TA Body Tub Timber Construction Pictures

[Rob Reilly]

Now we're getting somewhere!
New top back rail and new back board, this time both correct, as original.
It's beginning to look a lot like a TA.

[Rob Reilly]

A little more progress to report.
My new side frame rails are finished, painted, and bolted down to the chassis. I used 5/16" bolts because that was the size of the holes in my old rails.

20240101_154101.jpg (71.21 KiB) Viewed 8169 times

The back board is bolted to the chassis but not yet attached to the ends of the rails.
On the back board, today I have installed the side curtain box sides and upper fillets.

Now some questions for the experts, or those who have been down this rabbit hole before me.

There are small blocks that I think go on top of the steel L angles and are to be screwed to the side curtain box sides. If I use the screw holes already pre-drilled in the side curtain box sides by the supplier, these blocks will end up with a 1/2" gap between them and the rails. Can that be right?
What is their purpose?

20240213_150011.jpg (43.2 KiB) Viewed 8169 times

Then there are these unidentified blocks, both marked TA-L which I suppose means left though they are identical.
3" x 5" x 7/8" or about 76mm x 127mm x 23mm, with a 3 degree chamfer on one long edge.
Where do they go? They don't seem to fit anywhere.

20240213_150223.jpg (58.4 KiB) Viewed 8169 times

[Rob Reilly]

After much study today, I have concluded that the little corner pieces should be raised up so they are even height with the panel that covers the rear axle and batteries. I noticed that they have a 3 degree chamfer on one edge to fit up against the back board.

I now believe the other larger rectangular pieces are for an early wide body TA. Mine is the late narrow body. Perhaps they are the same idea, to go in the corners. They came from Hutson's in the UK so I'm not sending them back. More wasted money. These timber sellers really ought to label their timber parts more carefully and keep better track of their inventory.

[Rob Reilly]

Another day, another problem.
I made my new side angle frames exactly like the old originals, copying the hole positions very carefully in each case.
The holes along the angled and upper faces were all 1/2" from the edge, so they are all parallel and co-linear.

My original wood was all gone so there was nothing to copy.

The new panel that goes in front of the rear axle and the pre-assembled rectangular frame that goes above the rear axle both came from Hutson's, both with pre-drilled holes. On the front panel the hole spacing is 31-1/4", but on the top frame the hole spacing is 32".

hole spacing problem.jpg (58.43 KiB) Viewed 7872 times

So if I put in the front panel the top frame doesn't fit, and if I put in the top frame the front panel doesn't fit.

Every time I run into a problem like this I ask the same question, did they send me TC parts?

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob
I know what it feels like ! Just wait till you start the bulk head front sections
Anyway If you look at the first picture I posted the body frame bolts directly to the back board.
The upright edge support is in 2 pieces.It leaves a gap for the infill pieces to fit into,they have a slight chamfer on them which should correspond with the angle of the back board,I am due back home tomorrow so will check the hole dimensions .
I have no connection with Hutsons but find them very helpfull and seem to know there stuff,
I think you’ll find your on the right track ,I am new to MG TAs having had motorcycles all my life
For what it’s worth with my limited knowledge just remember’’’ just because it’s bolted to your car doesn’t mean it belongs there’’

[Ray White]

Hello Bob. I would just like to echo what Mick has just said. I have been fooling around with Ash frames for many years and have come to realise that you can't take anything for granted. Usually, I find, it is easier to make something a bit smaller by shaving some off than trying to make it bigger by adding a bit to it. You have probably guessed by now but I think you will have to make it smaller. There is usually a way round...and it normally involves a compromise somewhere along the line.

Best of luck and keep up the good work.

Ray.

[Mick bibby]

Hi Bob just had a thought I think the wider bolt hole dimension over the battery section is to
allow the ply to sit in the rebate and not interfere with the lid .i shall check tomorrow when I get back home.
Hope this helps !

[Rob Reilly]

I sent a message to Hutson's, and Andy responded with confirmation that the timber parts are correct, 31-1/4" on the front panel and 32" on the top frame. He also added pictures of the side angle frames, and said the holes are offset. Those on the front are more inboard, where those on the top are more outboard.

image003.jpg (92.81 KiB) Viewed 7501 times

Mine are not offset, in fact all 12 holes are located 3/4" from the outer edge of the 1-1/4" angles, or 1/2" from the inboard edge. I measured these very carefully.

