Production Facts & Feature Time-lines

These pages contain production numbers, dates and the time-line for various changes to the MGTD during its production run.

• The MGTD Models
• Production Facts
• Production Dates
• Feature Time-lines
• TD Mark II Features
• Factory Accessories

The MGTD Models

There were three models of MGTD during production but only two are really discernible. Those were the TD, TD2, and the TD Mark II. The TD2 was just an evolution of the TD while the TD Mark II actually added additional features, a unique identification, and simultaneous production with both TD and TD2 cars.

Production Facts

Total production for the MGTD was 29,664 of which at least 1710 were TD Mark II's.

Used with permission from Original MG T Series by Anders Clausager. Published by MBI Publishing Company 1-800-826-6600.

¹ It would appear that of the 103 LHD chassis exported during 1952 and 1953, all but three of these were Arnolt MG's that were sold in the US. Total production for Arnolt MG's was 102 cars, two of these were the prototypes that were created in Italy with used chassis from production cars.

²CKD - "completely knocked down". A term used to describe cars that were exported in kit form to be assembled "in country". This was sometimes used to claim that the cars were manufactured locally to get by import tax situations. Cars were finished in primer only.

Car or Chassis Number Codes

The following table illustrates the car number coding scheme for the MGTD. These were documented on a stamped metal plate on the cars left hand firewall. In addition each car received a unique number starting with 0251 and ending in 29915. This number should be verified by the number stamped in large letters on the front left dumbiron (where the bumper attaches) just below where the fender bolts are.

³ The TD always preceded the code. For example, a later North American, exported, left hand drive regular MGTD would be coded: TD EXL/NA.

⁴ From May of 1951 on a few cars and August 1951 on all others

Additional code information supplied by Tom Lange.

Engine Number Codes

All MGTD engines were marked as XPAG. The following table illustrates the additonal engine number coding scheme for the MGTD XPAG engines. There was no absolute correlation from the chassis or car number but the engine number was generally about 300 - 350 or more larger. The engine number was stamped on the metal chassis plate, on its own octagonal plate on the right bottom front side of the engine and just above this plate, on the block itself. Early TDs had their plates on the left side of the bell-housing (a carry-over from all TCs), and only some later TDs have the engine number stamped on the plinth; many do not.

The first TD2 engine was fitted to TD9903, but for the following three months cars came with either TD or TD2 engines, as supplies of the earlier engine were used up. With only one exception, the last TD engine was used in car TD12149.

There is an excellent write up about T-series engine indentification on this page from the MG Car Club.

Production Dates

Production date timelines from M.G. Talk, the South-Eastern T-Register’s Newsletter. First number is day of month, second is the first or last serial number car for that date. This should help you in determining the actual age of your car. You might also want to get a copy of the factory log book for the date of your car from the source mentioned here. There is an online tool available from the T Register T Type Factory Production Records.

Feature Time-lines

Over the product run of the MGTD various changes, while mostly minor, where made. The following table attempts to chronologize some of the notable externally visible changes by date and/or chassis number when known. (e) stands for engine number.

Note: The production feature time-line presented here is derived mostly from manuals, brochures and a few factory records by Anders Clausager. The dates should not be considered absolute. In fact many cars have been shown to exhibit an earlier trait far beyond the date shown as having a new feature. It is believed that these dates comprise the first time a new feature appeared on the MGTD, rather than the last time the former feature could be found. At times a decision seemed to be made to change a feature in one marketplace while still producing the former feature for other marketplaces. Note also that the MGTC was still in production when the first MGTDs appeared. Also note that during the production of the MGTD that other cars were still produced on the line at the same time. It may have been that cars produced during those periods would use similar parts while during the times that only MGTDs were produced, a different, but similar part would be used .

Note: MGTDs were one of the last cars manufactured by Nuffield prior to the change over when incorporated with BMC. Up to that point few records on individual cars were kept and the production information is not as complete as on even the MGTF and later models. The information quoted in the Feature Timeline section is the best there is available but cannot be considered absolute. There may have been exceptions to this data. See the Noted Exceptions to Production Data pages for more information or to report a discrepancy.

