I see a red engine, and I want it painted black............;-) -Mi

[Ray]

Hi guys, Colors! Or actually lack thereof! Header tank- jury is out. Like I said before, digitalized photo analysis shows that the tank appears a light or silver color. Maybe a bad old photo. Maybe not. I am not certain that a modern Modine radiator is a very good example...I mean, my new car Modine radiator is black plastic and natural aluminum! The TB dynamo body was unpainted nickel with a black dust cover over the brushes (shown in various factory photos)...a match with the radiator tank would suggest a light color, at the least. I am not sure the idea of joining the header tank to the matrix is a rock solid indicator, either. The matrix is copper, and the tank is not. It could very well have been painted a different color....as the old junk TA radiator in my basement is painted. This radiator came from a late TA that was crashed in the late thirties-early 40's, and due to war shortages never repaired. I bought the car it was attached to as a parts car for my '36 large tank TA. (Gone home now to the UK with its MPJG engine from the second car which worked great! ) This tank has a flat aluminum paint on the header tank, and the rest is black. The problem with most TB's is that they have TC engines in them now. (As most know, the real TB engine has the casting date beside the oil pressure takeoff on the left side of the block, as well as a different number under the dynamo. The TC replacement engines do not.) Because of this, it is tough to say what shade of red the TB engine was originally painted. I am fortunate in having a low mileage original engine in my TB. The one it came with when new. The only thing that appears to have been removed from engine 805 in its short life is the cylinder head. There are traces of the original paint under various bolts, on the rear etc. on the engine......the engine is a std., std., std. unit, by the way. There is absolutely no evidence of black on the engine block. The color is a dark red with puce undertone almost the exact match of the MGB engine color. This was observed when I stripped it down to check it over, since it has sat without running most of its life. I wound up replacing only the rings as I was afraid that they would have collapsed after so long! Now, does that mean that no TB engines were painted black? No. Some of the early TC's (some) had the late TB engine with tensioner, as well as some of the factory hacks. Some of these engines may have been black. Perhaps some of the Tickfords had black engines. This may be what Mr. Stone remembered nearly half a century later, as well as what was referenced in the road test. I will be the first to say that I haven't seen all the TB's, but the show cars that I -have- seen have had TC engines, along with the TC carbs, tappet covers, etc. and I just don't think those cars can be counted on to show most of the sometimes subtle differences between the TB and later cars. If you like a black engine, go for it. You won't have the originality cops outside your door...! At least it will dump more heat, and the dang oil doesn't show! Best Regards, Ray "Remember- It's the collision with the planet that counts!"

----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Hentzen" bill@rangelinemews.com> To: "mg-tabc" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 5:55 PM Subject: [mg-tabc] Black paint > G'day > > A few observations on color of header tanks: > Sept 8,1939 'Light Car' b/w photo shows the header tank light in color to > match dynamo and rocker cover. > Sept 5, 1939 'The Motor' b/w photo shows header tank with same light color > as hoses. > TB factory sales brochure shows header cover and rest of engine the same > depth of color. > Question: Does it seem likely that the bottom tank and side members and > core were painted black and then the top tank attached?. > I sold paint to Modine, a mfg'r of industrial radiators and oil > coolers.They and every radiator shop I visited sprayed in the old days the > cheapest black asphalt cut and more recently a water reducible paint on > assembled units. > So, no answer, only observations. > > On another black paint issue-TB engine color: > October 12, 1945 'Autocar': to repeat other references:" " Under-bonnet" > appearance improved. Electrical leads and pipe lines neatly grouped. Engine > color finish in grey cellulose instead of black." This was from a review of > the new TC. > Easter 1987, MG Nat Meet Perth at the Presentation Dinner where Henry Stone > was guest of honor, my direct question to Henry-what color did you paint TB > engines? His immediate response-black. Harry Pyle did TB440 in black. > However, one very respected Dutch friend, who was a real stickler for > detail said he saw no evidence of any black on his TB engine, only red. > So, again , no answer, only observations. > Black is beautiful on TB437 > > Cheers! >