MG TD TF 1500 'Rocky' comes out! BBS discussion at MG-Cars.net

MG TD TF 1500 - 'Rocky' comes out!

Well, after 12 1/2 months, frame off, Rocky is ready for the road! Hooray.... Anyway, wasn't a show car when I started, and still isn't , but I love the look. (and, hey, it's mine, right?). The colors are Toreador red, and Kobalt blue...No metallic...Under most lighting the blue looks black, but it has a blue highlight outside. Pictures aren't great...In fact I drove the car with the fuel-measure stick several miles...When I got home it was still where I left it. Really enjoyed driving with the Brooklands windshield.... Reminded me of my motorcycle days...Now I need a "Rocky" helmet and goggles! Love the Tourist Trophy exhaust note. Got my defective fuel sender repaired and re-installed (had to drain 10 gallons of gas!), and got the stop lights working (required turning on the ignition...DOH!). Edward

E.B. Wesson

Here's a rear shot...Look closely and see the fuel stick!

E.B. Wesson

Great job done, Edward. Now have fun with Rocky but do everybody here one favour, please... take away these awful Hella covers from the driving lights :-) I remember when Cibie started with this cowels in the early 70's and soon all other supliers copied them. I always felt bad seeing such misfits in those days. Whst's wrong leaving them away? Enjoy Rocky! Cheers Ralph

R.S. Ralph Siebenhaar

R.S. You're right about the covers...I hate them...Problem is that the lenses are plastic and not glass...It wouldn't take long to ruin the lenses.... I'm trying to get a friend to make me a set of soft covers to match the car, with MG on them..... Meantime , I'm going to take some shots without the fuel stick, and sans the covers. J.K. You asked me that same question before....I'm not far from you...As I remember, you are in Western S.C.?? I am in Hiawassee, 25 miles West of Clayton , Ga. More specifics: The new Robbins top, tonneau, TT exhaust , Brooklands windshields, steering wheel, and fog lamps, came from Moss.... Most of the new wiring came from Moss, except for the dash wiring , which came from Abingdon Spares... Luckily, the car came with a solid walnut dash (not veneer)... The previous owner had redone the brakes, but I rebuilt the pedal box (yuk!). New clutch, and new seals all around....Engine did not need rebuilding. Wood interior structure was sound, and did not need replacement. New floor boards, and carpet, and carpet padding. Interior is the one that came with the car... I did all the paint and body work, myself, except for the soda blasting.... I ended up having to buy a replacement radiator shell,and grille, which was the single biggest expense...The shell is far from perfect, but much better than the one that came with the car...It had already been rechromed...A good thing too, as rechroming was really expensive. Some parts were rechromed, but I replaced several chrome parts that was cheaper than rechroming them. Below is a photo of the "driver", as I received it. Picture is wife of PO, taken in Pennsylvania... I had the car shipped sight unseen...The car was exactly as described. Edward

E.B. Wesson

Here's a shot of the wiring harness that I replaced. Look closely (sorry for the fuzzy photo), and you will see pieces of insulation , where it fell off the wires. I did keep it for a check/reference for the new harness. Edward

E.B. Wesson

I also "resurrected" the broken, and removed "Arnolt" heater, but had to make my own plumbing, and valves for it...This shot was taken before I did the frame-off and repaint...I had already cleaned up the engine compartment. Edward

E.B. Wesson

Thanks John.... Here's a couple of new shots, without the fog-light covers.

E.B. Wesson

And one more side shot

E.B. Wesson

As others have done, I made adustable door braces, then reset the fixed braces....It is amazing how little "tweeking" is needed to get the doors to fit. This shot was taken before the fixed braces were added. Edward

E.B. Wesson

This thread was discussed between 21/11/2012 and 25/11/2012

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