Author: Facebook Posts

Day 5 of 5 – Tour of Lake District & a couple of other places…

Annan, Scotland…

Another short commute along from our fab digs, in Gretna, this morning to Annan where it was lovely to meet April for work on her ‘05 Rover 25 in xpower grey.

A bit of a frosty one this morning, but the sun was out and blue skies so we didn’t get too cold while we replaced the head gasket, and all other gaskets, plus carried out the cambelt service, power steering pump belt and alternator belt replaced. All nuts and bolts behaved and we’re pleased to have Aprils daily back up and running again for her, thanks to her for the welcome warming mugs of tea.

Thanks to her partner James for putting her in touch with us, who we saw a few years ago for head gasket replacement on his TF, he had at the time, in Castle Douglas. She had been quoted an eye watering amount at a local garage just to have the head gasket replaced, who also recommended adding the dreaded k-seal! So, all in all a good call by James.

Back home in good time this afternoon, to round off what has been a successful week, meeting some lovely people and their fab MGs, in many interesting locations.

Back at the workshop in the morning to get cracking on a couple of cars that have been left with us, both requiring a bit of an investigation. – https://ift.tt/ikuZI20

Day 4 of 5 – Tour of Lake District & a couple of other places…

Cockermouth…

Another short commute this morning from our amazing digs in Embleton along to a farm just outside of Cockermouth where it was great to meet Don for work on his ‘99 MGF steppy (paint code HFH) that he’d bought about 18 months ago, and had been spending time getting the car up to spec.

This morning we replaced the brake lines on both the rears with copper, plus we replaced all four brake flexi-hoses with braided ones. The plan was to replace the front to back brake line too, but this had already been done we found on inspection.

The door striker was worn out so a new one that Don had bought was replaced, this decided to put up a bit of a fight as the lower bolt had seized and rounded off, so grinder duly deployed!

Good to meet Don in such a beautiful location and have a chat, thanks to him for the brews and biscuits, and the kind offers of breakfast and lunch, but we didn’t realise breakfast was included at our digs, plus the valued provision of a barn should the weather be inclement once more.

After a run through very picturesque countryside, we’re now settled in our last digs of the trip, where we’ve stayed many times before, in Gretna, ahead of our call in the morning… – https://ift.tt/ikuZI20

Day 3 of 5 – Tour of Lake District & a couple of other places…

Whitehaven…

A very wet and windy one in Whitehaven today for another clutch by the coast, where it was great to meet Mark, who had got in touch earlier in the year for some advice regarding some problems with the clutch that he’d been experiencing on his ‘03 TF 160 (paint code IAC) that he’d owned, at that time, for 12 months. He set about freeing off the clutch-release arm as we advised, but was still having issues and just wanted the clutch replacing anyway for peace of mind knowing that it was done.

Full clutch fitted today along with a new slave-cylinder. The release-arm had seized up a little again, so this was freed off too for him, resulting in a very smooth easy pedal on this lovely looking Sunspot, which did put up a bit of a fight, resulting in a couple of mashed digits for us both!

Pleased to have the car all sorted for Mark, with huge thanks to him for his lovely hospitality, on a bit of a bleak day, with tons of warming mugs of tea, snacks and even sausage and chips for lunch!

Having spotted the marina from the hill we were working on we headed down there, when we we’d finished, to hunt out the requisite fridge magnet. What a really lovely and interesting spot. If you follow up from the top of the seagulls head in the pic to just about the top of the hill that’s where we were working.

Now in some more really fab digs, in Embleton for the night and time to get the admin caught up on. – https://ift.tt/NnSBExP

Day 2 of 5 – Tour of Lake District & a couple of other places…

Dalton-in-Furness…

A very short commute this morning from our fab digs, only a couple of miles along the road where it was good to see Adrian again and his MGF 1.8 (paint code LQW).

This time was to replace the clutch, as it was getting more and more awkward and juddering quite a bit. Full clutch fitted, plus the slave-cylinder had blown, so this was replaced, along with the uprated clutch-release arm with the grease nipple. A real pleasure to do, with no awkward bolts!

