[Daveyboyz]

Having got my car back after a while SORN I have begun working through a to do list... the trouble is that it keeps being added to and its too cold to want to spend anytime outside.

Done
Fitted replacement binacle (old one was cracked)
Rewired stereo and soldered the speaker connections. Fixed passenger speak grill.
Replaced broken bonnet strut clip
Filled and rubbed down around LED rear lights.

To do
Replace brake switch
Oil temperature illumination not working
Find leak in boot
Work out why hard top demister not working
Fix alternator squeal on start up (I have an uprated adjuster to fit)
Carpet tack missing in boot
Fit TF cross struts (maybe switch front subframe mounts for S/S)
Cut out resonator box and feed airbox pipe to side grill.
Get some spray work done, possibly full respray.

Has anyone else got a list as long as me or are yours all tickety-boo?

 

[PatM]

Always jobs to do and keeping a list is a good way to stay on top of them. They are in the main, over 20 years old and you cant expect to jump in and go without some effort int it.

It was a good car while I could afford to keep it and a loyal servant. The trouble was COVID, too many cars and lack of use plus my personal circumstances. I still have one expensive car and that hardly gets any use as we cant go out joy riding.
This will change in time, COVID will become something we talk about and cars will once more take to lanes.

 

[Chris T]

My TF ownership journey is perhaps slightly different to others in that I bought the car on December 26th, 2004 for £9999 (it was two and half years old).

The car was my daily driver until 2015 (and my only car for the first 6 years of that time) until it spat its coolant out of the water pump. I took the car off the road for a few months that ended up being 6 years, some of this hiatus was due finding out that I was more poorly than the car.

So just after Christmas I finally started work by replacing the water pump and cam belt. Has taken me ages but it was my first cambelt change and as it has said, it is like trying to burgle a house through the letterbox.

I’ve now started on the oil leaks, the one I knew about was coming from dipstick tube, it turns out the quick release connector was totally shot and was allowing oil to spray over the sump, not helped by the some of the bolts going AWOL.

I have just noticed that the back camshaft seals are leaking, one badly.

The gear selector seal is also shot where it enters the gearbox, the gators also need to be renewed (wish me luck!).

The rear subframe needs paint in places but it isn’t that bad.

Some of the rear hard brake pipes will need to be replaced at some stage but I think that they will be fine for now.

I suspect that I will need to replace the rear top ball joints ARB drop links as the rubber bushes are not looking too good.

I haven’t properly looked at the front subframe, I don’t want to as I think it needs new mounts.

 

[gnu]

Having got my car back after a while SORN I have begun working through a to do list... the trouble is that it keeps being added to and its too cold to want to spend anytime outside.

Yeah I‘m waiting for it to warm up before tacking my next job! 🌨🌨🌨

 

[gnu]

View attachment 136243

Nice to see you keep good records. 👍

I keep a spreadsheet sheet of everything I spend on the motors, a tab for each. Acts as a good service record as you can see last time you replaced anything, and work out cost per mile. 🤓

 

[PatM]

Nice to see you keep good records. 👍

I keep a spreadsheet sheet of everything I spend on the motors, a tab for each. Acts as a good service record as you can see last time you replaced anything, and work out cost per mile. 🤓

I was extremely sad to have to sell it, but I simply could no longer afford the running costs on the MG and the Merc Cabriolet I owned. The MG was relatively inexpensive to run, but when needs must-we have to admit defeat, with no shame. Interesting reading back that spreadsheet (yes, I kept another for the Merc, but not for my RRS which was embarrassingly expensive to purchase, let along run) I need to keep a large car as my wife is ill and to sell what I own and downsize cost-wise isn't a viable option. I'd end up starting from scratch! I enjoyed the MG while I owned it and it was the one Id drive every day, rain or shine.
Enjoy your cars, as you never know what the future holds.

