Board logo

Does anyone use the MGF
Trev Borg - 9/4/11 at 06:38 PM

Having already got an MGF, that is, er, well, 'slightly different' from the norm. And seeing as they are so cheap, I wondered if anyone does a kit based on one.

It's already rwd, rear engined, cheap as a donor, and you would be able to use so many parts.

In fact just ditch the body and swap things over.

Anyway if no one has they should.

A skeleton thing like the Atom, but with a k series. Cheap, light, fun.

There has to be a market for this.

CRAIGR - 9/4/11 at 07:26 PM

I think common sense has prevailed so far and most have been allowed to go to what they were best designed for .

SCRAP !!!

britishtrident - 9/4/11 at 07:32 PM

Pity it is an MGF the MG TF had relatively few changes most of which were in the suspension but they are quite important as the supply of some essential MGF Hydragas parts have dried up.

[Edited on 9/4/11 by britishtrident]

Trev Borg - 9/4/11 at 07:39 PM

Well you might think that, but look what you get for your money.

1.8 K series, a very good engine, if treated right. And loads about.

Gearbox and linkages already done.

Steering column already sorted, with electric power steering if you so desired. Steering rack.

You could use all the hubs, radiator, rad fan, downpipes, handbrake, wiring, clocks , fuel tank, fuel pump.


There are now loads of these kicking around, even with lowly 118bhp, at 600kg or less would be lots of fun.

No body work, no screen, bugs in you teeth, what more could you want?

Trev Borg - 9/4/11 at 07:42 PM

I would ditch the hydrolastic units for some coil overs. You don't have the ability to change any suspension settings really with it.

But that's not a major issue really compared to stuff you do get.

MikeRJ - 9/4/11 at 08:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CRAIGR
I think common sense has prevailed so far and most have been allowed to go to what they were best designed for .

SCRAP !!!


Like Cortinas and Sierras then.

MGF as a mid engined donor makes a lot of sense, but don't know of anything designed specifically for it.

[Edited on 9/4/11 by MikeRJ]

matty h - 9/4/11 at 08:39 PM

Heres one !
http://www.blazemotorsport.com/blazef.php

Trev Borg - 9/4/11 at 10:38 PM

Yep , seen that one.

Hate it!!!


Its not a kitcar, Its just a slightly different front end on the same chassis. Complete waste.

I want one of these







But locost

Come on, someone design one.

Use all the bits from the MGF, Locost wishbone, bish bosh, Robert's your mothers brother


[Edited on 9/4/2011 by Trev Borg]

coyoteboy - 9/4/11 at 10:59 PM

k series is just *too* lowly, surely? First place i looked when designing was 200+ hp, i suspect many others do. I dont see the point of building something different unless youre planning something epic

jollygreengiant - 10/4/11 at 12:06 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Trev Borg
Well you might think that, but look what you get for your money.



Yep look, 2 yes TWO metro front sub-frames.


I rest my case.

Trev Borg - 10/4/11 at 08:08 AM

I am not suggesting using the two subframes.

What I am suggesting, is that it would make a great donor in the spirit of LOCOST.

Is a crossflow engined 7 not fun?

Is the K Series not light, and come different specs?

Once the car was built, then all manor of engines could be fitted. (I have a nice T16 in the garage that uses the same gearbox, that is in the 200 bhp area)


The whole idea I was trying to post was that it could make for an easier (due to the gearbox, gearshift, and rover parts bin), and cheap donor for a mid engined fun car.

coyoteboy - 10/4/11 at 09:39 AM

quote:

The whole idea I was trying to post was that it could make for an easier (due to the gearbox, gearshift, and rover parts bin), and cheap donor for a mid engined fun car.