Adrian had noticed that the temperature gauge had risen slightly a couple of times, whilst we were underneath the car we noticed that the union on one of the heater pipes was leaking as the spring clip had lost its springiness, so a couple of new jubilee clips fitted to both of the hoses for good measure, this would have accounted for the temperature gauge rising, on pressure testing the system we couldn’t see any further leaks. So the cars all good to go for him once more with a nice light, smooth clutch pedal.

Thankfully the weather was a lot warmer than our last visit, when it was around -10!

We now find ourselves in our next digs of the trip in Seascale, with another beautiful coastline, although there is a bit of a sea fret going on. – https://ift.tt/zaX62V8

Day 1 of 5 – Tour of Lake District & a couple of other places…

Knaresborough…

Great to see Stafford again and his ‘05 TF 135 (paint code PBT) for a couple of things. We last saw this car 4 years ago for head gasket replacement. Stafford asked if we could call by and sort out his drivers side window as it stopped working, he’d tried the fuse, to no avail. After testing the switch we found that it was the window motor itself that had packed up, we’d taken replacement ones with us and so got this fitted for him. Oil and filter change carried out for him while we were there.

A nice pot of tea and a chat with Stafford before we headed off on our journey, and now find ourselves in Dalton-in-Furness, where we have some very lovely digs for the night.

Thursday morning found us over in Chesterfield, where it was lovely to see Donna again and their ‘04 TF 135, that we’d worked on earlier in the year for head gasket replacement, we’d arranged at the time to return to replace the underfloor coolant pipes as we’d noticed these were a bit of the crusty side.

They had also recently noticed a couple of rises on the temperature gauge. We did all our usual checks and found that the spring clips, although still in place, had cracked into two separate halves on the PRT, so deduced that under pressure this would cause it to leak, resulting in over heating. This was duly replaced with a new PRT and new clips. The expansion tank also had stress fractures, so a decent secondhand one was fitted. All good to go, the car will Donna’s daily drive now for a while. Big thanks to her for the thoughtful flask of tea and biscuits that she brought down to us in the car park.

From there we went over to the workshop for a restock ready for our week ahead. A day off yesterday enjoyed to recharge the batteries. – https://ift.tt/vriudzw

Tuesday and Wednesday spent in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire…

After a fantastic long weekend away in the North East for a wedding, where Kevin’s Trophy had a starring role of whisking the Bridge & Groom away from the church following the ceremony, we had a very early start on Tuesday morning to head south for a couple of days…

Sandy in Bedfordshire for work on Daniel and Kathryn’s MGs.

First up was Kathryn’s ‘02 TF 135 for a full cambelt service. Then next up was Daniel’s MGF 120 mpi for a full cambelt service. Daniel’s car had recently been into another garage for some work and for some reason the gear cables had been removed to do the clutch (we couldn’t fit him in unfort), after having been refitted Daniel was having problems in selecting reverse, and stiffness in other gears, this was sorted by us reinstating the Mike Satur bell-crank and cable ends, that were originally fitted to the car, then we adjusted both ends of the cables to allow the correct movement.

Both cars all now sorted and up to date on their servicing. Good luck to both Kathryn and Daniel on their many projects that they have going on, we look forward to seeing the progress especially on the SVR and the respray on his MGF.

With a stopover in Wyboston last night, we headed over to Kimbolton where it was great to meet Andy for work on his ‘97 VVC Abingdon (paint code HYF), that he’s been gradually putting back to rights having bought it 5 years ago, where it had been somewhat neglected in its former life, sadly.

Having always had a problem with the clutch, he thought this was the issue and so got us in to replace it. But, the issue was down to a very seized up clutch-release arm, a blown slave-cylinder and blown master-cylinder. So we set about freeing off the release-arm, replaced both the slave and master-cylinders, which has resulted in a very nice smooth clutch pedal for him.

The cars looking really fab, with its new roof etc, few more things to be sorted and it will certainly be a cracking little car.

After a good chat and a cuppa with Andy, we bid our farewells and headed a few miles along the road to Ellington, near Huntingdon for hydragas pump up on Neil’s ‘98 VVC MGF (paint code HFF). Good to meet Neil that we shall hopefully be seeing again next spring for the cambelt service.

