Some of our member’s cars giving an insight into the range of vehicles that are in the club.
OWNER: Stuart Dunn
MAKE & MODEL: MG TF 135 Sprint
YEAR: 2002
COLOUR: X-Power Grey
WHEN BOUGHT: 2005
HISTORY: Monogram Interior as optional extra. Only went to the garage to pick up a part from summit garage in Gornal for my ZR and fell in love with the TF, which is how I come to purchase mine.
WHY AN MG? My grandfather worked at Longbridge, also my father has always owned Rover?s so the interest has simply spread. I see the marque as a historical one, and a marque of a true British sports car.
WHERE FIRST SEEN (ADVERT/WORD OF MOUTH ETC): After going to collect the part at Summit, myself and My father took the TF for a test drive, fell in love but didn?t buy it. It was on the way back from a shopping trip in Chester, that I came across my TF at Brindley in Wolverhampton.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR X: Power Grey, LEF Metallic ( Part of the Tempest Grey family ) Tan leather interior with black alcantara centres, tan door cards and dash.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: Front wings, and under body protection, Under bonnet and boot internals re-sprayed by myself, however I did make a right mess of the bonnet at one stage and had to get someone who knew what they were doing to put it right..
MODIFICATIONS: Bespoke Exhaust, 4-2-1 manifold by Janspeed, One off back Box. Up-rated EBC AP Brakes disks and pads. Gas flowed head along with Paul Ivey oversized valves. Head also blue printed to exhaust manifold and Inlet Manifold. Up-rated Cylinder liners. Up-rated Valve Springs. Piper High lift Cams on Kent Vernier Pulleys. Variable fuel pressure regulator running 3.9 Bar. SU KV6 Swan Neck throttle bodies, With ITG Race air filter, Bespoke Idle Air Control and Breather system Which I fabricated as was unable to get parts to enable fitment to the EU3 MEMS3 engine. ( Bodies From a Caterham R500 ) All of which now running on an Emerald K6 ECU. Very little acoustic panelling and a lot of brackets now made from aluminium for lightness.
MODIFICATIONS PLANNED / WISH LIST: Wide Band Lambda sensor to enable true AFR ( Air Fuel Ratios ) to be set by the ECU, which would be determined by ambient temperature and humidity or altitude, this would also make the engine more efficient. Carbon Fibre Boot lid, Fibre Glass rear bumper. The aim is to do as much as possible, without losing driveability or altering the look of the Car in anyway, MG Themselves made to good a job of making the thing look pretty so I don?t have to.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: Heritage run, 2008 Gaydon Warwickshire. Brilliant run. Also the surprised face of an Audi TT driver who wanted to be in my lane on the way back from Bromsgrove, priceless!
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE: Check Water regular, Run EBC Brake Disks. Wrap your Exhausts, Best mod for £10.
OWNER: Keith Hill
MAKE & MODEL: MG B Roadster
COLOUR: White
YEAR: 1973
WHEN BOUGHT: 1993
WHY AN MG? Because of the sensible prices, still modern looking, all parts available and potential for modifying. Also capable of keeping up with modern traffic.
WHERE FIRST SEEN (ADVERT/WORD OF MOUTH ETC) Bought via an advertisement in the local evening newspaper. Paid £2700, came with lots of history (and jobs to be done) But it was white and chrome bumper, two of my criteria. It also turned out to qualify for tax exemption, registered 3rd January 1973 when exemption came into force in the mid 90s.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: Interior in need of refurbishing. Outside, required new soft top, rear window yellow and difficult to see through. Bumpers no chrome.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: I have fitted new soft top, (don’t recommend it) new bright work eg bumpers, over-riders, radiator grill, door and boot catches, driver quarter light, (broken catch). Outer sills, front and rear quarter panels fitted by body repairer. Interior ? carpets, door casings seat covers, all foam and webbing etc. Other work done includes, engine out for clutch replacement, engine and gearbox mounts, prop-shaft universal joints twice, steering rack, front shock absorbers, rear springs and shockers, new petrol tank, Minilite pattern wheels replaced Rostyle originals.
MODIFICATIONS: Solid state mod to distributer, solid state fuel pump.
MODIFICATIONS PLANNED / WISH LIST: Complete spray job required.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: Three trips to Normandy, France. Long distance in the UK, have driven as far as Middlesborough while staying in Whitby, also Cornwall, Swanage, Torquay, North and South Wales.
