Month: January 2026

A busy and productive week, with a mix of days at the workshop and on the road…

An early start on Monday morning at the workshop to get cracking with the work on Julie’s 2004 TF 135 (in Royal Blue – JFM) that she’d had delivered to us over the weekend.

The car has been off the road for some time, as had failed the last MOT and Julie was deciding whether to keep it going, having owned it from new. So, after weighing everything up with us regarding the work and the subsequent costs, she decided to go ahead. Both front wishbones replaced, welding to both rear sills, amongst quite an extensive list, there’s still a couple things to sort next week and then finally to get it MOTd at the garage we use.

We had intended on going over to Crewe on Tuesday, but having heard the weather report with storm Chandra putting in an appearance, we contacted Ian, who fully understood that it would be in everyone’s best interests to reschedule to Wednesday, when the forecast was slightly less grim.

So Tuesday was spent at the workshop, with work continuing on Julie’s TF and an investigation into what had caused ‘Princess’s’ head gasket to go again. On pressure testing the system, found that the radiator hose clip had sprung a leak, both clips duly replaced and strip down commenced.

We eventually got to Crewe on Wednesday, following many delays on the M62, for work on Ian’s year 2000 MGF 120, (in British Racing Green – HFF) that he’d bought fairly recently to enjoy using for auto-solos. He’s been busy stripping it all out and making various modifications to get it race ready and asked us to come over to do a few bits. Head gasket replacement, cambelt service, hydragas pump up and a coolant flush all done. Great to meet Ian, we wish him well with the season ahead, and with his first event in this car in a few weeks time.

Thursday morning found us over in Marsden, near Huddersfield, where it was lovely to meet Mike and his 2004 TF 115 (in xpower grey – LEF) that his wife had bought him as a birthday present 10 years ago.

Full cambelt service carried out, along with replacing the throttle body for a 52 mm and installing a Kmaps remap. Interesting chats with Mike while we worked about his days spent rally driving and subsequently as a steward. Thanks to him for all the mugs of tea and choccy bics, very welcome on a cold drizzly day.

We then headed over to Emley for hydragas pump up on a 1998 MGF 120 (in Tahiti – JRJ) that has been in Mike’s family from new and is now going to be enjoyed by his granddaughter. The car was very low, and he was getting concerned, as the local garage, who used to pump it up, had got rid of their pump, sadly. Good to meet Mike, we’re pleased to have it back to the correct ride height again for them.

And that brings us to Friday again. Gary drove down from Teeside, in his TF 135 for some welding work to be carried out on the offside front sill, that he’d found when sanding down some rust spots. Great to see Gary as always and have a catch-up, we are pleased to hear that his son Liam has completed his apprenticeship at Porsche, can’t believe how that time has flown, doesn’t seem five minutes ago that Liam was telling us about starting it! Well done and congratulations to him for a brilliant career ahead. Shame about the foul weather for Gary’s drive back home in his car, that again can’t believe, was six years ago that he bought ‘Madam’ from us.

We’re also pleased to report that ‘Princess’ (year 2001 Mk1 MGF 120) is now back together again, having had a new head gasket, and a couple of other bits that we found whilst in there. She’s all ready for mum and daughter Leona and Laura to collect.

I’ve not looked at the forecast for the weekend yet, but here’s hoping it’s slightly more clement than the past cold and dismal grey days most of us have experienced. All the same, have a great weekend everyone near and far. It won’t be long until we have those sunny top-down days again! – https://ift.tt/Byk3dUx

What a wet week that was, thank crunchie it’s Friday!

Wednesday found us over in Tickhill, near Doncaster, for work on John’s year 2000 MGF 120 mpi (in Solar Red – CMU). We’d last seen him and the car a couple of years ago for hydragas pump up. Since then he’d had it in to a garage for a head replacement and to then find where quite a bad oil leak was coming from, only to be told that it would be in his best interests to just scrap the car. That’s not very helpful is it.

John thought the head gasket had gone again, so asked if we could come over and sort it. Fortunately, for John, the head gasket was fine. The cambelt service, however, was well overdue. So we got cracking and did this for him. The brake lines had come up as an advisory on his last MOT, so we replaced these for him too. The oil leak was coming from the cam oil-seals and the oil-pump oil-seal, so we replaced all of these and cleaned up the excess oil. We’re pleased to have got John sorted, he can again enjoy what is a cracking car, that definitely doesn’t need to be scrapped!

