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Founded in 1963, the T Register has grown considerably over the last forty
years. At present we hold details of over 9000 'T'-types, both in the U.K. and
in most other parts of the world. The original aims of recording details of
cars and providing a means of communication and competition between owners,
remain unchanged, helping members to enjoy using their cars in the manner that
Cecil Kimber and the designers at Abingdon intended.
The Register & Committee
The main communication channels of the Register are the T Register website, the
T Register bi-monthly magazine Totally T-Type, and the space which the
Register gets allocated in Safety Fast!, the monthly magazine of the MG
Car Club. This space allocation amounts to a half page for the T-Type notes for
nine issues during the year and four pages for the T-Type Newsletter for three
issues during the year. Totally-T-Type is available either in hard copy
or in pdf format, downloadable from this website. Please see the
Totally T-Type Section of this website for further details.
If you have any problems, ideas or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact any
of the Committee or their portfolio associates - they are all listed with their
particular responsibilities, both in Totally T-Type and in the
Committee page on this web site. We depend on your support for all the
activities organised, either with or without your car, and more volunteers to
help out are always needed.
Competition
For several years we ran a Concours Championship with the incentive of winning
a large silver cup, the Montagu Burton trophy, presented to the Register many
years ago by the tailoring firm of that name. Nowadays the Car of the Year
competition caters for most activities to which 'T'-types are put, with the
Montagu Burton cup going to the car amassing the most points in the greatest
variety of competitions, including Concours, Trials, Rallies, Gymkhanas, Hill
Climbs and Racing. The concours-only enthusiasts are, however, still catered
for by the Barry Lacy-Malvern trophy, named in memory of a most enthusiastic
secretary of the Register, always prepared to "have a go" in all sorts of
competition.
T Racing
Continuing in the spirit of the traditions set in the 1950s by such drivers as
Phil Hill, Dick Jacobs, Pat Moss and many others, the racing of T-types is
today one of the most exciting spectacles at any race meeting, with grids being
shared with MGAs and even more exotic MMM machinery, an annual calendar of some
12-14 events, including circuit racing, hill climbs and sprints, is organised;
cars may be entered in one of three classes, ranging from road-going, through
modified to full race - see the Competition section
for full details.
Technical Help
If you have a technical problem, our technical representatives will be pleased
to help. We have accumulated a vast fund of data and information upon which to
draw, based on the experience and knowledge of experts and enthusiasts over
many years. The cars are split into TA/TB/TC/TD & TF groupings - write to
the appropriate Technical Rep. enclosing a s.a.e. or, better still, if he is on
e-mail, contact him via this medium. There is a good chance that the problem
you encounter has been experienced by others and a solution worked out.
Additionally, the Register organises an annual technical seminar entitled
"Rebuild". Started many years ago by us, and much copied by others since, this
one-day meeting features lectures and practical demonstrations of various
aspects of rebuilding 'T'-types, given by leading experts in the field of
'T'-type restoration. Usually held in March, "Rebuild" is the first Register
event every year, and a marvellous opportunity to ge t your car back on the
road after hibernation, or to fire up your enthusiasm for the restoration work
still needed.
Spare Parts
The T Register does not hold stocks of parts, but we will endeavour to put
members in touch with others who may have surplus parts. However, we should
warn you that the 'good old days' are no longer with us, and second-hand spares
are becoming increasingly difficult to find. This probably explains why the
first part of Safety Fast! to be read by every M.G. enthusiast, is the
Classified Spares For Sale section. Nowadays, there are several professional
parts suppliers, all of whom carry large stocks of new (remanufactured) parts
to meet every need. Prices and availability vary considerably, so arm yourself
with a catalogue from each of them!
Books & Regalia
Possession of a workshop manual (or in the case of the TC the 'brown book' or
factory Instruction Manual) is a must for the owner of a car such as the
'T'-type, even if you do not intend to carry out more than minor servicing;
information from this will go a long way towards increasing your knowledge and
enjoyment of ownership of your 'T'-type. Facsimile reprints of the official
workshop manuals are available from the Register at discount prices (at least
10% or more in some cases). The Register also has a range of regalia for T
types. Details are listed on a separate page of the web site. Roger Furneaux
(see committee details) can supply a reproduction of the Factory Guarantee
sheet, showing the chassis number, original engine number and the date your car
was built.
