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MG TD TF 1500 - MG TF floorboard screws

Hi everyone - I've been corresponding with Matthew Magilton in Australia about a no. of TF details and have come to the nitty gritty of when floorboard CS machine screws changed from slotted to Phillips. There is quite a mixture of screw head types throughout TF's (and to a lesser extent TD's) and Matthew has a last known #6388 for slotted door hinge screws - and the earliest Phillips door screws #8784. It appears there were no #7000 series cars exported to Australia and although it's not certain there was any link between doorhinge and floorboard screws any info. any of you have out there would be appreciated. I appreciate original floorboards and fastenings are not that common and screws especially were prone to rusting and being replaced.

My car is #7973 - Nov.1954 and has BSF captive/welded nuts which leads me to the slotted screw preference. Certainly the MGA equivalents were Phillips AF threads and it seems likely that these were phased in during late TF production. I,ve not seen any BSF Phillips screws on MG's but that of course doesn't mean they don't exist ! I hope you 'original floorboard owners' out there can help and I'm sure that during production operatives used what was to hand so 'mixed screw' type cars probably once existed.

Thanks John.

J.C Mitchell

Good morning. My #7873 has slotted countersunk screws. It was shipped to California and restored there in 1977 when the carpet was glued down – I picked the last of the glue from some of the heads and slots last year so can vouch for the last 28 years.
(Second time I’ve submitted this so apologize if I’m repeating myself).
Steve Gee

Hi Steve - thanks for your info - our cars are only 100 apart too ! Mine went to USA from new (didn't they all in '54 ) and was restored in California twice I think, so as a result all the floor board fasteners were Phillips AF threads jammed into BSF captive/welded nuts. Good that you can confirm slotted screws but what we really want is late '54 and early '55 info. As a matter of interest are your door hinge screws slotted as well ? If there is any info.you want on my near sequence car please let me know.

Hope your winter has been better than here - Spring hasn't arrived this year - only 40 F max today with a cold damp wind and Grand National day at Aintree (horse racing)which is usually fine and in the 50's.

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

I'm currently in L.A. and should be heading home in the next week or so - I'll check the door hinges then.
I don't see you listed in Jeff Paynes mgtf Registry - JBP51MGB@aol.com if you're interested.
Steve Gee

My TF, HDA46/8986, had slotted BSF floorboard screws and hinge screws. It was made Jan. 15, 1955.
Don Harmer

Hi Don - thanks for the info. on your late car. Perhaps Phillips were only used right at the end of
TF production ? - if at all ? As a matter of interest what sort of screws are used on your door hinges ? As I said before Matthew Magilton's earliest known Phillips door screws is #8784 a bit before yours. Your interest in this bit of minutiae is appreciated - I don't think it's been covered before.

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

Sorry Don - left my brain behind re. hinges - Apologies ! Anyone else with info. re late TF cars would appreciate any further info on this thread.

Cheers John.
J.C Mitchell

For what its worth my TF HDC46/1085 built in november of 1953 has floor screws which were niether slotted or philips but rather a flat head with an allen wrench socket at dead center with dished washers. The seat runners were secured with the same. Im fairly sure the floorboards I replaced were original as the car had very low mileage when purchased in 1998 ( 58,692) and a very legible stencil appeared beneath the floor board of the passenger side " INSKIP NEW YORK " with a series of numbers on the upper surface of the frame rail. The door hinges were slotted screws. Has anyone come across screws as above which require an allen wrench to remove?
jeff payne

TFs shipped to Canada had Roberston head screws (square socket)in the door hinges.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

Jeff, flathead 1/4-28 screws with an allen head are common. They can be forced into the 1/4-26 captive nuts in the TD. Just a thought. The 1/4-28 is found in MGBs.

It sounds as if you've found another of the mysterious Body Numbers. See http://www.ttalk.info/Tech/BodyPlate.html for an example.
Bud Krueger

Gordon...your not serious are you? I used a robertson in a couple of places and had to take them out...just looked "wrong"!!!
gordon lawson - TD 27667

Thanks for all your responses - it would seem that slotted screws were used at least until Jan 1955. It would seem that some oddball screws are also around but whether they are original ?.....

Thanks again

John Mitchell









J.C Mitchell

This thread was discussed between 08/04/2006 and 22/04/2006

MG TD TF 1500 index

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