20240216_142146.jpg (48.41 KiB) Viewed 7501 times

So I think what we are looking at is a strange anomaly from MG or Morris Bodies.
My car is TA1271 and body 121/6415 thus one of the first batch with the new B270 narrow body. I don't know if that is relevant.
I also note they were using very large square nuts in that area, so possibly they found they couldn't put the holes in the angles too close to the leg or the nuts wouldn't fit. They may have made the frame side timbers wider and the battery cover smaller for this particular car, or the first set of B270 bodies.
But all the wood in that area was rotted away on mine, so there is nothing to compare.

So anyway, moving forward, I can either weld up the 6 top holes and drill new ones, or make new wider side frame timbers and cut down the top cover.

[Rob Reilly]

Two questions concerning the side curtain compartment.

1. At the top end of the side panels there are these notches.

20240218_173754.jpg (45.15 KiB) Viewed 7196 times

What is their purpose?

2. Is there a top or cover piece for this compartment?

[Rob Reilly]

It seems like every time I turn around there is something else that doesn't fit.

Now it's the steel bull horn that goes behind the seats and is bolted to the panel in front of the rear axle.
The plywood panel came with pre-drilled holes. Every single one does not match the bull horn. Even the one in the center, but in this case it's the original bull horn that is at fault, the guy who made it back in 1937 put that hole 1/4" off center. Three of the other 4 holes are 1/2" off, and one is 3/4" off.

I was right about the holes in the battery cover frame, that the bolts would end up too close to the angle and the nuts wouldn't fit.

[Ray White]

I feel your pain; especially with the "bull horns" . I had to admit defeat and realise that the steel brace would not fit the new body. At first I left it with a blacksmith but he gave it up as a bad job.

Eventually, I made a template from some thinner steel then I cut the brace in half. It was easier to deal with one half at a time. When I had re formed the two parts I welded them back together and fitted it to the car ...made a good job of it.

[Rob Reilly]

Some progress.

20240222_145410.jpg (56.82 KiB) Viewed 6288 times

I have discovered that there is supposed to be a plywood cover panel over the side curtain compartment.
That is missing from the kit I ordered more than a year ago.
I guess I can make one.

I discovered that the tee nuts for holding down the battery cover panel are metric!

I don't understand these 1/8" deep notches at the top end of the side panels.

20240222_145522.jpg (39.41 KiB) Viewed 6288 times

I need to know, how high up should the front door of the side compartment panel go?
What type of hinges are used, and where do they go?

[Duncan M]

Rob-
I can only show you how they did it on the TC. A couple of pictures replace a lot of words. When the 2 (screwhead) bolts holding down the differential inspection cover are removed, and the side curtain door is unsnapped, they both are removed together (as a unit) to inspect the differential. The hinges are pretty plain jane simple flat hinges.

[Tom Wilson]

Duncan described the hinge location for the side curtain compartment door.
The door fits across to the edges of the compartment sides, but doesn't extend past the plywood on each side. The battens on the outside edges of these sides are used to screw the filler piece in place.
Meanwhile, the cutout on the top edges of these side pieces are for an additional 1/8" thick piece of plywood glued to the bottom of the side curtain box top. This is indented 3/8" and provides a stop for the door to close to.

Attached photo of TC2040 might help. Key difference between this and a TA is the TA has two straps (one on each side of the door about 2/3 up from bottom) to hold the sidecurtain box door closed instead of the single TC centered one.
The Lift the Dot studs on the top of the side curtain box door I install to use to snap the tonneau cover in place over the tonneau area when I'm travelling with the hood up and want to keep this area covered. Other than that, and the "too shiny" red paint on the tub interior wood (which I covered with Karvel carpet), this is pretty much as original.

Tom Wilson

[Rob Reilly]

Thanks Duncan and Tom.
I understand now.
As if often the case, a picture is worth 1000 words.
So with the TA side straps, are they Lift The Dot or are they round carpet snaps?

[Tom Wilson]

Lift the Dot.

[Rob Reilly]

Thanks much Tom.
My late wife was a quilter and left me 7 sewing machines, 3 of which are older than the TA, so I think I can make these.
Putting the treadle to the metal.

[Rob Reilly]

Vexed by a new conundrum.
Attaching the bull horn ends.
The tub assembly instructions from Doug Pelton (written for TC) say there should be 4 screws, two in each end.
My bull horn has 3 holes in each end.
Should I use 3 screws, or is there something else that goes in one of the holes that I don't know about?

20240301_162945.jpg (50.05 KiB) Viewed 5049 times

[Rob Reilly]

Apparently I can add this to the list of undocumented variations in body construction details among late narrow TA, TB and TC bodies.

[cdrolshagen]

Hi,
on my 1948 TC just two screws,

IMGP1805.JPG (82.96 KiB) Viewed 5028 times

cheers Carl