Thursday morning we went only a short distance along to Kirk Ella, for the minor service on Steve’s year 2001 MGF 120 (also in Solar Red). Good to see Steve again.

From there we headed over to Broomfleet as Laura had been experiencing an intermittent misfire on her MGF ‘Princess’, on inspection we found that the head gasket had gone again, not sure why, but we’ve arranged for her to come back into the workshop next week to get her sorted once again.

This Friday morning found us over in Stockport, for a cambelt service on Dave’s 2003 TF 135 (another Solar Red). He’d been given the car and is gradually getting everything done to get it back on the road, having been stood for a couple of years. It’s very low mileage and has evidently been well cared for in the past. We’d apparently worked on it some years ago, as there was one of our decals in the folder, which unfortunately didn’t have a lot of service history and we can’t recall the previous owner, which is a shame. Pleased to see though that Dave is invested in it and will enjoy a new lease of life.

Thanks to everyone for the welcome warming brews this week. Have a great weekend everyone, here’s hoping the wet stuff clears up a bit. ☔️ – https://ift.tt/NwpekdU

That was a long, busy old week, and by heck was it nithering, roll on spring. 🥶

Dave dropped off his 2002 TF 160 (in Solar Red – CMU) with us on Saturday, having driven up from Retford. So we got cracking with this first thing on Monday morning. Full cambelt service carried out. The bottom 13 mm water pump was glued into the hole as the threads had been previously stripped, so we drilled and helicoiled it out and replaced with new. The fans were staying permanently on, replacing the air pressure temperature sensor sorted this issue out.

It was nice to see Connor again, who came over from Gilberdyke to leave his 2002 TF 135 with us (also in Solar Red). Initially he’d asked if we could check out an issue he had with the reverse lights and brake lights not coming on. On inspection, it was the supply from the battery to the fusebox that was causing the issue. Rather than take the whole dashboard out, we made an alternative supply fused with the correct amperage.

Whilst in with us, Connor asked if we could check the car over for any further issues. He mentioned that the cambelt service was overdue, so we got this done for him, along with replacing the nearside front top ball-joint, nearside front track-rod-end, both rear subframe-mounts, (most of the bolts sheared off and required drilling and tapping), welding to the nearside rear sill, replacing the coil pack cover that was missing and repairing the wiring. All completed by Thursday and ready for Connor to pick up after work.

Peter dropped off his 2003 TF 135 (in Trophy Blue – JFV) on the way over from Worsley to Bridlington for a few days away with his wife, in their motorhome. They have an A-frame to tow their TF behind it, which is a brilliant bit of kit.

Minor service carried out along with the MOT, and all ready for them to collect on their way back home later in the week. Lovely to see Peter again when he came to collect, they were enjoying their stay so much they’d decided to go back for a few more nights. We look forward to seeing him again next year.

Wednesday found us over in Folkton, near Filey, for work on some of Stuart’s amazing fleet. Fortunately, he had a big shed for us to work in, although it was still a killer on the digits. Good job we’d ordered a truck load of hand and feet warmers!

First up was his Lotus Elise S1 120 (fab car in an equally fab livery) that was due a cambelt service. The underfloor-tray bolts proved to be on the side of awkward, but eventually the grinder came out to remove a couple which were replaced with new. Rest of the service went to plan, it just takes a little bit longer.

Next up was his 2003 TF 135 (in Sunspot Yellow – IAC), which was also overdue for the cambelt service. Really great to see Stuart again and have a good chat while we worked, we’d not seen him for a number of years, but fantastic to see that his enthusiasm for collecting some rare and interesting cars is still very much in evidence.

That brings us to today, where we headed up to a very foggy Butterknowle in Bishop Auckland first thing this morning.

Ken is in the process of getting his sister’s 1997 MGF VVC (in Flame Red – COF) back on the road for her. So he asked if we could come over and carry out the cambelt service and to investigate a significant oil leak.

