The MG TD and MG TF represent the final chapter of the T-series Midget lineage, the cars that established MG's reputation in the American sports car market and laid the foundation for every MG sports car that followed. The TD, announced in January 1950 with first production from December 1949 and continuing to August 1953, was a landmark car: it combined the proven XPAG engine with independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and a modern boxed chassis derived from the MG Y-type saloon. It was the first MG offered in left-hand drive, the first with standard bumpers, and the car that made MG a household name in the United States, of approximately 29,664 TDs produced, over 23,000 were exported to North America. The TF, announced at the 1953 London Motor Show on 15 October 1953 with production from September 1953 to April 1955, was a restyled TD with faired headlamps, a raked radiator grille, individual bucket seats, wire wheels as standard, and a pressurised cooling system.
The TF was developed under strict management constraints, MG had been refused permission to produce the MGA, and was a stop-gap redesign of the TD intended to keep MG in the sports car market until the MGA could be released. Approximately 9,600 TFs were built, including 3,400 TF 1500s with the enlarged XPEG engine.
Navigating the TD and TF Parts Catalogue
The parts catalogue is organised by vehicle system, Engine, Cooling, Fuel, Exhaust, Clutch and Gearbox, Suspension and Steering, Road Wheels, Brakes, Electrics, Bodywork, Brightwork, Interior, Weather Equipment, and Service and Lubrication. Within each section, components are identified by the specific TD or TF variant they fit. The key identification references are the chassis number, the engine number prefix, the wheel type (steel disc or wire), and the electrical polarity (positive or negative earth, TD and TF were positive earth from the factory).
The TD Range
The TD range comprises three variants. The standard TD has the XPAG engine producing 54 bhp at 5,200 rpm with 7.25:1 compression and twin SU H2 carburettors. The TD2 (from engine XPAG/TD2/9408, July 1951) introduced a revised block, 8-inch clutch, larger bellhousing, and stronger clutch fork shaft. The TD Mark II (TD/C Competition, around 1,710 built) has 8.6:1 compression with 57 to 61 bhp at 5,500 rpm, twin SU H4 carburettors, dual fuel pumps, and Andrex friction dampers alongside the hydraulic dampers. The Mark II engine prefix changed to XPAG/TD3 from engine 17029 (June 1952), and from chassis TD/C/22613 (December 1952) late Mark IIs received a trim package with chrome radiator slats.
The TF Range
The TF range comprises the TF 1250 (XPAG/TF, Oct 1953 to mid-1954, 57.5 bhp at 5,500 rpm with 8.1:1 compression, closely related to the Mark II engine specification with the larger H4 carburettors, valves, and stronger valve springs) and the TF 1500 (XPEG/TF, from chassis TF/6501, mid-1954 to April 1955, 63 bhp at 5,000 rpm from 1,466cc with 8.3:1 compression). The TF 1500 is a 17 per cent power and torque increase over the TF 1250. The two ran in parallel July to September 1954, with the last TF 1250 leaving at chassis TF/6950. Externally, the only differences are small enamel "TF 1500" badges on each bonnet side and the rear reflectors fitted to the TF 1500.
What Makes These Cars Different
The TD and TF are pre-war in design philosophy, body-on-frame with ash timber sub-structure, folding windscreen, running boards, side curtains, drum brakes all round, and routine lubrication reflecting an era of expected weekly maintenance. The chassis carries numerous grease points (king pins, trunnions, steering rack, spring shackles, propshaft UJs), characteristic of the era. The XPAG and XPEG engines are well-proven units known for tunability and durability, with the crankshaft the most critical component during any rebuild. Production-change detail throughout this catalogue is drawn from factory records.
Demographic and Use
These cars are owned and enjoyed across a broad demographic. Many surviving TDs and TFs reside in North America, where the majority of TD production was originally exported, and a continuing flow of cars between Britain, Europe, and North America keeps both markets active. Owners range from experienced T-series specialists working to concours standards, through independent workshops servicing the cars, to newer enthusiasts venturing into vintage motoring for the first time. The technical detail throughout this catalogue is provided to serve all of these audiences, detailed enough for the knowledgeable restorer, accessible enough for someone encountering an XPAG engine, SU carburettors, and chassis lubrication points for the first time.