SHED RACING - Recommissioning the MG TD 1953

This MG was restored by Parnelli Jones in 1982 and is now being recommissioned for use in 2023

[@Gkuljian]

John is a gem.

[@blacksquirrel4008]

I wish he’d shown the old photo of John when he first started apprenticing with him.

[@oldschool1993]

Nostalgia time- My folks said if I saved my money I could buy a car when I was 16- Mowed lawns, worked after school, sold off my bicycle, go kart and all my slot cars and had $400.00 burning a hole in my pocket at 16 along with a newly minted driver's license thanks to their 56 International pickup. This was 1963. I then found a 53 MG TD- it was yellow with green leather interior and I thought I was gonna be Stirling Moss. My folks came and looked at it and then asked a German mechanic they knew for his opinion. He said a 16 year old in a 10 year old MG would be a mechanical disaster. So after some discussion and stomping and door slamming, my folks said a newer car was a better idea and they found a 62 MG Midget for 1200.00. They agreed to co-sign for the car loan if I would promise to make the payments and buy the insurance. The German mechanic also offered me a job helping out around his shop cleaning parts and cars, so I had income. There I was- a sophomore in High School with a year old MG. I joined a local sports car club and we had these things we called "tours", but they were actually impromptu road races. Well the inevitable happened and I went off the road and hit a tree on the passenger door and quarter panel. The insurance company believed my story about swerving to avoid bigfoot and paid the car loan and gave me the wreck. I bought some junkyard parts and learned to do body work and soon I was back driving a now fully paid for MG. By my senior year I owned a Healey 100 and a Jag 120 FHC and never looked back.

[@zascars]

Absolutely delightful.... what a lovely knowledgeable man..... the new generation won't be able to take on the mantle.... ❤

[@matthewharlowehrscyclespor668]

I restore antique, vintage, and classic motorcycles. I also have my personal collection of automobiles and motorcycles. I am in the midst of restoring my 1930 Peugeot 201. It was sitting outside with a tarp over it. A sad state of affairs. I purchased it from the owner in 1984. I am finally getting around to it decades later. It is down to bits at the moment. It will be a 1500 - 2000 hour project. A fun project. The cost of the restoration will far exceed the value of the vehicle. I always mention that fact to my clients prior to starting a project. It is also noted in the master contract that all clients must sign. I truly enjoy your history and the projects you video for our enjoyment. John's story is similar to a young man that help me on occasion. I met him when he was a teenager. He is now 50 years old. More like a son. I always look forward to the videos. Thanks Ivan, Tami, and John. You all make my day. Be good. Stay safe. Wishing you all a Deluxe day. From Lake Stevens, Washington. USA

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

Thanks for the tips on the brakes and all the wonderful stories

[@alantuttle492]

It's always the details that get a car sorted.

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

i worked at MG Workshops in australia over 4 years = i saw so many great MG`s but always loved a white TD - tan interior for me = may be even the super charger kit and a wood steering wheel !

[@retromechanicalengineer]

Just great Ivan, love the stories. John is a legend too. Best wishes, Dean at Retromeccanica.

[@ronmcgregor9324]

Brings back memories as a kid adjusting brakes on Hillman Minx and Humber Supersnipe. Such a great channel. Ivan and his tales, John great support and getting the job done and Tanya capturing and broadcasting this content so I can enjoy from Australia. Cheers team Shed Racing

[@jordanmark9188]

Was a absolute pleasure meeting you Ivan, I was hoping to see my dads car on your channel, been watching all your videos ever since that day at the auto jumble. I'm glad to hear you are keeping the car, hopefully I shall see it again one day. J.M.S

[@javiervidaurre6325]

LBC's are so hands on and so are you Ivan. I love you both!

[@dukeallen432]

Wonderful video. Thanks for in-depth on MG. Looks to be a blast to drive. Can’t wait to see Ivan on the wheel. Cheers

[@mattoy123]

Good old John ,thanks for another great video Ivan , it’s amazing what details can be missed without knowledge.look forward to a driving video and brake test👍👍

[@63sgjunior]

More tales from the shed please. Always fascinating history and engineering reminds me of why we tinker with things. Can't wait for the road trials.

[@josephbarker5883]

Love watching these lads - and the stories and tips. They truly had a wonderful life.

[@nigelsears7191]

Ivan doing what Ivan does and we are all along for the ride what a privilege thank you , great to hear a bit about John's back story a man of few words but clearly talented , would love to see you guys pull down the overdrive on the Ferrari have played with a few and never had much success with them , thanks as always for a great video and thanks Tanya for putting it together

[@shedbythetracks]

Great! Wouldn't miss it. Cheers

[@williamdavis9667]

I wouldn't have believed an MGTD would have been so interesting, as usual when you present something to us Ivan it always is. Keep the films coming always worth waiting for. Thank you .

