Year: 2023

Day 2 of 4 – Monday – Milton Keynes & Baldock.

A departure from our fantastic digs in Leicester this morning and headed over to Milton Keynes to see what was occurring with James’s ‘97 MGF 1.8 mpi (in paint code COF).

We went armed with all the usual clutch paraphernalia to cover all bases, James had already fitted a new slave and master cylinder, but was still having problems as the clutch release-arm was still really stiff and it hadn’t been bled correctly. Arm duly freed off and system bled, resulting in a nice smooth clutch once again.

We didn’t get to meet James, unfortunately, as he was at work. Weather a bit on the grim side, but pleased to have him all sorted and we then continued on our way to Baldock for the next call.

Kathryn had recently experienced a problem, also, with the clutch on her ‘02 TF 135, she and Daniel had replaced the slave cylinder, bled the system, but the clutch was still disengaging.

On inspection this afternoon we found that the clutch release-arm was slightly sticking, everything ok with the slave and master cylinders, so we disconnected the slave from the release-arm and manually disengaged the clutch, this did allow the car to have a small amount of drive, but it was obviously either the drive plate or the pressure plate that has become faulty.

Fortunately, for Kathryn, we have just recently had a cancellation, due to, sadly, the car that was booked in with us had the utter misfortune of the cambelt snapping, not good at all and our sympathies are with the owner of course! As she has her own trailer and that it’s her daily drive, she will bring it up to us at the workshop to have the clutch replaced next week.

Now in our next digs of the trip, in Quy, on the outskirts of Cambridge. With a shorter than expected day I managed to fit in a walk along to Anglesey Abbey Gardens, a bit too late to visit the place properly, but the scenery was beautiful, despite the grotty wet weather to match my grotty cold.

Admin time, Star Trek on and tea ordered. Not many miles along the road for our first call in the morning… – https://ift.tt/c6JymW8

Day 1 of 4 – Sunday – Leicester

The first of our trip to the region and we finally got over to meet Mandy and her ‘01 MGF 1.8 ‘Sunshine’ (in paint code GUF).

Initially booked in for minor service and a check over the job grew a little so with a slight reshuffle of the diary we added in an extra day today.

Head gasket replaced, along with alternator belt, spark plugs, all filters and a set of new HT leads as they were past their best. We took along with us a new battery, as Mandy had said that the one on it was flat, even though it looked reasonably new it couldn’t hold any amps, this also caused the ECU to log several faults consistently and the mileage clocks display light to pulse, so new one duly fitted which resolved this.

Great to have this car back up and running again for Mandy. Really lovely to meet her, who gave us a very warm welcome on a bit of a chilly day, along with a continuous supply of warming welcome cuppas too, even more so as it’s my turn to have a grotty cold.

It was also lovely to meet her beautiful woofer, Ollie, who is a rescue dog from Greece, who had experienced a truly appalling life there in his younger years. Well he’s certainly had a happy life here with Mandy, what a great chap he is. What a nice surprise too when we left, she sent us off with a book she’d written about him.

We had a few days off last week, we were supposed to go away on holiday, but that didn’t happen, a familiar story, but needs must. So a trip over to Pocklington where we fitted in Bec, last Thursday, whose Rover 25 had succumbed to the proverbial only a few weeks after taking ownership of the car. All sorted for her and she’s good to go again. Thanks to her for the cuppas and cream cakes.

We’re now in some really fab digs in Leicester right next to the Cathedral, and not far from where Richard III remains were found.

Grand Prix on now, take-away ordered and cold remedies on tap. Hope everyone has had a great weekend. – https://ift.tt/z1tMACJ

Cadwell Park – North Humberside Motor Club Stage Rally & Fireworks 2023.

What a fantastic day, as always, spectating these awesome drivers in some totally fab rally cars. Took a few pics from the Paddock area during a break in proceedings.

We should have been on the track ourselves yesterday for a blast, but we didn’t get chance to prep a car and were a bit pooped anyway. Really great to have the weekend off though and have some fun today.

Definitely worth a visit to this event if you get chance next year. 💥 – https://ift.tt/rDXEtZ6

A productive week with a mix of workshop and on the road…

Neil came over from Conisbrough on Monday morning to leave his ‘03 TF 135 (in paint code LQW) with us for investigation of a coolant loss. So we got cracking with that to carry out all of our usual checks. The internal heater pipes were found to be pretty rusty, so we advised Neil that it would be best practice to replace these as they were never going to get any better. The head gasket had gone, on removing the head, found that an MLS gasket had been previously fitted, but the saver-shim had been left off for some strange reason. The cambelt service was also due so this was carried out too.

