Latest News

A beautiful location today in Tirley, Gloucestershire, where it was lovely to meet Julie finally and her fab looking MGF 120 mpi.

Julie had contacted us as the clutch pedal had gone flat to the floor thinking that clutch itself had gone, but on investigation, and the fact that the car only has 35k on the clock it was found to be blown slave cylinder, due to the release arm being seized up and the master cylinder seals had also gone, so subsequently wasn’t pumping fluid through.

Release arm freed off, slave cylinder seals replaced, master cylinder replaced, resulting in a nice and easy springy clutch pedal.

The car has all its original features, including a tape deck that Julie would like to get working again, once we can find the code for the radio. Unfortunately, all the documents relating to the car were stolen prior to her ownership. Further investigation required by us…

What an enjoyable morning, chatting to Julie and her husband.

Thanks for the cuppas Julie, Jon loved the cake. Look forward to seeing you next year ☺️ Fingers crossed for the MOT tomorrow🤞

So an earlier than expected finish, I donned the walking boots and made the most of the beautiful weather and had an enjoyable 8 mile walk up to Cofton Park. Yep Jon put Quest on and ate chocolate 🍫 😃 – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

That was a busy day and a really enjoyable one, with fab people and their fab cars!

First call was to see Graham again, in Hampton Magna, for cambelt service on his TF 135, other service items replaced, new alternator belt. Brakes checked, handbrake adjusted, clean up of green mold/moss along the scuttle panel etc.

We then went over to Bishops’s Tachbrook to see Keith and his TF 160. Keith had tried to resolve the issue of a coolant leak by replacing the thermostat and the water pump, following which the car started to overheat on runs out. He asked if we could come over and change the underfloor coolant pipes and bleed the system, thinking that may have been the issue. Prior to any work being done, we did our usual checks and found that the radiator was bowing at the bottom and had been leaking. Underfloor pipes replaced. Simon managed to source a radiator and went and picked it up. This was duly fitted.

Although bled in all three points the coolant didn’t seem to be circulating as it should. With it being a 160 and having a rear mounted oil cooler it was found that the flow that goes through the oil cooler to the thermostat was restricted. Therefore, the thermostat wasn’t getting the heat required to fully open. We then put in a bypass pipe to increase the flow to the back of the thermostat to ensure it opened up fully.

So good to hear from Keith earlier this evening to say that on a test run everything was behaving and car running really well. 😃 And no Jon you still can’t have the boat!

We then went over to Stourbridge, where it was great to meet Simon and have a chat. Minor service carried out on his TF 135 and new stainless exhaust, new cat and Lambda fitted. All done without any awkward bolts. Bit of a late one in the day, but great to get everyone seen and sorted.

Just managed to dodge the rain too, good to have the sun for most of the day.

Dates booked in for next year for some further work on Graham and Simons cars at the workshop.

Back in our fab digs, time to order some tea and crack on with the admin.

Thanks everyone for your company and hospitality today. ☺️ – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

Back on the road this morning as we headed to the West Midlands and beyond for a few days…

Scott had been in touch some time ago regarding some work on his really fab looking MGF VVC that had been converted to a mems 3.

Walsall today for head gasket replacement and cambelt service. A few missing pieces fitted and replaced to get the car back to rights. One of which was the fuel pressure regulator had been totally blanked off.

Shame not to meet Scott, but lovely to meet his Dad who kept us fortified with a steady stream of cuppas and nice conversations.

We then headed over to our digs for the next 3 nights. Hmm not good! Sometimes things aren’t always as they seem on the booking sites. Let’s just say we didn’t even go in the door and rebooked another place pronto! A relief to be in a tried and trusted place now instead. Guess we’ll just take the hit, certainly an alternative to seeing our livelihood disappearing overnight. 😨 – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

Well what dismal weather that was, no top-down runs for anyone collecting their cars today!

Robert and Chris came over first thing, after staying in Beverley for the last few days, and drove back over to Stockport in their TF 135.

Ricky came over from his lodgings in York to collect his TF 160, and will be heading back up to Glasgow tomorrow.

Great to see you all and let us look after your fab cars. Safe onward travels and adventures.

Lovely to see Mick and Linda who came over from Acaster Malbis, near York, for a couple of things on their very nice looking TF 135 in Ignition Blue.