[@dezolmz]

Smashing video Ivan fascinating hearing your stories and valuable tips - John is a real asset and Tanya is becoming a marvellous film maker - looking forward to seeing the Alvis

[@Ogma3bandcamp]

Ivan is walking, talking history. We're lucky to have him.

[@bingbong7316]

Such insight into the old saying about Harley-Davidsons, "chrome won't get you home" :-)

[@markmathews6876]

what a gem John is, 'he don't like talking ,he likes working'

[@peterprice5896]

I love your channel I’m 63 and apart from being into weightlifting I spent my whole adult life working for a father&son outfit buying classic cars and rebuilding and painting from the ground up to give you a few motors I’ve rebuilt and painted 1. Daimler majestic 2. ISO grifo 3. Porsche 911’s 4.a few Aston Martin V8 / vantage / various DB’s 5. Austin Healey GT 3000 6.triumph TR 6 / TR 4 and many more anyway you channel is a real trip down memory Lane I can almost smell the oil and chrome cleaner keep it up grand job.

[@burlatsdemontaigne6147]

The paint looks like it's stove enamelled. What a beauty!

[@qauzimoto]

Ole John is a man of few words!

[@gregbarnard2465]

Great video again. Tanya does a great job, perhaps she should feature in a segment at some stage ? Interesting most of the car is mint but they got the brakes wrong. I always remember one of the things my boss said when I was apprentice "don't ever forget the basics" Keep up the great work.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Your video brought back memories. My first car, bought in 1964, was a 1953 MG TD MK II. I miss that car.

[@2hondaboy2]

Thank you so much for this video! I have a 1950 TD. JUST LOVE YOUR CHANNEL,!

[@stephenhenion8304]

Ivan is one lucky fella.....who did such a terrible brake job, on such a beautiful rebuild!!! Tippa the old hat to you and your crew for a great video!!....I met a guy at a Hudson Car show..he said he likes his cars to go, and he likes them to STOP too.

[@ianparsons325]

I love it. I am an Devon farmer living in Germany and running my 1969 E Type along the same lines as your philosophy, drive it and enjoy it. I have converted mine to 3 S.U,.'s because it just runs better. At a recent event some snobby type commented "oh, she's not original is she". As a farming type we tend to have an attitude a bit like Ivan's. I asked him which model he drove to which he replied " oh I don't actually own a classic. So I politely told to come back when he did. The TD is the topping on the cake for me. I am about to sell my E Type and look for a 1952 model, my birth year.

[@stevemurray4684]

👍👍Once again Ivan a great informative video, I really enjoy your attention to detail good show keep up the the great work. 👍👍

[@billchasser8978]

Hello Ivan. Before you go about side stepping the clutch, spinning tires or inadvertently rolling backwards while letting the clutch out in a forward gear I am kindly suggesting you install a set of alloy axles in the differential. The originals are quite weak and prone to breakage with only light abuse. Tom Lange at MGTrepair in the USA offers such axles for the TD/TF. There has not been a known failure with these uprated axle shafts. I run these axles in both my fast road TD and my dad’s factory special order TD/c. Cheap insurance as you’ll not have to split the differential to remove broken bits and risking a broken CW&P from broken axle shaft shards. Also, the stock TD came with a 5.125:1 CW&P. The TD/c and TD MK II came with 4.875’s. Options for the MK II were 4.55’s or the 5.125’s. A switch to 4.55’s will make the car much more usable on the highway . Moss offers a 4.55 kit. 4.30’s out of an MGA or early MGB are popular options as well. Also, if you want to keep the lower gear set for hill climbs but want to extend your driving pleasure on the highway… Peter Gamble at Hi-Gear in the UK manufactures the Sierra Type-9 5 speed conversions kits. I’m awaiting an installation kit to arrive soon to install my Type-9. Back to the differential. Be sure to use the correct oil in the diff. There are soft metal thrust washers behind the spider gears that will be destroyed if the wrong oils are used. The are not available. Or at least I haven’t t found them new. Note. The hydraulic brake system is not a sealed system. It is highly recommended that the system be thoroughly flushed with brake clean and rubber lines and cup seals or wheel cylinder assemblies be replaced. Once that is done use US spec DOT 5 silicone brake fluid. It is hydro phobic and will extend the service life of your MC and wheel cylinders. Don’t confuse DOT 5 with DOT 5.1. They are not compatible. Cheers

[@johnittner107]

Seeing your car featured on Shed Racing is so cool. Such a clean TD. Nice affirmation that Ivan likes them too. My 53TD is a blast to own and drive, but much rougher to begin. I'm jealous of where he is starting out. The sorting out is where you get an education. MGs are great teachers.

