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Peter had treated himself to a TT Mk 7 stainless exhaust and asked if we could fit it when we got chance, so as we were supposed to be in Scotland this week we’ve been trying to catch-up on a few things. So we went over to Morley this morning and fitted it for Peter, looks very tidy and sounds really good.

We then went over to Yeadon and lovely to meet Lorna and her husband, whose very tidy TF 135 had decided to lock them out a couple of months ago.

The battery had gone flat, which affects the Pektron units and totally immobilises these models, and this one wouldn’t even allow entry via the key in the lock.

So we went over armed with a new ECU Pektron and key fob set, but we managed to gain entry and re-sync the system, and much to their joy the car sparked into life. Very nice looking car, date to be arranged to return for some other things.

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

Stotfold this morning for work on Daniel’s fab looking MGF.

Daniel thought he was looking at head gasket replacement, but fortunately for him after pressure testing the system it was found to be a blown expansion tank. Unfortunately, we had used our last bottle from stock last week so a quick nip to Brown & Gammons, who were nice and handy 10 minutes up the road.

We also replaced the underfloor coolant pipes with stainless as Daniel’s were a bit on the crusty side. 52 mm throttle body fitted. Hydragas pump up. Crank sensor looked at as there were 2 errors showing, sensor was taken out and cleaned and couldn’t find any issues with it, refitted and faults didn’t reoccur. New bottle fitted and car nicely up to temperature and behaving.

Pleased to have got Daniel sorted as the car is needed for work. Car looks great, just needs the grills and things fitting when he gets chance.

Bit of a nippy one, but managed to get sorted before the rain really set in.

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A snowy, but sunny morning in Altrincham today for more work on Karl’s lovely Trophy…

Head gasket replacement carried out, along with replacing the underfloor coolant pipes with stainless steel ones as they had previously been replaced with some very poor quality ones as part of this car’s ‘restoration’ some years ago.

The gasket that was used was a copy if the new N series gasket, that unfortunately for Karl, had failed on cylinders 2, 3 and 4. However, we did notice that the gasket had also been fitted with silicone sealant, which can’t have helped.

Car now running lovely and smooth. Good to see Karl again (at distance).

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

What a busy week that was, didn’t even get chance to do a daily blog! So here’s a weekly one instead…

Monday was spent at the workshop, on Paul’s TF 135, he wanted us to check over to make sure that it was viable to spend money on. We found it to be a very sound car and well worth keeping on the road. Head gasket replacement and cambelt service carried out, radiator replaced, heater control valve replaced and a few other bits sorted.

A visit to Peterborough on Tuesday as ‘Meg’, Simon’s TF 135 was having some issues, on investigation we found it be a faulty alternator, so we replaced the regulator and all good to go again.

Back in the workshop on Wednesday for head gasket replacement and cambelt service on Arif’s striking looking TF 135 that he had inherited from his father.

A very windy day on Thursday near Barnsley, where it was great to meet Pete for cambelt service on his very tidy TF 135. Date booked in to the workshop for some further work later in the year.

So that brings us to today, and a trip over to Binbrook, near Market Rasen, for head gasket replacement and cambelt service on Dan’s fab looking TF 135 that he had recently acquired from a friend. Date booked in at the workshop later in the year for some other work.

The first few days of the week were originally booked out, and had been for many months, for a whole list of things, but we found out last minute that the car had been sold and the owner hadn’t let us know. At least we managed to get through some more of our waiting list and make some others happy!

Storm Kristoff was a bit of a challenge at times 🥶

Back in to the workshop tomorrow and Sunday to finish off the welding on the TF 135, and to make a start on the next big job on the Stepspeed we have in, that made it’s way from Scotland.

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

A very busy and a very cold week, and a bit of a change to what was planned.

A localish call on Monday to meet Ruben (beyond the garden wall!) who had taken on an MGF that had been stood for 12 years, as a project during the first lockdown, his mum bought for him the ‘MGF Manual’ and he set about putting the car back to rights, having never worked on a car before. Absolute credit to him for what he’s done to give this car a new lease of life, not least in first removing the 7 dead rats in it! So we went over to carry out the cambelt service for him. Found the fault that he and others had been struggling to find, which on code reading was found to be the cam position sensor, so Ruben will be on with sorting that next. We look forward to seeing it once it’s been for it’s full respray. The interior is lovely.

