Year: 2022

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland – Day 5 Kilsyth

A very short commute this morning of just under a mile!

Really good to meet Colin this morning for work on his very tidy TF 135 (in LEF). He had bought the car knowing that the cambelt service hadn’t been done for approx 10 years, so asked if we could come up and carry out the cambelt service for him and also check over the car for any other potential issues. Including whether or not the head gasket may need replacing.

Cambelt, water pump, tensioner and alternator belt all replaced. The engine mount bolts decided to be awkward so we resorted to our Plan B.

An enjoyable mornings work in Colin’s company and the lovely ‘Bell’ his gorgeous lab, plus lots of cracking cuppas and a tray full of biscuits! Thank you Colin, much appreciated.

An earlier than expected finish and the only one booked in today, as we weren’t sure what we were going to. Always a good plan!

With a heads up from Colin on a decent walk in the area I popped on the walking boots and headed off. A lovely walk, along the canal and up to Bar Hill Roman Fort, and then the heavens opened, what followed was a torrential and relentless downpour of biblical proportions, a great walk all the same with some good views from the top. 🌧 – https://ift.tt/wUdQoRS

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland – Day 4 Glengarnock, Lochwinnoch and Glasgow

Our second morning at Alan’s house for work on his TF 135 ‘Noel’. Alan had treated the car to a new stainless exhaust back box so we fitted this. Plus the car had developed an intermittent high revving when not under load. Code reading didn’t really show anything, so we narrowed it down to be the stepper motor. A replacement one fitted, and after a test drive this has resolved the problem.

We bid our farewells to Alan and the lovely Mabel and Bruce having had lots of cuddles again this morning.

We then headed up to Lochwinnoch as Alan had got chatting to his friend about his MGF that has been just sat in the garage for the past 7 years and he wasn’t sure whether the car was a keeper or he should let it go if it needed too much work, so he suggested that we pop over next time we were up. Good to meet Neil and have a chat, the car is definitely worth saving, a very tidy MGF Mk II mpi. Not too much needed to get it up to spec, so a date arranged for when we’re back up next year to get everything sorted.

We then headed over to Glasgow, David had also asked for us to take a look at his MGF Mk II mpi, that had also been sat for some time, and he wanted to get it back on the road. Full report to be done. Then this will be one for the workshop.

We’re now in our new digs for a couple more nights. Fab weather all day after another wet start. Arrived in Kilsyth in enough time for me get in a good hike up the hill, with some fab views. – https://ift.tt/wUdQoRS

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland – Day 3 Glengarnock…

Just back at our digs now, following another fab day in Alan’s lovely company, which was spent tending to a couple of his amazing fleet.

First up was the TF 160 in Aurora for cambelt service. Belts, water pump, tensioner and alternator belt all replaced.

The back window had been split for a while so Alan’s been having to use the hard top, fortunately he had a spare hood with a decent window in it, so we swapped this over riveted it back place and looks really good now, plus the zip-puller was broken, but we always keep a stock of these on the van anyway.

Next up was the TF 135 in Twilight, it was also due it’s cambelt service, so cambelt, water pump, tensioner and alternator belt all replaced. We had to go to our ‘Plan B’ as the engine mount bolts did not want to come undone. Plan B worked well we’re pleased to say.

Great run back to our digs, and we look forward to returning in the morning to get the exhaust etc sorted on ‘Noel’.

Lovely to see Andy too for a quick catch-up. Cuddles with beautiful Mabel and Bruce, will get a photo of them tomorrow

The weather certainly improved throughout the day, from a very soggy start, with lots of flooded areas on the way, it turned into shorts and t-shirt weather in the afternoon. – https://ift.tt/lU3QxwH

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland – Day 2

Up early this morning and departed our digs in Auchencrow early this morning, missing out on their very good breakfast unfortunately, and headed over to Chryston, near Glasgow, where it was nice to see Ross again for some work on his TF 135 (in JFM), that we last saw a couple of years ago for cambelt service.

Ross had noticed a very slight coolant loss, so we carried out all of our usual checks and finally traced it to be coming from the spring clip on the underneath of the expansion bottle, that had lost its springiness, this was duly replaced with a new jubilee. Fortunately, for him it wasn’t the proverbial!

Minor service carried out. The EML had been coming on intermittently, however it had turned itself off by the time we got there. On code reading it came up misfire causing increased emissions. Coil packs inspected and plugs were changed anyway, as part of the service and all seemed good, although to note he has been using E10 fuel.

The passenger window wasn’t working, this was found to be down to a dodgy switch, this was replaced with another one that Ross had already bought, quite handily.

Gerry had been in touch asking if we could give his MGF (in JBH) a pump up when next in the area. The plan was for him to come over to us, but he got held up in traffic, as the Edinburgh bypass was closed in both directions, so we ended up going back over to him and met him at Gyle shopping centre. Car pumped up to factory spec.

As we were passing, we stopped in for much needed cups of tea at the Kelpies. 🫖 ☕️ Always great to see these two beautiful beasts.

We’re now in our new digs for the next couple of nights, ahead of our visit to Daisy Bank in the morning. – https://ift.tt/h9ljdEb

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland trip – Day 1

What a cracking day we have had in Gordon, working on Alasdair’s very tidy TF 135 (in HFF) with cream Oxford leather seats.

