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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TF STEEL WATERMARK

The image is of the inside surface of a TF bonnet side panel that has been chemically paint dip striped.

Thought it may be of interest.

RODNZ

My wife used Photo Shop to enhance the image, resulting in image below. Enough to see that it is THE STEEL COMPANY OF WALES and some number in the center. Perhaps some of our British friends can provide some information on it. We did find a reference to it on Google. Cheers - Dave

DW DuBois

Rod and David,

Brilliant! Good find.

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

R GRANTHAM

Very good!

Try using some light tracing paper and the side of a sharp pencil lead to gently rub over the paper and get a tracing. You might have a better view to what's written.
Kevin McLemore

This was and still is under the paint, on the front side of my fuel tank. I thought it was quite an unusual and interesting find at the time. It will probably reappear some time in the distant future when the tank is stripped again for repaint. PJ



Paul161

I can just make out:

www.steelcompanyofwales.com

Clearly a repop panel.

......
MAndrus

Sorry guys, I can't make out any more than you already have.
Dave H
Dave Hill

The ever popular Graces Guide can help here.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Steel_Company_of_Wales
Christopher Couper

Good info Chris.
I think I can read Summers on Paul's panel which would be John Summers and Sons.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Matthew, Was it Summers and Sons the manufacture of the fuel tanks back then or were they manufactures of sheet metal the tanks were made from? Interesting. PJ
Paul161

Summers and Sons were a steel manufacturers at Shotton near Chester on the Welsh/English border.The site is about 10 miles from me.They were absorbed into British steel and later shut down because of over production in the UK. British Steel is now owned by an Indian company.
In the 50's they used Austin 7's as factory roundabouts and when sold off the drivers door and seat were wrecked!
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Fat Finger, "runabouts" not "roundabouts" unless we have predictive text.
Ray
Ray Lee

another TF fuel tank

RODNZ

close up

RODNZ

Probably another Summers Rod.
Paul, I am thinking they are the sheet metal guys.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Car body steel came from a number of sources when I worked at Pressed Steel at Cowley, Oxford from 1966 - 1971. We made bodies for many makes ranging from the MGB series, Mini and Maxi to Rolls Royce.

There were a range of gauges, hardness and different levels of draw-ability depending on whether the panel was external or internal, chassis or decorative. It was bought on a contract basis from steel mills in Newport and Ebbw Vale, Chester (as these panels) Corby and Holland. In order to track the type and quality (the steel in one die-cut sheet looks just like another before it is pressed) it was stamped with the makers mark, in an indelible ink.
Ian Bowers

Ian, I wish I had your inside knowledge. So the later T types would have had all their panels stamped at Pressed Steel before moving on to Carbodies for assembling into body tubs and painting before moving on to Abingdon for final assembly? Feel free to elaborate.

Matthew.
M Magilton

Matthew

The mark was put on at the steel mill, before oiling and rolling the long length of steel sheet for shipping to the press-works.

My memory coincides with yours in that Carbodies in Coventry made the T bodies, which were then shipped to Abingdon for completion. They would have been shipped, either fully painted or 'in white' ie with a primer coat. By the time I was working at Pressed Steel all bodies which left the plant were shipped 'in white'.

I tried to find (and see if I could rescue at scrap prices) the old TD and TF press tools and jigs which were said to be in the store at the back of the factory in 1964 but none was to be found.
Ian Bowers

Thank you Ian.

Matthew.
M Magilton

This thread was discussed between 04/09/2015 and 08/09/2015

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