An early example, mostly redone yet incredibly original. Covered only 67,000 miles since new, less than 1,000 miles a year.
We sold the car in 2013, at that time, we were told (by the previous owner) the engine had very few miles since it was rebuilt. And the fella who purchased the car in 2013 put very few miles on it as his office was half a mile from his home and much of the driving was clement weather back and forth to work (we checked our records, he covered 700 miles over 9 years). And now, at a healthy 91, felt it was time for it to move on to its next owner.
Excellent body and red paint, nicely painted in the engine on the firewall. All of the chrome appears to be new or rechromed, either way, excellent. Has a rare set of Borrani wire wheels, fitted at the dealership when the car was new. And a new set of T raced 165-15 radials.
Lots of original items, missing on most TDs we come across, are on this car: original King of the Road chrome headlights, original wing lights with glass lenses and the plastic warning light on top (awfully neat as you can watch the turn signals blink on and off at night), original and often missing air cleaner assembly (have see these for as high as $700 on eBay), all new interior, new cloth (the most expensive) top, tonneau, and side curtains....over $2,500 worth of weather equipment.
And for driving in cooler weather, the car also has its original (and often missing) heater unit. Fitted with a new chrome luggage rack, racing seat belts, and even has its original engine crank secured with the original clips. OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, the wiring harness appears to be in excellent condition (probably fairly new), not frayed or worn out. One of the best indicators of a well kept car. Which ensures a higher degree of electrical reliability.
All in all, a beautiful MG TD with wire wheels.
Starts instantly, runs and drives like new, maintains 60-70psi oil pressure which is fabulous for an MG TD, gearbox makes the typical noises in 1st (which takes the most wear and is straight cut) and is silent in the other gears, steering and ride are superb (one of a TD`s best virtues), and as a compromise in a classic sports car, hard to beat a really good TD for `round town and country road driving.
One of the uses for the folding windshield assembly was to go racing...right from the dealer`s showroom to the race track. The way it was often done 70 years ago. Of course, the alternate direction for a TD might have been from the showroom into some affluent first owner`s heated garage (next to his Packard, Bugatti, or Cadillac). And although we have no idea as to this car`s history, back at the dawn of time, it certainly appears to have been very well maintained and treasured as we presume the next owner will enjoy his old MG classic.
A note about wire wheels: these were never offered by the factory when new, but wire wheel conversions were available and this car probably had the wire wheels installed in the original dealer`s showroom. They really add to the car`s aesthetics. And there was so much demand that the factory offered wire wheels as an option on every subsequent model, starting with the MG TF in 1954,
