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T-Series Trying to identify my MG TD on the frame

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G

Gunner

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My 1951 MG TD car plate says I have car number TD/ 9747. I have read also, the car number is stamped on the frame. One source describes the location as, "stamped on the near-side dumb-iron or chassis extension". Can anyone translate? Where exactly is my car number stamped on the frame? My car is a right hand drive car and the ident plate is stamped EXR. Does this have additional meaning? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
Thanks.
 
It is the front part of the frame on the outside left of the car. You should be able to look right under the front by the tire & see it by the Steering rack boot.
Mine is stamped TD18213.
 
Sid - Translation is, near side = side closest to the curb. On a right hand drive car, that is the left side. All TD have the car number stamped on the left front dumb iron as vping states. The EXR on hte maker's plate means that the car was an EXport model, Right hand drive, so it went to someplace like Australia or other country that drives on the left side. Cheers
 
Isn't is amazing the things you learn here. This is like going back to school but it's fun.
 
Thanks Dave
My TD is kind of an enigma. The engine was rebuilt, and then left to sit undisturbed for twenty five years. Tonight, I removed the front crankshaft bolt, pully and timing chain cover. Inside is like the rest of the engine; dinner plate clean. My engine is painted green, but obviously from the rebuilder's paint. If I could just free up the cylinders, I feel like it would be a very good engine. I'm guessing the piston rings are rusted to the newly honed cylinder walls. #1 and 4 are at TDC and #2 and 3 are at bottom so it's hard to soak in kerosene. I'll remove the pan this week and look for more clues. The water pump was brand new as are other engine accessories. Also, I guess this TD made it back to London after it's initial export. Thanks again for your help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Sid - I know that you aren't going to want to hear this,but you should be prepared to have to rebore the cylinders after getting the pistons loose. Twenty five years of sitting may well have resulted in the rings rusted sufficiently to cause some rather deep groves in the cylinder walls. You are also going to want to check the main and rod bearings and journals for corrosion, along with the cam bearings, the cam lobes and the tappets. Unfortunately, engines suffer more from years of disuse than from constant running. On the up side, all of it can be made right and you will wind up with a very fun car to drive.

Oh yes, check your fuel pump while (it's mounted on the passenger side firewall in the engine compartment) you are doing everything else. I can almost guarentee that it will not run for you after all of these years. By now the points will have so much non conductive film fuilt up on them it will require a bit of sanding with some 400 grit sand paper to get them to conduct enough current to operate the coil. Even then, the diaphragm may well be hard as a board. See my article on SU fuel pumps at: https://www.custompistols.com/cars/articles/dd_su_fuel_pumps_101.htm
Cheers
 
...and unless the fuel was drained you might have to replace or try and clean the lines. My tank was not drained, nor were the lines. I tried to stick a 12 guage wire into the fuel line to clear it out and it is like tar in there. The fuel pump was also filled but I took it apart & cleaned it up. Works like new but I bought a spare anyway to keep in the tool box.
 
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