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Day 7 of 10 (11) – South West – Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot & Liskeard…

Our first call of the day was in Abbotskerswell, after leaving our digs in Exeter.

Warren had asked if we could take a look at his 2004 TF 135, that had creaky suspension, we greased up both front arms, one of them had been recently replaced, of which this one took quite a bit more grease than the other. Tops of the shockers on the rears were sprayed with lubricant and the car is now squeak free, including the noisy boot hinges. Minor service carried out too.

Great to meet Warren and his lovely Dad, we could have happily stayed and talked all day long to them both, but we had to be on our way to the next call.

This was only a few miles along the road to Newton Abbot, where it was good to see Alan again and his LE 500 (number 353), for replacement of a track-rod end and engine-oil and filter change. After a catch-up and a cuppa it was time to head off, we look forward to seeing them again next year.

The next call of the day was in Liskeard, to check out a couple of things on Ray’s 2002 TF 160, that we’d seen on our trip last year for the cambelt service.

The temperature gauge was working intermittently, so we replaced the coolant temperature sensor and this resolved that issue. The handbrake light kept coming on on the dashboard, so the free-play on the handbrake was adjusted, which sorted this out too. This car will be going up for sale due to Ray becoming the custodian of another vehicle. He’s owned 5 MGs in the past, so will no doubt return to the MG fold once again.

Tim had got in touch regarding his 2003 TF 160, that he thought was making a strange noise, coming from the back of the car and asked if we could check it out. As we weren’t heading as far as Redruth this time, due to the annual trip to Penzance being delayed until next year, Tim drove up to meet us in a car park in Liskeard.

The only sounds only audible were the usual VVC mechs rattle, but they’re really not bad at all on this car, and a little bit of vibration from the heat shield. It was good to see Tim again and we look forward to seeing him next year when we venture back down.

The weather made a change for the better today, and it actually got a bit warm at Warren’s this morning. Plus Tim enjoyed a top down run both ways.

A long and tiring Sunday, but a good one all the same and great to see everyone and the sun for a change. We’re now in some very decent digs, in Plymouth, for the next couple of nights with a cracking view from the window in our room. – https://ift.tt/dHUl8oS

Day 6 of 10 (11) – South West – Walford, near Ross-on-Wye…

Not too far a journey this morning from our digs in Monmouth over to Walford for work on Philip’s new acquisition, a 2002 TF 135, in paint code HFF. His other TF 135, that we’d worked on over the past few years, had finally come to the end of its days. It’s been a real workhorse for Philip, but now he needs another one to take its place. He certainly knows how to fill a boot space! Plus it just shows how versatile these fab little cars are.

Full cambelt service carried out as the history was a bit sketchy. We transferred over the underfloor stainless pipes, as the ones on the new car were the originals, the exhaust flexi-section was transferred over, he did want to transfer the back-box too, but the one on the new one was in better condition, plus it had the original CAT. Philip had swapped out the brakes, but the front ones were squealing. So these were sorted out for him too.

On firing the car up it was running a little bit lumpy. On P-scan it was found to be due to a faulty cam-sensor. So this was swapped out with a good secondhand one that we had with us, and car now running as it should.

It was lovely as always to see Philip, and have a chat while we worked. Big thanks to him for the constant stream of welcome cuppas and homemade shortbread, very nice.

We’re now in Exeter at our new digs for the night, not a bad run down. I took myself off for a couple of hours this evening around some lovely green space, through the Riverside Valley Park, and along the River Exe as the weather made a change for the better. Really nice spot.

Not too far a commute in the morning for a busy Sunday ahead. – https://ift.tt/dHUl8oS

Day 5 of 10 (11) – South West – Llanelli, Burry Port, Porthcawl…

We left our digs, in Swansea, to head over to our first call of the day, in Llanelli, for work on Neil and Yvonne’s MGF Steptronic Freestyle, in paint code MNX, that we’d last seen at the workshop when Neil brought it up to us last year.

Today we carried out the minor service, investigation of an oil leak, which was down to the the cam-oil seals being the wrong ones fitted for that side of the engine, so we replaced these and that will cure that issue. We’d taken door mechanisms with us, but Neil had managed to resolve that problem. Shame not to see Neil this time, but lovely to see his wife Yvonne and their cute woofer Oscar. Thanks to Yvonne for the welcome cuppas.

Our next stop was over to Burry Port. Richard had seen that we were in the area and asked if we could, by any chance, come over to carry out the minor service on his MGF 143, that he’d owned from new. He’d been meaning to get in touch, but being so busy running the ‘Harbour Light Tearooms’ with his wife, Laura, he hadn’t got around to it.