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE Brakes pulling hard left or right, intermittent, flexible hoses to back of discs. Gunge in rear drums, suspect wheel cylinders, expect difficulty getting the circlip back on to rear of new cylinder, behind the back plate. Make a diagram ? or take a picture ? of brake shoe spring arrangement, (unless you have a good memory or done it before) There are three springs.
OWNER: Peter Dunn
MAKE & MODEL: MGF 1.8 i
YEAR: 1998
COLOUR: Anthracite
HISTORY: First registered in Chester December 1998.
WHEN BOUGHT: October 2008
WHY AN MG? I’ve always liked the MGF as well as most other MG models. Spares are readily available and at the moment are easily obtainable. There are quite a number of MG clubs, of which I’m a member of a few, so altogether a good experience.
WHERE FIRST SEEN (ADVERT/WORD OF MOUTH ETC): I first saw my MGF advertised in Auto express, it was actually purchased from a private seller only 3miles from where I live.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: The car is mostly original although I have changed the door cards for Mk 2 one’s and I’ve changed the leather steering wheel for a walnut veneered one.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: Small aspects of paint work on the sill joints and Wing support brackets.
MODIFICATIONS: 1mm skim taken off the cylinder head, inlet and outlet valves enlarged by 2mm on diameter, VVC plenum, bespoke exhaust, Spax adjustable shock absorbers to improve handling. AP 2 pot front brake callipers, EBC grooved and drilled brake discs, EBC green stuff brake pads. Trophy alloys have been fitted to accommodate the AP callipers.
MODIFICATIONS PLANNED / WISH LIST: Possibly an Emerald ECU, also a trophy front spoiler.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: MGfest 2009, MGfifteen 2010, Arden run 2011&2012, Mg’s in the trees 2011&2012. Various local classic car shows. Winner of best MGF 2015, at MGF 20 Gaydon.
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE: With the MGF a close eye must be kept on the coolant level, if there is a significant drop in the coolant level then the dreaded head gasket failure must be suspected.
OWNER: Martin Jones
MAKE & MODEL: MGB 1800cc
YEAR: 1971
COLOUR: British Racing Green
WHEN BOUGHT: 2008 First registered in Pool Dorset. Spent most of its life in South Devon.
WHY AN MG? My second MG, I have always wanted a Roadster, Couldn’t part with my GT
WHERE FIRST SEEN: This was my mate’s car. I drove this car along the coast road of Torbay in 2007 and again in 2008 I just had to have it.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: Most of the panels have been replaced including the sills and floor and a Gold seal engine, my friend continued with the restoration for 2 years. Replacing both doors the near side rear wing, and detailing the engine bay along with a new front wiring loom. The interior was brown, it is now black. New dash, New wiring looms. Receipts for 16K. The suspension has since been rebuilt by me and my son Daniel.
MODIFICATIONS: SS Exhaust and manifold. Drilled and slotted brake discs, copper brake pipes. Stainless brake hose’s, Brake servo. Knock on chrome wire wheels. Polly bushes on front.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: My friend drove the car 190 miles up from Devon to Tipton. The last 10 miles from Frankly service station on the M5, was done on the back of an AA wagon due to it snowing most of the way and the window screen wipers kept blowing the fuse. Only driven with the roof up once in the last 4 years
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE: 6 Volt batteries are a pain
OWNER: Martin Jones
MAKE & MODEL: MGB GT 1800cc
WHEN BOUGHT: 1983 I was the third owner
WHY AN MG? I joined the MG owners club before I brought the car to take advantage of their then cheap insurance scheme. Being only 21 at that time and had just written off an Austin 1800, the car club insured me fully comp, cheaper than anyone else would insure me third party.
WHERE FIRST SEEN: After looking at 25 Black MGs for sale I could not find a nice one. This car had been well looked after. Purchased in June 1983 the car had done 40,000 miles had a full service history, I intended it to last me a couple of years. 30 years later I still have it.
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: No new panels. No new paint (only the front valance) original interior (new driver’s seat foam) Original engine. Pop top sun roof was already fitted when purchased.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: Fully wax-oiled with the box sections drilled and filled with a mixture of anti-rust oil and wax-oil every year,(it would run out of the drain holes for months) All servicing has been done by myself and my son Daniel. New clutch in 1984. The suspension has been rebuilt twice in 30years.
MODIFICATIONS: SS Exhaust has been on the car for 28 years. Stainless steel petrol tank has also been on for 28years. Drilled and slotted brake discs, Spax adjustable shocks on the rear, copper brake pipes. Stainless brake hose’s, Minator wheels purchased 2009. V8 wish bone bushes.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: The car was used every day for the first 8 years and included holidays and week end breaks in the UK. It was kept outside for 6 years.
