1948 tc vin?

[Rob Coombs]

Hello All,

I just bought a 48 TC to restore which has been registered for many years under its body number 6318A32168 in New York.
When I looked for the TC # on the frame there is no stamping. The frame must have been replaced at one time or was never stamped? Is there a way to recover the original number for the car? The id plate is also missing. It was owned by a college prof for close to 50 years, and needs lots of love.

Thanks for any advise. I restore british cars as a hobby and have always wanted to have a TC. This will fit well with my 62 Morgan 4/4

Bob

[Steve Simmons]

Hi Bob, congratulations on the TC purchase!

As you probably know, the frame number is stamped on the left front iron. They can be very hard to see sometimes, especially under thick paint or if they have been heavily sandblasted. If you plan to restore the whole car anyway, I would suggest stripping the paint in that area to search for the stamping. Unfortunately the body number cannot be used to determine chassis number that I'm aware of. If it has the original engine, you could cross reference that. But it would be tough to say if that was the original engine or not. You could verify if you have an early or late TC by the frame reinforcing gussets, but it wouldn't tell you the car number.

Here is what they will (should) look like when you get the paint off...

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

Bob - what is the engine number, from the brass octagon on the left side of the bell-housing? As Steve suggests, the engine you have in the car can certainly be connected with A car, but not necessarily YOUR car - many engines were replaced at some point.

You should hope, however, is that the engine is original, and can be connected with a car that will more likely than not be your car. Doug Pelton at From the Frame Up (an excellent resource) can stamp up a new nickel Guarantee plate for you, once you know the numbers.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair

[stephen stierman]

Rob, indeed your TC will go well with your 4/4 as mine does with my early Plus 8.
Steve TC2911

[Rob Coombs]

Thank You all. I hope I will be able to identify this car. The engine is XPAG TD 4950. I was told the engine was from a TD but it is not verified yet.
I will look a little harder on the frame to see if I can find a hint of a number, but at first look there was not a hint of one.

Bob

[Steve Simmons]

I'm not aware of any replacement frames being made, so I bet it's just really faint. Maybe the new kid was doing it on a Friday and didn't hit the stamps with the hammer hard enough.

On the engine, the easiest way to spot a TD engine is by looking on the right side, forward of the starter. The water tap is just forward of the starter on a TC, and all the way at the front on a TD. Also there is a raised square section meant for the TD number plate in the same area, where the TC has nothing there. Sometimes the plate is moved to the bell housing on a TD engine to make it appear more TC, but the raised square is cast in and not removable without a die grinder.

If it's a TC engine, then there is this, according to the T-Series production records:

Chassis No. TC4268
Original Engine No. XPAG 4950
Build Date 10/12/1947
Production Car No. TC/4268

https://www.mgcc.co.uk/t-register/regis ... n-records/

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

If you have a replacement TD engine and missing Guarantee plate, you have nothing on which to go if you can find no chassis number. Do you perhaps have some old insurance paperwork with a different number, or a registration? Did some earlier owner write any numbers on an owner's manual, or shop manual?

If you have engine XPAG 4950 you probably have TC45268; but if you have engine XPAG/TD/LHX4950, it originally came in TD4627.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

There is hope! Bob just wrote me this:
"The tag on the engine reads XPAG TC 4950. I was told that it had a TD engine in it."

If the tag reads as you say, the tag, at least, is from a TC, and very probably is your original engine. The number you give is certainly a TC number. It is remotely possible that someone switched the TC tag onto a replacement TD engine, but that should be easy to tell, and is fairly unlikely.

If the octagonal tag is on the bell-housing, it is a TC engine. If the number is on the right side of the engine just ahead of the exhaust pipe, it is a TD engine.

I'll bet money that you have engine TC4950, and car TC4268 (sorry, an extra "5" crept in above).

Tom Lange
MGT Repair

[Rob Coombs]

Good Afternoon Gentlemen,

I just checked and it is a TD engine. The tag is mounted on the right side of the engine on a raised square which is part of the casting of the block. Tag reads XPAG TD 4950. Seems that is a dead end.
I am impressed by the wealth of knowledge you guys have and your willingness to share. I have been on other forums for my TVRs, Morgan, and Lotus and you are the best.
I am going to work on the frame to see if I can get the TC number to show. This car was registered in Mass, NJ and NY by the former owner under the body number for 45 years. I would like to have the TC number when I register it here in Michigan.

Bob

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

Hmmm. Hopes dashed in an instant. With no Guarantee plate, the TD engine means that the chassis number is your only hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair

[Rob Coombs]

Thanks Tom, Part of the fun of an old car is the hunt. Hunt to find the car that talks to you, , hunt for parts and processes, and the old hunt for excuses to tell the wife why this was a good idea.

Bob

[Mark McCombs]

Hi, Rob-
Assuming this was the pale yellow car on BAT, it is a TD engine. What you need to do is keep checking that front left frame horn for a TC number to get started. Or, worse case, see if there is evidence it has been filed off.

That would seem to be a fun car to do whatever you like with and not worry about originality details.

[Steve Simmons]

If this is the Sequoia cream supercharged car that just sold, then I know the guy who restored it and he probably has the chassis number recorded. Contact Martin Hveem in the Bay area of California. That car was his first restoration.

[Rob Coombs]

This is the yellow car that was on BAT. The seller is a prof at an upstate NY college and was upfront about the car. I want to make the car as nice as I can and fill in as many of the blanks that are possible. I will tear it down in two weeks and then build my parts list.
Excited about my new project Love these TC's

Bob

[Kenmgtc]

Hi Rob, do you own a 1920 Model T? Since you are in Michigan we have a good T-series club, theoretically state wide, but most of us are in the Detroit area. Enjoy the car!

[Rob Coombs]

After disassembly of the car I was able to find the serial number. It was hidden by a shock absorber that was bolted over it. It was a aftermarket shock that was modified to fit car. Number is TC 6344. Glad I found it Thanks all for your help

[Mark McCombs]

Hi ,Rob

That's great, now you can find everything based on the number including the assembly completion date and original engine number.

How is the disassembly going?

[ROGER FURNEAUX]

hi Rob - TC6344 was built on 26.08.48 (English dating has month second, unlike the US) with engine XPAG 7032.

Although not of any help to you, XPAG 7033 is in TC6370 and was last heard of in Riverside, IL.

Roger
'46 TC0978

[Rob Coombs]

Hello all,

Just an update on my 48 TC 6344. The car has been disassembled and all the wood replaced. That was a project not for the faint of heart. The interior from Moss motors is going in and I just received the wiring harness from Doug Pelton. I can find where this car has had two small electrical fires over the years. I should have the harness in by weekend and then I need to have the radiator repaired. I want to have the car on the road by third week in July and then spend the rest of the summer driving it and sorting out mechanicals. Its been a fun and straight forward project so far. It is great there is so much support for these cars making it easy to work your way over hurtles.

The goal with the car is to make it a nice clean and safe driver quality car. Now that I am comfortable with this model I may look for another project to build a show quality car. The hunt for another car and the project building is what I really enjoy.

Thanks to everyone

[Ray White]

I keep hearing about electrical fires in TCs.! Thinking about the two 35 amp fuse set up for a moment, it is a wonder not more cars have gone up in flames. I am trying to avoid it happening to me and have installed a number of fuses and relays.