The LE that we had in before Christmas was returned to Alan on Tuesday as he wasn’t able to get his train that he’d booked before new year. Great to finally give him his car back!

Our donor car finally got taken away, there wasn’t a great deal left! Many other cars have benefited from this one though that wasn’t viable enough to do up. So, this freed up the space for another one to save that we brought back with us.

Wednesday and Thursday spent at the workshop welding up sills on another TF. Plus sorting out the none running issue on the new ‘doer upper’ and cleaning up the carpets and seats to go back in.

Friday found us in Broseley to fit internal coolant pipes to Grant’s MGF mpi 120. Always a long fiddly job, but well worth doing as his had certainly seen better days. An interesting hose configuration found in the engine bay, which would have been causing an air lock. Correct hose duly fitted.

More work on the TF at the workshop today while we waited for a steppy to be delivered from Scotland for drive plate replacement.

Bit tight for space at the moment, but have to do what we can in these turbulent times.

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

PROJECT MGF 143 VVC

We collected this very forlorn looking car up, back in August, having been recommended to Adrian by many lovely people on his Facebook post. Adrian knew we wouldn’t be able to do anything until January and he was happy to wait.

What a great way to start the new year getting this car put back to rights.

• Full cambelt service
• Welding to both rear sills
• All brake pipes replaced plus flexi hoses replaced with braised hoses
• Clutch line replaced plus flexi
• Front and rear discs and pads
• Exhaust flexi
• Front and rear fog lights repaired
• Coolant flush
• New tyres all round
• Indicator repaired
• Washers repaired
• Boot release repaired
• Underfloor rust proof and sealant

Lots of other things done to give this car a new lease of life.

Big thanks to our fab neighbours at ‘Black Sheep Customs’, Steve & Taryn for sourcing, fitting and balancing the tyres, plus giving the alloys a much needed spruce up.

Having had quite a few cosmetic mods prior to its visit to us, it’s next step, once back with Adrian, will be to go for a full respray. We look forward to seeing this when it’s done.

But for now it certainly looks a lot less forlorn 😎

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

Well it’s certainly been a busy old start to the year. Hit the ground running on the 2nd of January, tax returns done, that’s always a joy!

Then into the workshop on the 3rd to commence work on the project that we had booked in, having collected the car a few months back the owner knew we couldn’t even look at it until now. So we set about a long list and are pleased to have everything done, will post a full update on everything tomorrow once we can get some good pics.

It’s been a busy time with bookings and not least rearranging them! The week we had planned in Scotland at the end of January has had to be postponed. Unfortunately, due to the latest lockdown the hotel we had booked for 7 nights had to be cancelled, due to legislation. So, sadly for all the people we had booked in we have had to let down, totally understandable, of course during this difficult time for us all. We really look forward to seeing you all soon when we can travel to you!

A couple of socially distant visits to the workshop. Lovely to meet Nick who came over from the village next to us, on Tuesday, for us to carry out our health check on his TF 135. Date booked in to carry out the work required and MOT later in the year.

Derek came over for an inspection of the subframe and viability inspection on keeping their car this morning. Nothing that can’t be sorted and well worth doing on their TF 160 in Sunspot. Date booked in for later in the year to carry out the work required and MOT.

We can’t always get to the phone during the day or respond to messages due to being under a car and clarted up! But we will always get back to you as soon as we can.

Stay Safe everyone and Happy New Year. 🤗

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.

An enjoyable day today and got everything done that we set out to do…

Lovely to meet David, this morning in Wooton, for work on his wife Janine’s fab TF 135 that they had almost given up on, but pleased to say they didn’t as it has been in their ownership for many years.

Head gasket replaced, with all bolts behaving well. Quite a decent amount of sludge drained off. Car all running lovely again. Only other thing required was a new coolant cap. Thanks so much David for the very welcome flasks of hot drinks and box of choccie bics.

From there we ventured on to Tingewick, good to see Elton again to find an oil leak and adjust the alternator belt on his Steppy. Thanks for the cuppas and cake.

We then headed north and went over to Godmanchester. Lovely to meet Lorna whose TF 135 had a corrupted Pektron unit. Thanks to Andy Partridge for sourcing us one. This was duly fitted, and we’re so pleased for Lorna that her car is now running again.

Finished by torch light, really pleased we got everyone sorted. Good weather too. Great way to spend our last day on the road of 2020! 😃

Posted today to the
Rough Luck Racing Facebook page.