MG TF Question.

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GHT
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MG TF Question.

#1 Post by GHT » Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:17 pm

The TF model I'm talking about is the later one, not the 1950's one. My missus loves it, but two garage owners have warned me against getting one. The garage that looks after the YB, one Richard Grey explained about the K series engine and how it blows head gaskets. Simon, at the garage that took care of my vans and company cars, back in the day, also warned me of the head gasket problems, adding that the radiator is smaller, making coolant flow less efficient. Both garage owners also said that the strengthening bolts are a nightmare. They go through the head, the block and, unbelievably, the main bearing caps.

On the Wheeler Dealer show where they bling up a Lotus Elise, I learned that this little Lotus sports car also has the K series engine. It can blow head gaskets, but nothing like the MG. So the question is why? And just to get you to add your expertise, can the MG set up be: "Lotus-ified?" Logic dictates that it would be better just to go and buy her the Elise, but fickle female that she is, the little Lotus doesn't float her boat. She wants the TF but with an array of add on body panels. Last question: Why can I see this becoming a drain on my wallet?

rich.
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Re: MG TF Question.

#2 Post by rich. » Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:04 pm

treat her to a nice mr2 instead.. or maybe a frying pan.. :scared:

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JPB
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Re: MG TF Question.

#3 Post by JPB » Tue Dec 27, 2016 7:04 pm

The K, especially the V6 version, should have been one of the great engines of all time, they are cleverly designed but sadly have a reputation that's kept me away from them in anything with my name on the V5.
Like the slant 4 and DOHC V8 that caused Triumph so much bad press in the last century, the trouble is that sloppy detail work can wreck even the best, either of these engine "families" is technically brilliant in so many ways, but both are - often unfairly, IMHO - called all the names under the sun because good examples don't make for interesting magazine features.. ;)
GHT, go and check out the MGWTF. I drove the brilliant, yet hopelessly misunderstood CVT version of the original, Hydrasag-suspended MGF once and found it short of space for my luggage, legs and arse BUT it was pretty to look at and had nice comfy seats, these sadly not accompanied by anywhere to place one's spare foot.


I am concerned about the add on body stuff though! I take it you realise that there's a forum called "Barry Boys" where just such tat is worshipped..
:lol:

Rich, frying pans aren't always a good substitute for a two-seater convertible. Trust me, you can't get a decent fried egg out of an MG.
Boiled, on the other hand. Boiled and tasting suspiciously of K-Seal... :oops:
:scared:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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Grumpy Northener
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Location: Hampshire UK

Re: MG TF Question.

#4 Post by Grumpy Northener » Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:00 am

Like most cars they have their failings - but if well kept and the failings addressed there is no reason why they cannot make decent cars - for long enough they have been under rated hence available at the really cheap end of the market - but things are now changing - with the known weakness addressed the prices for low mileage / low ownership models that are looked after are on the rise - the local MG specialist to me always has a few on his forecourt along with usual MGB / C & Midget fare and he has no trouble selling them - GHT personally if it's a well looked after one and offered a fair price I would go for it has I would predict that these are very much on way up given what I seen pass through the auctions recently.

Has an aside from this for anyone wanting to build themselves a properly sorted & speced new TF - Rimmer Bros (curse word with JPB) have bodyshells in stock for under £1,200.00 - buy a rotten donor car and you could build yourself a really nice motor for not a great deal of outlay
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

3xpendable
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Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:03 am

Re: MG TF Question.

#5 Post by 3xpendable » Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:54 pm

Another underrated emerging classic is the Ford Puma. Great car and I paid in 2014 £800 for a 1 owner from new T reg example with just 39,000mls on the clock, FSH, full MOT and 6 months tax.
2013 Dodge Durango R/T
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (Wagon). LHD.
1964 Ford Anglia 105e Saloon

megadethmaniac
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Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:53 pm
Location: Essex

Re: MG TF Question.

#6 Post by megadethmaniac » Thu Dec 29, 2016 10:13 pm

i`ve seen a few mgtfs in scrap yards 30k on the clock and a blown hg. Usually available cheep as no one wants the aggro of repairing the HG only for it to go again quickly. The truth is as I understand it that the issue is 2 fold. sometimes its as a result of marginal cooling and other times as a result of poorly cast cylinder blocks / liners, with the latter moving in the block. I think that there was an uprated set of liners by Progressive aero works? and there was an uprated hg produced by packyan (peckyan?) which helps.

If you can buy one cheaply, with a good hg, then watch coolant levels like a hawk!

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JPB
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Re: MG TF Question.