[@chrisval78]

Hi Ivan. Just thought i'd leave this comment having seen what you've found on the TD. I moved to USA in 1988 and i've spent the last 36 years working on British cars. What i've learned in that time, is that nobody over here knows how to correctly and safely repair/restore British cars. Some of the work i have seen has been just wrong, and sometimes downright dangerous. It doesn't surprise me to see what you have found on the TD, after experiencing the horrendous things i myself have found done to British cars. One particular example, was the rear wheel cylinder with the cup seal upside-down !!! The only thing stopping the fluid from passing the seal, was the pressure of the piston against the lip of the seal. I could quite honestly fill a book on the cock-ups i have had to rectify. Good luck with your TD project. Chris.

[@gazzafloss]

What did I do today? Well today I went down to Ivan's shed , hung out and had a good old chat with him, John was there too, he just said 'morning and carried on working because that's what he likes to do... Precious, such a great privilege to visit you guys at "the shed" today.

[@hueyhoolihan582]

i just added a reproduction steering rack to my TD. it had soooo much slop (backlash?) in it that driving at anything over 45MPH was dangerous. now it's lovely! the only complaint is that there is precious little castor in the front wheels (it's not adjustable either) and so the steering does not want to self-center. coincidently, i've got a right hand drive version too, and it now resides in california.

[@dukie1616]

Ivan, John and Tanya thank you much👏

[@halnwheels]

I had a 1966 VW Bus and that vehicle had double leading shoe drum brakes like you show here. A normal Beetle had single leading shoes. Of course my bus had the slave cylinders installed correctly and the braking performance was very strong. However, it is normal that while reversing, the front brakes were totally ineffective with the front rising up to the top of the suspension travel. That's why the rear brakes will always be single leading shoe otherwise the vehicle wouldn't stop in reverse! So I can only imagine how awful your MG must react with one front wheel being correct and the other installed backwards. I'm impressed that a lightweight car like this has double leading shoes.

[@seanfavouritesongswithkayb9868]

These videos are great, keep them coming 🙂

[@markbowen3638]

A friend of mine was asked to look at an early Rolls Royce that had been imported from the states and whilst it looked beautiful it didn't sit right or handle very well. On further inspection the entire body was covered to a depth of a quarter inch with bondo which added a considerable weight to the car. It looked great and would have been fine in a museum but was no good at all on the road! As Ivan says ,looks aren't everything... More interesting content from a shed genius 👏

[@ronnronn55]

Really great opening photography introducing the car. That was the only car I ever had that had double ended wheel nuts. Ronn

[@colinhead284]

Parnelli Jones Indy 500 winner 1963 , love the ducks over the window Ivan ( takes me back to me childhood )

[@johna1160]

Other than the garish hot pink (fuschia?) colored grill vanes, one gorgeous TD. Always learn something listening to Ivan.

[@daleskidmore1685]

Loved it. I never want to hear Ivan say: " To cut a long story short".

[@johnsheppard7935]

Very nice Ivan, enjoyable and informative as usual - thank you. Looking forward to more on the TD in due course.

[@allanriches9381]

What a stunner of a TD. The best MG T model in my opinion.

[@grahambaker9377]

Such a good looking car

[@erniekoch8646]

Had one of those in the last century. Lost it in a fire. I cried a tear when I saw this.

[@bobwhitfield3691]

Love your channel! I am having a 1952 TD delivered this week. Same color as yours and in pristine condition with all amenities, canvas, tools, starter handle, etc. Really excited to recieve it. I will follow your channel for tips and tricks! Perhaps i can keep in touch when i run into the inevitable TD challenges.

[@Radioman1937]

Another delightful watch.

[@biastv1234]

Brilliant episode.

[@TheMikejarman]

Superb video again, Ivan. John is a top bloke. Btw, your new animated intro and music is excellent. 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@daviddjerassi]

I Fucking love this man and shed racing and John yes and you Tania great videos Thank you.

[@Steviegtr52]

Another great video Ivan. Regards. Steve.