Tuesday morning found us in Silverstone, for the first call of the day, where it was good to meet Iain for head gasket replacement and cambelt service on his ‘02 TF 135 (paint code LQW). On removing the head found that the dreaded k-seal had been added prior to his ownership, which had blocked the coolant channels! Pleased to say is now all sorted for Iain. We were fortunate, too, that he had space in the garage to work in as it was a tad on the soggy side.

From there we headed over to Swanbourne, near Milton Keynes where it was lovely to meet Sue and her ‘03 TF 135 (paint code HFN). Sue had developed a problem with the clutch and as we suspected it was the slave-cylinder that had gone, we went armed with flexi-hose, clutch lines and a master, but, fortunately for Sue, that’s all it was. The clutch release-arm was nicely free too so she’s all back up and running again with her pride and joy.

A stop over in some really nice digs just outside of Milton Keynes and we headed off to Turves to see Matt’s ‘04 TF 115 (paint code JFV) again for the annual service in the morning. He’d mentioned that the windows were being really slow, so these were sorted out for him.

For the second call we should have been heading over to see Mandy near Leicester, what was for initially a minor service and a check over and a couple of other bits, but things had changed a bit, as she had reported that the head gasket had, in fact, gone since booking. This would have been fine, but unfortunately due to change of address last minute on the first call and given the lack of daylight at this time of year it wouldn’t have been feasible, so no bother arrangements made to go over to see Mandy when we’re back in the area on our next trip, so we’ve added in an extra day next Sunday to get her MG all sorted.

This morning, found us over in Barnsley to sort a problem on Anthony’s ‘02 TF 160. The bottom alternator bolt that goes into the block had had the threads stripped at some point. So a bit of time spent duly drilling this out, retapping and heli-coiling it, then a new bolt and spacer fitted and now all sorted for him. Thanks to Anthony for the cuppas.

From there we went back over to the workshop to fit the new set of stainless steel internal-heater pipes on Neil’s TF, all the interior of the car put back together again and pleased to say is now ready for collection, which rounded off a busy week nicely.

We should have been heading over to Cadwell Park for our annual thrash round the track, but we’ve not had the time to get one of the cars prepped unfortunately, a shame, but we’re a bit shattered anyway. At least we can still go and spectate the Stage B rally on Sunday, which is always a fab day. Have a great weekend everyone. – https://ift.tt/2P3cu8L

Nemo!

Lee’s ‘04 TF 135 (in paint code LEF) hadn’t turned a wheel in 3 years and he felt it was time to get it back on the road again, so we duly collected the car from Wellingborough and brought it back to the workshop for a few things…

Full cambelt service carried out, clutch replacement, along with a new ‘Mike Satur’ clutch release-arm, a new slave cylinder and gear box oil change. A soft-ride kit fitted. One of the ‘Mike Satur’ slick-shifts fitted. Brake fluid change, along with new discs and pads all round. A remote battery-isolater fob fitted and then finally an MoT carried out on site.

With Lee not being in any rush to have the car back we fitted the work in around other work we had in, which was a pleasure to work on and we’re now really happy to have the car all ready, and look forward to seeing him and Sue when they come up to collect in a few weeks time.

We’re also looking forward to the next ‘Friends Round London’ in February next year, where Nemo will be, once again, leading the way on this fantastic event.

We should add that all details are available on the dedicated Facebook page and the recent addition of the website for Friends Round London. – https://ift.tt/9CXGFyd

Rear Subframe Replacement – Stepspeed.

Chris & Sam had driven down from Acharacle, Scotland on Sunday ahead of bringing their ‘03 Stepspeed (paint code LEF) to the workshop on Monday morning. It was lovely to see them both again, we last saw them when we were up there in April of this year for work on a couple of others of Chris’s fleet. Chris had already replaced the front subframe and asked if we could replace the rear one for him.

With having a postponement on another booking we got cracking, with everything coming apart nicely, the engine all ancillaries transferred into the replacement galvanized subframe we had ready for him, with thanks again to Will Naylor for his service in providing them.

