The original-equipment steering wheel is a defining visual element of the TD and TF cockpit, sitting at the centre of the dashboard panel and providing the principal driver-control surface of the car. The factory-supplied wheel is a three-spoke design typical of British sports cars of the early 1950s, a period style that places the wheel in a near-vertical plane, mounted on a long column that places the rim well forward of the driver in the traditional pre-war driving position.
Centrepiece & Mounting
The original-style centrepiece assembly is the chrome-trimmed central cap that covers the steering column nut and provides the visual centre of the wheel, carrying the MG identity at the heart of the dashboard arrangement and a critical concours-correct detail, as aftermarket wheel centres are quite different in appearance and immediately read as non-original to anyone familiar with T-series cars, the centrepiece being secured to the hub by a single screw also catalogued individually. The steering wheel locates on the column splines via a Woodruff-type locating key that ensures the wheel is fitted in the correct angular position relative to the straight-ahead road wheel position, as without the key the wheel could be fitted at any rotation, leaving the spokes off-centre when driving straight ahead, and the steering wheel nut secures the wheel to the threaded end of the inner column.
The Original Driving Position
The original wheel diameter delivers the steering leverage intended by the designers, which is significant on the TD and TF as the rack-and-pinion steering has no power assistance and the unassisted effort required at parking speeds and during low-speed manoeuvring is considerable, so a smaller-diameter aftermarket wheel reduces the leverage available and makes the steering noticeably heavier, particularly when on full lock at standstill. Owners weighing up an aftermarket wheel against the original specification should consider this trade-off, as the smaller wheel feels more sporting on the move but is harder work in town traffic and reversing, so some owners retain the original wheel for daily use and keep an aftermarket wheel for show or competition events, while others fit a slightly smaller wheel as a compromise.
Originality & Restoration
Original TD and TF steering wheels in good condition are increasingly difficult to source today, the plastic rim of an original wheel often showing hairline cracking, fading, or chipping after seven decades of use, particularly on cars stored uncovered or in sunny climates where ultraviolet exposure has degraded the rim material, and restoration of original wheels is a specialist skill that a number of trim and instrument restorers in the UK and North America offer. Owners restoring a TD or TF to concours standard should plan for original-wheel restoration as part of the project rather than expecting to source a replacement wheel in showroom condition.
The original-style centrepiece assembly and its securing screw are catalogued here, while the locating key, steering wheel nut, and other column-end mounting components are catalogued under Steering Column & Rack, and owners requiring a complete original-style wheel should contact MGOC Spares directly to discuss availability as original-equipment wheels are sourced as supply allows.