Lookit what we’ve bought!

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
04/09/2016 at 08:01 • Filed to: None

Lady was getting rid of it as she’d just bought a Nissan Juke (which she didn’t seem all that chuffed about). Didn’t want to send it to the scrapyard so said that we could have it for a donation :)

Me and two mates chipped in £50 each and here we are! The lady only wanted to take £100 but we wouldn’t let her!

Drove it home and it’s got a couple of little niggles but overall it’s been really well taken care of :) kept up bloody well with my mate’s street-ported RX-8 231 which is surprising. Chapman had the right idea!

DISCUSSION (41)

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:04

Sounds like a good deal, any plans with it?

duurtlang > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:05

The lady only wanted to take £100

The UK used car market is a strange one.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang
04/09/2016 at 08:09

I think we’re just jammy gits ;)

Steve in Manhattan > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:16

The back looks a bit MR2 - MG any relation?

Cé hé sin > Steve in Manhattan
04/09/2016 at 08:17

Nope.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
04/09/2016 at 08:22

Insure and drive it! It’s going to be a backup car for when we need to do work on the main daily drivers.

I know my mate is saving up for a turbo for his RX8 so he’ll need it for then, and I need it over the next few days as the Alfa’s out of MoT and needs various bits and pieces :)

certified cool guy > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:23

Kinja'd!!!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Steve in Manhattan
04/09/2016 at 08:29

No soild connection, although the design of the MG may have influenced the Mk3 MR2 as the Toyotal came out 4 years or so after the MG...

Steve in Manhattan > Cé hé sin
04/09/2016 at 08:29

Yeah - my recollection was MG built those instead of rebadging something.

Steve in Manhattan > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:34

That’s a design quote I don’t mind - similarly, the MX5 pulled the best design elements off the MGB and other roadsters.

Svend > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:39

Looks good. Just looked at it’s MOT history (due in 10 days time) and nothing untoward. Absolute bargain for the money if it passes the next MOT with advisories.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 08:40

That is one steal of a deal! Hope the niggles are pretty minor! What are they? Still can’t get over it...$150 Pounds, wow! That’s like $300 CAD for a very reasonable-looking car (and reasonably working too, considering you said it drives fairly well!)

I’ve always liked those MG-Fs, but I’ve heard they can have issues with the hydragas suspension....how hard would it be to swap over to the later MG-TF’s normal coil springs? :) Less to worry about mechanically that way, I’d imagine! :)

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 09:12

...why so cheap? Why would it be scrapped? In the US, even the worst condition late model used car still could fetch $2k or so.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Svend
04/09/2016 at 09:24

Thanks :) there doesn’t seem to be anything major at all! Needs a cambelt in the next two years or so but can’t really complain about that :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 09:29

Marvelous. Next thing is to convert it into a bowling alley a la Hammond... or possibly not.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Steve in Manhattan
04/09/2016 at 09:34

Yeah the MX-5 pulls the best of the basic design of the Lotus Elan, but with the eager upright headlights of the MGB, Midget and Spitfire when the pop-ups are up :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > certified cool guy
04/09/2016 at 09:35

Cool :) it’s like a modernised MG RV8 :)

I do wish MG had stuck with it long enough to take part in the British car renaissance that went on in the late 00s/early 2010s.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
04/09/2016 at 09:46

Yeah really minor things. The alarm goes off if you don’t unlock it with the fob, but that’s usually just a sensor on the doors or bonnet/boot that needs the contacts cleaning. We’re very lucky :)

The hydragas suspension is actually rather good, but it can scare people off. Part of the reason they’re not worth that much. It’s probably easy to swap over to coil springs, but I rather like the oddball hydragas :) gives it uniqueness compared to your MR2s and suchlike, and a connection to its heritage :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
04/09/2016 at 10:18

I’ve already started dreaming of a KV6 swap. MG made a prototype hardtop Cayman-like MG F with a KV6 in the back. Would have made a hell of a car :)

Kinja'd!!!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/09/2016 at 10:23

I’ve seen cars scrapped simply because they were taking too long to sell. Someone nearby was trying to sell an accord in good unning nick and no one wanted it even for scrap value... Other than the scrap man that is.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/09/2016 at 10:25

UK used car market. As the cars are all RHD there’s no market for them outside of the UK so older cars and ones that aren’t desirable as exports are very cheap :)

It’s done 147,000 miles which would limit its appeal for a dealer, even though we’ve just been through the history and it’s been maintained immaculately :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 10:31

A bit like a V6 Fiero, one might say. Might require a little bit of crowbarring, more so than the Fiero which was always meant to have one. From what I’m seeing, the cheapest means of getting a KV6 might be to get a Kia Carnival. Odd, that.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > duurtlang
04/09/2016 at 10:49

It’s the MOT. Cars there that are completely serviceable are scrapped really often. Ireland is the only other country nearby that is RHD (and has similar regulations, making it unsuitable for used car dumping), so there’s nothing really propping up the used market, while the new market is driven by businesses that get huge tax breaks for offering cars as an employee benefit.

I don't fully understand it, but it's simply how the UK works. I envy their insanely cheap used cars.

duurtlang > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
04/09/2016 at 10:52

I do too, but I dislike the wastefulness of it all.

Here on the other side of the Canal the older higher mileage cars tend to be exported to Africa or Eastern Europe/Russia. This reduces supply, meaning it keeps used car prices up somewhat.

Steve in Manhattan > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 10:53

This photo is telling - just remembered it exists:

Kinja'd!!!