Indeed, it could But being mid-rear it'd fall into the mid category, and if you pop into the mid engine cat down a few forums you'd spot there's quite a few people working on just what you're proposing (not from an MGF true enough, and the MGF does offer suspension components that could help I agree entirely (and I'm now looking lol). MR2 is the other obvious choice, with a bit more oomph in standard form and upgradeability. Not looked at MGFs for price these days but you can get a 150bhp mr2 for ~500 quid these days, or get the tubby and go to 300 for 1200-1500, all parts should transfer quite nicely.

Trev Borg - 10/4/11 at 10:46 AM

Agree on the Mr2, but would have thought the availability of cars and or bits would be a lot higher, and at lower prices.

Not sure if this is true tho, as there seems to be a lot of sub £500 MR2 sold on fleabay.

coyoteboy - 10/4/11 at 11:46 PM

The only real concern I'd have with the MG is the availability of parts, to be fair. I mean if they're pretty cheap then as you say you could drop in any engine you like and use the rest of the running gear, but if parts are going to become harder to come by due to the demise of the manufacturer, how easy will it be to get hubs/bearings etc?

JC - 11/4/11 at 06:35 AM

The original inspiration for my project, many years ago, was the Blitz and Tomcat off roaders, which used mini/metro subframes at the rear. The conclusion that I came to, for my exo car, was that to use the subframe led to too many compromises and that it was just as easy to make engine mounts and suspension arms. Also, for an exo car, the subframe is a big, ugly lump to have hanging off the back!

Nothing wrong with transferring the mechanicals without the frame though - I also looked at using Terrapin suspension with metro/mgf mechanicals.

britishtrident - 13/4/11 at 08:12 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
The only real concern I'd have with the MG is the availability of parts, to be fair. I mean if they're pretty cheap then as you say you could drop in any engine you like and use the rest of the running gear, but if parts are going to become harder to come by due to the demise of the manufacturer, how easy will it be to get hubs/bearings etc?



MG TF Still very much in production rolling off the line in Longbridge production re-started just over a year ago ---- not many around because thay hardly have any dealers mainly because 2 Chinese companies spent too much time fighting over the MG-Rover intelectual property rights but eventually the Chinese Government forced them to merge I can only hope it is not history itself repeating echoes of BL ? The merged company is unofficially nicknamed MG-Roewe :-)

see http://www.mg.co.uk/models.html

talkingcars - 29/4/11 at 10:10 PM

I often thought the MGF would be a great starting point for a scratch built car, especially something like a RS200 replica but then I was going to do a banham 200 so I bought a MG maestro in 2002, still got it as an MG maestro but with a T16.

Other options could be a twin engined car by using a metro front end, could even ditch the body and build an off roader with some decent sized wheels.

As for the hydrogas balls, only the ones used on the trophy are no longer available, the standard ones are, new or used. Alternativly there are after market kits available.

I would be inclinded to use a mk1, after 2000 the electronics get over complicated.

There are still a lot of parts available, I got some brand new brake calipers for mine a few months ago through eBay and companies like Rimmers, Sussex MG and Brown & Gammons have online catalogues. As the F is seen by some as a replacment for the MGB you'll find many parts will be available for decades.

Finally production of the TF has finished just this month, it was being shipped from China in kit form anyway.

Trev Borg - 29/4/11 at 10:24 PM

Well I may have bought a spare chassis for £50, so will get the angle grinder out and cut bits off until I can get some good measurements.

Beardy - 28/9/12 at 01:39 AM

Look at the Sylva J15 and then talk to JP
http://www.sylva.co.uk/j15.html

adithorp - 28/9/12 at 07:46 AM

Nice thread resurection... but seeing as we're on the subject...

You could build a J15 with MGF power plant but thats all you'd use from the MG. The rest of the bits aren't donor parts; Bespoke rear uprights, Triumph front hubs (like Caterham) etc.
However, I've read somewhere that Jeremy is working on a new, single donor, Sylva model using the MGF.

nickm - 30/9/12 at 06:31 PM

Hi

As beardy has said talk to Jeremy Philips at Sylva.

Nick M