The starter motor is the Lucas M35G, an inertia-engagement (Bendix-type) unit, painted black, on the RH side of the engine, actuated by the floor-mounted starter pull cable from the dashboard. The pinion slides forward on a coarse helical thread to engage the flywheel ring gear and disengages automatically when the engine fires. The starter is operated by a separate pull cable, distinct from the ignition switch which controls only ignition and lighting, typical of British cars of the era and often a surprise to owners familiar with modern key-start.
Reconditioning Service
Original M35G starters with correct finish and specification are not easy to find today, so MGOC Spares offers reconditioning on a customer's own unit basis. Brush sets, brush springs, armature, drive end and commutator end bushes, main spring, pinion, pinion spring, pinion retaining nut, sleeve and nut, and the sundry parts kit are all available individually.
Brush Specifications, Radial vs Axial
Two brush specifications exist and matching the correct kit is the commonest identification point. The original-design brushes are radial-acting (sliding inwards towards the commutator); many reconditioned starters use axial-acting (sliding parallel to the shaft). Both come as four-brush kits. Brush type is determined by the carrier inside the motor, not the external designation, inspect existing brushes before ordering.
Drive End Bush, Pinion and Engagement Mechanism
The drive end bush supports the shaft at the front where the pinion slides on the helical thread. Pinion, pinion spring, main drive spring, and pinion retaining nut ("TF original design" in the catalogue) are all individually available. The engagement mechanism is the most demanding part of a rebuild, spring tensions and pinion clearances must be set correctly for reliable operation. The sundry parts kit covers smaller fixings and washers easily lost during dismantling.
Mounting and Wiring
The starter mounts via two bolts with spring washers, checked for thread integrity during overhaul. The starter switch (an in-line solenoid in the cable run between dashboard pull and starter) is a separate item with a coupling, two rubber terminal covers, and a bracket. Terminal covers must always be fitted, the high-current connections carry full battery voltage and a short to chassis is a fire risk. Floor-mounted Bakelite-style starter buttons are a period-correct conversion (Electrics Upgrades).
Polarity Considerations
Both models were supplied positive earth from the factory. The starter is a series-wound DC unit that functions on either polarity provided the connections are correctly matched, the starter does not "know" the earth direction. After a positive-to-negative conversion, the starter wiring should be checked, but the unit itself does not require repolarisation as the dynamo does.
TD and TF Access Differences
On the TD, the starter is accessible from the engine bay with the bonnet sides opened, the TD bonnet sides lift away in the T-type tradition, giving genuine access to both sides of the engine. On the TF, with fixed bonnet sides, removable louvred aluminium panels inside each front wing ease access to the starter and oil filter. Servicing the TF starter requires removing the inner wing panel and working through a restricted aperture, significantly more involved than the TD task, and worth bearing in mind when diagnosing starting problems.
The Starting Handle as Backup
The starting handle remains the backup starting method on both models and should always be carried. On the TD it stows in three clips on the back of the seat squab below the tonneau rail; on the TF it clips to the back of the tonneau. It engages with the starting dog at the front of the crankshaft, with a spring-loaded mechanism that releases automatically when the engine fires. Handle, clips, and engagement mechanism must all be serviceable, a handle that fails to disengage can cause serious injury as it whips round under engine power.
Ordering Considerations
Identify the brush type (radial original-design or axial reconditioned) and confirm whether the unit retains original internal components or has been rebuilt with later parts. Reconditioning is on a customer's own unit basis, exchange units are not supplied given the scarcity of original cores. Mounting bolts and spring washers (qty 2 each) should be renewed if tired. Starter switch, coupling, and terminal covers are common to TD and TF.