Month: March 2026

Beverley, Holme on Spalding Moor, Consett, Edmundbyers, Gateshead, North Broomhill, St John’s Chapel…

Whizz and another week has seemingly flown by, it’s been a busy and interesting one, with a couple of cancellations with slots refilled and a couple of squeeze ins too, and some stunning scenery en route.

Tuesday morning found us on a local one over in Beverley where it was lovely to see Steve and Gloria again for work on their 2002 TF 135 in British Racing Green (HFF). They’ve got a great trip planned this year to drive to the South of France for a friend’s wedding, but taking their time to do the trip and wanted it to be as smooth as possible. Last time we were there we talked about the soft-ride-kit, so we fitted this to the car for them, along with carrying out a minor service and giving the car a check over. The expansion tank cap wasn’t in a fit state, so a new pressure tested one fitted for them.

Thanks to them for all the cuppas and to Gloria for a specially made cake to mark the occasion, so kind. We wish them an enjoyable trip, and the pink ‘Rough Luck’ baseball cap is on order for Gloria to take with her, let’s hope it gets some use with some sunshine along the way.

An early start at the workshop on Wednesday as the engineers were due to swap out our broadband at some point that morning between 8:00 and and 1:00 pm, needless to say they arrived at one o’clock. Our first booking of the day failed to show up, so the MOT had to be cancelled last minute. Our next visitor was Paul who came over from Louth for the minor service and MOT on his 1998 MkI MGF 120, it was great to see Paul again and have a chat while we worked and waited for the MOT to be done. Then our last visitor of the day was Jeff who came over from Driffield in his LE 500 (paint code 110) for minor service, battery check and a chat about further maintenance. Date to be booked in for full underfloor-treatment, which is to be advised with the LEs.

Up bright and early on Thursday morning to head up to a very cold Consett where it was good to meet Paul for work on his 2005 TF 115 Spark in Xpower Grey (LEF) that he’s owned from new.

Full cambelt service carried out and underfloor-coolant pipes replaced with stainless steel ones. He’d been experiencing the odd overheating issue when stood in traffic. The head gasket had been replaced at some point in the and he’s had it checked locally who couldn’t pinpoint anything. After carrying out all our usual checks we concluded that it’s perhaps a very minor weep, which will of course need sorting, but Paul wants to keep an eye on it for now and monitor any further issues.

From Consett we headed over to Edmundbyers for hydragas pump up on Simon’s 1999 MGF in Mulberry Red (CDM) that he’s owned from new. Lovely to meet Simon and have a quick chat before heading over to our digs for the night near Newcastle.

So this Friday morning we left our digs and headed further north to North Broomhill for the minor service on Kevin’s Trophy (paint code FAR). Unfortunately, it’s also showing signs of head gasket failure, so a date arranged to return to sort it. Always great to see Kevin and Amanda and have a good catch-up, plus fusses with the very cute Monty dog.

From there we headed across to our last call of the week, in St John’s Chapel, to see Paul and his 2004 TF 115 Spark (in LEF). Paul just needed us to check out the front brakes, he’d noticed uneven wear on the pads, this appeared to have been caused by the pads sticking in the 4-pot calipers. Good to see Paul again and have a chat before making our way back home, again through some very beautiful countryside, which also took us through Barnard Castle, so we stopped off for a cuppa and a call in to the amazing chocolate shop, Chocolate Fayre, definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!

Hope everyone has a really great weekend, where possible wherever you may be. We old codgers should be at a school reunion tomorrow night, but not sure we’ll make it as we’re feeling a bit fatigued now. We’ll see… – https://ift.tt/kPVy0Lo

Heanor, Milton Keynes, Aspley Guise, Swanbourne…

First call of the week found us in Heanor, near Derby where it was great to meet Barry, who had got in touch last year to see if we could come over and carry out some work on his fab 2003 TF 135, in Solar Red (code CMU).

Both front wishbones replaced, both top ball joints replaced and a full cambelt service carried out for him and he’s all now set for the summer months. Big thanks to him and his lovely wife for the cuppas and cakes.

An early start on Thursday to head down to Milton Keynes for work on Peter’s 1996 MGF VVC, in Flame Red (code COF). He’d noticed some time ago that the nearside rear had sunk down quite substantially. So he opted to have all four of the spheres replaced. The sphere in question certainly had come to the end of its days! The car is now looking a whole lot better and back to its correct ride height for Peter to enjoy driving again.

From there we went over to Aspley Guise where it was lovely to see Phil and Liz again and their 2001 MGF 120, in Solar Red, that they’ve owned from new, it was also sitting a bit low, but only required a pump up. Thanks to Phil for the tray of tea and biscuits and a quick catch-up before we headed along to our digs. With an early finish I made the most of the fab weather and took myself off for a very long yomp around Lindford Lakes and the surrounding area, which made a nice change to discover somewhere new.

Following our stopover in Milton Keynes we headed along to Swanbourne this morning, where it was lovely to see Sue again and her 2003 TF 135, in Le Mans Green (code HFN) which was in need of a new head gasket. All carried out for Sue in time to enjoy the summer months ahead. Thanks to Sue for the teas, after a chat with her and her husband we headed home, with the obligatory stop-off for Jon on the way to Hotel Chocolat!

Hope everyone has a great weekend ahead. – https://ift.tt/4YlEG2R

A busy week away taking in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex…

Monday morning found us heading down to Trunch for our first call of the week, where it was really lovely to meet Gary and his 1998 Abingdon, in Brooklands Green (HYF), that he’s fairly recently taken ownership of. Minor service carried out along with a pump-up of the ride height.

