Day: 16 May 2025

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland trip – May 2025
Days 11 – 13 of 15…

Following a stopover in Dumbarton we headed on to Clydebank on Wednesday morning, where it was great to catch-up with Aldo again and his 2004 TF 135 (in Nightfire Red – CBT) that was needing its cambelt service. Full service carried out, all went nicely, on a weirdly freezing cold morning, thanks to Aldo for the warming cuppas!

From there we went over to Lochwinnoch to see Neil’s 2001 MGF 1.8 mpi (in Solar Red – CMU) that he’d reported was having difficulty with the clutch pedal. Clutch slave-cylinder replaced and system bled through, replacing the manky old black fluid. Good to have a catch-up with Neil again before heading off to our digs in Largs for the next couple of nights

Thursday morning found us at Alan’s, bright and early, for the start of a busy couple of days working on some of his interestingly ever depleting and alternatively growing fleet!

In no particular order we carried out the following…

2006 TF 135 (in Twilight – IAV) we hauled the big old bearing press up with us to replace the nearside rear wheel bearing that he’d noticed was on its way out. Rear discs and pads replaced, front discs replaced and calipers cleaned up. Cigar lighter repaired as he may be using this one for his and Andy’s holiday to France this year.

2003 TF 135 (in Typhoon – IAB) a fairly recent acquisition Alan that had wanted us to check out. The coolant was quite low in the tank, we found the heater control-valve was leaking so we replaced this, oil leak was due to a loosely fitting oil filter, this was replaced along with a few litres of oil, the noise in the engine he’d noticed was due to very tappity hydraulic-lifters, so a can of Wynn’s hydraulic-lifter cleaner was added, and after about 20 minutes the engine was sounding really smooth. We also fitted the stainless-steel exhaust back-box from his donor car, a bit of an improvement!

2003 TF 160 Sprite (in Le Mans Green – HFN). Another fairly new acquisition, which was in need of a full cambelt service, alternator belt and new coolant cap. We also replaced the wing mirrors and door handle from the donor car (poor Noel, bits of you will live on). New heater controls fitted and radio looked at, which was found to be duff. Shame we had run out of reverse-light switches, the one on Noel was duff too unfortunately. Other than that this would have been ready for its MOT. All in all it’s a really nice one he’s got himself.

His 2004 TF 160 (in Aurora – paint code MBB haha) had a blow from the exhaust, found to be coming from a broken flexi-section, we removed the one from Noel and fitted that. Cigar lighter checked over and cleaned up, as again this one may be used for the France trip and will be handy for phones and satnav.

Then that leaves us with ‘Bugsey’, his 2001 MGF 1.8 mpi (in Copperleaf Red – CDX). This car runs really well, once it’s going. It’s always been a little reluctant at starting, and when stopped at traffic lights etc. it starts to overheat.

So after some diagnostics and pressure tests etc, we replaced the spark plugs, which were in fact the wrong ones for the car, replaced the thermostat, the ECU temperature sensor. It’s still not quite right. But, Alan has some big plans for the car that we’re looking to do later in the year anyway. We actually think it’s the proverbial, this will get done as part of the plans anyway. It’s a lovely car and it’ll be good to get it to the spec he’s after.

A very busy two days work, we got everything done, which is great. Alan took the Aurora and the Twilight for the MOTs today, which both got a clean bill of health and will be ready for the adventures that await this year.

Great to see Alan and Andy and have a chat and a catch-up. They headed off this afternoon, while we were still there, for their weekend on the Highlander, at Nethybridge, which we must try and get to again next year, (if it goes ahead), it’s a cracking few days and we look forward to seeing everyone’s photos and updates.

We now find ourselves in Prestwick for the night. It’s a beautiful sunny Friday evening and as we made our way here saw that the pubs were all heaving and people making the most of this amazing weather. It’s tea, bath, telly and bed on our agenda, no such fun for us. We have our penultimate day of the trip tomorrow, not many miles south from here, in Dalrymple.

Have a fab weekend everyone, hope you can, where possible, get out and about with your tops down in the sun. 🌞 – https://ift.tt/jVi8hPO