1952 MG "TD" Restoration

1952 MG "TD"
Complete "ground up" Restoration

Our customer had owned this car since 1956. He drove it in and I began taking it apart. What a mess! I stripped down all suspension and chassis parts, powder coating 107 pieces total. I rebuilt the suspension and brake system, then took apart the motor and trans, replacing all gaskets/seals etc and refinishing (it had great compression and ran fairly well prior to taking it apart). We then rebuilt the carbs and reassembled. The body was completely stripped down to bare metal and many of the body timbers were replaced. The interior (carpet & vinyl) and wiring harness was replaced, with the addition of turn indicators. This car has returned back to Anchorage, Alaska where I'm sure it has the title of "the only restored TD in Alaska".

At this point, I have removed all of the body parts, brightwork and electrical. What a slimy mess! These things are known to be extreme oil leakers and this particular vehicle did not disappoint! I began collecting parts and began the final disassembly. EVERYTHING had been leaking and was completely covered in sludge.

This is the cowl. What you are looking at is immediately behind the motor or what you would probably refer to as a firewall. The thing holds a battery and a toolbox. Much of the electrical componants are bolted onto this as well. The cowl bolts onto the cab with a 1" thick maple spacer around it which needed to be fabricated and replaced.

Here is the completed chassis. Everything you see here had previously been taken apart, rebuilt, replaced, painted, powdercoated, polished or whatever needed to be done to get it into concours condition

Partial assembly of the body. The cowl and cab have been painted and are bolted together. Some of the electrical componants have been installed also. One of my racebikes is in the background.

Voila! Pretty little car, huh? And fun to drive!

Homeward bound (Anchorage, Alaska). Can you believe that it got shipped via an OPEN truck from San Luis Obispo? It made it up there without a hitch according to the happy owners.