Is hopping up a MG TD off or on topic?

Thanks.

Aside from looking good, a larger diameter tire is like lowering your rear axle ratio.

 

Thanks man, we're good. We're in Redondo Beach so nowhere near the fires. Wife's mom has been with us since Monday after being ordered out of Fallbrook. That fire was stopped about 1/2 mile from her house, I think she is going back today.

The pegasus was a logo for Mobil Oil. they supported a lot of the early sports car racing in So Cal so those decals were common back then. I'll see what other photos I can dig up. I have a few photos we found after Merl died but most I don't know when or where they were taken. If you are interested in the era there is a great book called "Weekend Heroes" http://www.corsaresearch.com/weekendheroes.html

It has over 500 photos, most in color, most never before published. It's a phenominal book and damn expensive! But the really good stuff always seems to be expensive.

Kurt O.

 

that is one hell of a book!

 

That does look like a hell of a book.

So... I have a spare Smitty muffler. I wonder what that would sound like on an XPAG.

 

so i found those elusive pictures of the record holding TD...

Bonneville 1951 MG TD takes 23 class records, oh and there was that other MG there too...

 

Late to this thread but I recently picked up the March 56 issue of Hot Rod. It has quite a bit of stuff in it about MG's.

 

Wow! How far out is your newsstand???

Pick me up a copy, too, please. I'll pay twice the cover price!



(Welcome to the thread!)

 

Wow - a huge MG thread. I'd never have expected to see that here. MGs are very cool cars, and I like the british stuff in general. TRs, Jags, AHs.

I had 3 MGs - a B and 2 BGTs. One of the BGTs had a side-draft weber 45 DCOE, and the B had a weber downdraft. That side-draft GT was one hell of a fun little car. I sold all 3 to get my XKE Jag, and never looked back. I'll have that Jag until the day I die.

My hotrod chick and I headed up to British Invastion up in Stowe VT a few years back with the Jag. Saw a few 'boy racer' cars. Midgets and Sprites mostly, no bumpers, no tops, minimal interior stuff -- fun little cars.

I'd say take that MG, modernize it, but dont' go too far. Tweak up the carbs, or go with a performance carb, and exhaust, upgrade the susupsension, some modern wheels and tires, and have a blast with it! That's what it was intended to do. As was said, not fast by today's standards, but it's probably some of the best fun you can have going slow.

Good luck,
Pete

 

how about a full scan and subsequent posting of the requisite information, inquiring minds need to know!

 

here are the engine specs for a td/c

APPROVED OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
9.3:1 Compression ratio
36mm Inlet valves
34mm Exhaust valves
150 lbs (open) valves
AEG #122 camshaft
1-1/2" SU carburators
Duel fuel pumps
Dual fuel lines
6 qt sump
15" wire wheels (5.50x15) (TC)(TD,MkII equipped with disc wheels only)
Andrex shock absorbers (MkII)

 

I'd love to see a scan, too, please.

What would the horsepower be from that spec? Would it be easy to live with?

 

stock is 54.4 @ 5,200 rpm.

TD mk2 (td/c) came with a stage 3 engine which produced 66hp @ 6,000 rpm

 

The Ken Miles MG R1,...built in the early 50's and was a hot ticket in California sports car races of the day. Scratch built chassis and body and used a TD engine, TC rear axle and Morris Minor front suspension,...a Hot Rod!

 

torsion bars on a hot rod, never! here is his "flying shingle" (R2) great pictures, thanks for posting 'em. I see the R2 in the backround, any pictures of it?

 

Please excuse the following off-topic pictures of un-hot rodded non-TDs:


Real K3.


Political correctness via a Brooklands silencer.


Banjo steering wheel wrapped in det chord? Asbestos? Rapunzel's hair? Note pre-selector.


Oh, hi, what's your name?


MG R-Type, again, sorry for straying off-topic.


Chassis, not made in Argentina last week, ended up being similar to designs used 30 years later.


Crushed stone driveway, probably smoother than Outer Circuit.


Supercharged! Okay, good night, pre-Hitler war MGs.

Cris

 

How could you do this a TD thread, have you no respect! so cruel. I am going to have to go an consol my poor little TD now.

 

The red TC / V8-60 belong(ed) to the great northwest enthusiast Pat Hart. Unfortunately he is no longer with us, but that MG is still part of the collection today. I had the privilege in 2000 to visit friends working at his shop and Pat giving me a ride in it at lunch. I'm familiar with TC's and earlier MG's -- this little TC just screamed and Pat definitely has a lead foot that was used with glee. I remember seeing two others sets of the V8-60 ARDUN heads there -- one still NOS with original receipts. (it was in his office as he was proud of them)

My favorite MG is definitely the Collier family PA/PB called "Leonidas". I had pictures of it from the '39 Le Mans event as a kid. Later I saw it at Troutman & Barnes durings its first restoration. I've seen it multiple times over the years since -- and recently it was restored to "original Le Mans" configuration with bare aluminum body. I almost acquired a TC chassis / engine with supercharger this summer to use as a basis for a new aluminum body as inspired by this car. I WILL build a recreation as the 5 year old kid in me still makes racecar sounds when I see / hear it. (It isn't for sell for ANY PRICE from the Collier family today)

 

Round the Houses Race, August 10, 1940 - Tom Dewart in the ex-Collier, ex-Dancing Daughters MG PB special "Leonidis."