Car Identification
Chassis:
The chassis number is the key data for identifying your car. On all 'T'-types it
is stamped on the near-side dumb-iron or chassis extension. This number should
agree with the chassis number (or car number) stamped on the plate(s) riveted
to the battery/tool box or bulkhead under the bonnet of the car. For models
TA/TB/TC there is no problem because these are the no prefixes used; the
chassis numbers run from TA 253-3255, TB 252-0630 & TC 252-10251. Some
historians might dispute this, but it seems that the prototype TA were numbered
251 and 252, TB & TC were numbered 0251 and were not counted as production
cars.
For the TD there were two types; plain TD and TD/C, the "competition" version
with bigger valves and carbs and stiffer front suspension. This latter is also
called the Mark II and hence often confused with the code TD2, which formed
part of the engine codes of cars produced after about chassis number 10000, and
signifying a larger clutch. The TD chassis numbers are from 251 to 29915. TDs
also had extra codes for export cars, EXR and EXL for RHD and LHD respectively.
To this was added either "U" or , for later TDs, "LNA" for cars destined for
North America.
In the case of the TF, after two prototypes, Abingdon had to use a BMC imposed
numbering system starting at 501. After 6200 TF 1250s and 3400 TF 1500s, the
last TF was numbered 10100. The TF prefixes are easily decoded thus:
Letters: HD stands for M.G. 2-seater in the BMC scheme of things. A = Black, B =
Light Grey, C = Dark Red, E = Mid Green, P = Ivory.
First digit: 1 = U.K. RHD, 2 = Export RHD, 3 = Export LHD., 4 = North America
LHD.
Second Digit: 3 = Cellulose, 5 = Primer, 6 = Cellulose Body, Synthetic Wings.
The chassis stamping was TF plus chassis number (the 'TF number') whereas on the
identification plate the car number was used. Thus, for example, HDE 23/10081
is a R.H.D. export model (it went to S. Africa) painted in green cellulose (it
still is) and almost the last TF made (in May 1955).
Engine:
The engine should have a circular or octagonal plate riveted to either the
left-hand side of the bell-housing (TA/TB/TC & some TDs), or just forward
of the exhaust manifold on later TDs and TFs, on which the engine number will
be stamped. The original engine number will also appear on the above mentioned
car i.d. plate on the bulkhead, on TD's often with a prefix or suffix LHX if
the engine was destined for a LHD export vehicle.
The engine number prefix varied according to the car type:
TA were coded MPJG and were unique to that model.
TB, TC, TD, TF 1250 were coded XPAG.
TF 1500 had an XPEG prefix.
Specific identity of the model to which the engine was fitted is given by
further numbers and letters as follows:
TB & TC engines were simply coded XPAG........
TD engines with a 7 ¼" clutch were coded XPAG/TD/.......
TD engines with 8" clutch were coded XPAG/TD2/.......
TD/C, or Mk II, engines (but not all of them!) were coded XPAG/TD3/........
TF (1250cc) engines were coded XPAG/TF/........
TF (1500cc) engines were simply coded XPEG........
A large number of cars with XPAG engines have had BMC replacement engines (Gold
Seal) fitted. These usually had no XPAG on the octagonal plate, but instead a
letter prefix (A to E have been seen) probably denoting the over-bore sizes,
followed by a larger than usual number (E99794 has been seen). With replacement
engines, the original number of that engine can sometimes be deciphered just
above the octagonal plate, stamped on the block. Be prepared to find, however,
that your engine might have started life on a Y-type!
The 5 T Types from 1936 to 1955:
All the T types share many features. The body is made from an ash frame skinned
with steel, bolted to a conventional chassis. The doors hinge backwards, with a
cutout for the elbow. The windscreen is hinged, allowing true wind-in-the-hair
motoring. The fuel tank is a slab-shaped box bolted to the back of the car with
the spare wheel attached to it. The bonnet is a triple-hinged gullwing type,
except for the TF, which looks the same but only the tops raise, the sides are
fixed. Carburation is by twin SU's, brakes are hydraulic drums throughout. The
gearbox is synchro 4 speed with crash first gear (and second on TA's) and the
engine a 4 cylinder ohv pushrod. Apart from the independent front suspension of
the TD/TF, the technology and the styling is pre-war, a serious problem by 1955
when the series ended. Ironically, it is these very features that make the cars
so endearing today.