Feature		Dates	Chassis Numbers
Production begins		Nov 1949	0252 (0250 & 0251 were prototypes)
Chassis without scuttle hoop		Nov 1949-Dec 1949	0252
Scuttle hoop added to chassis		Dec 1949	0351
Solid Wheels		Nov 1949-Dec 1949	0252¹
Slotted Wheels		Jan 1950 to 1953	~0501. See the Production Exceptions for examples outside of this number range.
First Mark II Model		May 1950	TD/C/1123
Bulge on right hand hood side for larger carburetors on Mark II		May 1950	TD/C/1123
Interior color gear shift boot		Nov 1949	0252
Black gear shift boot		May 1050?	Not sure when the cutover occured. Confirmed TD1250 had colored boot
Bolts/washers on front and rear splash pans		Nov 1949 - May 1950?	Not sure when the cutover occured. Confirmed TD1250 had bolts on front scuttle.
Chrome dome nut and washers on front and rear splash pans		May 1950? - 1953	Not sure when the cutover occured. Confirmed TD1250 had bolts on front scuttle.
Purolator oil filter replaced by Wilmot Breeden Filter		Aug 1950	TD 2985¹ The strap fixing bolts to the block were increased from two to three, and the straps made wider, one inch to one & half inches. Anti-crush ends were fitted to stop overtightening and crushing the filter canister.
Engine ID Plate moved from bell housing to right front of engine casting.		Aug 1950	TD 2985²
Air cleaner with instructions on decal		1949- Jun 1950?	Quite a few cars as late as Dec 1950 have the three piece air cleaner.
Air cleaner with stamped instructions		Jun 1950?-1953	June 1950? Seen on TD2301.
Patent plate with nickel background		Nov 1949-Dec 1949	0252
Patent plate with black background		Nov 1950	somewhere between 4140 and 6232
Rubber footwell on LHD cars		Nov 1950-1953	from 4237. It is rumored that the RHD cars could not support a footwell because of the proximity of the muffler below.
One Piece Hub and Brakedrum		Nov 1950	from 4251
Outer front wheel bearing grease retainer: press-on cap replaced felt washer type		Feb 1951	from 6035
Soldered nut on firewall for toeboard attachement		Nov 1949- March 1951?	0252
Captive nut on firewall for toeboard attachement		March 1951?	Lowest TD to show captive nuts is ~6600
9 post regulator		1949-Jun 1951	to 8141
5 post regulator and fuse block		Jun 1951 to 1953	from 8142
Solid (cast) generator fan/pulley		1949-Jun 1951	to 8141
Pressed generator fan		Jun 1951 to 1953	from 8142. This is speculated and not confirmed by any production records
Shorter Dipstick tube and New Dipstick		Sep 1951	(e) 1090
Oil pressure takeoff from head		1949-Jun 1951	Up to (e)9407. Coupling on left side of battery box.
Oil pressure takeoff from lower block		June of 1951 onward	Starting at (e)9408. Coupling moved to hole on firewall to allow hose to reach bottom connection.
Flat faced Tach and Speedo		1949-Oct 1951	to 10750 LHD. Kamp sockets in holders on wood dash.
Dished faced Tach and Speedo		Oct 1951-1953	from 10751 LHD (10779 RHD). Lamp sockets embedded in gauges.
Shorter receiver for seat adjuster bracket on wheelwell		1949- ~Oct 1951	Uncertain
Longer (1/4") receiver for seat adjuster bracket on wheelwell		~ Oct 1951	End of production
Knob for dash lights		1949-Oct 1951	to 10750
Short dash dimmer rheostat		Oct 1951-?	from 10751
Long dash dimmer rheostat		1953?
Ammeter with 20/20 amps		1949-Oct 1951	to 10779
Ammeter with 30/30 amps		1951-1953	from 10799
Chrome Headlamps		1949-1951 (late)	unsure
Painted Headlamps		1951-Late 1953	Unsure of exact car number
King of the Road Headlight Medallion		1949-1952?	unsure of end date
Headlamp without King of the Road Medallion		1952?-1953	Unsure of starting date
Smooth front wings over shock absorber.		1949-1952?	unsure of end date
