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Denton & Failsworth, near Manchester…

The usual slow, stop-start journey that is the M62 this morning, and despite a contingency of an added hour to the ETA we were still 15 minutes late!

Anyway we got there eventually for work on Steve’s ‘02 TF 135 (in HFN) that we had last worked on 7 years ago at another garage.

Full cambelt service carried out, along with alternator belt. On firing it up the car had a rough and lumpy idle. This was located to be due to very old and corroded coil packs and HT leads, so these were swapped out for decent secondhand ones. Plus there was no return to the tank as a couple of the return hoses were well gunked up with k-seal. I’d already cleaned out the tank that was full of the stuff! Car now running nice and smooth with a healthy return to the tank.

Great to see Steve and have a chat, who made us a few welcome and cracking brews.

From Steve’s we headed a few miles along the road to Failsworth, where it was lovely to meet Darryl and her ‘02 TF 135 (in JRJ) that she’s owned since 2007, but unfortunately hasn’t had any use out of it for a couple of years.

We went over today to replace the slave-cylinder and free off the clutch release-arm, to get her moving again. We discussed everything else that needs doing to bring the car back to rights, despite her being told by another garage that it should just be scrapped, which is a shame as there’s nothing that can’t be done to save it.

Jon popped over to the workshop yesterday, as Steve came over from Hull to collect his MGF that had been in with us for the subframe swap. Plus Pete came over from Barton with his TF 160 for a check over of a couple of things ahead of his track day at Silverstone today.

The van is all stocked up and ready for our trip south in the morning for a few days… – https://ift.tt/FvJfZIt

Rear subframe replacement…

Steve left his MGF 1.8 mpi (paint code CMU) with us for replacement of the rear subframe. Steve had sourced his own subframe and not gone for one of our galvanized ones. Steve had sourced a secondhand frame and had prepped and painted it up himself in Hammerite paint.

The usual crusted and corroded bolts removed and replaced along with gear-box oil change, clutch fluid and hydragas lift. The flexi-exhaust section had certainly seen better days and fell to pieces, so this was replaced, along with one of the ball joints. Car all now sorted and ready for collection.

It wasn’t the week we had planned, we had to do a bit of a switch around with the away jobs last week that should have been this week and the subframe last week done this week, due to personal family circumstances. Big thanks to everyone for their understanding and being so accommodating. Although, instead of the contingency of a 3-4 day plan for a rear subframe swap, doing it in 2 days is doable, but we’d not like to do it that way all the time as a bit stressy, all doors firmly shut, radio off and heads down, but we got the job done! 👊🏽 – https://ift.tt/jLRCgNI

Just back home from three days away taking in Mansfield, Ludlow and Alcester…

The first call on Wednesday morning found us in Mansfield, where it was great to meet Phil for work on his ‘04 TF 135 with 26k on the clock, in paint code MBB.

Low level coolant alarm fitted, Pektron key fob supplied and programmed. Plus investigation of a misfire, this was found to be down to an inefficient CAT, this is the third cheap and nasty one this week, these things seem to go in spells. Phil is considering a stainless exhaust back-box at some point so a date is booked in to return with the correct CAT and maybe fit the new exhaust.

We look forward to seeing him again, with thanks to him for the Tunnock’s and a cracking brew (he said he reads our blogs!) From there we headed west to Ludlow for the night.

With possibly the shortest commute yet, on Thursday morning, we were pleased to meet Malcolm and his ‘04 TF 135 in paint code MBB with 41k on the clock.

Head gasket replaced and underfloor coolant pipes replaced with stainless, plus a flush of the clutch fluid.

An interesting morning chatting to Malcolm, while we worked, who used to work for MG Rover and met his wife Elaine there. What an incredible time he had, for many years, as a rally driver, his garage was full of plaques showing his many accomplishments.

Our next digs found us at a fantastic place called The Stag, with its accompanying pub The Pit Stop, in Alcester, definitely recommend a visit there, full of everything to interest the petrol heads amongst you!

With another very short commute, this morning, we met with Joe for work on his ‘03 TF 135 with 60k on the clock in paint code LEF.

