Topic

Hi All

So this is it - the MG F spring project - code name Riveria - Why ? Well since the F is now sitting on the drive in sunny Devon on the English Riveria then it seemed a reasonable code word - Pretty sure that at some time most people's have taken a trip down to Torbay- see there has been an organsied run down here - see pic as a reminder




The Mission - To give an older standard 1.6 some TLC and a few upgrades to hopefully bring her up to compare against the top of the range vvc spec -foregoing the engine replacement, as I am not that good at mechanics s

The Objective - To complete the job (by 1st June) at half the price of the cost of car purchase - so I have the grand total of £225 to spend - so I can't go too far to the Dark Side !

Known issues at purchase
1) Rust spots and paint bubbles around drivers wings, arches and on air intakes
2) MOT advisory - track rod end ball joints and upper ball joints have slight play
3) Exhaust corroded
4) Needs a real good clean up
5) Seats normal wear and tear - drivers seat the worst - cloth so let's get leather !!

For those of you that are interested. I will try and give updates of progress with commentary and pictures, list of ebay bargins and what surprises lay in store, as I try to meet the challenge

Here is a few pics of the F as shown on ebay as a "before" snapshot.....

Good Luck..........look forward to the posts

So here is the list of items ready for the off - most from good old ebay
1) Cream leather seats - £50
2) Matching door cards - £10
3) Leather dye - cream £7 - it is gong to need it !!
4) Pair of wing mirrors - £5
5) Arial - £1.00
6) Replacement Indicator light £17 -
7) Replacemnet Ar in Take grills £4
8) Replacemnet front grills - £13
9) Tonneau Hood - £33 - not a fix but a must have item I think

£140 gone already !! - oh well - on the look out for wind break at a reasonable price not stupid money

Looking good my friend!

Trust me, these things are VERY good at draining your cash!

Regards,
Andy

Thanks - Managed to start work, all be it mostly in doors - sun didnt last long down here ... cleaned the seats down in readiness for the dye but in doing so exposed a couple of areas which had obviously been touched up before as I now have two large patches of bear leather showing.
Fitted the mirrors and the intake vent grills, they look a lot better now especially the grills - nice and shinny bling !!.
But as the car has been without its cover on for a few days, I did notice a musty smell ... investigations found that both driver and passenger floor sound proofing was like giant sponges, in fact trying to get them out they statred to fall apart so they have been binned, the waters been getting in for quite a while I guess. Not sure if I really need to have the sound proofing in anyway - but need to find the leaks. Think it will be a poor fit of the soft top around by the doors as not sat in the rubber trims properely. Have also noticed that interior lights dont work - rear view mirrors work by switch but not by door opening and nothing from well lights either - seen that this seems to be a common problem and may well be the door lock sensors - will get the door cards off again and check it out- hopefully clean connections and we will have light - Seen the blue LED effects pics on here which I like so may well replace them while I am at it
The tonneau cover arrived today and is in very good condition, so at least something to smile about

Woke up to a light dusting of snow and pretty cold - typical when you got plans to work outside , anyway after taking the dog for a walk the weather improved and the sun even came out - so it was time to give the F a wash, t-cut and polish and a quick spin down the run - A couple of hours later and a bit of elbow grease she was shinning - apart from the rust spots that has still to be sorted



Also here is a before and after shot of the seats with the leather dye treatment, there is a colour difference so will now have to get cream colour balm to even it out - another £12 but will (hopefully) make it look an even finish and I can then fit them






Also had the door cards off to check the conections and clean up the locks - did all that and still no interior lights work by opening either door - had a set of replacement door locks the guy I bought the car from gave me and just tried it with one of them connected up to drivers door but still the same - so not sure whats up here - tried the alarm test and it did not set the test mode following the instructions so its got to be wiring or the control unit - oddly the key fob will only work inside te car - even with a new battery ???

Leather balm arrived and I have had a go at trying to blend in the colours, to be honest it has not made a great deal of difference so a bit disappointing, but it is better than the bear patches, so come a bit drier weather I will get the seats put in.
In the mean time have had a go at getting the instrument pack and the clock and oil gauges out to fit the blue leds - the how to (a car called bob) on tf central site was really useful, got it out without having to take the steering wheel off without too much fuss. Have also taken the yellow plastic defuser away which sits bellow the bulb housing, which does make a big diffenece in brightness - will take a pic when its darker and post .

With interior lights on -


And just dash lights




Added a couple of replacement side indicators with the blue tinted glass fronts - looks a bit better than the grubby old ones. Still have not got interior well lights to work, so think I will have to strip down the door locks and see inside where micro switches are and clean them up

Thinking about putting in a sliver centre console and heater air vents to lift the darkness of the standard black trim - will have a look around and see what others have before I commit to it

well your getting there mate i have the same problem with my interior lights so looking forward to your fix,have you cured the leak yet ?
oh and blue is the best colour

Well the leak seems to have got better since I put on the missing rubber drivers door end stop on which butts up against the corner where the hood comes down - think it has been runnng back down the inside of the door - The drivers well doesn't have the puddle sat there now .. .and its been thrasing it down for past 3 days here - so I am pretty sure thats helped

Here the pic of the ends stops -




yea I hope taking the locks out and fixng the micro switches is gonna do the trick - well here's hoping- will let you know out come

Those end rubbers do seal the door to the b pillar seal and often go walkabout. They prevent rain running down and inside.

Well I said about puting the leather seats in - no rain today - so went for it - got a T50 torx socket from my big bruv and started on it , bit tight to get 1/2 inch socket in on rear door side runner but after a fashion got passenger seat out - driver seat - well got the four seat runner bolts off but the one bolt that holds the seat belt is solid - found you have to lft the seat out to get the socket onto that bolt - but its not moving - so tight the head is starting to shear - given it some WD40 to work over night - Now I thought that was the worst bit over - but oh no... on trying to fit the passenger seat to my horror the seat runners which is from a MGF 1998 (MK1) is slightly different to mine 2001 (MK2) the near side rear runner seems to bolt to the floor where as mine is sideways on facing to the rear , also the front hole nearest the doors is about an inch out , also the older runner fixing holes are in a sort of cup shape where mine is flat - so that would make the seat slightly higher in postion - unless I am being a right numpy !! - grr

Any one found the same ?

Looks like I will have to swap the runners over on the seats sections to fit them ... hope they will fit ...will have a go tomorrow and take a pic or two --- thought the seats swap would be an easy four bolts and your done.. oh well these things are sent to try us !!

The mk2 seats do sit lower than the mk1 seats, but I thought the securing holes were identical( )

Ohh... and you need releasing fluid, not WD40.