New member hello from Somerset

[mgb281]

Hello everyone, my name is Philip and I have just joined the forum today. I last owned a MGB roadster that I had from 1974 until about 1978 then about a month ago I bought a 2004 MGTF for my wife who has recently retired. The TF is a work in progress but is a Sunstorm model from 2004 in generally very good condition, but the previous owner forgot to add oil to the engine and it now has a knock from the bottom end. I have also got a low mileage VVC engine and gearbox and will fit that with a Kmaps ECU to marry it into where an ordinary 1.8 currently sits. I have obtained two subframes that hopefully will be blasted and galvanised this month, then the dismantling and rebuilding will begin. Any hints, tips and general advice is more than welcome. I am hoping that two weekends on the front and rear will be a reasonable timeframe.
I also have a 1972 MGBT which is currently stripped to a bare shell, I am waiting for some welding to be done before rebuilding it, hopefully the TF will not take too long to sort out.

[nigelandjo]

Hello and welcome Philip. Whereabouts in Somerset are you? Will be great to see you at our events once you have the TF sorted.

[talkingcars]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Looking foward to updates on the TF project.

James

[Gavin207]

Welcome. I also live in Somerset and also have a BGT I have partially stripped and am currently welding so I can get it on the road this summer. Would be good to meet up if we're reasonably close - I'm just south of Radstock.

[mgb281]

Thank you for the welcome,I will keep the updates coming as they happen, the two subframes were dropped off for bead blasting to get rid of the rust, then they will go off to the galvanisers. The idea is to try and remove the future problems that may arise so hence the galvanising , new bushes etc, I buy a lot of parts on Ebay where I find some useful bargains as well as patronising the normal sellers. We live about three miles to the Bridgwater side of Taunton.
I am not sure if I will be welcome to these forums with my BGT, I bought it as a totally bare shell off Ebay about five years ago, it came with a total history until about the year 2000. In 2006 it was sold as partly restored by Mechspec who sold it again in 2010 with the same description. It then had new floor pans, half rear wings and a few other parts but these were badly fitted so this is being gradually overcome. I had a very rusty rubber bumper bodyshell and trial fitted a Jaguar AJV6 engine and RX8 gearbox, the fit is excellent and saves about 45kgs of weight. During the winter I have built a four link rear suspension like the CCE one from the USA, this is work has been done in the winter months as has the front crossmember which is being modified but not finished (next winters work) to raise the front roll centre and a few more modifications, but to a casual onlooker will look exactly as it came out of the factory.
The real push is to get the TF finished so I can get on with the B.
One last thing is whether I can enable an email notification from the forum of any updates to any threads that I have contributed to.

[nigelandjo]

The quick way to check for new updates on threads is to go to Quick Links at the top left hand side of the page and click and select "New Posts" which will show the threads which have new posts, so you can select from there which you want to read. Saves looking through for updates. As far as I know there's no email notification option on the Forum.

[mgb281]

I got the subframes back from the galvanisers today, generally very pleased with the results. There are a few places inside the box sections where the shot blasting didn’t remove all the paint so there is no paint or galvanise now. It’s probably not a big deal since those areas had not rusted so will now try to paint and waxoil those areas

[nigelandjo]

Looks a good job.

[mgb281]

If I could have taken them to the galvanisers myself the cost would have been £118, collection and delivery took it to £228 but I think it was worth it but I may change my mind when I have to clean out the threaded holes etc

[motornoter]

Hi Philip, another new member here from Somerset, also with a BGT project (alongside a string of MGFs), also about 3 miles north of Taunton - we're in North Newton, where are you?! Malcolm

[jonny69]

They look good I do like other mg's if you have any photo's of your other

[EllsoJo]

Hi there! I am also a new member, in East Devon but not too far from you (16 miles from Taunton town centre). If you ever need an extra pair of hands during the rebuild, by all means call me on 07592582284. I would be interested to see the engine & subframe outside the body. Presumably you will insert engine on it's subframe from below. Perhaps you have done this already??
If you have not read it yet, Roger Parker's book "MGF and TF Restoration Manual" is a goldmine of information. I have a copy.
Good luck with the project!

A photo of my TF during one of our all-too-frequent visits to an elderly father-in-law is attached:

[mgb281]

Thank you for the replies, I have managed to remove the engine today, it went much more smoothly than I could have imagined except for the heater hoses which too me two hours to disconnect!. I fell and injured my right thumb last Friday and with too many worn out joints I couldn't press and turn the joiners. I have various parts at Hamlins in Bridgwater being machined but due to holidays I may not get them back for a couple of weeks. I will add photos and start a new thread for the re assembly with a few mods on the way.

[nigelandjo]

Our next pub meet is Thursday 19th May at The Windwhistle Inn, Chard ~ you will be very welcome. See separate post for details.