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MG TD TF 1500 - Tonneau Bar

Hi folks,
I'm about to paint the tonneau bars for the TF, but why? I don't remember ever knowing or seeing just how they're used. They're the bars that mount across the back, top, of the seats, separate curved ones in the TF, a long single straight one for the TD. I couldn't figure what to do with it in my TD, yrs ago, nor now for the TF. I had, and have now, a full tonneau cover, and in the TD it seemed to fold neatly and go into the boot fairly nicely without trying to feed it thru the bar, and I don't think that it'd fit thru the bar(s) neatly for the TF (if that's the purpose).
The seats have just been recovered with leather, but I don't know of a good reason to put the bars on except to look original. Any thoughts? thanks,
Al
A W Parker

Al, I'm with you. I never remounted mine. It serves no purpose with a full tonneau cover-you would not want to stuff the balance under it. Supposedly it was used with a half tonneau. There has been some discussion here in the past about it. I suggested a bar such as in an MGB, which fastens not to the seatback, but to the sidewall and leaves room for the front of a full tonneau to bend 90 degrees down and fasten to snaps on the vertical area of the floor aft of the seats. If you look at an mgb tonneau flat, you will notice a narrow flap on each side of the main zipper, for this purpose. I probably will eventually mount my bar just because I have it and it is nice and shiny!
Steven Tobias

If you drive with a half tonneau the front tucks down through the bar and there are 4 elasticized straps with lift a dot fasteners on the end...they attach low down the seat back and keep it taunt.....works great and wouldn't be without it.... I always have the half tonneau on.... I find if I use a full tonneau with two people in the car, it is not long till the wind pulls it right out of the back and flaps it around....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

I saw somewhere it's also called a "blanket bar" and serves to fasten one of those nice wool blankets in the Moss catalog? I saw a picture somewhere of a blanket draped over the bar-cute. Search archives for "blanket bar" and you will see some more info.
Ed
efh Haskell

I have always called it a blanket bar as my original restorer (British) who worked for the Smithsonian called it that. Who am I to argue with that sort of provenance. And that's what I use it for.

Regards,
Jim
James Neel TD28423

The bars can be a pain - but as to purpose, it just gives the tonneau a nice crisp look behind the seats. The short tonneau is much easier to use as it has the straps (4 if I remember correctly). With the full tonneau, it does get difficult to stuff it through the space between the bar and the seat.

I don't think the factory supplied the cars with a full tonneau from new - I think they left the factory with only the half tonneaus.

If I had new leather seats, and I didn't use the bar, I would not add it - the tonneau will sag in the middle though and will flap a little at speed.

Jeff
Jeff Delk

Must be pretty thin blankets.... it is for the half tonneau.....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

It's a proper scottish wool blanket, very warm though not too thick. Also I would think that more importantly the bar would serve to provide additional support to the seat board.

Jim
James Neel TD28423

Hi Jeff et al,

According to the March 1958 TF Service Parts List Reprint, an 'Overall tonneau cover complete with fixings' was available for both RHD & LHD cars, under part nos. 251085 & 251086. I don't know if this was shown on the 'original' List, but there was certainly a demand, bearing in mind very variable UK weather conditions!

Cheers

John
J C Mitchell

I found the half tonneau to be absolutely necessary to keep the space behind the TD seat looking sharp and meaningful. The bar is absolutely necessary for the half cover to keep it in place and tight over the storage space. The elastic straps work in conjunction with the bar in that regard. Don't sell the bar short! If you have a half Tonneau, and you should always have at least that, the bar makes it work with a very simple design approach.
With warm regards,

Dick Thomas


Dick Thomas

This thread was discussed between 31/01/2011 and 02/02/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

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