On our way home now in good time, with a localish one tomorrow in Chesterfield. – https://ift.tt/VxW39YJ

Day 5 & 6 of tour – South West & South Wales…

Porthcawl and Gorseinon on Wednesday, Cardiff today, Thursday…

It was lovely to finally meet Paul and Diane, in Porthcawl, yesterday morning. Their TF 135 (in paint code JHG) was one of the last ones built, bought in the fire-sale period after the closure of MG.

Underfloor coolant pipes replaced with stainless, brake fluid changed, new spark plugs and a general check-over. Good to have a chat with Paul before we headed off.

From there we went over to Gorseinon where it was good to see Matt again and his ‘03 TF 160 (paint code JFV). Matt had been trying to chase down an oil leak, and asked if we could have a look next time we were in the area.

This was traced to be the seal on the exhaust cam that was the culprit. New one fitted and no more leaks. Alternator replaced for him, as well as fitting the correct bolts as the ones in it were too short. Nice to have a chat and cuppa with Matt before heading back to our digs in Pyle.

At least we managed to dodge the worst of storm Agnes! A very bracing walk in the early evening for me, along through the country park and the coast line on Sker beach, some huge waves and dramatic skies, what a stunning bit of the country.

Our last day, today found us in Cardiff, where it was lovely, as always, to see Ian and Hilary, for work on Verity’s steppy, that was in need of the minor service and an alternator belt change.

Another successful tour, with so many warm welcomes, great locations and fab MGs. Almost home now and a call into the workshop to unload a few things, ahead of setting off to the North East in the morning, for a wedding at the weekend, the only work we will be doing is pumping up Kevin’s Trophy, that is to be used as part of the ceremony. – https://ift.tt/t3rdQDN

Day 3 & 4 of tour – South West & South Wales…

Middlezoy on Monday, Barry on Tuesday…

An early departure from our super digs in Box yesterday morning and headed over to Middlezoy, where it was great to meet Grant for work on his ‘00 MGF 1.8 VVC in Old English White, that he’d owned for the past 5 years, originally bought as a doer-upper and sell on he became quite attached, so kept it.

Having had some trouble with the clutch he thought that this, itself, was on the way out, but was found to be a worn out slave cylinder, this was replaced along with new clevis on it and also on the pedal that were both pretty notchy.

The main issue, though, that we were there for, had occurred after booking the car in. Unfortunately, Grant had hit something in the road, that didn’t appear to be very substantial, but the damage it had subsequently caused was.

The underfloor coolant pipes were stoved in, the anti-roll bar had a significant bend in it and both drop links had snapped off. The underfloor tray was completely mangled on the front edge and one of the radiator hoses was split. So we set upon replacing and repairing all of the above.

The other issue he had been having with the car since taking on its ownership was a high-idle. All sensors and timing checked, all seemed ok, throttle re-set didn’t have any effect, swapped out the IACV etc, but the problem still persists and further investigation is needed as it appears that the ECU is getting the engine to run at just less than 1200 rpm.

A few other bits and pieces sorted for him, a bit of a long one, but pleased to say that she’s drivable again after having a few months sitting on the drive. What a lovely stable mate she has too, a beautiful looking Austin 7 that his Dad had rebuilt from the chassis up into a C cab version, so wonderful, I think we should have one in our collection, I’d use it for the weekly shop! Beautiful day weather wise and lots of welcome cuppas from Grant.

Our journey then continued along to Clevedon for our next place to stay for the night, last night, ahead of setting off for Barry in South Wales this morning.

It was great to meet Jon, for cambelt service on his ‘99 MGF steppy in Nightfire Red, that he’s enjoyed many trips in, over the years, taking in Spain and Italy amongst others, one of which was a Barry to Barry run, so fab!

We had to resort to ‘Plan B’ with the cambelt, as the engine mount bolts did not want to come undone! Happily this proved to be successful and she’s all set again, having not had a cambelt service for quite some time.

The second job of the day for a remap had been cancelled a couple of weeks ago, as the car had been sold, and we didn’t get chance to rebook anything else, it was an opportunity to give us a couple of restful hours off. A decent walk for me from Barry Island to Fontgary, along the coastal path, and Jon enjoyed a cuppa in the cafe there.

We now find ourselves in our new digs in Pyle, ahead of visiting Paul in Porthcawl and Matt in Gorseinon tomorrow. – https://ift.tt/BE47Vft