ARCA Montauk Grand Prix - 7.6.1940 -Dick Wharton in the Alfa 308, leading Tom Dewart, again in Leonidis.


Collier with Leonidis.

(Please do not re-post the above photos.)

XOXOXO

Cris

 

hey-take it from a guy who has a '41 poncho rod and an mg. Just go for the mgb supercharger and no-the last year for mgb's did not come with a v-6 or v-8, only a four banher. you can easily convert an mgb stock motor(76-80) to a mover with a supercharger. it will fit in the td. look all this up on a mg website or google in v8 mg

 

the R2:

 

some specs etc...

Ken Miles life came to a tragic end on August 17th, 1966 while driving a <NOBR>Ford</NOBR> J-car prototype. The car was traveling at 175 mph on a back-strech. Ken began preparing for a corner, slowing the vehicle down, but it went out of control and over an embankment. Ken was thrown from the car as it spun and went end-over-end. This tragedy brought an end to a brilliant career that began during the very early 1950s.


Ken was born on November 1st of 1918 in Sutton Coldfield, England. During his early life he apprenticed at a British car manufacturer. During World War II, he worked in various duties that dealt with machinery and utilized his mechanical skills. He began motorcycle racing while in the service and this would continue after his tour. After World War II, he returned to the automobile industry and to automotive racing. He acquired a Frazer-Nash racer and installed a Ford V8-60 engine. It had mile success in local and club competition.


In 1952 he came to the United States where he accepted a position as service manager for an MG distributor in California. Later, he would became involved with a wide range of teams and races and have a profound influence on early American road racing. His skills as a driver and fabricator quickly evolved and he became legendary on the West Coast with his competitive Specials.


Miles first racer that he constructed was in 1953, while working for Gough Industries. He had been racing MG TD's for Gough, but they were often outclassed by the competition. Gough helped Miles with creating a racer, though he was unable to provide cash. What Gough did provide was use of any MG or Morris and any stock spare part.


Miles began work on the R-1. The frame was created from mild steel tubing and attached to MG Series Y independent front suspension. The rear was comprised of a live axle. Alfin aluminum drum brakes with two-wheel cylinders were used to provide the stopping power while a Morris Minor rack-and-pinion kept the vehicle in the drivers control.


Under the hood was an experimental racing engine that had a 1466cc displacement size. The engine would later be used by MG for their MG TF 1500. The engine had twin SU carburetors and a 10.5:1 initial compression ratio. The compression ratio was later increased to 11.6:1. The 83 <NOBR>horsepower</NOBR> engine was mated to a stock MG TD transmission which sent the power to the rear wheels.


The car was clothed in a hand-formed aluminum body. The overall weight of the vehicle was less than 1,230 pounds.


The car made its inaugural appearance in 1953 at a rainy Pebble Beach. The car had not been tested but this did not seem to matter, as it emerged victorious. Throughout the next year, the car would win all of the races it was entered, except for two. Its racing career came to an end in 1954 at Pebble Beach, when it suffered mechanical difficulties and failed to finish the race. The flywheel bolts fractures which allowed the flywheel to come loose. This resulted in the engine over-revving and it threw a rod. The R-1 Miles Special's racing career had come to an end.


The second Miles Special racer was constructed in similar fashion to the first, but incorporated many key mechanical and design changes. Many MG components were still utilized, such as the gearbox and 1466cc MG XPEG engine. The space frame chassis was constructed from one-inch steel tubing which was lighter than its predecessor, but still retained the structural rigidity. To reduce frontal area, the driving position was lowered by nearly four inches. Other techniques were used to reduce the frontal area. The engine was tilted down in the front which did much to achieve this goal.


The car was narrow and low, which meant changes were needed to fit all the engine components in the engine bay. The MG intake manifolds were installed upside down which allowed the carburetors to be angled and fit under the hood.


The design of the vehicle was similar to the MG TF. This was done for brand recognition and to help promote the MG line of vehicles. There were differences; the R-2 had an envelope body with fenders that flared up, and over, the front and rear wheels. In the front was an MG style grille with headlights on either side. The car was finished in British racing green.


The car was given the nickname, the Flying Shingle. Its inaugural race was in 1955 at Willow Springs. It failed to finish the race. Many of the other races in which it entered, it emerged victorious. Among its accomplishments were first place finishes at Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines.


Miles was doing well in small-bore racing, but the competition was consistently keeping pace. Soon, a new machine was needed.

 

Just a word on radial tires for the TD. "The Tire Rack" has Kuhmo 165-80-15 radials for $35.00 each plus shipping. I just ordered 5 for my car and the total was $222.27 including shipping. This was online. I could not find them anywhere in Dallas, Texas. A friend with a TD has just put on a set of these and tells me the improvement in ride and handleing is really noticable. He is running them without tubes by the way.

 

I once helped fit a MGA engine in this model it was many years ago whilst an apprentice at The Morris Garages the original MG,from memory there were no major problems,but i can remember the nearside(in the UK) bonnet having to be modified to clear the SU carbs.I cannot see the fitting of a MGB engine be a problem from memory .In the UK i know of the ford range of engines being fitted with the 5speed gearboxes.