Nobody loves messing around with an MGF for four months

In honestly the worst four months of my entire life, I finally finish meddling around with that meddlesome, finicky auto-mobile now known to my neighbours as 'you f*cking stupid car'.


In early December, I decide to relocate the MGF from my house to the destination I've been known to fiddle about with cars on now and then (my folk's driveway), and about the same time, a new engine appears! Those of you living in the UK from December - January will remember the consistently horrid weather. I remember lying on my back in snow, under an MGF, undoing seized bolts, rounding the heads off, and going through three angle grinder discs in a week. My hands now look like I've been playing 'Thumb War' with Freddy Krueger, and I am now contemplating permanently wearing gloves, as this takes the piss. There is a deep cut and scars on every bendable part of my poor, withered handies.

Here's a little breakdown of the past four months:

• I attempted to remove the whole engine from the top of the car, but found the bolts impossible to do from the top, so took the subframe out from underneath,

Cold weather pictured (all over)

Subframe = free engine trolley

• I treated and painted the subframe, with zinc primer, stonechip and 2 PACK PAINT. Come and get me FERRIC OXIDE!

• I did some bits on the engine, and put the gearbox on!

•  I put the engine in the subframe and put it back in the car!!

 

I readied everything, started the car, and was confronted with a loud tapping noise. Pushing the clutch down stopped the noise, which later revealed I'd forgotten to tighten the clutch plate bolts! I'm not taking the engine out again, I thought, so I left the car for a couple of weeks as I couldn't handle it again in this weather, and then came back a few days ago with a determined look on my grid, and spent six hours a day on it. Gearboxes are never nice, and this was no difference. Spent two days mating the gearbox up to the engine, and getting soaked in various engine fluids. :(

Also noticed the pipes were leaking, so replaced with S/S ones, which will never leak again, I tell you:

So after everything was DONE, I started the car up again, and had no drive. A quick check confirmed one driveshaft was out. Is THIS the END, I thought, as I drove the car up and down the driveway?

Yay!

 

 

 

The only job left to do now is to get the hydragas suspension pumped up, as there is about 3 inches clearance under the car. I could never drive it anywhere at that height (although it does look cool - I don't know why people don't lower their F's, it looks much better), it'd seesaw on the slightest bump in the road, and as I'm surrounded by speed bumps, there is NO chance I'd get out. So the garage man with the pump will have to come down.

Here's a picture of my Metro:

 

It's had everything changed, but is waiting for a slot so I can get it MOT'd and on the road. I've driven it and it is indeed superb to drive, it's like the Whizzkid but less rattly. For a 10 year old car design it feels solid and eager, the K-series suits the car excellently, it'd be better with the 1.8, but I think I'll leave that for a while. I can't wait to fill it up with petrol that costs £1.30 and rising, I hope it does good mpg.