Head gasket replacement carried out along with cambelt service. The engine mount bolts refused to budge, so Plan B was opted for, the bottom casing bolt was stuck solid and couldn’t be removed, so we had to lever the casing out of the way and slip the cambelt out of the side, this added on about an hours work, a couple of the hoses were completely blocked with a solid oil and coolant mix, and a couple of the hoses needed replacing due to splits and holes. The HT leads also fell to pieces, so these were replaced with new. Pleased have this one all back up and running again for Joe.

Despite all that, it was a good day chatting to Joe while we worked, his late father worked for Rover for most of his life, and a load of car history to chat about between us all.

A really interesting three days away, albeit we’re a bit tired now, with great people, their fab MGs and so many stories to tell. – https://ift.tt/5LU7EvQ

Not as busy a couple of days at the workshop as expected, but we weren’t exactly twiddling our thumbs…!

Andrew brought over his 2001 MGF mpi, in LQW, from Goole first thing Monday morning and left it with us for a check over of the issue with the engine management light being on, plus an MOT. On code reading, found that the forward Lambda sensor was faulty, and the CAT that was on it was well below efficiency, I’ll be polite and not say what Jon said. 🫢 Correct CAT duly fitted, plus a new Bosch Lambda sensor. Everything else checked over, prior to the MOT, and then sent round for the test. It was lovely to meet him and have a chat.

Justin came over, from Cottingham, in his LE 500, that was also due its MOT. The rear brake pads and discs required replacing. He’d certainly had his moneys worth out of them. Good to see him again.

It was really good to meet Andrew and his wife, who had driven over from Harrogate in their 2001 MGF 1.8 mpi in CMU, which was in need of a hydragas lift. Good to have a chat with them before they headed off to enjoy the rest of the day. We look forward to seeing them again in a couple of months for some further work.

Simon came over from Dromfield yesterday to drop off his ‘04 TF 135, in MBB with us. So today we carried out a minor service, replaced the underfloor coolant pipes, carried out a health check and then sent it over for its MOT. Great to meet him today and have a chat with him. He’d bought the car from Matthewsons last year and is looking forward to having some fun out in her this summer. Date booked in for the cambelt service, undersealing and MOT next March.

Sunday morning found us at the workshop to meet John who had come over from Stockport to collect his ZR 160 track car and trailer that we’d been storing for him since we carried out the work on it. Wishing John a good season ahead!

Unfortunately, the other one we had squeezed in for a minor service was on Paul’s new acquisition of a 2000 1.8 VVC MGF, which had then developed head gasket failure, plus he had since found that the cambelt service was also due, what a shame he couldn’t get it over to us in the end. We’re trying to find a date to get out to him.

The other one we had booked in for our two-day underfloor treatment, unfortunately had to cancel last minute, due to a having a minor prang in his other car, so needed the MG to get to work.

A good few days, with some really lovely people in their fab MGs!

Van all stocked up with supplies and kit for the next few days away for the remainder of the week, with the first stop in Mansfield in the morning.

I enjoyed a long walk home one evening and met this rather cute pony on the way, and thought he deserved a mention. – https://ift.tt/A2GUz8I

A busy couple of days away…

Our first call on Thursday morning took us to Bugbrooke for work on a stepspeed that we used to look after with the previous owner in Spilsby, so it was nice to see this well cared for ‘02 Steppy in xpower grey again.

A full cambelt service carried out plus replacement of the window mechanism as the one on it had become a bit reluctant.

Great to meet Eric, who is going to be selling the car on as his driveway is a tad full! Thankfully he had made room for us to work in his garage as it absolutely tipped it down. It was a bit of a grim run down the M1 and somewhat slow going.

From Eric’s we headed over to Sandy for work on Daniel’s latest acquisition, another car that we had worked on once, about 8 years ago though. A 2004 TF 160 in JFM, that had been fairly heavily modified by the previous owner, Clive. Daniel had bought the car for his Dad to enjoy.

The cambelt service was initially booked in, but a couple of issues had just recently made themselves known. One of which, was that the car wouldn’t turnover and the other was that the drivers door had deadlocked and refused to open either by key or by fob.

The turnover issue was narrowed down to be a completely dead starter-motor. A new one sourced, which Daniel went off to collect, this was duly fitted, and got that problem sorted.

For the deadlock issue the door card was removed, in tact, the mechanism released from inside the door and then the central locking mechanism replaced with one we had with us, we’d gone armed with several contingencies, so that was that one happily sorted for him.

