Year: 2022

Well it’s certainly been a busy few days since the workshop move and some long ones, I seem to be in a permanent state of catch-up on the admin and haven’t had chance to write the blog!

Monday and Wednesday saw us on schedule though to work on Chris’s wife’s modified TF that he brought down to us from Acharacle last month. We will do a full spread on it once it’s gone through the MOT tomorrow. Bit of a list to do, but a really nice car to work on. Will put up some great pics tomorrow, hopefully it won’t be chucking it down again!

Yesterday found us in Deeping St James, where it was lovely to meet David and his wife, for work on their Abingdon. They’re bringing the car fully back to rights and asked if we could do the cambelt service. They had suspected that the head gasket had maybe gone, but it was found to be a leaking hose.

Interestingly, David was the brand manager back in the day at Perry’s and they had an MGF, at the time, as a company car.

From there we went on to Moulton in Northampton for some more work on Roger’s MGF. Will Naylor’s brake upgrade kit fitted without any issues and we managed to dodge the rain not too badly.

Today found us collecting Colin’s TF 160 from Yeadon. Having had it booked in for some time we took a look at the weather and the job at hand, and thought right let’s just go and pick it up and bring it back to the workshop. As we had 2 days booked in for it, it really made no odds. But frustratingly we got held up in roadworks on the way back for some time!

Clutch replaced, plus a new release arm fitted and new slave cylinder fitted.

Tomorrow morning we will be doing the cambelt service and delivering it back to Colin in the afternoon.

Long days, and I’m trying to keep on top of the replies, so apologies to anyone if we’ve not got back to you yet. Phone calls do tend to take a lot longer. If we don’t answer please leave a message or voicemail and we will endeavour to reply soon as poss! ☺️ – https://ift.tt/2LhPcJV

⭐️ 🛠 🌟 NEW WORKSHOP!! 🌟 🛠 ⭐️

We’re finally in!! After a year of delays we were finally given the go-ahead last week to move in!

Friday and Saturday saw some of our lovely friends coming over to get stuck-in well and truly, and heft an enormous amount of kit from the old place to the new place, it was only about 15’ away, but what a task!

Massive, huge, grateful thank you’s go to Adrian who travelled up from Southend-on-Sea, Maggy and Phil who came over from Blackburn and Tony who came down from Darlington.

Absolutely could not have done it without them, everyone just got stuck in with moving piles and piles of heavy stuff. Maggy, bless her, spent most of the day in the big cupboard in the corner! So we now have a very posh cloakroom all painted white. Walls painted, cars moved round, camper towed round, racking moved across and restocked, floors swept. The list is endless as I’m sure can be imagined.

What an absolutely brilliant couple of days with really great company and some excellent banter, making a daunting, hard task, seem so much easier.

The resin floor went down last week, overseen by our fab neighbours at Black Sheep Customs, Taryn & Steve, whilst we were away, who will still be our fab neighbours as they’re moving into the workshop next door.

The only things to do now are to have the lift disassembled and refitted along with having a second lift installed.

The mezzanine floor will go in eventually, creating an office, a waiting area and storage space.

Some more heftier racking will go along the wall where the big pile of ‘useful stuff’ is and be stacked and stored.

We’ve loved the last three years in the old workshop, with lots of blood, sweat and tears! We’re now feeling a little bit excited, although a little bit tired and achy right now, about more great projects coming in and continuing what we have a passion to do. – https://ift.tt/YZBpHWk

Today was day 11 and the final day of this latest ‘tour’ of the south and south west…

After leaving some really fantastic digs this morning we headed over to Carterton, Oxfordshire for work on Deans 2004 TF 135 (in LEF). We went with quite a list of things to do, but when we got there he had changed his mind about a couple of things and resolved others. Not complaining of course, though it’s usually the other way round.

Cambelt, water pump, tensioner, plugs, all filters replaced and alternator belt. Couple of other bits sorted. All went nice and smoothly and ready for him to do the NC 500 next month.

Rather ironically our first call of this epic trip was to see Richard in Hereford for preemptive head gasket, amongst other things. He contacted us a couple of days ago to say that after just over 300 miles there was signs of coolant loss on the garage floor, but no over heating. So we arranged to call back over on way home to see what was occurring. We discovered that there was a minor leak from the back of the block, this may have been caused by a piece of dirt being dislodged when the head was going back on and got trapped between the head and the gasket. Cylinder head was removed and fresh gasket put in place. Then put under pressure to make sure it was anything to do with the block surface or the cylinder head. All back up and running nicely again. Thank you Richard for the cuppa and cakes, nice to see you again!

Really good weather today too 🌞

Now we’re heading back home, it will be good to see the cat and see what she’s been up to and sleep in our own bed. 10 nights and 7 different hotels and guest houses, which have all been excellent, not one grotty one this time! – https://ift.tt/SwXJBLc

A short commute to Tuffley, near Gloucester this morning…

Brian had bought this fab 1998 MGF 120 mpi (in JRJ), a couple of years ago and had enjoyed some great runs out in her so far. The cambelt service was due and he also wanted a preemptive head gasket replacement done, just for peace of mind, at the same time, so he put the car on SORN until our visit.