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
04/09/2016 at 10:56

They don’t have anywhere to dump them. The US basically has a large new car market where most are purchased or leased by middle or upper classes, then they trickle down to poorer people. When they can’t readily pass emissions or inspections, they move to states or counties without them (I live in one of these counties without them). When they can’t be marketed even on BHPH lots, they are shipped off to third world countries... In the UK there really isn’t much of a driving public that is below a certain income level where they can regularly afford new cars. Combined with tax incentives to businesses and the MOT making older cars more of a pain to own/maintain, they depreciate very rapidly yet need to be kept in excellent shape... Don’t feel bad for those without cars, though, as the country has extensive public transportation that makes driving unnecessary in most cases.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > duurtlang
04/09/2016 at 11:04

The same thing happens in the US. They go from higher-priced areas with high regulation to lower-priced/regulated ones, eventually dropping out of the market entirely when they are exported. This props prices to such an extent that there are few truly decent used cars for low prices in the US. This used to be different, but some other shifts in the market and the CARS program created a new-normal in the base prices. Where I live a car that will simply start is worth at least $3k. One in decent shape and that runs reliably is at least $5k if it was built in the last 20 years... Nothing found on a dealer lot goes much below $5-6k.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 11:16

9000 RPM K8 FTW!

ranwhenparked > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 11:17

No matter how many times I see it, I’m still always amazed at how cheap used cars are in the UK. Was always a fan of the F. It was supposed to have been used for MG’s triumphant return to the US, if BMW hadn’t intervened.

Is it true that the Hydragas parts are getting hard to find?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 11:18

How’s the market for MG RV8s? They’re approaching 25.

duurtlang > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
04/09/2016 at 11:20

That’s not the same here though. We do have anual vehicle inspections, similar to the UK MOT. Last december I bought a Mitsubishi Galant wagon with 1 month of inspection left for €500. It needed new front tires to pass inspection. Later the muffler rusted through, and some suspension pieces (cheap) needed replacement. I’ve driven it 10k since. No significant rust, pristine interior. It’s just a big old car, few people care and taxes are high as it’s big, so it’s economically worthless. Smaller cars tend to be a bit more expensive.

Kinja'd!!!

In the Pyrenees (Spain) this February.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/09/2016 at 15:13

You know I’ve never seen one up for sale. I haven’t been looking, but I do have eBay sending me new listings for ‘MG V8' so you’d think I’d have caught at least one by now...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > ranwhenparked
04/09/2016 at 15:17

This one was an especially good deal :)

Yeah I’ve heard that hydragas parts can be hard to come by, but I had a newsletter a couple of years ago from a British parts dealer saying they’d arranged for a new parts run for a number of different bits so I think as the supply of NOS is getting low people are realising the gap in the market.

One thing that’s still hard to find is garages with the equipment to re-gas the spheres. Luckily our local garage is a bit of a treasure-trove and still has the kit in the back :)

What a shame it never made it to the states. It wouldn’t have impressed with reliability (thank K-Series head gaskets for that), but the VVT ones are bloody quick for such a dinky little car so that might have found some purchase :)

ranwhenparked > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/09/2016 at 15:32

We got Land Rovers with the problem head gaskets, too, and it didn’t really hurt their reputation at all (partially because, I guess, American consumers expect higher end British cars to be unreliable). Ford did solve the problem later, and I understand their improved gasket is a direct swap.

The F was designed to pass US emissions and safety standards and was supposed to come here, but BMW was afraid it would cut into Z3 sales and cancelled it. The Rover 75 was also designed to US spec, too. I think there’s some photos out there of prototypes with US reflectors in place. That might have been a hit, too, considering how well it outclassed the initial S-Type at a lower price point, especially in the interior department.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > ranwhenparked
04/09/2016 at 17:16

Seriously fuck BMW. I’ve read a bit about their relationship with the MG staff during their ownership and it’s clear they were just interested in gutting the conpany for the bits they thought were valuable.

What i would give for MG, Rover and Triumph to have been in the boat to relevancy with Jaguar and Land Rover.

Oh, and it bugs me when they banged on about the MINI being german engineered. The only thing BMW contributed was the engine (which replaced a supercharged k-series that would have been lighter). The car was actually engineered by MG/Rover engineers but released after the conpany was sold...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > ranwhenparked
04/10/2016 at 02:58

Oh, and yeah the later Land Rover head gasket is a must when you’re looking for old k-series cars. Most have had it done, but some like my sisters old MG ZR had just been filled with radweld :S

This one’s got the LR gasket though which is good :)

I'm very surprised (but not really, given the tendency for British car manufacturers of old to leave big problems unfixed) that it took until Ford took over to fix the damn thing, considering what it did to the reputation of an otherwise stellar engine...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/10/2016 at 03:00

Hell yeah :)

I wonder if anyone has actually mated two k-series together to make a lightweight low-displacement v8...

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
04/10/2016 at 03:02

Huh, that is odd. Didn’t even know what a kis cardinal was!

I reckon i can pick up an old Rover 75 for chump change though (another excellent car that’s worth absolutely nothing on the market).

I need to jack up the rear and have a look if it has a bolt-in subframe. If it does then it'd be a whole lot easier :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Steve in Manhattan
04/10/2016 at 03:05

Even moreso with the NAs :)

Cool photo though!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/11/2016 at 07:07

Oh, I was talking about the 1.8L Mazda K8 V6. Seems perfect for this!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/11/2016 at 07:10

Oh yeah that would be a great fit :) already comes with a FWD drivetrain to drop in the back too :)