#7 Post by JPB » Fri Dec 30, 2016 5:45 pm

Payen? ;)

But any HG is only as good as the person who fits it, which is why so many of the Saab/Triumph slants/V8s let go prematurely, having been assembled by people who didn't understand the importance of not stitching down the head, but instead going along the bolt side and finishing on the stud side, never crossing between. The K was similarly confusing to many of the folk more used to conventional machinery as its assembly sequence wasn't likely to have been guessed at correctly. That, and the fact that the steel through studs' torque figure changes every time the engine is apart which is fine if every head job was carried out by the same person and that person had a good memory.

A friend of mine runs an early 21st century Rover 45 which came to her with HGF. She bought the filthiest, most horrid looking engine she could find at the scrapyard that day and fitted that in place of the original motor. That was a year and 30+ thousand miles ago and annoyingly, the thing's been utterly reliable.

I say annoyingly but really that's just me being vexed at fixing myself out of a potential sale for a Toyota. :oops: :lol:
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

GHT
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: MG TF Question.

#8 Post by GHT » Sat Dec 31, 2016 10:08 am

Happy New Year to you all, thank you for taking the time to respond. Rich, I actually bought her a kitchen appliance for Christmas, the large size food mixer with all the whistles and bells on it. And as for the MR2, she came within a whisker of owning the MK2 version. After much deliberating, she went for the VW Scirocco Scala, a car that she's kept from new. It's 30 years old in 2017 and it's going to a new home.
Our Godson, who is just one month older than the car, made a tentative inquiry about buying it two years ago, at our suggestion he didn't get a loan, instead he saved the cash, and to encourage him, we insured him in the car and let him borrow it occasionally.
The Puma is a good idea and you really don't see that many, but being based on the Fiesta, I should imagine that spares are not a problem. As much as she likes the TF, Richard, our MG garage owner who takes care of the YB, phoned me to say that he had a K series engine out of the car. I took my missus to the garage and Richard showed her the strengthening bolts, how difficult it was to line them up and how it's so complicated getting them through the main bearing cap. She was quite impressed.
So today the Scala will be going, I must remember to delete from the insurance.
You won't believe the car she fancies next, I can hardly bring myself to type the words. She fancies The Nissan Juke, not the current one, something from a few years back. Think I might just go out and get her the Mercedes A250, a Nissan on my drive, I couldn't live it down.

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Grumpy Northener
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Location: Hampshire UK

Re: MG TF Question.

#9 Post by Grumpy Northener » Sat Dec 31, 2016 10:53 am

a Nissan on my drive, I couldn't live it down
GHT - You don't have to live with a Nissan on your drive - I have available what is probably the worlds best example of a 1.3L Maestro for sale - just one owner - it's not even run in with just 9,000 miles from new - full service history - factory sunroof - Now that would look just lovely on your drive ;) :lol:

I hope you didn't let the Sirocco go too cheaply to the Godson - here is what others are selling them for :o http://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/details.php?cid=646 - well it's sold now but for £18.000
1937 Jowett 8 - Project - in less pieces than the Jupiter
1943 Jowett Stationary Engine
1952 Jowett Jupiter - In lots of peices http://Jowett.org/
1952 Jowett Javelin - Largely original
1973 Rover P6 V8 - Original / 22,000 miles

GHT
Posts: 1523
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:09 pm

Re: MG TF Question.

#10 Post by GHT » Sat Dec 31, 2016 3:03 pm

Grumpy Northener wrote: You don't have to live with a Nissan on your drive - I have available what is probably the worlds best example of a 1.3L Maestro for sale - just one owner - it's not even run in with just 9,000 miles from new - full service history - factory sunroof - Now that would look just lovely on your drive ;) :lol:
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Grumpy Northener wrote:I hope you didn't let the Sirocco go too cheaply to the Godson - here is what others are selling them for :o http://www.kgfclassiccars.co.uk/details.php?cid=646 - well it's sold now but for £18.000
Yes, I saw that Chris, either in the national press or maybe one of the classic car publications. It must be pointed out that car has clocked up just a tad more than zero miles. Her Scala, has just over 78000 miles on the clock, but it does have a ring binder file, that has everything in it from the original bill of sale, every MOT certificate, on each MOT she stuck the matching tax disc for that year, every service, every tyre change/repair, every workshop invoice. It's possible that it might have realised £10K at auction, we let the lad have it for £5K on the promise it will be garaged, loved and looked after for at least five years.
The lad had a difficult childhood, he could have easily drifted into crime, but instead of having a poor little me attitude, he kept his chin up, studied at college after leaving school, landed a good job, got married and is a really lovely, level headed young man. I would have gladly given him the car and my missus agreed, but she said that by making pay a reasonable charge will make him feel responsible and all the more proud of his new pride & joy.

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