Small raised bump on front wing over shock absorber.		?1952 - 1953	This was to accomodate the factory option of using Girling or Armstron shock absorbers, the latter needing more clearance.³
Single oil pressure gauge		1949-Feb 1952	to 13913
Dual oil pressure/water temperature gauge		Feb 1952-1953	from 13914
Water temperature in Celcius		Feb 1952-Late 53?	In non metric markets oil pressure in lbs/sq inch but temperature in Celcius
Water temperature in Fahrenheit		Late 1953?	Dependant on market. Cannot find evidence of this.
Oil Filter - throwaway		1949-Feb 1952	to (e) 14223
Replacement oil filter cartridge (Purolator or Tecalemit)		Feb 1952-1953	from (e) 14224
Original oil sump with smooth bottom		Nov 1949 - Mar 1952	to (e) 14947
New oil sump in finned aluminium		Mar 1952-1953	from (e)14948
Engine Tag XPAG		1949-1951	Engines prior to engine 14xxx with 7" clutches
Engine Prefix Changed to XPAG TD2		1951-June 1952	Engines after engine 14xxx with 8" clutches
Mark II Engine Prefix Changed to XPAG/TD3		June 1952	(e) TD3 17xxx&sup4;
Dished Speedometer Without High Beam Warning Light		Oct 1951-June 1952	from 10751 LHD (10779 RHD).
High Beam Warning Light Added to Speedometer		June 1952	from 17548
Switch on horn for headlamp dimmers		1949-Aug 1952	to 18882
Scuttle mounted headlamp dimmer		Aug 1952-1953	from 18883
Shorter horn button		Aug 1952-1953	from 18883
2 bow hoode		1949-Sep 1952	to 20373
3 bow hood		Sep 1952-1953	from 20374
Clamp for distributor		1949-Oct 1952	to (e) 20941
Lock bolt for distributor		Oct 1952-1953	from (e) 20942
New Oil Pump End Plate with Priming Plug		Oct 1952	(e) 20972
Raised Rectangular Stoplamp Mounts in Rear Fender		1949-Aug 1952?	to ~19628
No Stoplamp Mounts in Rear Fender		Aug 1952-Oct 1952?	from ~19629 to 21302
Round Stoplamps		Oct 1952-1953	from 21303
Additional Body Mounting Point		Oct 1952	At TD20749. There are holes just forward of the scuttle stiffner tube.
Clutch cable		1949-Nov 1952	to 22250
Clutch rod		Nov 1952-1953	from 22251
Passenger mounted windscreen motor		1949-Nov 1952	to 22314
Center mounted windscreen motor		Nov 1952-1953	from 22315
Turn Signals		Nov 1952	from 22315. Relay under scuttle.
Turn Signal Warning Lamp on Dash		Nov 1952	from 22315
Change in Floorboards		Nov 1952	from 22407. Uncertain what the change is.
New trim for Mark II		Dec 1952	from TD/C/22613. See MkII section below for details.
Reflectors on rear bumpers (NA only?)		Dec 1952?	~TD 23,000 to 24,000
Valve clearance .019"		1949-Jan 1953	to 24115
Valve clearance .015"		1949-Jan 1953	Commencing at engine XPAG/TD2/24116 a new camshaft (p/n 168553) has been fitted to the TD Midget to improve wear on the tappet faces. The new plate was p/n 162279.
Valve clearance .012"		March 3, 1953	There was no change to the camshaft but a recommendation to set the clearance to .012" and a new plate (p/n 168729) was attached to the valve cover.
Original tie rod seals with cupped washer		1949-Mar 1953	to 25973
New type of tie rod seals with boots rather than cupped washer		Mar 1953	from 25973
New Type of Oil Pump Body		Mar 1953	from 26635
Chrome radiator grill slats for Mark II		Late 1953	from TD/C/22613
Grab handle on dash near glovebox on late Mark II		Late 1953	from TD/C/22613
Chrome and riveted headlamp buckets		Late 1953	~25000 on (confirmed on TD26639) and a car just after TD24953
Body plate on left firewall next to toolbox		Nov 1949 - TD26XXX	All cars had the nickel plate here until late 1953. Highest number seen to date is TD24695.
Body plate moved to underside of toolbox lid as seen on MGTFs		TD26XXX - EOP	Moved here for cars in some markets such as NA and home and remained here for the MGTF

