MG TD

1949–1953 · 29,664 built · the clean break

New chassis, independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering — all of it lifted from the Y Type saloon.

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RelatedMG TC MG TF Midget MG Y Type All MG

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About the MG TD

The TD looks like a TC and is a completely different car under the skin. It has a new box-section chassis built on the Y Type’s side members, independent front suspension by coil and wishbone from the same saloon, rack-and-pinion steering also from the Y Type, and a hypoid-geared rear axle out of the Morris and Wolseley parts bin. The 19in centre-lock wires went, replaced by 15in bolt-on steel disc wheels, 5.50 × 15. Front brakes went to two leading shoes, still Lockheed and still 9in. The engine carried straight over — 1,250cc XPAG, unchanged.

The TD Mk II is not a trim level. It is the competition specification, chassis-coded TD/C, and about 1,700 were built. It has 8.1:1 compression and 57bhp against the standard car’s figures, twin SU fuel pumps, additional Andrex friction dampers and a higher rear axle ratio. The chassis prefix and the extra dampers are how you identify one; everything else on it is standard TD. As on the TC, order clutch parts by the XPAG suffix rather than by the model — XPAG/TD takes a 7¼in clutch, TD2 and TD3 take 8in, and the water holes differ.

MG TD — specification & changes within the model

Built: November 1949 – 1953, 29,664 built.
Engine: 1,250cc XPAG, unchanged from the TC. 54.5bhp.
Chassis: New box-section frame using the Y Type’s side members. Track 50in.
Front suspension: Independent, coil and wishbone, from the Y Type saloon. Nothing in common with the TC’s beam axle.
Steering: Rack and pinion, also from the Y Type.
Rear axle: Hypoid geared, from contemporary Morris and Wolseley. Rear stays half-elliptic with Luvax-Girling dampers.
Brakes: Lockheed hydraulic, 9in drums. Two leading shoes at the front — the TA, TB and TC are single leading shoe, so front shoes, cylinders and backplates split here.
Wheels: 15in bolt-on steel disc, 5.50 × 15, replacing 19in centre-lock wires. Early cars unperforated.
TD Mk II: The competition car, chassis prefix TD/C, about 1,700 built. 8.1:1, 57bhp @ 5500rpm, twin SU fuel pumps, extra Andrex friction dampers, higher axle ratio. Identify by the prefix and the dampers.
Clutch: By engine suffix: XPAG/TD 7¼in · XPAG/TD2 and TD3 8in, with different water hole shapes. The engine number, not the model.