Day: 25 July 2025

Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire & London…

It’s now Friday evening after our first week back at it, following our week away of some well needed R&R.

Tuesday morning found us on our first call of the day in Great Billing. Lee and Sue Pudney had asked if we could take a look at Sue’s 2002 TF 135 (in HFN – Le Mans Green with a green hood) as she was unsure whether to get it back on the road having been stood a while or maybe call it a day. It’s definitely one worth saving, so we’ve made a plan to get it back on the road. Lovely to see Sue again and have a catch-up.

From there we went on to Swanbourne, where it was good to see another Sue for work on her 2003 TF 135, also in HFN with a green hood. Minor service carried out, we’d gone armed with a new alternator, as it had been squealing recently, but had rectified itself and also a couple of issues with overheating, which we have put down to having a poor quality coolant cap on it. New pressure tested cap fitted, system bled and ran up to temperature with fans going on and off as they should.

With a stopover in North Marston we headed on to Aylesbury on Wednesday morning, for our first call of the day, where it was lovely to meet Richard and his year 2000 MGF Stepspeed (in Tahiti Blue – JRJ). CVT fluid change carried out, the strainers (oil filter) remain unavailable, despite our constant search to see if anyone is manufacturing them again. He’d also managed to get the car key stuck in the boot lock, we’d advised previously to try Plus Gas (other brands are available) to see if that would help, but to no avail. So Jon disassembled the lock barrel to find that a small piece of casing had broken off inside the lock. Once removed and put back together problem solved.

Next call of the day was just south of Wendover for work on Graham’s 2001 Mk I MGF 120 mpi (in Platinum – MNX). Nearside lower ball joint replaced, that proved to be an awkward beggar. Thermostat and housing replaced, as Graham had noticed a couple of times that the car had overheated. On removal of the housing it was found to be in two halves. The over the gearbox return valve was also completely blocked, so this was cleared. Car ran up to temperature without any further issues. Minor service also carried out. We’d last seen the car about 6 years ago to replace the head gasket. Didn’t see Graham this time.

A stop over in Knowl Hill for the night, and then headed on to Tilehurst near Reading for the first call on Thursday morning, where it was great to see Bill again, whom we’d last seen 6 years ago, for work on his 2004 TF 160 (in Nightfire Red – CBT).

Full cambelt service carried out, along with a gearbox oil change. Great to meet and have fusses with his fab woofer Boris this time.

The next call of the day was over in Woolton Hill, Newbury, where it was great to see Roger again and his 2011 TF 135 (a post LE run car, paint code 288). Minor service carried out and a chat about a few things he was curious about. After a good old chat we bid our farewells and headed on to our last digs of the week in Slough.

We got up bright and early to head over to the last call of the week between Edgeware and Finchley (just over the road from the Royal Airforce Museum, would have been great to have time for a visit). Here it was lovely to meet Luigi and his wife for work on their 2002 TF 160 (in xpower grey – LEF).

Underfloor coolant pipes replaced, lambda sensor replaced, handbrake adjusted, new battery fitted and passenger side window stops and adjustment repaired.

A bit of a long and hot haul back home on a Friday afternoon up the M1. But, it was a good first week back after our hols, with some really great people and their fab MGs.

The weather is looking good for the weekend, may everyone enjoy it where possible and get out and about. 😎 – https://ift.tt/9SW6sgh