MG TD BLUE engine? And I don't mean sad...

[Tom P]

Team,
As noted in a prior post, a few weeks back I acquired an old TD and the engine bay was a mess with a dark blue engine. Well, I figured someone painted it, or it was a replacement. But, now that I am getting the car roadworthy I have a real puzzle on my hands. THe engine wears the number 20490 which matches the number on the main dataplate. Which also matches the T-Factory Production Number from the database showing my car - TD20136. Now, this engine is Blue... Blue over bare metal.. on the block, on the head, on the valve cover, etc. Blue everywhere, and in terrible condition - with zero evidence of any dark red beneath. The car is in a state (CA original, two coats of cheap red paint over original Silver-Streak Grey) that would suggest that nobody would strip the entire engine, remove all traces of original paint, and then paint the engine blue... So, were some TD engines BLUE? Or, did someone go to a ton of work to strip and paint this engine and no effort at all to paint the body anywhere near as well!?!?
Thanks for your thoughts in advance.

[Steve Simmons]

Is the block stamped? Usually there is a stamp above the brass tag so you can compare the two and see if maybe it was a replacement engine that someone put the original tag onto. Or maybe he had a shop rebuild the engine and they stripped it and painted it blue before they gave it back.

[Tom P]

Wow Steve, thanks! I learn something every day! I did not know they stamped the number as well. I just ran out to the barn and took this photo - could not see it without photographing it! Yes, the number is stamped and it matches the octagonal tag number - 20490. Photo attached.

Also, inside my tool box cover is a 1958 Sacramento CA Shell service sticker that states at the top "New (unreadable) after overhaul 50491" So, I figure the engine was rebuilt at 50k miles, but while the service station may have boiled it, would they have stripped every last bit of exterior red paint, including the valve cover, side cover, etc. I find this very odd.

Illustrative photos below.

[Steve Simmons]

Good question. If the dip tank had a good strong solution, and the paint on the block wasn't too tough, then yes maybe. I'm not aware of any blue engines coming from Abingdon. There were some green engines in Australia I think, and gold engines as factory rebuilds. If you have the "Original MG TD" book then maybe you could check there as well.

[Tom P]

I'll see if I can find that book - as I am mildly intrigued. If was rebuilding an engine, I would keep my costs low by not repainting the removed parts - valve covers and such. That would cause me to paint the block the color the other bits already are. I suspect I will find nothing on this, but, if I do I will post an update. THanks Steve. Tom

[Duncan M]

Someone decided for whatever reason, to strip off the remaining factory paint and give it a coat of Ford blue engine paint color. Various shades of blue were used from late 50's well through the 60's and maybe later. That car is a regular paint collection.

[dirk w dondorp]

stamp only on TD engine??
My engine XPAG 4711 has no stamp, only TD's??

[TBrad]

Reading through the T-Series Handbook, Points of Originality by Chip Old, the author states: "Some sources claim that grey is the only correct engine color until some time in 1948. Others are equally certain that the earliest engines were dark green, but that a switch was made to greenish grey fairly early in the game." He also says the change to dark red for the engine block occurred around the time TC 5000 was built. All TD blocks were red because that is the color the Morris engine plant standardized for XPAG engines even before the start of TD production. The author goes on the say; "The problem here is that the caustic bath used to clean engines prior to rebuilding strips off all the paint along with the grime and sludge..."
My TC, a very early one, supposedly sports its original XPAG, brass tag and all; however, it is painted red. IMHO, Duncan M is right on the mark on this one.

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

I have NO doubt that all TD and TF engines (except for Gold Seal replacements) were red. For what little it is worth, here is another blue engine:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xpag-1250-engin ... OT&vxp=mtr

Tom Lange
MGT Repair