MG Car Repair: 1954 MG TF brakes, mg car club, chassis number

Question
Hi

I have an MG TF that has been in storage for years and up on stilts. The back wheels seem to have locked and I cannot turn the wheel at the back to get to the screw to loosen the brakes.
I am not by any means a mechanic and have very little experience fixing cars.
Can you assist please?

Answer
Hi Gary.  This is a nasty problem.  Basically, the brake shoes are stuck to the drums with rust.  You have got to free them without doing too much damage.  You can try rotating the drum using a BIG socket on a long bar.  The nut on the end of the halfshaft is held with a big split pin and you will need a 1 + 5/16 inches AF socket.  You must only rotate the drum clockwise, otherwise you will just undo the nut, which will solve nothing.  

If that fails, you will have to sacrifice the brake shoe linings.  Spray penetrating oil such as Plus Gas into the gap at the rear of the drum.  Work all the way round the drum.  It should now come free, you can release the brake adjusters and the drum will come off.  Unfortunately, the brake shoes will now be contaminated with penetrating oil so you must replace them.

If all this fails, get back to me for more ideas.

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By the way, please could you tell me the chassis number of the TF?  I am the TF Registrar of the MG Car Club, so I try to keep a record of every TF that still exists anywhere in the world.