TA - Announced in June 1936, the TA was a larger Midget than its
predecessors, featuring a 1292cc. pushrod o.h.v. engine. Initially, the only
bodyworkavailable was the traditional M.G. Sports style with cutaway doors and
swept wings, but this was supplemented from August 1938 by coupe coachwork
built on Tickford principles by Salmons and Sons of Newport Pagnell. It is
believed that only two Airline coupes were produced, of which one survives in
the U.S.A. 3003 TAs were produced and the purchase price of each was £222
(sports), £269 (Tickford) and £295 (Airline).
 TB - Formally announced in
September 1939, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II, but available from
the Spring of that year, the TB featured the new 1250cc XPAG pushrod engine of
shorter stroke than the MPJG it replaced, together with a dry clutch and
revised gearbox and rear axle ratios. This engine, the first all-M.G. design,
but derived from the Morris 10 M-series unit, boasted a power output of 54bhp.
A derivative of this engine, in highly supercharged form, propelled Goldie
Gardner to speeds in excess of 200mph, whilst other famous marques, such as
Kieft, Lister, Cooper and Lotus, used modified XPAG engines as power plants
during the early post war years. Due to the intervention of hostilities only
379 TBs were produced, available in either sports or Tickford stvles
(illustrated).
 TC - Regarded by many as the
model which established the British sports car on the N. American scene, there
was very little on the surface to distinguish the first post war car to leave
Abingdon - the body was 4" wider than the TB (which resulted in narrower
running boards with two instead of three rubber strips). In addition, the
sliding trunnion location for the road springs, the cause of more complaints to
the Service Department than any other, was replaced by a system of rubber
bushes and shackles, and a single 12v. battery under the bonnet replaced the
twin 6v. batteries which had been carried in trays just forward of the rear
axle. In production from September 1945 to November 1949, exactly 10,000 TCs
were produced, all carrying two-seat sports bodywork, although there is a
rumour that one was re-bodied as a Tickford. All T types up to this point were
available only as RHD.
 TD - Whilst retaining the
traditional perpendicular radiator shell and sports body style, the TD brought
many changes when introduced in late 1949. Immediately obvious were the 15"
steel disc wheels (originally unpierced), RHD or LHD with mirrored dashboards,
chromium plated bumpers (although TCs exported to the U.S.A. also sported
these) and dashboard glovebox. However, out of sight were such items as
independent front suspension and rack & pinion steering gear ('borrowed'
from the Y-type), a hypoid bevel rear axle, two-leading-shoe front brakes, and
(apart from a few early cars), a rollover bar under the scuttle aimed at
eliminating body shake and increasing protection to the occupants in the event
of an accident. The whole aim had been to produce a sports car with the
traditional M.G. flair but more civilised and, therefore, more attractive to
the all-important export market. The TD was, in volume terms, the most
successful of the T types. The vast majority of the 29,66 5 produced went
abroad - mainly to the States where for most of its life it was the only cheap
British sports car available. During the production run many cars were uprated
for sporting use - the TD Mk II, or TDC (see above).
 TF - At the time of its
launch, the TF was criticised as a "breathed over" TD, a stop-gap before BMC
would allow a more streamlined shape to be marketed (which became the MGA).
Today, the aesthetic changes from the TD are regarded as inspired, despite the
short time they took to develop, resulting in the prettiest of the T types.
Bodily the familiar square-rigger was made more rakish-a rearwards sloping
radiator shell some 9cms lower than the TD, faired-in headlights, a lengthened
flare to the rear wings, and a fuel tank less upright than before. The engine
was based on the TD Mk II power unit producing 57bhp. This was later enlarged
to 1466cc with a new block having 72mm bores against 66.5mm previously, and now
giving 63bhp in response to demands from N. American customers. The rear axle
ratio was also changed from 5.125:1 to 4.875:1 with centre-lock wire wheels as
an optional extra. Bucket seats and a revised dashboard completed the changes.
Introduced at the 1953 London Motor Sh ow, the only major production change was
to the 1466cc engine in the "TF 1500", the total run being 9,600 cars. By the
end of the run, in 1955, sales were falling fast, and it was clear that the T
types were regarded as out-of-date compared to new models from Austin-Healey
and Triumph.
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