1953 MGTD.

Thanks for photos and your history with the car.

Thanks David; it is a cute little sports car.  Back in 1971 my girl friend's brother had a green one and it seemed he was always tinkering with it, trying to get it to run properly.  I think it was a labor of love though....lol.

Wow, good looking NEO model.    Years ago, I guy wanted to trade me one of these - a 1:1 replica - they're not my "cup of tea"  but it sure looks nice here - in scale form.  😀 

a favorite here in Australia too David. I kinda fancied the later TF with the molded in headlights. Nice post, thanks.

If looks could kill, the MG TDs and TFs would be in prison. These cars didn't have to be fast, they only had to look cool which they did quite well. I helped a friend restore his 1951 TD. It was black with the green interior and a tan top, tire cover and tonneau.

Great post, again, David. Thanks. 

I've driven a few of these. The most awesome thing about them was that you could drive them at 9/10ths of their capability, have a truly fun time, and not get in trouble. They demanded your attention, rewarded finesse, and returned huge smiles for providing both. However, they were back-road brawlers and did not do well out on the interstates. It was a minor inconvenience for the fun they offered. 

Right after they stopped making the real MG TD, Tekno started making theirs in 1954 in Denmark.  It lasted up to 1960.

I have several TDs, which I've posted here before. Year before last I sold my 1953 1:1 which I enjoyed driving for 10 years, then disassembled, but other interests (marriage, kids, learning to fly, job moves, etc.) intervened. Upon retirement I found I had lost the 'fire' in my belly to tackle it again and sold it for even less than I paid 40 years prior. But the sale of my Arnolt-MG (a TD variant) more than made up for that. Anyway, in the 1970s I got a Motorkits white metal kit and proceeded to replicate my own car. The windscreen lacked the top-mounted wiper motor, so I scatchbuilt a crude representation. I also enjoyed drives with the windscreen folded, so I cut the supports and reglued them. Also scratchbuilt rearview mirrors for the left fender and above the dash, which Motorkits lacked. What took a lot more work was converting the kit to LHD. I smoothed the dash, attempted to make the silvery-green Jaeger instruments and rescribed the glovebox door. The license mounting was switched from one side to the other, and I made a representation of my Tennessee tag which puts my build date at around 1976 or '77. Finally, the '53 had rounded taillights not the rectangular ones, so that too was taken care of. MG TDs did not have white seats, but my car had replacement upholstery and top from Aamco so that's why they are white. This is one of those models that stays with me until my demise (unless I pass it on to one of my kids first). 

I also have the Kenna model (top up, with side curtains in place) and the Neo in Almond Green.

Hi Harv,

I too have the Motorkits MGTD which I attempted to make as close to mine as possible, although I never considered the drop windshield. I did this before I acquired the Abingdon version. Congratulations on the fine work you have done on your Motorkits model to make it so close to your own 1 to 1 version. You did a far better job than me.

I reviewed our 2022 posting before writing my current one today. Americana is interesting but I like to add a bit of ‘foreign’ spice to the mix on The Diecast zone.

Excellent tutorial on the TD David. So many in our car groups as younger men, looked on the TD as a more modern but not as eclectic TC. Lacking in nostalgic early British TC accoutrements, yet more modern esthetics. 

Great post!

@perrone1 +1  Thanks David!