One of our bookings today didn’t show up, which was for a clutch replacement. 🤔

So, having found ourselves with some spare time, we carried on with the list of things to do on Rob’s TF 135. Almost there with this one, after some extensive investigation we’re pleased to report. Full report when this one is ready to head, also, back to Glasgow. – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

Monday morning found us back in the workshop where we received our first visitors of the week…

Robert and his wife came over from Stockport with their TF 135 for a few things:

– Full clutch replaced including updated clutch release arm
– Internal heater pipes replaced with stainless
– Both gear cables replaced
– Heater control valve replaced
– Bell crank replaced
– Gear shaft oil seal replaced
– Gear linkage bracket replaced.

All done by Wednesday lunchtime, despite some annoying bolts, wouldn’t be right if there weren’t any!

We had the pleasure of the company of Jeff on Tuesday, who very kindly came over to fit a new hood for Les. His brilliant skills will transform Les’s car, looks amazing on our doer upper! Looking forward to getting it fitted to Les’s TF 160.

Massive thank you to you Jeff, really lovely to see you! Great news the following day that your fab looking MGF passed its MOT.

Today we were pleased to greet Ricky and Una, who drove down from Glasgow.

On our last trip to Scotland we had gone over to see Ricky for cambelt service on his TF 160. Unfortunately, we couldn’t remove the engine bolts on the main belt side, and plan B wouldn’t work either, or plan C! So plan D was put into place and date arranged for the car to come into the workshop.

The forward rubber mountings for the engine that cushion the torque from the engine twisting had to be cut out with a reciprocating saw. Then the engine could be raised on the lower rubber mount and the cambelt could then be removed. New one fitted and the mount was replaced with a new one.

Really good to have got these done, looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for the collections of their fab cars. Hopefully everyone will have enjoyed their stays in the surrounding area. 😀

P.S. Happy to report that the trusty steed is finally back to rights, after sourcing another sensor and resolving a crank wiring fault, and Jon working until late on Monday night. 😮‍💨 – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

Absolutely fab to see so many friends and customers and meet new people at MGF 25+1, which took place at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon this weekend.

An absolutely fantastic turn out of cars! So good to finally get to an event. Big thanks to all the organisers. Such an interesting location and so much to see in the museums.

Shame we didn’t do our stand as planned, but time and energy levels just didn’t allow.

Fortunately, the weather forecast didn’t prove to be quite as severe and the rain held off.

Great seeing all the cars heading out for the anniversary run this morning before we packed up the tent and headed home. – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

It’s always a lovely visit to Jon, wherever it may be, today found us in Gloucester for some things on his and his son Alex’s car, both of which are an MGF 1.8 mpi.

Both cars required a hydragas pump up and then we replaced the underfloor coolant pipes on Jon’s car with stainless.

Good to have a chat, shame not to see Alex. Great weather and such a beautiful location. One time we will stay at the B&B.

Well it was all going well, until our trusty steed decided it didn’t want to start again when we stopped off for provisions in Leamington Spa ahead of pitching up for the night at Gaydon.

After a sorting a few things ourselves it was still a no go. Euro car parts were brilliant and delivered us parts we needed, but unfortunately not the sensor that is at fault.

So we resorted to ringing the RAC at 4:20 pm and oh guess what we’re still sat here at 22:20. Deep joy.

We’re not infallible and now having to spend a night in a car park with the lovely £85 fine that’s incurred too. Hey Ho that’s life.

Anyway some nice pics of the cars today! Caught you peaking Jon! 😃 – https://ift.tt/363HZbI

A bit of a cooler day in Hartlepool for work on this fab MGF 120 mpi Abingdon.

Elwyn had got in touch asking if we could come and do a few things having recently just acquired the car from a family member where it had not done a great man at miles down in London.

So we replaced the head gasket, carried out the cambelt service, replaced one of the rear control arms as this was a bit bent and a sorted a couple of other things.

Really fab car, that will be getting a bit of body work done and then treated to a full respray.

Lovely to meet Morag, thank you for all the cuppas and letting us have a look round your camper, which is great! Have fun on your travels. Thank you for the travel books, which I shall enjoy reading on our travels. 🗺

Mervyn had got in touch concerned about an issue with his MGF VVC 143 Anniversary edition that he is taking down to Gaydon for MGF 25 +1. As we were ‘passing their door’ we dropped by to have a look.

The car had been stood for quite a while during lockdown, and seemed to have developed a few unusual noises, all the usual serious suspects were checked and found not to be a problem. Wynn’s hydraulic lifter cleaner was added to free off slightly stuck lifters. The noise albeit it got quieter couldn’t tell 100% where it was coming from.

Have a lovely trip to Gaydon, let’s hope the weather forecast improves a bit for you. Great to catch-up with you and Janice, thank you for the bottle of wine. 🍷 – https://ift.tt/363HZbI