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE: Change oil / filters regular and grease the king pins.
OWNER: Chris Hasluck
MAKE & MODEL: MG Midget MkIII
YEAR: Manufactured in 1970 (First registered in 1972)
COLOUR: Teal Blue
HISTORY: Had 10 owners since registration in 1972. Sold as scrap for parts in 1990 but restored between 1990-1999.
WHEN BOUGHT: 2000
WHY AN MG? I had an MG in my teens and always regretted selling it. When driving this car I’m reliving my youth.
WHERE FIRST SEEN (ADVERT/WORD OF MOUTH ETC): Auto Trader magazine
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: This car was scrap in 1990 but later restored over a 10 year period. When I bought the car, the bodywork was excellent but all the mechanicals needed restoration as well as many other components.
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: British Motor Heritage bodyshell, rebuilt engine, gearbox, differential, new clutch hydraulics, leather seats and new interior trim/carpets
MODIFICATIONS: 1330cc rally spec engine, 7.5 inch rally clutch, MG Metro cylinder head, single HIF44 carburettor, long centre branch (LCB) exhaust manifold, electric cooling fan, Spax rear telescopic shock absorbers, Green Stuff brake pads, laminated windscreen, padded roll bar, period Compomotive 5.5J alloy wheels (on 165/70/13 tyres).
MODIFICATIONS PLANNED / WISH LIST: Perhaps electronic ignition and/or Frontline tube shock front conversion.
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: Spridget 50, May 2008; Midget 50 in June 2011.
TIPS – TECHNICAL OR OTHERWISE: Fit a single SU carb ? it makes life so much easier and greatly improves fuel economy as well as performance!
OWNER: Steve Morriss
MAKE/MODEL: MGB GT
YEAR: 1972
COLOUR: Damask Red
WHEN BOUGHT: 2013
WHY AN MG? I wanted a “toy” and I remember seeing the MGB as a youngster and always liking the look of them. As most of the other cars I liked were either a lot more expensive or maybe a bit modern to be easily worked on it kind of chose itself
WHERE FIRST SEEN (ADVERT/WORD OF MOUTH ETC): EBay and Autotrader. Having decided that I was getting an MGB I started looking on various sites and bookmarked this one fairly early on and kept coming back to it. It was in a dealers in Peterborough so one Sunday I called them up to make sure they still had it, drove over with my partner Rachel to look at it and an hour later was putting the PIN for my debit card into their machine…
RESTORATION WORK BY SELF OR OTHERS: Nearside sill replaced in 2023 after discovering a hole in the sill in late 2022. New clutch with uprated bearing fitted (both jobs too big for me to big shout out to Broad Arrow Classic Cars for those jobs)
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR: Interior wasn’t bad apart from the dashboard but has since declined (e.g. seats need re-upholstering) but the exterior looked good and the car came with a massive folder of receipts for new parts etc. which gave me hope that is was indeed a good car. It didn’t take long for me to discover that the previous owner had been good at buying parts but not that great at putting them together. I spent quite some time over the first few months of my ownership checking and tightening nuts and bolts and checking the timing and valve clearances etc.
MODIFICATIONS: Engine; bored out by 0.060 (ending up with 1860cc engine), K&N air filters, fast road camshaft, electronic ignition module replacing the original points. Suspension; parabolic rear springs, tubular shock conversion all round (Gaz shocks), Panhard rod, 15″ Minilite replica wheels. Other; Stainless steel exhaust, halogen headlight upgrade with relays in the circuit, driving lights (bolted direct to front bumper by a the previous owner). Hazard light kit fitted (after being stranded in rush hour without them I didn’t fancy that again)
MODIFICATIONS PLANNED/WISH LIST: I need to re-upholster/replace the front seats and a new headlining wouldn’t go amiss but the sunroof on the car makes that job more interesting 🙂 In an ideal world I’d like a full respray too
INTERESTING JOURNEYS, EVENTS OR USE: The journey home was an adventure, it started snowing and I was attempting to feel round in the dark for the windscreen wipers and finding out that the heater output wasn’t exactly brilliant. Since that eventful first journey I’ve been on various organised runs (Kimber Run, Yorkshire Pudding run, Pendle Run etc.) and used to regularly drive the car to work at least once a week until I changed jobs in 2017 and no longer commuted to an office with a car park.