Wocha bin doin on your MG this week then?

steve@mgtf wrote:

A man after my own heart !
I used to collect antique guns for their beauty and craftsmanship.
I was fortunate to live in Birmingham when the Gun Quarter was still going strong and got to know the folk who worked there.
When they made a 'Best Gun' they would use slave screws on the action so they could mark the position of the slot when tight.
The screw heads were then made so that all the slots were horizontal.
The stocker would 'smoke in' the locks to the stock by holding them in a smoky flame so they left a mark on the stock showing where to cut it away. They would even leave a bit proud where the screw slots went !
Of course the owner never saw this but the gunsmiths knew it was there.
I was once allowed to meet the best engraver - a large man with a permanent Woodbine in the corner of his mouth which stained his moustache yellow.
He was engraving one of a pair of guns for the Queen and she wanted her dog, the famous Sandringham Sidney, on one of them.
He had a photo of the dog on a clothes peg and, as I watched, with one flick of his graver he (literally) did the Dogs Bollocks.
I foolishly said 'you must be very proud to be able to work like that'.
Out comes the Woody.
'You know them great big expanding suitcases you can buy in Woolworths ?'
'Well you can fill one with all the pride, honour and glory in the World and it won't buy you a bloody box of matches. Now bugger off'.
Words that have stayed with me all of my life.

😂😂
 

Passed MOT!

Yeah! Well done Joe..you must be well happy!

Congrats Joe

Well done Joe.
And snap, a good day for MOTs.

Congratulations 🎊 

Joe_Pineapples wrote:

Passed MOT!

 

Congratulations!

Thanks to all the folks on here who have offered advice and those who have posted fantastic info in previous times, which has been invaluable in getting this thing back to feeling something like it's supposed to and passing the MOT

There's a great forum support for these such as on here, which I should have expected, given the nature of the car. They're definitely very lovable little things. Well done all, hopefully I can contribute.

Took a bit of persuasion to get it through the Lamba test, apparently a sign it hasn't been driven hard enough to get the cat hot enough to burn off according to tester. Previous owner (my Dad) drove diesels for years as a daily and I don't think he ever got it much over 3k RPM in 25k miles. Got through eventually though

Fitting a stainless MGF manifold, downpipe and toyosports backbox tomorrow I picked up on ebay, modding the TF cat to fit that with an MS repair flange so hopefully that will mount up okay on the TF and free up a few horses. It's the 4 bolt rather than 6 bolt fitment but I'm replacing the whole system and I have a new gasket so can't see why it would necessarily be any worse for the loss of 2 bolts and wouldn't fit?

Also got a new gasket for a leaky dipstick, and 2 rear stabiliser link arms to fit, although mine look like they've been in the sea for 5 years and the plastic covers are cracked and splitting though rust, there's no play in them. But I've bought the parts now so I may as well fit them...

Question for those who know - most of the bolts I'm used to on VAG cars are single use stretch bolts, is this the case with these or am I okay re-using bolts on suspension related bits like this?

Cheers!

Well done on the Mot mate. Peace of mind and you can enjoy the summer with it and do the subframe etc over winter.
Looking at the suspension layout I see no reason not to be able to use the bolts again if they are in good order.
Good luck with your exhaust..every bhp is well earned.

Joe_Pineapples wrote:

Thanks to all the folks on here who have offered advice and those who have posted fantastic info in previous times, which has been invaluable in getting this thing back to feeling something like it's supposed to and passing the MOT

There's a great forum support for these such as on here, which I should have expected, given the nature of the car. They're definitely very lovable little things. Well done all, hopefully I can contribute.

Took a bit of persuasion to get it through the Lamba test, apparently a sign it hasn't been driven hard enough to get the cat hot enough to burn off according to tester. Previous owner (my Dad) drove diesels for years as a daily and I don't think he ever got it much over 3k RPM in 25k miles. Got through eventually though

Fitting a stainless MGF manifold, downpipe and toyosports backbox tomorrow I picked up on ebay, modding the TF cat to fit that with an MS repair flange so hopefully that will mount up okay on the TF and free up a few horses. It's the 4 bolt rather than 6 bolt fitment but I'm replacing the whole system and I have a new gasket so can't see why it would necessarily be any worse for the loss of 2 bolts and wouldn't fit?

Also got a new gasket for a leaky dipstick, and 2 rear stabiliser link arms to fit, although mine look like they've been in the sea for 5 years and the plastic covers are cracked and splitting though rust, there's no play in them. But I've bought the parts now so I may as well fit them...

Question for those who know - most of the bolts I'm used to on VAG cars are single use stretch bolts, is this the case with these or am I okay re-using bolts on suspension related bits like this?

Cheers!

The 4 bolt manifold is the same shape as the 6 bolt so you can use either. Obviously as long as you use a matching downpipe.
 

David Aiketgate wrote:

Joe_Pineapples wrote:

Thanks to all the folks on here who have offered advice and those who have posted fantastic info in previous times, which has been invaluable in getting this thing back to feeling something like it's supposed to and passing the MOT

There's a great forum support for these such as on here, which I should have expected, given the nature of the car. They're definitely very lovable little things. Well done all, hopefully I can contribute.

Took a bit of persuasion to get it through the Lamba test, apparently a sign it hasn't been driven hard enough to get the cat hot enough to burn off according to tester. Previous owner (my Dad) drove diesels for years as a daily and I don't think he ever got it much over 3k RPM in 25k miles. Got through eventually though

Fitting a stainless MGF manifold, downpipe and toyosports backbox tomorrow I picked up on ebay, modding the TF cat to fit that with an MS repair flange so hopefully that will mount up okay on the TF and free up a few horses. It's the 4 bolt rather than 6 bolt fitment but I'm replacing the whole system and I have a new gasket so can't see why it would necessarily be any worse for the loss of 2 bolts and wouldn't fit?

Also got a new gasket for a leaky dipstick, and 2 rear stabiliser link arms to fit, although mine look like they've been in the sea for 5 years and the plastic covers are cracked and splitting though rust, there's no play in them. But I've bought the parts now so I may as well fit them...

Question for those who know - most of the bolts I'm used to on VAG cars are single use stretch bolts, is this the case with these or am I okay re-using bolts on suspension related bits like this?

Cheers!

The 4 bolt manifold is the same shape as the 6 bolt so you can use either. Obviously as long as you use a matching downpipe. The six bolt was an upgrade to reduce the possibility of the exhaust leaking at that joint.

 

Although I changed from four to six bolt manifold recently, it was more to accommodate other items I wished to use, just as with you.
Apart from a more constant clamping pressure there is no difference. If you were going to a 4-2-1 system you would need to reconsider.
M