Alasdair had bought the car back in 2016 and has done a fair few trips at home and abroad, but started, a few months ago, to experience intermittent overheating issues. Having tried a new cap and done some research the problem persisted, so he asked if we could come along and take a look.

On pressure test of the cap and the system it was evident that the head gasket had gone. All gaskets duly replaced, along with the thermostat housing, as that had also been leaking. The cambelt service hadn’t been done in Alasdair’s ownership so cambelt, water pump and tensioner all replaced too. New alternator belt, new cap and she’s all good to go again, ready for a trip to Portugal some time soon.

What an enjoyable days work, having a chat as we worked, lots of fusses with Seamus, an endless supply of tea and some fabulous weather too.

Thank you, Alasdair for your lovely hospitality, sorry we didn’t eat anything! We look forward to seeing you next year.

Back in time for a decent yomp and our second night in a very lovely little pub in a very lovely little village, having travelled up yesterday. Then we’re on the road first thing in the morning heading west… – https://ift.tt/RMDIaqk

Always good to have a local one, 5 miles along the road to Willerby, where it was good to see Mark again, and his MGF 143 VVC that we last saw quite a few years ago.

Cambelt, water pump, tensioner, spark plugs and all filters replaced, along with a new alternator belt, as his was a tad chewed and split, a very timely replace!

Great looking car with very low mileage that Mark has owned from new, which wouldn’t look out of place in a museum.

Back over to the unit afterwards to receive a visit from the lovely John Ponting. John had recently tracked down and bought back this fab TF 135 that he had originally owned from new and then sold on. Having owned a few MGs over the years John felt that he would like this particular one back in his life. So he asked us if we wouldn’t mind giving it a check over, and what a lovely example it is, it’s also one of the post LE 500 cars, in paint code 294.

Great to see John as always and have a catch-up over a cuppa before he headed back home, perfect afternoon for a top-down run. ☀️

Van then restocked ahead of our next trip to Scotland in the morning. – https://ift.tt/4I2QMjm

Busy couple of days at the workshop…

It should have been a weekend off away at a car/music festival in Cheshire, but sadly that was cancelled, so we filled our time getting stuff done. We did have Saturday off to visit family, which was lovely. Sunday found us in Filey for collection of a TF that is need of some TLC. We’ve yet to get the head off and see what’s going on there.

Andrew dropped off his TF 135 (in JFV), with us for minor service, pre MOT and subsequent MOT carried out round the corner.

AJ dropped off his MGF 143 VVC, (in JRJ), that he had recently purchased a couple of months ago. He wanted initially a minor service and check over, but had also developed a coolant loss.

The coolant loss was traced to be a leaking thermostat and a couple of hoses. All replaced and no more leaks. Nearside front wheel bearing replaced and track rod end. Couple of other niggles sorted and she’s good to go.

Roddy’s MGF VVC 143 that we’ve had in for a while now, as it’s been difficult finding time to fit it in, as it was brought to us as a none runner, having spent 9 months in another garage, with us giving them advice along the way, is now running smoothly we’re pleased to report, although it is now evident that the internal heater pipes are leaking.

A local call in Hull tomorrow and then back to the workshop where we’re looking forward to greeting our visitor… – https://ift.tt/4I2QMjm

Wickmere…

Judith and Jim had contacted us just after one of our Norfolk trips to ask when we were next in the area, as their TF 135 was in need of a service and some attention to the clutch as it was having intermittent issues.

We went armed with all contingencies, and found this morning that both the slave and master cylinder had gone, but the clutch itself was still good. The clevis pin was looking like it had done it’s time, but at least the release arm was nice and free.

One of the things they had wanted us to check was a ‘clunk’ from the rear end, this we found to the be rear control arm, that the bushes had completely worn out on. So this was replaced with a new one on stock.

The other problem was with the accelerator pedal, which was sticking. On removing we found that the bushes had gone on it and the return spring wasn’t there, the pedal assembly was duly replaced with a good secondhand one we had on stock.

Minor service carried out and the car is all good to go again, hopefully Judith will notice a difference when she next drives it. Shame not to meet her today as she was away competing. Great to meet Jim and have a chat. What a fab set up they have there, and happily for me, more horses! We look forward to our return next year when the cambelt service is due. Thanks to Jim, for a good brew and the shelter of his newly self-made stable area out of the rain.

Hempnall…

As we were ahead of ourselves, we contacted Steve, in Hempnall, who was booked in for tomorrow morning, he was very pleased of our earlier arrival as he can now enjoy the day out with his wife tomorrow on her unexpected day off.

Steve had bought this fab TF 135 (in HFN) 18 months ago, as he’d been after something fun, especially as his very first car was an MGB in British racing green.

He’s getting through his list of future proofing the car. This afternoon we replaced the underfloor coolant pipes with stainless ones. Good to meet Steve and have a chat.

A cracking day with lovely people and their fab cars, despite the torrential rain, but it’s well needed after so many dry months here.

It’s our last night in our beautiful digs. Sadly though one of the owners gorgeous little dogs went missing yesterday evening, so Jon and I had a walk around the surrounding area to look for her. Everyone has been doing their best all day to find her. Here’s hoping that she will come home soon. – https://ift.tt/VeUifHj