After a stopover in North Walsham we went over to Shadingfield on Tuesday morning where it was great to see Nigel again and his 2004 TF 135 in Royal Blue (JFM). Minor service carried out this time, along with replacing the HT leads and coil packs. Thanks to Nigel for the homemade lemon drizzle and delicious fruit cakes!

Our next call of the day was over in Old Newton, near Stowmarket for work on Andrews 2005 TF 135 Spark in Starlite Silver (MBB). Short cambelt service carried out along with alternator belt. Shame not to actually meet Andrew, but thanks to his lovely wife for the cuppas, good to chat to her before we headed off to our next digs over in Ipswich.

Wednesday morning found us over in Clopton, near Woodbridge where it was great to see Kenneth again and his 2001 MGF 1.8 i in Wedgewood (JBH) that we had replaced the clutch on last year. This time all that was required was a minor service and a hydragas lift. We’d taken a set of spheres as he wasn’t sure that at least one of the spheres had gone, but they were all still in good condition. Good to have a chat and a few cuppas with Kenneth before we bid our farewell and headed on to our next digs.

After a stopover in a really beautiful spot (I got a very decent early season deal!) just outside of Colchester city centre, we set off bright and early on Thursday morning to head a few miles along across the city to see Claire’s 2002 TF 135 in British Racing Green (HFF), that was due it’s cambelt service again. Full service carried out for her. Great to see Claire again and have a cuppa and catch-up.

The next call of the day was over in Halstead for some further work on Eamonn’s 2003 TF 160 in Le Mans Green (HFN). Full cambelt service carried out, alternator belt, plus replacement of the nearside rear driveshaft oil-seal, that had been pointed out at a recent MOT, gearbox oil change. The heaters had stopped working not long after our last visit, so we carried out an oil-cooler bypass and replaced the heater-control-valve, which has resolved the issue and he now has heat back in the heaters.

Good to see Eamonn and his lovely wife again, thanks to them for all the cuppas and homemade buns. Thankfully, there was just enough room in the garage to work in, as it was blew an absolute hoolie all day! A bit of a long day, but fortunately our digs were only a short distance away, and another very nice spot next to Goslfield lake, despite the storms throughout the night.

And that brings us to this Friday morning, we got up bright and early to head up to the last call of the week in Wiggenhall St Peter, where it was great to catch-up with Mark as always. The cambelt service due date had come around again on his 2010 LE500 (paint code 287), so a short service carried out this time, along with greasing both front top arms. Thanks to Mark for the cuppas and biscuits.

We’re now back home, having had a successful first full week away of the year, big thanks to everyone for their warm welcomes and fab hospitality, with some really great MGs too. – https://ift.tt/OW85qLx

Holme on Spalding Moor, Ratby, Northampton, Harpole, Conisbrough…

A busy Monday morning at the workshop.

We had Justin’s orange 2008 LE 500 over from Cottingham (number 060) for an MOT. Offside front track-rod end came up as an advisory so we replaced this. Plus advisories on surface rust so a date to be found and to get it booked in for the undersealing to be done. Simon came over from Dronfield in his 2004 TF 135 for minor service and MOT and Ray came over from Hull in his 2003 TF 135 for minor service, replacement of nearside rear wheel-bearing and the MOT.

Great to see everyone again, and get everything sorted.

Tuesday morning we headed off early to Ratby where it was good to see Paul again and his orange 2008 LE 500 (number 065). Paul had attempted to change the front brakes, but couldn’t remove the caliper-pins so asked if we could come over and help. Paul had bought replacement Mike Satur pins so the old ones were duly removed and new ones fitted.

From there we headed down to Northampton to see Jon’s 2002 TF 135 that he’d recently taken ownership of. Minor service carried out, oil leak located and sorted, new HT leads fitted and a squeaky clutch release arm de-squeaked. Shame not to meet Jon as he was at work, but thanks to his wife for her hospitality.

We stayed overnight in a lovely village called Flore as seemed silly to drive all the way back home again only to return to Harpole the next day.

Our first job of the day on Wednesday was unavoidably postponed, so we went over to Neil’s earlier than expected. The cambelt service was due on his 2002 TF 135, so full service carried out along with a check of the handbrake and rear caliper, which was found to be a faulty mechanism, which will require a new caliper. Good to see Neil again, thanks to him for the cuppas and biscuits before driving back home.

We headed over to Conisbrough on Thursday morning to sort out an issue with Marks 2003 TF 115, the SRS light kept staying on which we suspected was due to the seatbelt pretensioner being dodgy, so we replaced this with one of our secondhand ones, which has resolved it. Minor service carried out along with new HT leads as his just crumbled. Great to see Mark again, date booked in for the cambelt service next year.

From there we went round the corner to check out Neil’s TF 135, while he was undersealing it recently he’d become concerned about a couple of things and just wanted reassurance that it wasn’t anything too serious. Date also booked in for the cambelt service next year.

Back to the workshop on Friday to give the van a service and get it all stocked up for our next away trip, starting on Monday morning in Norfolk.

Day off today and then tomorrow we head over to Stockport, to collect our refurbed hydragas spheres and then to make a trip up to Carnforth to check out Adams ZR that he’s been having a few issues with. We suspect from his description that it could be the Saab valve at fault, so a replacement one duly ordered just in case, we shall see anyway and go from there, he knows it may not resolve it, but is grateful for us coming out on a Sunday to check.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! – https://ift.tt/hw54sP2