Everyday Modifications for your MGF and TF

Roger Parker

• Publisher: Crowood
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781785004308
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Aviation
• Index: Technology & Engineering

The books in the Everyday Modifications series from Crowood are designed to guide classic car owners through the workshop skills needed to make their cars easier to use and enjoy. MG expert Roger Parker offers his advice on a range of modifications and changes that can be applied to the MGF and MG TF, which will enhance the practical daily use of the cars. With important and specific safety information and advice throughout, the book also covers: body and interior changes; brake, suspension and steering upgrades; wheel and tyre options; powertrain upgrades; electrical system upgrade options and finally, setting up and specific maintenance aspects. Illustrated with over 450 images, this is a valuable technical resource for the MGF and TF owner.

1

introduction

The MG marque’s history is littered with many ups and downs, and it has rightly gained a reputation for being a survivor, having come through many ‘near-death’ situations: these include the change of direction dictated by Lord Nuffield in the mid-1930s, and the demise of the MGB and the closure of the MG factory in 1980, leading to the presumed death of the marque – only for it to be revived with the MG Metro in 1982, and the follow-on MG Maestro and Montego. In more recent times we saw the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, and the subsequent Chinese purchase of the remaining MG assets. This was followed by the restart of MG TF production in 2008, followed in turn by the growing range of MG-badged cars in recent years.

MGF 1.6 model. This is an MG Rover press image from when the base 1.6-litre model was introduced. MG ROVER

The most prolific TF was the 135 model; this is an MG Rover press image when the 2005 model-year cars were launched. MG ROVER

Indeed it is perhaps the collapse of MG Rover and the subsequent Chinese ownership of the marque, and their apparent misunderstanding of our view of MG’s values, which has led to the current range of cars being short of what many believe is the sporting nature of an MG. As a consequence this has focused more attention on the MG TF as possibly the last true MG two-seat open-top sports car, along with its close older sibling, the MGF. Not that this has significantly helped the values of these cars, at least not yet, but they certainly represent really good value for money – and most interestingly, this doesn’t stop many owners spending disproportionately high amounts of money maintaining and personalizing them. It is the focus of this book to look at some of the wide range of tuning and personalizing options available, and where it is beyond its scope to investigate them in detail, it will at least give an idea what these might be, and where to get more information.

One advantage of the cars having a relatively low value means that more owners are prepared to experiment, as their financial exposure is less. This also means that as most of these experiments have some success, the actual value of the cars can be increased – if the cars were worth much more, then originality would have a much higher priority when considering values.

Of course, originality does have its place, and very early MGFs in excellent original condition with a low mileage have seen a slow but clear increase in value, all connected to their originality – but that still leaves very many MGFs and TFs that are good value and can provide an excellent economic base for modification.

The 1999 MGF 75th Anniversary car came with three different exterior colour schemes, red or black for the UK, and silver or black for export, along with 16in Multispoke wheels and special badges.

The interior of the black 75th Anniversary cars came with a striking red full leather treatment.

In 2004 the MG TF 80th Anniversary model came in contemporary and classic formats with individual numbering, together with different trim and badges. MG ROVER

The interior of 80th Anniversary cars was individual and with monogrammed ‘1924–2004’ seat decoration. MG ROVER

By 2009 we had entered the Chinese ownership period of MG and they decided to introduce a limited run of fifty 85th Anniversary cars in three external colours: Ice White, Intense Cassis and Enigmatic Silver. MG MOTOR

The interior of all 85th Anniversary cars used this colour of leather and pleasant minor touches, including the chunky, UK made, one-off alloy gear knob. MG MOTOR

The 85th Anniversary car did boast a significant suspension upgrade to provide the best ride/handling road set-up of any TF, capped off by an exotic new wheel design called ‘Twist of Pepper’. MG MOTOR

There were also a number of different ‘Limited Edition’ MGF and TF models, although most were nothing more than a selection of ‘cosmetic’ additions, many of which were already listed factory options or accessories. The main advantage of these was for the original purchaser, as on average the increased cost of the LE model would only be around 50 per cent of the cost of the extra parts fitted to an individually ordered standard car plus those added parts. Of all the LE models produced, only the 75th, 80th and 85th Anniversary cars had an MG-related historic connection, and only the 85th had an attractive and effective mechanical upgrade.

Various subjects in this book will refer to aspects of maintenance that can’t be covered in the space available, but these aspects are usually covered in the official MG workshop manual. To expand on the latter’s clinical approach there is also my book, MGF and TF Restoration Manual (published by The Crowood Press), which gives an owner’s perspective without the facility of a fully equipped dealer workshop. Workshop manuals as supplied to MG dealers are, at the time of writing, once again available from XPart, commonly under the title of ‘RAVE’ discs.

In the following chapters there will be some basic references to car specifications which assume readers have a good understanding of MGF and TF history – and if they do not, and if they want to add to their knowledge, then a number of good books cover this subject. For example, David Knowles’s MGF and TF (published by The Crowood Press) relates the history of MGF and TF from their concept to when the last TF came off the Longbridge assembly line in spring 2010. For immediate reader assistance, refer to the sidebar for a very brief history of MGF and TF.

When talking about MGFs or TFs one can’t avoid mentioning the reputation their Rover K-series engines gained for problems concerning head gasket failure (HGF); certainly this is a case where time hasn’t changed that reputation, but engineering changes most certainly have. Whilst engines suffering head gasket failure may still be found, cars that have survived for ten years and more would probably not have done so had they succumbed to repeated head gasket failure, as the ‘doom mongers’ claimed they would. Certainly the story surrounding the K-series engine issues is one that could justify a book in its own right, such were the twists and turns of internal company politics and moves to avoid potential litigation.

However, the simple and pertinent fact is that the MLS (multi-layer steel shim) head gasket arrived in late 2005 through Land Rover, and whilst this MG Rover powertrain development was to be part of the Euro IV specification update along with the uprated lower rail, it didn’t apply to any MG or Rover production cars, as the company had collapsed the previous April. It is, however, the most effective cure, and is retro applicable to all earlier K-series engines, and has provided the biggest boost to reliability.

MG and Rover car values plummeted when MG Rover collapsed, and one of the main reasons was the widespread and incorrect perception that parts would no longer be available. MG Rover’s 2003 sale of its parts division, XPart, to Caterpillar Logistics was seen negatively at the time as a sale of the ‘family jewels’ to raise money, but ironically this insulated XPart from the MG Rover collapse, and XPart’s access to parts designs and suppliers has ensured that, generally speaking, parts supply has continued normally.

XPart today remains in rude health, although now under new ownership, and continues to supply original MG and Rover parts. Certainly initially they had difficulty maintaining stocks of certain parts, as some suppliers were originally supplying tens of thousands of parts per annum to the production lines, and after MG Rover collapsed were then asked to cut that down to perhaps a few hundred just to service the spares market. In some cases they simply couldn’t do such small numbers, whilst others were owed considerable sums and refused to deal further, so new suppliers had to be found. Where new parts are not available there is currently a very healthy selection of MG specialists who provide many second-hand spares – use eBay or Google to find them.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MGF AND TF

In January 1996 this pre-production MGF VVC is in the hands of the author and his wife prior to the official launch in March 1996.

Officially revealed at the spring 1995 Geneva Motor show, the MGF didn’t see first deliveries until September of that year. Initially this was just the 120ps 1.8i, as the more powerful 145ps VVC (variable valve control) -engined version didn’t arrive until March 1996.

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