The engine mount bolts did not want to budge, so we resorted to Plan B, which didn’t work, so we figured out a new plan! We went armed with all seals and gaskets for every eventuality and found that the oil leak was down to the cam oil seals, so both of these replaced and a blast off and clean up of the old, congealed oil. All now sorted and ready for Ken to complete the rest of the list in order to give this one a new lease of life. Great to see Ken as always and have a chat while we worked, thanks to him for the welcome warming cuppas and the jar of honey from his bees.

An interesting week, with a few challenges along the way, but we got there. Enjoy the weekend everyone, near and far. – https://ift.tt/rj3OuBv

📌 FRIENDS ROUND LONDON

Is on again for 2026! ✊🏽

Please note that the links on the pics won’t work, but just go to the Facebook page for it and all details will pop up there for you to see. 🚘 – https://ift.tt/6MB0TgZ

Hope everyone had a good festive season, and here we are already a week into a very chilly 2026…

The last job of 2025 was on the 30th December, up in the north east, first in Amble to get the engine mount bracket replaced on Darren’s ‘05 TF 135, that the bolt had sheared off on (see previous post). Big thanks to Phil Bell & Maggy for posting one out to us. Then we headed to Blyth, Ian had read that we would be back up and had a problem with his TF 135 (Chinese post-LE run). The 3-way coolant hose connector had split so we advised to purchase a Mike Satur anodized one, which we duly fitted for him, glad to have him sorted as it’s his daily runner at the moment, good to see him again too.

So after a few days off, over new year, we got back at it in the workshop on a very cold Monday morning. Doors shut and space-heater sparked up, only for it to run out of gas after 20 minutes, nooo not good! 🥶

Paul had his ‘97 MGF 1.8 mpi delivered to us from Sheffield, we’d last seen the car for assessment, following a suspected snapped cambelt. Sure enough the damage was significant, so we got on with sourcing a replacement engine, thanks to Will Naylor for supplying it.

Originally booked in to commence work on Wednesday, the clutch job booked in for Monday morning had forgotten! So we got cracking on this.

Old engine out, then once it was out, we replaced the clutch and water pump. Once back in new head gasket fitted, cambelt replaced, alternator belt replaced and everything else reassembled.

Underfloor coolant pipes replaced with stainless, hydragas pump up, new battery fitted and coolant cap. Car ran up to temperature and now sounding smooth as, the engine we replaced was half the age of the old one. So ‘Pixie’ is now all ready for a new lease of life and for Paul and his wife Enis to enjoy for many years to come.

Robert had also trailered over his ‘06 TF 135 to us from the north east on Monday afternoon, initially booked in for a clutch replacement, he asked if we could also take a look at a couple of other issues and give the car a check over and then send it for an MOT.

We set about replacing the clutch and discovered, once it was out, that it had been done not too long ago. The clutch release-arm was seized solid, which if not eased off at the time of fitting a new clutch kit it will just leave you in the same position. The pressure-plate had been forced on to the friction-plate, wearing away all four of the retaining rivets. See pics. Arm duly eased off, and everything reassembled. One of the bolts was missing on the gearbox support arm and one of the others was loose! All four bolts replaced. The PRT was leaking, as it had a broken clip and the other had been replaced with a tie-wrap, hmm.

Plus we replaced the rear nearside shocker as the spring had snapped, nearside rear drop-link replaced. Window mechanism repaired, as this had collapsed.

Minor service carried out then sent round for the MOT. All now complete and ready for Robert to come and collect. We look forward to seeing him again, we’re really pleased to have it all sorted for him to finally enjoy getting some miles in.

Our other visitor this week was Steve, who came over from Woodmansey to leave his ‘05 TF 135 Spark with us for its annual service and MOT. Good to see him as always.

So with our no-show on Monday we’re done a day ahead of schedule, so will take the opportunity tomorrow to drop off the yearly tax returns, which we did whilst off at new year. Then head over to Stockport to drop off a big batch of spheres with Kevin for refurbishing, and then finally on to visit Will to collect a galvanised subframe.

Hope the weather isn’t too grotty with storm Goretti threatening to wreak havoc. Stay warm and safe everyone, batten down those hatches! 💨 – https://ift.tt/jxg7baB