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MG TD TF 1500 - Wire from coil to distributor

I looked in a Lucas Technical Manual, University Motors shop book, Moss catalogue and on the archives of the BBS and I could not find the answer. I have a early 51 TD which is running well. However, the wire from the coil to the distributor appears quite old. (Positive ground.) The outer insulation is brittle and cracking. It appears to be stranded copper wire with modern ring crimp connectors on both ends.
I thought I would replace the wire but I cannot find a resource that tells me what is proper for this wire. Does anyone know what type of wire, wire size, wire length, insulation color and connectors are proper.
See you all at the GOF in Middlebury.
Thanks!
Milton
Milton Babirak

12 gauge, White with brown tracer, I believe.

Brian W.
ZBMan

Brian is correct. Picture 141

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtd/mgtd_gallery_my_mgtd.htm
Christopher Couper

White/black - 12 gauge seems terribly heavy for that application. I would have expected 18 AWG or 9 strand British gauge. That said, I have never actually researched the wire gauge on any of the wires. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

White/black, 18ga., ring connectors at each end. Bud
Bud Krueger

Who has this type wire as originally covered? PJ
Paul S Jennings

I am not sure I have seen any wire for sale with insulation with this color. Does anyone know where to get it? British Wiring?
Milton Babirak

British Wiring could provide a length of white with a black tracer, or do what I did and make your own out of 18 gauge wire and spray paint on a black stripe. Hint: Masking tape!
Dave Braun

Dave
You are a man of great patience!
I called British Wiring and they have the proper wire. Josh at BW said it was 14 gauge. He asked me to give him the wire length and the size of the ring size of the connectors and said he would make one up for me. I do not know either size since my wire is too long and has modern connectors that are way too big.
Anyone know the proper length and size of the ring connectors? I can guess at both but it would be nice to know the proper size of each.
Thanks!
Milton Babirak

And I thought I was anal Dave! I love it!
P Hehir

I just got mine from the local antique auto parts dealer down the street. Doesn't everybody have one?

As was pointed out its just a stranded white wire with a black tracer and common round lugs. Put on some heat shrink tubing on each lug and you are good to go.

Get yourself 18" and trim it as you see fit. Don't forget to leave yourself enough length to allow the distributor to be twisted during tuning.
Christopher Couper

Gentlemen, thank you. Very helpful. I have measured what I need and will place my order with British Wire. Christopher makes a good point about having enough wire to twist the distributor. I measured nine inches without the connectors, so I will order 12 inches to cover the twist.
PJ: BW says they can fabricate more of these using the proper wire. Can't be very expensive. Call them if you like.
Milton Babirak

Thanks Milton, I'll give them a call. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Milt,
I might have some left over from my car. I got it from British wiring a couple of years ago. If you haven't ordered it yet, it is yours for the asking. I'll check and email you.

Mark
Mark Strang

Re-posting. Does anyone have pic of the original white wire with the black trace? I have a 123 EI & would like to cover the black & red wires with white heat shrink & then spray on the black trace as Dave Braun has suggested. Not sure if this was a trace along the wire or if it wound around it. There is another thread in the archive requesting a pic of this wire but no one was able to provide one. Otherwise I'll email British Wiring & ask if they could possibly send me a pic of one. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Peter, I think there are a couple of images here that are about as good as you will find. Although they are on a TF, they look the same as what little I can see on the unrestored TDs. The white has turned brown, but so have most of the other colors as well.

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/mgtf/Pictures/TF9052/Thumbnails/mgtf_tf9052.htm
L E D LaVerne

Thanks LaVerne. This is exactly what I needed. The guys at Rhode Island Wiring have done some research into the original loom colour. The white turning brown is totally credible & affected all of the original cloth covered wiring, as tannin based dyes were used originally. This gave rise to the mistaken belief that original harnesses were brown not black. The pics shows a band of black about 1/4" to 3/8" wide wound around the wire from the coil, at an angle of about 30 degrees. These may have been part of a series taken by Frank Cronin. If so maybe Frank could post the pics here? Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2014 and 11/05/2017

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.