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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Grill Lower Support Pan

I need some help. My restoration is moving along nicely, but today I ran into a problem fitting the lower grill support. This part screws to the bottom of the radiator support, but when attached, it interferes with the horn covers on both sides. I shimmed the horns down about 3/16 inch but the pan still touches the horn covers. The horns are mounted with reproduction Lucas style brackets, but they don't look anything like the brackets on the unrestored TF that Frank Cronan chronicled a few years ago. Could that be the problem? Thanks, John

JR Mahone

https://www.angloparts.com/en/catalogues/picture/795


Hopefully this is what you purchased.
G Evans

Another picture.

JR Mahone

G Evans, yes that is the flex bracket I used.

JR Mahone

Is the radiator support crossmember in the right way round. The holes are offset and can put the rad in the wrong position.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee raybar2(at) tiscalidotcodotuk

The two holes should be nearer the front
Ray
Ray Lee raybar2(at) tiscalidotcodotuk

JR,

On TFs originally,the fit between the horn domed cover and the radiator panel being discussed,is very close. About a 1/16" on many cars !

The attaching horn bracket for TF250s is different in form compared to the more 'open' bracket of the later TF1500s.

I guess repro. brackets may be slightly different giving rise to your
fit problem. However,the fit is pretty close anyway.


Cheers.
Rob Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"), TF9177("Athos").
R GRANTHAM

JR,

Just had another thought on the matter. The correct rubber washers(one pair) are quite thick in section and placed immediately under your new plate and onto the radiator cradle studs.
There are also another two(2) of these rubber 'doughnut' washers under the radiator/chassis cross member.

Originally these rubber washers had a thin steel band around the washer's mid section.

If the height of the upper two upper rubber washers are not to original specs,perhaps the horn dome could then hit the lower radiator base plate panel?

Cheers
Rob Grantham
R GRANTHAM

JR, not a great pic for your needs, but here's how mine are mounted and they don't touch the apron. PJ

Paul161

JR,

A correction,"the correct rubber washers (one pair) are quite thick in section and placed on the studs of the radiator cradle panel ."

Rob Grantham
R GRANTHAM

Thank you everyone. Rob's comments led me to the problem. Now that I know the clearance was small to begin with, I found that I had over tightened the bottom radiator support bolts crushing the rubber grommets. Relieving some of the tension raised the rad slightly, giving about 1/16 inch clearance. Seems very tight to me, creating a potential rattle point, but that's the joy of the T-series1
Sincerely, John
JR Mahone

My horn brackets are the other way up where bolted to the chassis, which lowers the horns. This is fine unless and until you fit a anti-roll (torsion) bar, which then interferes with the horn trumpets. I spent many happy hours fiddling with packing (spacer) washers on the brackets until I found a position where nothing touched, but certainly space is very tight.
1955 TF1500
N D Wallace

John,

As a matter of interest,do the rubber washers you have used have the metal band around their perimeter ? I suspect the band helped stop the bulging (and then thinning),of the washer when the nut was tightened up on the cradle stud.

Over the years,I have seen some of these rubber washers supplied without the metal band. Also,some of the washers supplied were rather lean in section.

Cheers.
Rob Grntham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
R GRANTHAM

My repro horns and brackets have no clearance problems.
The horns mount under the chassis with the reinforcement brackets on the inside.

Ray, I know what you mean about the rad support cross piece....what way did I fit it?
With the rad in, and the grill fitted I tried to align the side panels, off everything came to put the cross piece on the correct way.

Don TF 4887 "Figaro'
Don Walker

Yes Ron, the rubber washers have the metal band. I also realize the adjustable radiator support rods may be adjusted too far forward, which pitches the lower pan downward. When I fit the side panels I may be able to gain some additional clearance.
John
JR Mahone

This thread was discussed between 10/02/2016 and 11/02/2016

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