We always carry over stock with us on a trip like this, just in case. Happy to do this for them, we’d last seen Richard and the car a couple of years ago when we’d had it in to the workshop and then delivered it back to them. Great to see them both today and have a chat, and thanks to them for the offers of lunch and cakes, sadly we couldn’t partake as we had to be on our way to the next call.

This found us in Porthcawl, where it was good to see Andrew and Claire, again, we’d last seen them, when they came up to the workshop.

Claire’s TF 160, in paint code HFF, was having some issues with intermittent heat in the cabin, plus the orange emissions light was on. On code reading found the light was due to a possible fault with the Lambda sensor, so that’s cleared and will see if it reoccurs. The heater issue was cured by carrying out an oil-cooler bypass, as there was insufficient flow getting through to the heater matrix.

Good to have a quick catch-up with them between their busy work calls, and pleased to have the car sorted.

So a productive and enjoyable day, with fab weather thrown in too.

We are now in our next lot of digs in Monmouth. I took a walk up to ‘The Kymin’ this evening, fabulous views!

The digs we’re in are great, but it’s a very busy pub on a Friday night, which holds live ‘Live Music til Late’. Hmm, maybe I should have checked those reviews, nay mind I’m sure it will be entertaining to listen to, it’s certainly full of people having fun so far! 🥴

Only a short commute in the morning… – https://ift.tt/l8kc5My

Day 4 of 10 (11) – South West – Swansea & Pontarddulais…

A very short commute this morning, in Swansea, from our digs over to Geoff’s house for work on his 2002 TF 135, in paint code LEF, with a very low mileage and not a great deal of service history.

We carried out a preemptive head gasket replacement, along with the cambelt service. The car is in really good order and Geoff wanted peace of mind that everything mechanically was sorted on it. Thanks to Geoff for the cuppas and the grateful provision of a garage, as the weather was pretty dismal today.

From there we headed over to Pontarddulais, to check out a couple of things on Mike’s MGF that we’ve been to see a couple of times over the years. He was experiencing a problem with emissions, on P-scan this was traced to be due to be three possible things; the ECU coolant temperature sensor that had an error code, the lambda sensor although giving a reading and being fine for the first ten minutes, when tested was coming back as not okay, the car also had what also looked like a cheap after market CAT.

Mike and his wife Carol had recently taken ownership of a very tidy looking BRM, that they’ve been having some fun in on auto-road trials. Shame we missed Mike today, but lovely to see Carol again, we look forward to seeing them again in the spring next year, when we return for the cambelt services on both cars.

Back to our digs, no fun-fair today as the weather continues to be truly dismal. Come on summer, where are you? – https://ift.tt/k5RJhns

Day 3 of 10 (11) – South West – Warmley…

We left our fab digs in Kington Langley and headed over to Warmley for work on Steve’s two MGs.

First up was his 2004 TF 160 (paint code LEF) for head gasket replacement and cambelt service. On removing the head we found that some of the valves were bent. Steve had mentioned previously that he had experienced a problem with the car and thought something was amiss. But, it’s not as bad as we were expecting, no piston damage, no liner damage, no head damage. Steve did have scrapping the car at the back of his mind. Fortunately, not the case and a contingency put in place, valves duly ordered to be delivered to Steve’s, and we will add in another day and return at the end of this trip, so he’s not having to wait yonks for us to come back!

Next up his 1999 MGF 1.8 mpi (paint code HFF) that he’d owned for the past nine years, with 150k miles on the clock. Cambelt service carried out on it, along with new alternator belt and all good to go again.

Great to meet Steve and chat with him while we worked, and thanks to him for many cuppas, offers of lunch and his wife’s delicious freshly homemade shortbread. It was fab too to meet their gorgeous woofer Bertie, what a friendly chap. We look forward to returning next week and getting his other car back to rights.

I’m writing this from our next lot of digs, in Swansea, a bit of a contrast to the last ones, right on the edge of the A483, complete with fun-fair on the other side of the road! But making the most of the decent weather I had a good to hike up the adjacent hill this evening to visit the green man in the woods! Praying said fun-fair shuts down at a decent hour. 🥴 – https://ift.tt/k5RJhns

Day 2 of 10 – South West – Oakhill near Radstock…

A long and very productive day spent working on Neill’s 2004 TF 160 in paint code IAI, which is of course Celestial Blue, there were 11 160’s originally built in this monogram colour, of which there are 7 left.

Neill had bought the car from a dealer at a bargain price and wanted to get it back up to spec and on the road again, as it had been stood for a very long time, ever since it was thought that the clutch had failed. The cambelt hadn’t been replaced in 12 years and it was in need of a bit of attention.

