‘48 MG TC

[Ianashdown]

On a 1948 TC the wood frame underneath where the scuttle bolts up, and has been removed, does the red paint indicate the original color? The bodywork seems to have been green originally. Were the frames primed before assembling the body?

Were the leaf-springs and brake drums painted anything other than black from the factory?

Thank you,

Ian

[Steve Simmons]

Tough call. The wood was not painted, so if there is red overspray then that would certainly be an indication of a previous color. Whether or not it was the original color would be harder to confirm, since the car has been painted at least once. If the metal was all removed from the wood during a past re-paint then I would guess that the color on the wood was original, as there would have been no overspray from the repaint.

[Ianashdown]

It looks like this.

Ian

[Steve Simmons]

Oh, I was picturing underneath. If I had to guess, I would say that's the original paint. The tubs were painted before assembly so I believe that face would have had paint on it. Maybe others will have a more educated opinion.

[bloodysalmon]

My pennies worth would to suggest the body has been restored before and the wood has been painted/spray to protect it once again.

[Ianashdown]

I guess all will be revealed with some careful sanding and scraping!

Ian

[Rob Reilly]

A more revealing answer might be found with some of the body panels.
Like this gas tank. Resprayed cream, but original gray in the hidden places.

One of the British T-Type registries can maybe tell you the original color.

[Franz Tenbrock]

seems to be some work ;-)
i will follow you

i hope you will upload some more pictures of the progress

my wife will not allow me to buy one more old car ( in the moment )

[Mark McCombs]

I would guess that is a respray. My TC had never had the scuttle removed, and was bare wood underneath, with some very thin black paint (almost like black ink) that that had crept underneath, which I noticed in other original wood pieces, which may have been a sort of factory primer (but not applied to the inside of the wood pieces). My car was originally Shires Green.

[stephen stierman]

I would agree with Mark, TC2911 had some remnants of dull thin black paint in various places on some of the original timbers particularly around the firewall which had never been removed. I notice on your car there is some black paint showing around the edges of the red which looks the same as what I found.

[BCBryan]

Interesting Discussion:
Here's a photo of TC6984 which was originally ed and the resprayed red but the owner prior to me. You can see the factory Batch number written in chalk on the original red paint.
There are few records of these numbers being found- I know Doug Peyton was interested in collecting these at one point.
You can clearly see the original red paint under the chalk and it's obvious the respray was done with the cowl still in place.
Bryan.

[Will]

Bryan,
Are you replacing the scuttle timbers? Looks like a very large step between the timber and the scuttle surface.
I had to double up the rubber on 9066 for the same reason. Looks OK though.

[BCBryan]

No, I'm keeping those timbers because they are sound and I want to keep the original marking. Most of the other wood on the body, I have replaced. I added wooden dowels to the screw holes to reinforce the threaded area which had iron rot.
Bryan.