Wilsons Sandbox

Gentlepersons: I suscribed to the list because I was certain the gods were
about to smile and let me purchase a TC. Due to my timidity and a lady
friend (roommate), I missed the deal. Broken hearted, with money still in
my pocket, and thinking I would never find another TC, I was tempted by a
TF.... I bought it Saturday and then started to do my homework. I have
ordered the "Original MG T Series" but wont have it for a few days. The
burning question of the moment concerns the serial number of the car;
TF 12342. It is on a plate on the tool box lid.....Moss catalog says should
be on firewall. Also, I think less than 10,000 of these puppies were built
so Im concerned that the number may be bogus. (The Florida title is for a
1954 MG TF and reflects the number on the car.) Im concerned that in two
years, when I want to sell it, someone at least as smart as I should have
been on Saturday will say "what the.......?" I may be able to squirm out of
the deal this morning, based on a "funny" serial number.....can anyone
help....with alacrity? Thank you for allowing this intrusion, Larry

Larry,

I always wanted a TF since I was a kid, but fell in love with a TB before I
could buy it!

You MUST have a TF which has a chassis in the range TF250 to TF10100,
whatever anyone says. However the number you can see on the tool box, is in
the correct place, and is the BODY number NOT the chassis number. TF 12342
can be interpreted roughly as follows: Body numbers started at 10000, Bearing
in mind the chassis started at TF250 (ish) we need to take 10249 off of your
number to get 2093. So your TF should be somewhere around chassis TF 2100. If
it was, then it would have been produced in December 1953 or January 1954,
though possibly a little later. This seems to be in line with the information
you have that this is a 1954 car. BODY numbers are not a particularly
reliable guide on date.

The plate with the chassis and engine numbers should be on the bulkhead
(firewall) on the left hand side at the end of the toolbox, if you still have
one. The chassis number should read something like HDE36 TF2100 I think.
(Can't be absolutely certain). Do you have a number like this anywhere, in
your Florida documentation? Tell me what it is.

If your Florida document says the chassis is TF 12342 then I think someone
has been a complete idiot somewhere along the line (might be me of course)!

On a UK Vehicle registration the VIN or vehicle identification number
(chassis no) is on the document plus the XPAG engine number, don't you have a
system like this in Florida?

The engine number should also be on an octagonal plate on the right hand side
of the crank case. Your car should be a 1250 XPAG engine and the engine
number should start XPAG/TF then the number. Can you find this? Tell me what
it is.

The chassis number should be stamped on the chassis frame, on the outside
vertical surface of the left hand front chassis horn, which carries the front
bumper, but is usually hidden by the front wing and valance.

In my view your car is probably OK. Only you can tell whether the price is
justified on the basis of history and condition. If you could have waited a
few days |I would have firmly recommended you read through Clausager's book
which is terrific, before getting out your chequebook. Most of the
information above came from it. It would help you ask the right questions
right up front.

Please let me know how you get on. Give me ANY numbers you have and I will
try to find out what they mean.

Mike