So today we carried out a full cambelt service, alternator belt, free off of the clutch-release arm, replacement of the clutch slave-cylinder, brakes all cleaned up and calipers freed off, heater resistor-pack replaced, bonnet release removed, repaired and refitted, BCU refitted, centre console dial surrounds replaced and ‘Celeste’ is now good to go!

The car had been kindly stored by Neill’s sister, Helene, at her house in Oakhill, really lovely to meet her and have her company today, with big thanks too for the many cuppas and offers of lunch, so appreciated by us both. It was great to see Neill again too, who we had last seen the year before for work on his TF 135.

A run back through some beautiful villages and we got back to our digs a short while ago, admin then duly cracked on with. Bit of a chilly day for the time of year, but at least the rain held off. – https://ift.tt/9h6LeNT

Day 1 of 10 – South West – Down Hatherley & Hilmarton

Monday morning and up early to head to our first call this morning, which took us to Down Hatherley in Gloucester.

A very slow journey down the M1 and M42, seemed to take forever. But, as always, we were met with a cheerful wave and smile from Jon when we arrived. This time his 2003 TF 135 was due its cambelt service, so a full service carried out for him. Along with replacement of the slave cylinder, as the seals had blown on it, due to the clutch-release-arm being a tad on the stiff side, new clutch fluid bled through, the old stuff being very dirty, release-arm eased off and clutch now working as it should.

His MGF was sitting quite low so the hydragas pumped up on that.

Lovely, as always, to see Jon and his Dad and have a chat with them before heading off to the next call.

This was in Hilmarton near Calne, for the minor service on Geoff’s 1995 MGF 1.8 mpi.

It was great to see Geoff again and his MGF, who we had first met, at our workshop, in September last year when he drove up to have the clutch replaced, while he visited some relatives in the area. Really lovely to meet his wife, Val, this time, who made us so welcome, with a tray of tea, Welsh cakes and banana cake to take away with us! So kind, I think it will definitely keep us sustained throughout this trip. So lovely to meet their very cute puss Kizzi too, who doesn’t mind if she has a little feature on our blog.

We now find ourselves in some beautifully appointed digs, for the next two nights, just outside of Chippenham.

Weather good, few spots of rain at Jon’s, but the sun made an appearance for the most part, after a very dismal and wet start this morning when we set off. – https://ift.tt/0VMJNU3

We turned up to our call as planned and all booked in for yesterday morning, in Lincoln, for work on a Trophy, only to be told by Harry’s dad, John, that he’d already had the work done by another company. Suffice to say John was not best pleased with his son, we’ve been going to John to work on his cars for over a decade now and he couldn’t apologise enough.

So we went over to see John Ponting, a little earlier than expected, and his TF 135 (a post LE production run) that was in need of a new alternator. Sadly, for John it had given up the ghost ahead of his and Lynn’s trip in it to this years Highlander event. Nice to see John and have a catch-up, glad to have him up and running again.

Meanwhile, the other John had rang us to see if we could go over to check out a couple of niggles on Harry’s Trophy, trying not to waste our day totally. The alternator belt needed replacing and the heater-control-valve wouldn’t turn any lower than hot, we found that the arm on the valve had become disconnected from the tap control, so this was sorted for him.

So an earlier finish than expected we headed back to the workshop to crack on with some work there.

A day in the workshop today for a few things. First up was a visit from Gary who had come over from Leeds to have a full cambelt service carried out on his Trophy 160. An enjoyable morning spent chatting to him while we worked, he even offered to make the tea, he can come again! While he was there he had a chat with the dent man who popped over and also the lads at the paint shop next to us for some bits that need sorting, he’s certainly got himself a good example, bought at auction a few months ago.

Our next visitor was Andy who had driven up from Royston in his TF 160. Since we’d replaced the head gasket he was still having some coolant issues. While it wasn’t over heating, we thought we would look into other possible causes, it still had the oil-cooler connected and piped in, which can always be a cause of possible issues. so an oil-cooler bypass was put in, and monitored the temperature as the car warmed up and got up to full heat. It didn’t get as hot as before the bypass was fitted, and actually cooled down once the fans came on a lot quicker. It was agreed this could have possibly been the coolant losing pressure by venting through to the oil. Just needs to be kept an eye on and monitored.

Good to see Andy again, he’s having a bit of tour round Yorkshire this weekend, visiting family and then venturing down to the MGs in the Park event on Sunday. We wish him trouble-free travels!

Stephen’s TF 160 was taken round for its MOT first thing this morning, so that’s now ready for collection when he returns from his latest trip away.

Stock-check done and all parts ready for the next tour, totaling ten days, heading to Gloucester for the first call on Monday morning. – https://ift.tt/Vt0BuFc