MG T-ABC

I've resumed my battle with getting the rear quarter of the tub correct and I'm trial fitting a rear wing. As always, I have a question:

My wing has a line of holes in it which are presumably the ones for the screws that go into the wood frame to hold the wing in place. These look original to me. However, when I line the holes up with the wood, the outer most edge of the leading edge of the wing (i.e. the bit next to the running board) sticks out wider than the running board.

If I adjust this inward so that its flush with the running board (i.e so that you could put a flat edge along the edge of the running board and it would just touch the wing), not only is it harder to get to fit the profile of the wood, but the line of screw holes ends up being out if alignment with the wood.

Looking at pictures of finished cars on the internet, I can see examples where the wing is flush and ones where it stick out wide of the running board a bit (say an inch or so). Which is correct? Note that the plan engineering drawing in TCFE which shows it flush is of a TA, not a TC, so is maybe not the right thing to reference.

Steve

Youre on it Steve, the TC running board will be closer to the body ... or similarly, the front of the rear wing will flair out approx 3/4"-1" compared to the running board. Why? The TA has a wider board for 3 rubber runs whereas the TC has only 2, as the TC body is wider than a TA ... however it presumes the rear wings are the same dimensions ... then theory does work.

One of mine is about 3/4" wider than the rear of the wing, the other a bit less so. Not surprising considering these wings did not come with this car and that all of them were pretty much made up by hand.

Steve, my rear wing is level with the running board. I can pop over so you can look and measuree anything sometime next week.

I find that the slight variation side to side does not affect straight line stability.

frenchblatter wrote:Steve, my rear wing is level with the running board. I can pop over so you can look and measuree anything sometime next week.

Hi Norman,

As always, you are welcome to come over, however, I think that I have the measurements that I need now to get the rear quarter panel and wing to fit properly - I'll know for sure in the next 24 hours or so. That said, there are always other measurements that I need to take and seeing a finished car is always inspirational. If you do want to call in, Friday is looking like the least complicated day in terms of my itinerary, although Thursday is OK as well aside from the fact that at some point I may need to go to the observatory for an hour to rotate the main telescope dome as we are having some repairs done.

After posting my question about how far out the wing goes I remembered to look on your very comprehensive blog. The original pictures of your car clearly show the wing sticking out an inch or so from the running boards, but a lot of restorations (including yours I think) have made a decision to make it flush, presumably for asthetic reasons.

The other variations that I've noticed between different cars is how flat the front edge of the doors is when looking at it edge on. Some have quite an obvious curve whereas other are fairly flat. Mine are going to be towards the flatter end of the range as that is how the front quarter panels/wood have turned out.

Steve

Steve, Friday's good. I'll be in Sheffeild between 8 and 9 so be with you at about 1030

Steve, I thought I had your address but can't find it. Email it to me please. Thanks

norman@frenchblat.com