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MG TD TF 1500 - How do you exit your T-Type?

Apologies to anyone who has seen this already but it's new to me lol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebi4VvHC6UM&x-yt-ts=1422411861&x-yt-cl=84924572
Cliff Harvey

Here's a clickable link:

http://youtu.be/ebi4VvHC6UM

It's a J2 MG, I'll never complain again!
Cliff Harvey

And I thought I had problems. Just been immobile for 3 weeks, ripped back muscle getting out of the TF, hood up in a very tight garage. It seems to have got smaller since I bought it over 40 years ago!
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray, I've been trying to figure that out also, how these cars shrink over the years. LOL! PJ
Paul S Jennings

They've definitely shrunk. When we got married in 1958 our '52 TD got us from Boston to San Diego. Had a lot more room in it than the present '52 has. Bud
Bud Krueger

It has been a long known fact that MG's are NOT SANFORIZED.
Sandy
SANDY

What I want to see is a video of that man getting INTO that car!

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

I just had a knee replacement and had trouble b/4, not sure how to get in and out now.

Bill
TD24570
Bill Brown

"Mr. opposite here!"
The kids used to sell tickets to watch me get in & out with the hood up.
Several years ago I was given the choice of having 3 vertebrae's fuzzed or quit wearing the "tundra hoof" (prostatic left leg.
Much easier with one leg and a lot more "leg room"!

With hood down I rarely use the door ...just hop in.
David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

David,
Wouldn't that be a lot going in with one leg?

Bill
TD24570
Bill Brown

Maybe you guys need to give 'Jenny Craig" a call (tongue in cheek).
G Evans

Bill,
Our TDs (LHD) are my wifey's toys, so I usually ride as passenger. Getting in as passenger with left Chromium-Cobalt knee (won't bend more than 90 degrees) isn't horrible. I have the "shake a leg" sequence down to a science.

When I HAVE TO drive her toys through their paces, I have to slide all the way over to the passenger seat, then negotiate left leg into the tub. She will cruise 80+mph with her eyes closed, knodding out. When I have to take over and pilot her babies, I usually wind up having to hold my left up so as not to ride the clutch.... then a charlie horse sets in!!!!!!!! !!! -it's like getting attacked by a swarm of bees and nowhere to run!

Jim
JRN JIM

Jim, mine is on the gas pedal brake side. Bend is up to 115 degrees so we'll see. Actually my TD turned 62 today and I wanted to take her out but freezing rain killed that.

Bill
TD24570
Bill Brown

I have no problems getting in and out of my 54 TF....BUT, I have no top, you see. Plus, I'm only 5'-10" tall and weight 168 pounds. I'm thinking the Brits that these cars were designed for must've been even smaller than me?
Frank Bice

Frank, your question prompted me to Google some info on that.

Back in the 1930's- 1940's when these cars were first designed, the chart shows the average height of European males clustering roughly between 165-175 cms., about 5'5"-5'9".

No mention of weight, but it's pretty safe to assume that average weights were less, too - soft drink servings were 6-8 ozs. instead of the current 20-24 ozs.

In the late 1970's average male heights clustered between 175-185 cms., about 5'9"-6'1".

Source is here:

http://www.voxeu.org/article/reaching-new-heights-how-have-europeans-grown-so-tall

We're in general getting larger. At 6'3" for me getting into the TD and driving for more than 1 1/2 hours is an act of will.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

HI. Bobby Galvez.This cars were not built for grown up peopl like us over 180cms hight.
a solution is to make the back rest thinner.
I nean the back rest on the seat.
Thoralf.Norway. TD 4490.
Thoralf Sorensen (TD4490)

You need to understand that the only reason I have an MG is that my father was no longer able to get into it, let alone out of it. I reckon I have maybe 10 years before I'll be unable to get into it, either :)
Geoffrey M Baker

Thoralf - that is exactly what I did! I took the car to a local upholsterer and had him compress the bottom of the backrest as much as possible. I gained at least an inch and a half of leg room and a fair measure of comfort.

It could be better if I got more aggressive and replaced the original spring assembly with something thinner. For now it is good enough.

Cheers!

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

I remember my brother 6' 3" getting into an M type, we had to lift him out by his shoulders, and this was when he was 20 years old!
My wife had a knee replacement & also needs to lean way over to the other side of the cockpit to get in.
I am ok if I do not have an arthritis event!
Perhaps that is why they are called midgetS!
Lots of fun to drive with todays suspension & performance upgrades!
Len Fanelli

I'm 6'5" and I do not "get out" of my TD, I extract myself and that is always with the top down.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Once upon a time we used to leap into our T Types during some Motokhana events, as Stirling Moss did at Le Mans. Yes, one of our members did a Fangio and got the gear lever up his trouser leg.

I never tried it with the top up, though. And, come to think of it, it's about forty years since I tried it at all. The recent motokhana picture attached definitely didn't follow a dual vault into the car.

David


D A Provan

Once upon a time we used to leap into our T Types as part of Motokhana events, as Stirling Moss did at Le Mans. Yes, one of our members did a Fangio and got the gear lever up his trouser leg.

I never tried it with the top up, though. And, come to think of it, it's about forty years since I tried it at all. The recent motokhana picture attached definitely didn't follow a dual vault into the car.

David


D A Provan

Those are all great comments. I can just imagine some of the exploits you all enjoyed when you wore the clothes of a younger man.....and being about the size of the average Brit male from the 70s, I sometimes forget that I'm 68 and do things the way I did 40 years ago myself! It's these darn cars....they're just so much fun we throw caution to the wind at times. Ain't it grand!

Bobby, I think of you almost every time I climb into my TF, because you told me a few years ago when I initially got the "wants" for a T-car to be patient, that the right car would find me....it did. If you come up to Oklahoma, give me a shout! Beer's cold!
Frank Bice

Hi Frank - glad to have provided some encouragement for you.
Here's hoping that you are getting to drive it often.
Back in October I took my first real road trip in the TD and it was eventful. I write up an account of it for our club newsletter. I'll email it to you in the hope that you'll find it interesting.
Enjoy!

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

This thread was discussed between 29/01/2015 and 04/02/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

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