Today we replaced all the gaskets, the cambelt, water pump, tensioner and alternator belt. What a pleasure to work on, and a very quiet smooth engine on startup. So he’s all set now for the summer months.

Really good to meet Brian and have a chat, he’s got an interesting fleet of vehicles, including this Rover 100, that’s absolutely lovely! So nice to have doggy cuddles with Bailey his gorgeous Labradoodle. Thanks for the cuppas Brian.

We then went over to Cheltenham where it was good to see Steve again for annual service on his TF 135 (in MBB), who had asked if we could come over when we were next in the area. A chat about things he’d like sorting on the next visit. Thanks for the brew Steve.

Great weather today, considering the forecast wasn’t too good.

Bit of a storm last night, but an amazing sunset and clouds following it, with great views from the top floor of our amazing digs. Last night here and then we head over to Oxford in the morning. – https://ift.tt/SwXJBLc

After departing from our digs in Poole this morning we headed to a little village near Blandford Forum called Child Okeford, where it was great to see Tim again and his 1999 MGF 143.

Minor service carried out, plus pre MOT check. One of the sun visors was missing so we took one with us to fit. Thanks for the homemade Victoria sponge and a welcome cuppa Tim, we look forward to our visit again next year.

We then pootled a few miles along the road to Stourpaine, where it was lovely to meet Matthew, who had got in touch to see when we would be in the area, for work on his 2002 TF 135 (in HFF).

Cambelt, water pump, tensioner, spark plugs, all filters and alternator replaced, plus oil change. Thanks to Matthew for a cracking brew and homemade brown

We bid our farewells and headed further north, with a steady plod through glorious countryside, with many quaint villages and are now in some fab digs in Cheltenham which will be home for the last two nights of this trip. – https://ift.tt/C61xU8Q

A picturesque commute down to Swanage this morning and thankfully clear skies, following an absolute deluge last night with an amazing electrical storm!

It was really lovely to meet Tricia, who had got in touch a few months ago asking if we could give her Stepspeed a check over when we were next in the area.

What a great example in Trophy blue, that had been evidently very well cared for with the previous owner. Alternator belt replaced as it was squealing a bit on start-up. Good check over the car and all 16 error codes cleared, that were there from the previous head gasket failure. We look forward to seeing Tricia again next year for the minor service.

Tricia recommended that we return via the chain ferry (thank you for the ticket!) from Shell Bay to Sandbanks. Had a walk along the beach for a look at the amazing houses along there. What a beautiful coastline, well worth a visit. Bacon sarnie and a cuppa and purchase of the requisite fridge magnet.

Back to our fab digs for the last night in Poole, before we start heading north. – https://ift.tt/kQugWA1

A day off today in the middle of our trip to rest our bones and enjoy a run across the South Downs, taking in a visit to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove on the way.

Despite the squalls of rain we went down to the beach. But, poor Jon’s dodgy ankle didn’t fair well, so the resting of the bones didn’t work out quite as planned. A nice day though, appreciating where we are in the country and making the most of it.

Now in our new digs in Poole for a couple of nights, ahead of a visit to Swanage in the morning to meet Tricia and her TF. – https://ift.tt/kQugWA1

Our call today was in Cornwall and a lovely drive over this morning from our digs…

Geoffrey had contacted us as he wanted a few things sorting on his 2001 MGF 115 (in CMU).

Preemptive head gasket replacement carried out, plus cambelt water pump and tensioner. New alternator fitted and belt. Originally it was also booked in for stainless underfloor pipes, but already had them fitted by the previous owner, and stainless engine bay pipes, but as there is a shortage on these and we used our last set this wasn’t done, but the pipes on the car were like new anyway. Another very nice example. Didn’t get a pic of the interior, but it had red alcantara seats.

They wanted us to have a look at their other car whilst we were there and assess for potential work for next time. The water pump was leaking and the car came with little history when he collected it from the Isle of Wight. They were pleased of the reassurance that they hadn’t bought a bad one, and hadn’t realised it was a 160, which also came with a Heritage hard top. A few things to do when we’re back again in August to get it up to the spec that they would like it in.

Really good to meet Geoffrey and Carol (and Pepper of course, their gorgeous west highland terrier) and have a chat. Thank you, both for the endless supply of a welcome pot of tea and biscuits! We look forward to our return trip.

We now find ourselves in, again, some fantastic digs on a working farm just near Launceston. We got to meet our neighbours, calves only a few weeks old and watch the herd being milked. Beautiful location, a 6 mile walk for me and a snooze for Jon. Eurovision on for the evening’s entertainment maybe? 😃 – https://ift.tt/k49SPEA