Bob:
When I got my TD back in 1967, it had a heater that was installed by/for the
first owner.
In order to insure hot water to the heater, the "guts" of the original
thermostat were removed. This left the cast iron bar in the housing as you
described. This bar was left in the housing and probably causes no problems.
The original thermostat has to be removed as it has a bypass cut off sleeve. As
my heater was plumbed into the bypass hose, if the original thermostat is left
in, as soon as the thermostat opens hot water to the heater goes down or quits
intirely.
To replace the now gone original thermostat, another US style one was placed on
top of the original housing. It's outside diameter was the same diameter as the
outside of the original cast iron housing. Thus when the upper radiator hose
was slipped on, it held this new thermostat in place.
I assume this conversion was done by a MG service outlet as the installers
correctly understood the function of the original thermostat and bypass system.
Blake
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