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MG TD TF 1500 - workshop manual

I have a MG midget (series TD TF) workshop manual that came with the car and I have always assumed was a reproduction. At the bottom of each page has an issue number (1, 2 3 etc) and what looks like a date (1/54 for example). If I look to buy an original manual (one that would have come with the car) does anybody know how to tell if it is in fact an original? Thanks. ..... Chris
Chris Malcolm

Chris, workshop manuals didn't come with the car, only an owner's manual.
Bud Krueger

Hi Chris,

A Workshop Manual wouldn't have come with the car, but could of course, have been bought at the same time. An 'Operation Manual' (Handbook to you and me)was supplied with each new car, in the usual small format.

Personaly I like the repros - you can get some oil on them and the originals can be very expensive because you're competing with the collectors of such material, who are prepared to pay very high prices, at least over here in the UK!

Cheers, John
J C Mitchell

Chris,

The reproductions are bound with a hard cover, usually Yellow. The originals will have a bluish gray binder with pivoting 'C' clamp closures to hold the individual pages in place. Since the pages were inserted as revisions came in, the edges of the pages and the orientation of the section letters at the top outside edge of each page will be ragged and not very consistant. Additionally, an original will have fold out lubrication charts with a second color on the lubrication call outs. The illustrations in an original are much sharper than the reproductions, especially the photos.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave,

I have what I believe is an original WSM. It has a dirty yellow hard cover, and on the binding, is printed AKD 580A.

Since I bought my TF from new, I have the original Operation Manual which is tan in colour with a stapled binding.

I also have an original TD Operation Manual (Fourth Edition) which is indeed, blue and the binding is both glued and stapled.

I am absolutely positive that none of these publications are repros.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Gord,

Thanks for the info. I have what you have, except as noted my WSM is not hard cover, but made for replacing pages. I also have the 1952 MG TD workshop manual published by Scientific Magazines Publishing Co. in Rockdale, NSW, Australia. It is blue hard cover, thinner than the Nuffield published WSM and says it was published by arrangement with Nuffield in 1952. The pages are not nearly as acid free, and as a result that book is deteriorating. I've never taken the time to figure out what was left out.

My original (not to my car) operation manual is also blue covered and stapled. The pages are smaller than the card stock cover. Mine has no edition on it, and I surmise it is early. The last page before the fold out lube chart says 4/51-5... so perhaps that's a fifth edition?

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Some day ... (another project probably in vain) I want to scan each page of the WSM and OCR each page as well, so that I could edit and add my own entries and have a REAL WSM.

... and many of my proposed added entries would come from the many valuable tips and data from this BB.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Ahhh... now it's clear. Once again, thank you all for your help..... Chris
Chris Malcolm

Chris, here's an image of the binding on one of my workshop manuals. You can rotate the locks to r/r new pages.


Bud Krueger

Bud, Thanks for that. ... Chris
Chris Malcolm

This thread was discussed between 09/04/2009 and 14/04/2009

MG TD TF 1500 index

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