¹ A few comments from Tom Lange on solid wheels

There is always discussion about when TDs changed from solid to ventilated wheels - the factory parts book says at chassis 501 (January 1950), which has been sometimes mis-interpreted to mean the first 500 cars. (Since the TD began with chassis 251, the first 250 cars - at least - will probably originally have had solid wheels.) Later LHD cars with solid wheels do sporadically show up; I have seen solid-wheel LHD cars as high as 999. So I think it is safe to say that the first 250 TD all had solid wheels, and a few others came later, without any pattern. Solid wheels are not quite as rare as people think, since the YB came with identical 15" solid wheels (the Y, or YA as it is often known today, had 16" wheels). But would one retro-fit solid wheels to a later ventilated-wheel car?

The REAL real presence of late solid wheel TDs is clearly with EXR cars. The two highest-numbered TDs I have found with solid wheels are both EXR cars, presumably original and authentic - 2053 and 2154, with many other solid-wheeled EXR cars in the 1000-1850 range (based on photos in the Australian MG TD Register of Victoria. It seems clear that it was factory-intentional to supply EXR cars, generally exported to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, with solid wheels much later than UK or US cars - why, I do not know, nor when these wheels changed to ventilated.

² This car (TD2985) had a factory engine change. It was built with engine XPAG/TD/3366 on 8/28/1950. On 8/31/1950 the engine was changed to XPAG/TD/3370.

³ At some point in production both Girling and Armstrong shocks were used. The Armstrong shocks required a small raised area on the front wing to allow for their higher clearance. This bulge does not indicate that a particular car had Armstrong shocks, but rather that the wings at that time could accommodate either shock type. I don't have a particular car number where this change occured but it appears to be sometime in early or mid 1952. The factory parts list does not change the part number for the front wing so it was just an adaptation. There were very Late (last few weeks of production) TDs fitted with Girling shock absorbers, so the factory never changed from one manufacture to the other exclusively. They just had the option of which they could use after the raised area was introduced. See this picture of a 1953 Girling cap from a very late 1953 TD.

⁴ Earlier engines were not specially marked; later engines were marked TD3.

Much of the above was used with permission from Original MG T Series by Anders Clausager. Published by MBI Publishing Company 1-800-826-6600.

TD Mark II Features

Almost immediately when the MGTD appeared on the market there existed a strong aftermarket of parts and accessories to increase the performance and sportability of the model. The Mark II MGTD, in later years called the TDC, was an attempt by the factory to satisfy the demand for more high performance models.

Used with permission from Original MG T Series by Anders Clausager. Published by MBI Publishing Company 1-800-826-6600.

Parts List of Mark II Features

Almost all of the Mark II items were available separately during the production of the TD,and are listed in the Service Parts book.

• On later cars the Dumb Iron was marked TD/C instead of TD.
• Andrex friction shock absorbers in addition to the standard Luvax-Girling or Armstrong hydraulic shock absorbers
• Right hand hood panel with bulge for larger carburetors
• Black and white wheel medallions (from TD/C/22613)
• Chrome radiator grill slats (from TD/C/22613)
• Enameled left and right hood emblems (from TD/C/22613)²
• Enameled rear bumper emblem with plinth (from TD/C/22613)²
• Radiator medallions were black on white (from TD/C/22613)
• Rear bumper reflectors (from TD/C/22613)²
• Dash grab handle in either right or left hand drive (from TD/C/22613)
• Large black and white enameled spare tire hub cap medallion (from TD/C/22613)
• Larger carburetors (1½" bore) and increased inlet ports. These carburetors where marked 4031 which are different than the carburetors installed in the later MGTF
• Increased rear end axle ratio (to 4.875:1 from 5.125:1)
• Larger intake manifold and air cleaner
• Larger valves
• Increased compression ratio (8.6 to 1)
• Increased engine red-line to 6000 rpm by changing the valve gear
• Twin fuel pumps and fuel lines
• Higher performance ignition coil (Lucus B.R. 12) - Note: not always supplied

²The hood and bumper emblems were the same. The bumper emblem was mounted on a special plinth.