 

[nocturneblue]

I've done a shedload of work to my TF - they are all old cars now and they are wearing out in many areas. The last big job I did was to fit new shocks all around (Bilsteins) and new wishbones at the front, plus repair the high level brake light (corroded LEDs). The to do list is still massive though:
(1) Resurface and UV coat front headlights
(2) Replace clutch fluid and possibly clutch cylinder seals etc
(3) Adjust gearstick travel as I discovered 18 months ago the reason reverse needed slamming into position with great speed was that the gearstick (and/or the bellcrank and adjusters) didn't push the gearbox properly into reverse with just a slow gearstick movement and that peppergrinder sound occurred when I let the clutch up! I did adjust the gearstick travel last year but the gearstick counterweight ended up hitting the gearstick tunnel wall when trying for reverse!
(4) Fit new LE500 nose as the old TF nose was cracked by road debris and already had one other crack in it. I just fancied the LE500 nose, purists will be upset ;0)
(5) Get the front resprayed
(6) Derust, treat, prime and spray the nearside sill. It is not bubbling (there was one surface rust bubble I dealt with but mostly it's just tinworm tracks snaking around). I did the offside sill 18 months ago and although structurally sound/no perforations, I could definitely see nail-sized patches of black pitted rust in some areas after the paint had been removed. It's a hard area to work on as I have no car lift and the working position is poor. I have to jack up that side of the car on bricks as far as I dare to get a better working angle/ground clearance.

 

[trevtherevs]

Over the last couple of years, I have spent a serious amount of time sorting out a number of minor but annoying things.

I also had a binnacle that needed repairing and ended up covering it as well with perforated vinyl. I also did my first bit of vinyl wrapping on the door trims with a carbon fiber wrap. I replaced the cam cover gasket along with the cambelt and water pump. The underfloor pipes were also replaced and finally, I played about using a vacuum filler to refill the system with new coolant.

This year I’m taking the engine out to replace cam seals, gearbox seals, fit a new upgraded clutch release lever, and new clutch. I also intend to refurbish the subframe with a rub down and repaint. I have been dragged a bit sideways and have bought a new heat shield and drop links and also currently sourcing new coolant pipes. The rear shocks I’m looking at attempting to powder coat and all being well am drawing together a plan for the front subframe and steering. So as soon as the weather picks up, I’m heading outside to put this plan into action

Finally, what I tend to find is you can spend a great deal of time and money to keep these aging cars going. But if you enjoy the challenge, the rewards are well worth it.

 

[PatM]

Over the last couple of years, I have spent a serious amount of time sorting out a number of minor but annoying things.

I also had a binnacle that needed repairing and ended up covering it as well with perforated vinyl. I also did my first bit of vinyl wrapping on the door trims with a carbon fiber wrap. I replaced the cam cover gasket along with the cambelt and water pump. The underfloor pipes were also replaced and finally, I played about using a vacuum filler to refill the system with new coolant.

This year I’m taking the engine out to replace cam seals, gearbox seals, fit a new upgraded clutch release lever, and new clutch. I also intend to refurbish the subframe with a rub down and repaint. I have been dragged a bit sideways and have bought a new heat shield and drop links and also currently sourcing new coolant pipes. The rear shocks I’m looking at attempting to powder coat and all being well am drawing together a plan for the front subframe and steering. So as soon as the weather picks up, I’m heading outside to put this plan into action

Finally, what I tend to find is you can spend a great deal of time and money to keep these aging cars going. But if you enjoy the challenge, the rewards are well worth it.

Sounds like a plan. I kept mine reliable and of all the cars I’ve owned - it was the most reliable of the cheap ones! To the point I’d sit in it on the m5 ploughing down to Southampton on a winter morning for my 09:00 and think ‘ this is so good!’
And so much cheaper than driving the Range Rover down there.

 

[Chris T]

I keep looking at my TF and thinking, “whilst I am here, that could do with being replaced...” Trying resist going down the rabbit hole of mission creep.

 

[PatM]

I keep looking at my TF and thinking, “whilst I am here, that could do with being replaced...” Trying resist going down the rabbit hole of mission creep.

Thats why the list such as I published above is as useful as a Bank Statement, to prevent unnecessary excesses... Pinning it on the fridge however is not recommended..