MG TD TF 1500 TD Side Curtain Box Door BBS discussion at MG-Cars.info

MG TD TF 1500 - TD Side Curtain Box Door

Peter- This may or may not help. This is a picture of an original door but the material has long been removed. You can still see the original adhesive they used to help hold the material. Cheers, Roy

Roy Challberg

Here's the other side of the door. Roy

Roy Challberg

The original door I used as a template definitely had black felt under the red Rexine although it had "petrified" somewhat. It was about 2 mm thick. Bud, Peter will do what was done originally. This is why I dispensed with the idea of the wire wheels. Chris there are a couple of shots of the underside of the rear door in your gallery from two different cars. Both show the binding material you refer to as "not cloth" & also the black felt. Schach also suggests the door front was padded but the stuff he used there & on the wheel arches was way over the top. I also think the timber area above the side curtain box was felt covered. I do know that the timber box top above the door, the metal box interior & the wheel arches were felt covered under the Rexine. Thanks for the pic Roy. The pic below shows the door front covered with the woolen felt. I couldn't find any more in black, hence the red. As it's not seen it shouldn't matter. I do have enough black for the underside & the other visible areas mentioned above. I used PVA exterior grade & the vinyl will be stretched over the top & secured at the back of the door once I sort out the original method. Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

This is the original door. The red Rexine had been dyed black in the 60's when black interiors were all the rage here.

P Hehir

The securing strap opened up to show the original red Rexine.

P Hehir

Peter: Here is my variation. I don't like to see tacks or fasteners. The Vinyl is first fixed with contact cement. It overlaps the back and goes a bit under the felt. Lap over the long sides first. Then the short sides. You can then slice through both pieces of vinyl at 45 degrees with a sharp razor. Lift the short side, peal off the excess long side under it. Replace the short side, adding contact cement, if needed, and you have perfect joint. I then bound the felt with the binding I found in my Moss Felt kit. I used contact cement. I then affixed the binding to the vinyl with contact cement. This is an original plywood door. Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Its not vinyl, it is cloth with a thin coating on one side ( probably just thin black oil cloth). It starts out as a strip an inch wide, with the two sides folded under, so that it ends up 1/2" wide. Collingburn here in the UK has a very good reproduction of it. Dave H

Dave Hill

And opened out. Dave H

Dave Hill

Just picked up some black oilcloth. Shinier than I thought it would be. I can now see why it could be referred to as vinyl. Apparently it was used as a tablecloth which is perhaps where it got its name, due to its water resistance. I'll go with this, cut into 1" strips & folded as Dave suggests. See pic. Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

My TF lid. Likely to be the same technique (not sure when staples came in). Folded oilcloth sounds correct. Matthew.

M Magilton

This picture of TD11272 clearly shows no felt on the side curtain box door face. The top of the wheel arches do have felt on them.

Christopher Couper

Noted. Thanks Chris. This is another detail from the original door I used as a template. My finished door doesn't look or feel padded. The thin PVA soaked felt I used when it dried was firm to the touch. Almost all of the restored cars that I've seen here use some sort of padding on the door front & the top, probably because of Horst's recommendation. Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

I don't believe I have the Originals any longer, Peter. I measured the newer Moss ones and from the comparison pictures you should be able to sort the correct dimensions out. New Moss is 1-5/8 wide and 4" long. Jim B.

JA Benjamin

I'll also need an idea of how much of the width is folded under and the measurement from each door edge. The attached pic shows an original strap with the folded width. The original pristine red colour is evident under the black gunk that had been subsequently painted on, probably in the 60's. The countersunk slot headed screws must have been quite thick and short so as not to penetrate all the way through the door. Anyone know the length and gauge? Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Pic 2.

P Hehir

Around 5 - 6 threads per inch, as said above. Dave H

Dave Hill

Other side.

Dave Hill

I've sourced the cup washers but still need info on the screw length and gauge. It is possible they were machine screws originally like those used to secure the hinges, (see pic) and not wood screws. Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

peter. I am using the original door. In my old pictures, attached, I see no evidence of captive nuts. I looked at what I have securing the tabs, #6 Slotted FH wood screws 1/2" long and cup washers. I would have replicated what was there, or what I thought was there. Personally I think oval heads would look better. Jim B.

JA Benjamin

Hello Peter, the first picture shows my orig. securing strap next to a Moss replacement for the purpose of seeing the stitching.

T Scileppi

2nd Image shows a Moss strap, my original strap, and the one I made and installed. The Moss straps had a lift the dot setup. I wanted snaps. I hope this has helped you. Regards, Tom

T Scileppi

Tom: May I suggest you swap out your spare tire carrier bolt washers with the larger ones used on the fenders. That may also help you with the puckering on the vinyl too, but it is still present on this picture even with the larger washers. :-(

Christopher Couper

The oilskin has just arrived and it looks so much better that the shiny stuff pictured above that I thought I'd have to use. See pic. I have more than I need so if anyone in Oz wants some it's yours for the cost of the postage. Cheers Peter TD 5801

P Hehir

Going back and looking at the picture, I think I may have added the staples. They are too shiny to have dated from 1952. I do not see any evidence of tacks, however. I believe I used adhesive when I put the new cover on mine, since I did not see any tacks, and I dont like rusty staples. Jim B.

JA Benjamin

TD 23004, build date 11 Dec 1952, uses tacks. I'm not sure about the size. A couple of thumb tacks have been added at some time, but the rest is original. Joe

Joe Olson

TD 29539 has tacks. I have never seen a TD that had staples. Not until the TFs as far as I can tell.

Christopher Couper

Peter and others. I received the tacks today. Wow are they small. It is going to be interesting to hold them in place while you tack them in. Probably need a pair of fine needle nose plyers. I should have them in the mail to you by Monday Peter. If others need them, please Email me at cunhab52 at gmail dot com.

Bruce Cunha

There is this tool, called a Tack Hammer. One end is split and magnetized. You stick the tack on that end and with a swift and well placed blow (if your lucky) stick it and then use the other end to finish the Job. I find mine is no longer very magnetic. but a super magnet and a bit of superglue should cure that. Jim B.

JA Benjamin

This thread was discussed between 30/07/2016 and 18/01/2020

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