An image of some of the Mark II parts from the service and parts manual can be viewed here.

Note: Almost all of the Mark II items were available separately during the production of the TD.

A few comments on the Mark II by Thomas Lange

All Mark II's had the bonnet bulge because early cars used a 1-1/4" TD air intake and oil bath filter, with the 1-1/2" carb flange mounting holes filed inward into slots to accomodate the narrow bolt pattern of the smaller air intake (early photos sometimes show these slots). Later cars used the unique enlarged air intake with hole spacing to fit the 1-1/2" carbs, so filing was not necessary (from 22613?). These later cars also used the larger oil-bath filter. The bonnet bulge was necessary for both air intakes.

There is no evidence to suggest that Mark II's came from the factory with Vokes filters as found on TF's, chrome (aftermarket) pancake filters (as usually seen today on cars being driven), or with no filters at all (as often shown without comment in contemporary road test photos, presumably to improve breathing).

Factory Accessories

While the MG factory had very few accessories for the MGTD, there was no shortage from aftermarket companies. The following is a list of the factory accessories during the production run of the MGTD.

• Heater
• External mirror
• Tow bar attachment
• Twin spare tire carriers
• 6.00 x 15 rear tires
• 4.55, 4.875 (standard on Mark II) or 5.125 (standard on TD, extra on Mark II) rear axle ratios
• Fog-lamp - Lucus SFT 462
• Badge bar
• Luggage rack that also came with an external rear view mirror (part 500134).
• Radio hidden in glove box with firewall mounted antenna
• Full tonneau cover (part 300597) - Listed in a 1958 BMC Service Parts List. Not listed in a late 1952 SPL supplement dated 1955.
• Radiator thermometer
• Combined water temperature/oil pressure gage (standard on later TD's)
• Oil thermometer
• High performance clutches
• Extra fuel pump and fuel lines (same as on Mark II)
• Larger carburetors (1½" bore) and increased inlet ports (same as on Mark II)
• Lower setting or double hydraulic shock absorbers or Additional Andrex shock absorbers (same as on Mark II)
• Manual ignition control (usually on Mark II but could be added on any car)
• Many performance parts for engine
• Workshop manuals
• Performance tuning manuals
• Wire wheels - see note below

Note: Wire wheels were never offered by the factory during the production the the MGTD. They were available later as a service kit, part number ACG 5163 (5162?). These were essentially the parts used by the TF's that would also fit the TD's. There is also a slight difference in the '54 wire wheels from the '55 wire wheels. The '54 wire wheels inner hub was more pointed in shape, similar to the shape of the original dash finish washers, while the later wire wheels found on the '55 model TF had a more rounded hub common on MGA's and later cars.

Carl Cedarstrand of the Vintage MG Club of Southern California wrote an article about wire wheels on a TD for the June, 1979 issue of The Sacred Octagon. Carl discovered a factory part number for the TD spare wheel carrier - ACG 5162. The part number was confirmed by Mr. Pete Neal at the MG drafting office. Mr. Neal also advised that the part number was taken out on November 4, 1953 which Carl points out was almost 2 months after TD production ended. Carl goes on to say that is very unlikely that a wire wheel TD was ever produced by the factory, but that a TD could be retrofitted using all factory parts. A proof of this was an advertisement in March of 1954 for the TD Wire Wheel Conversion kit from Gough Industries, the MG Importer in Los Angeles. The kits used all factory authorized parts admittingly from the production of the MGTF.

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