firewall. He says there were two long bolts used through the toeboard, one on each side, that held the tach and speedo clamp.

I have found numerous pictures of the Tach Clamp. Some of these on Chris's original TD page. Bill Chassers barn find also has the clamp on the tach cable.

I have only found two pictures online of TD's with a speedo clamp. This appears to be restored cars (did they follow Greens diagram?)

Bill Chasser looked on his barn find and did not find a long bolt on the right side where the speedo cable goes.

To add to the confusion, AS and FTFU list this bracket and say it is for the tach and the starter motor cable. I have never seen one on the starter cable.

It would make sense to use a clamp for the speedo as it straightens out the cable and keeps it off the firewall. Similar to what the one on the Tach cable does.

But it also makes no sense why they stuffed the speedo and the choke cable through the wiring hole instead of adding a hole.

It may be this was a change made during production and the clamp was added to make the speedo straighter.

Does anyone have this on their TD? If so, what ID number?

PS. Sorry for the poor quality on the photo, it is off the internet and did not blow up well once I downloaded it.





Bruce Cunha

I think you would have a hard time getting the speedo cable by the horn bracket, through that clamp laterally and then it's held in place with one of the U-Shaped snap in clamps on the firewall support too.
Christopher Couper

I'm not following your Snap in clamp Chris. Can you post a picture?

Based on bills barn find TD, (which is only a little over a month older than mine) not having a long bolt on the right, I have decided not to put the bracket on the speedo.

I have not clue why AS and FTFU list a clamp for the starter cable.
Bruce Cunha

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this clip but it is the same as the one (maybe one size smaller?) on the opposite side that holds the wiring harness. You will find the hole on your right frame stiffener bracket for the clip.

Christopher Couper

SO there is a hole in the right for the speedo cable, the same as the one that holds the harness to the left?
Bruce Cunha

Should be identical, just a mirror image. And I think it's the same sized clamp too.
Christopher Couper

I found it today. I still don't know why Green listed using two long bolts and two clamps. Could the second one be used for the starter cable as AS and FTFU suggest?
Bruce Cunha

The starter is way up on the firewall and has a short run to the hole.
Christopher Couper

I meant the starter cable from the starter to the pull switch. I purchased a new replacement cloth braided wire for this and it does/could run up to that area.

It's just interesting that two suppliers would say there were two clamps and one was for the starter electrical cable.
Bruce Cunha

I don't think it would even work and certainly not offer any value. The switch is only a few inches from the edge of the firewall where the clamp would go so it offers nothing in terms of either directionality nor stabilization. It may not even align vertically or horizontally.

You can try your tach one to see what it does for your car before you buy one, but I would not get one unless I could see some real evidence it was original on most cars.
Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 16/11/2021 and 20/11/2021

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