Next, on to the cambelt service, once the engine mount bolts were finally removed, after some amount of persuasion, when it came to refitting the forward bolt it sheared the threads inside the mount. So the mount itself was removed and a replacement one fitted, thankfully we keep these on board. All very time consuming and more awkward than is usual, but we were pleased to have everything sorted, though a bit of a late finish yesterday evening making it a very long, cold and damp day.

We eventually checked into our fab digs in Huntingdon for big mugs of tea and crisp sandwiches!

This morning found us over in Cottingham, the one near Market Harborough, for hydragas pump-up on a Metro Midas kit car owned by Sue and lovingly restored by her son Mark. Sue had owned one in the past when she worked for Riley’s, and fancied another to take along to shows and generally run about in. Mark is a mechanic and has his own garage and has done a fantastic job on rebuilding the engine. Really good to meet them both this morning and put this cracking little car to the correct ride height, after a bit of a chat between us all as to what is the correct ride height, there are a few theories out there involving fingers etcetera!

From there we headed about 3 miles along the road into Corby for work on Rob’s fairly new acquisition of a ‘2001 MGF 143 in LQW.

Full cambelt service carried out along with replacing one of the ball joints and investigation of an oil leak. Oil leak found to be coming from the cam oil seals, so these were replaced.

Lovely to meet Rob and have a chat, big thanks to him for lots of tea and for my goody bag!

Not too far from home now after a stop start journey back up the A1, an interesting couple of days. Plus the wet stuff stayed away today and the sun made an appearance, which was a welcome sight. – https://ift.tt/qTB890U

Our work took us over to Warrington this morning, where it was good to meet Graham who had, fairly recently, taken on the ownership of a TF 115 in paint code PBT, manufactured and first registered in 2007, with a mileage of just over 25k.

He asked us to carry out pre-emptive head gasket replacement, cambelt service and replacement of the underfloor coolant pipes with stainless.

All sorted for him and car up and running, sounding nice and smooth.

Thanks to Graham for many big mugs of tea to keep us warm, good have a chat with him and especially nice to have fusses with his lovely pup Flo.

Absolute drag of a journey this morning, even with our contingency of an added extra hour, we were 15 minutes past our arrival time. Better run back home this afternoon. – https://ift.tt/T0sieAz

Friends Round London 2024 in support of ‘UK Homes for Heroes’.

There’s such an amazing amount of work and effort that goes into this charity all year round by Michelle and Jimmy. We try to do our bit to support and help in any way we can along with many others who do their bit. Not to mention all the efforts that Lee puts in each year in organising this event.

One of which, is the annual run round the M25 in the middle of the night with tops down, no matter what the weather. Not the turnout seen in previous years, it was still great to see so many coming out and meeting up at Colney Park. Unfortunately, the weather proved just too much and a very hard decision was made to cancel the actual run. It would have been dangerous to send so many cars out on mass in those conditions. A very tough call considering the basis of the run!!

Nonetheless, the support and dedication was proved to be there from those who came along and stayed for a chat and a catch-up in the appalling conditions that our ex-servicemen and women have to endure throughout the year, on a daily basis out on the streets.

I don’t know at the moment what the final figure is, but someone mentioned just over £100,000 has been raised so far since the inception of the event. A valiant effort. – https://ift.tt/T0sieAz

First away trip of 2024 – North East – Day 5 – Carlton, near Stockton-on-Tees…

The cambelt service was due on this ‘04 TF 160 in paint code LQW, that Greg has owned following its spell as a demonstrator with only 900 miles on the clock at the time. He’s enjoyed many trips abroad in it to Italy etc.,
and is heading off on the NC 500 in a couple of months time, with his mates, so wanted to make sure it was all set for the trip.

Cambelts, water pump, tensioner, plugs, all filters and oil all changed. On code reading found that the Lambda sensor was showing two error codes, P0170 and P0655. Greg’s going to have a run down to us at the workshop at some point in the next few weeks and we’ll swap this out for him.

Great to meet Greg and have a chat a brew before we headed back home, with this being the last job on our first trip away of the year. Big thanks to everyone for their warm welcomes and fabulous hospitality. – https://ift.tt/q5FHuJN