Stainless steel subframe mounts fitted. Cambelt service also carried out, plus fitting of a low coolant alarm that Chris had had for a while and hadn’t had chance to fit, with a top up of CVT fluid we’re pleased to say that their fab MG is all good to go.

Chris and Sam have been enjoying a few days in the area and plan to collect the car on Friday morning, ready to make their long journey back home. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 – https://ift.tt/fcU8pa3

Up at the crack of dawn this morning, to head down to the workshop, to meet John who had driven down from Bathgate, in order to leave his ‘98 MGF VVC (paint code HFF) with us for front subframe replacement. We’d last seen the car in Bathgate for head gasket replacement, just after the first lockdown had eased in Scotland.

Ahead of his visit we had prepped one of our galvanized subframes for John who wanted it painting up in Hammerite black, along with the ancillaries. So the old one removed and new one fitted today.

Along with replacement wishbones, from VHS, complete with Powerflex ploybushes, that John had sourced, which did prove to be slightly awkward to fit and took a bit of persuasion to go in!

Top arm bearings were going to be replaced on both sides, but one side was found to be sound so only one side needed to be replaced.

Everything else tidied up and sorted and she’s all good to go.

Wednesday morning, yesterday, we were at the workshop for work on a couple of MGs that were left with us while we were away over the last couple of days.

First up was Pat’s ‘04 TF 135 for oil change and pre MoT check. The reverse light switch needed to be replaced, as it was permanently on, couple of bulbs and, unfortunately, the alternator was on its last legs. Everything sorted out and sent off for the MoT. Now all ready for when Pat and Diane will come over from Harrogate and collect at the weekend. Hoping we will get to see them.

Steve’s ‘01 MGF VVC (paint code CDX) was due its annual minor service and MoT, so these were carried out for him. Plus he wanted to reinstate the cigar lighter to a USB socket, that the last owner had turned into a horn button, as the horn on the steering wheel had packed up. All wiring removed and a replacement squib fitted, plus new wiring fitted for the USB facility. Lovely to see Steve when he came over, in the afternoon, to collect, with some decent weather for his drive home.

We look forward to picking John up from his digs in the morning, in Market Weighton, so he can enjoy a run back up to Bathgate, let’s hope the weather isn’t as bad as forecast. Especially as we’re heading over to Sheffield for a job. Fingers crossed Storm Ciaran won’t hit us all too badly. Stay safe everyone. – https://ift.tt/UCcukQ0

Friday found us back up in the north east again, for the annual service on Alan’s LE 500, in Cramlington for the first call, great to see him as always and have a chat and a cuppa before heading over to Blyth, where it was great to see Tony again and to see his ‘03 TF 135 in MBB, for the first time, that had developed a coolant loss, suspected to be from the thermostat, sure enough on pressure test this was found to be the case, so we swapped this out for him. With a nice early finish we headed back to Hull and enjoyed a full weekend off! Well not so much enjoyed by Jon has he’s under the weather with a touch of man-flu and toothache, not good. 🤒

Monday morning saw us up very early, but not so bright, to head down to Whittington, near Worcester.

It was an enjoyable day, however, with unexpected fabulous weather and Mike’s lovely company, for work on his LE 500 (number 498) in paint code 106.

Full cambelt service carried out, alternator belt, gearbox oil change, discs and pads all round. Plus Mike had treated the car to new alloys, centre caps and wheel nuts, which do look extremely smart.

We then headed over to Tiddington, near Stratford-upon-Avon for the night. I managed to fit in an evening walk into the town centre, which is a lovely place to visit, wasn’t too busy then either. Bought the requisite fridge magnet and took a pic of Bill’s old pad.

We departed from our fab digs this morning to head on over to Leamington Spa, where it was great to meet Matthew and his GTM Spyder 1.8.

Full cambelt service carried out for him on this fab little car, that he had finally taken ownership of, having fancied one for quite some time.

Next up will be a remap etc, and we’ll be back at some point to fit new calipers and discs etc.

Next stop of the day was over to Wigston, near Leicester for a minor service, which was initially booked in on Paul’s MGF VVC, but before we got there he had suspected that the proverbial had occurred and on inspection found to be the case, so a date sourced for us to return to get this sorted for him, plus replace the engine bay coolant pipes with stainless ones whilst the head is off.

Lovely to see Paul, as always, and have a catch-up and a cuppa along with some homemade cake before wending our way back home. – https://ift.tt/mjE7KrG