[@brianmichaelhoward9038]

As you said it’s a wonder the brakes don’t snatch to the left. I used to race sidecars in the 60s I started using the same twin leading front back plates from a Minor 1000, Mini hubs drums and wheels, so I ended up with three hydraulic twin leading brakes. As good as any discs of the day and as a teenager with limited engineering experience.

[@martinda7446]

Wonderful. Thanks Tanya.😸

[@MrRobster1234]

Dick Jacobs was driving an MG EX-182 (MGA prototype) when he crashed at Le Mans in 1955.

[@michaelmason5459]

Brilliant Ivan nice to hear abit about John, does John go on any of the car events with you. Regards Mick

[@jimclarke1108]

Love your work grampa🏅

[@edhamilton7412]

Love listening to Ivans stories, good job i dont work for him,wouldnt get any work done

[@jonathangehman4005]

Someone I know just imported a restored TD from England, I haven't seen it yet but I always end up working on his old stuff. I'm sure it's not half as nice as that one. Maybe the brakes aren't setup right and I'll get to show off and act like I've always known you have to make sure the wheel cylinders are leading the shoe and not trailing. I might end up owing Ivan a nice lunch or something

[@billspence1799]

I'm so glad you like talking Ivan.

[@davidfrost3597]

You can get silicone gaskets for the rocker box

[@rotax636nut5]

Excellent, thanks

[@windyworm]

Always wanted one of those....

[@richardjones7386]

I have a copy of “An MG Experience” and would commend it to anyone interested in MG’s. Lovely to see such a nice TD.

[@shoominati23]

Well personally, they're not my Cup of Tea - I call them 'Oxford Boy' Sportscars 😅 But I can appreciate the amount of work that went into it, and you don't get chrome deep like that many places any more..

[@MreViewer]

Great episode as usual, thanks Ivan and Tania! Love the outro music too, what is it?

[@robstirling3173]

Well spotted Ivan, I saw the brake spring was wrong. That would have caused uneven, premature lining wear. Do you chalk the drums to check lining contact and fit?

[@marlobreding7402]

When I was 15 in 1967 my father's best friend Rufus wanted to give me his MG it looks like your's except the radiator was checker board painted.. Dad told him not to because I probably would have installed a 327 Corvette engine, he probably was right.

[@jessestreet2549]

by all means, tell us what you think. on a side note the rear drum brakes on an izuzu cabover truck are laid out the same way.

[@paulhelman2376]

I put a Gemmer box in my 4/4 series V and I do not think rack and pin could be much better.

[@malcolmdyer6090]

Apart from the front brake assembly being wrong did I see odd front spindles, or has the left side got a sleeve on it?

[@stevewilliams2498]

Wa hay. I just did The Ton ! 🤣 100th 👍🏻

[@Mike.Howard]

:)

[@snocrushr]

🇨🇦👍👍🇨🇦

[@richardeasther2569]

I have seen cars imported into New Zealand from the states that look gorgeous but underneath they are a rusty death trap that took skilled metal workers hundreds of hours to put right - so buyer be warned the yanks are very good at polishing a turd

[@petewood2350]

All that paint on your brake drums will affect how they cool, when driving.

[@tonycamplin8607]

A really great car, however personally I don't like these concourse, or nearly so, cars. They look all wrong just like a new car, don't think that they were ever in this condition even when they first left the factory. John is obviously the real expert, he just gets on and gets it all done.

[@kettleions]

Ta!🔧💫🍏🐎🌼✨

[@enginecrzy]

Make it so🤨

[@HROM1908]

By "America" I assume you mean the U.S.A. No where on any map will you find "America".

[@peterrenn6341]

Everyone (and I mean everyone) outside the US calls it America and we all know where we mean. 🙂

[@dukeallen432]

The object of words is to communicate. I understood exactly what Ivan meant. Successful communication. Full stop.

[@bobawatsit]

you are a fascinating bloke Ivan, you and I would get on well, I come from the days of flat heads and drum brakes, but I can move on to 4 valve DOHC stuff, BUT HOLD ON ! that was happening in the early 1900's Oh well, an engine is an engine to me, you either have the feel or you do not

[@johnmorrow7080]

When I worked at one garage in the 80's a wealthy customer bought a black 500SEL coupe for his daughter she wanted the wheels painted gold the boss sent the wheels off to a specialist we got them back fitted them off the car went on a friday , monday morning walks into the garage the 500 was there with its side wiped out a wheel had fell off while the guy was out in the thing , we were going to get sued a insurance assessor looking a a different car got on chatting with the boss , he said Mercedes had put out an alert to all dealers not to paint the wheel nut mating surfaces as the paint can turn to powder slackening the wheels so the wheel painters were sued not us .