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MG MGF Technical - Sp Performance MGF

please read last posted thread on tuning mgf listed below this one as i ar*ed it up sorry!!!
Nick Lewis

LOL - welcome to the board Nick :o)

The car you have got actually has little to do with Stephen Palmer (he supercharged his MGFs - and there is an SP Cheeter owner on this board). What you've got, I think, is Funky F - a tuned F by Tony Bolton of Moorlane Garages (now defunct).

Here's what was posted on that other thread:

Nick - the car you've just bought sounds the splitting image of an old, well known MGF once belonging to Jason White in Essex. It was called "Funky F" and was featured way back in 1998 (I think?) copy of MG Enthusiast.

The registration of the car, by the way, was N775 FOO

See archive thread: http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=2&subjectar=2&thread=2001071708453031077
As you'll see, this car last surfaced back in 2001 - the chap who had the car at that time was threatening to return it back to standard specifications, so if this is the car, he clearly decided it was too much trouble.

A picture of the front splitter (is it still there?) - http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/ap1000000/images/splitter5.jpg

It should have bucket seats - although it sounds as though someone has pilfered these.

The power output, BTW, was said to be comfortably in excess of 170bhp...

I think sir needs to bring that car along to a track day - it could probably do with the exercise! :o)

Hope this helps :o)
Rob Bell

The car was covered in MGE - as SF pointed out...

>>
Posted 18 July 2001 at 18:49:30 UK time
Scarlet Fever, Essex (UK), AP1000000@aol.com

OK, Funky F article was published in MG Enthusiast Magazine August 1997 Volume 20, Number 5 (page 57)
<<

It'll be interesting to find out whether this is the same car - but there aren't many F's running around with MTBs and GEMS ECUs!
Rob Bell

Chassis VIN should be anything with # 5303 from March 96 when I recall right ;)
Dieter K.

:-) Oh jesus its just like winning the lottery it is indeed the same car and yes it was not returned to standard although i had to change the horrid red and yellow seats to black leather jobbies other than that its the same apart from its missing the yellow front splitter which i might as well replace to return it to its former glory! we called it the foo fighter i guess it lives up to our nicname! does any one have any suggestions of what else i should do to it and what will i need to be replacing soon? cheers for the info its put a huge smile on my face thank you very much.
Nick Lewis

*g*
- see for inlet manifold seal leak
- change front fan fuse to 20Amp
Dieter K.

Fantastic Nick! :o)

I like your nick name for the car: Foo Fighter is indeed appropriate! LOL

The yellow Trophy rear spoiler is, I think, new?

Regarding what you should do to the car next - well, I guess a lot will depend on your ownership plans. If it is a keeper, then sorting out the aging suspension and interior must be priorities - plus brakes.

On the interior front, I am sure that the MGF Centre could probably do you a yellow-insert alcantara interior which would suit the car rather well - either that, or discuss your options with Mike Satur.

Suspension wise, then I'd go for a Techspeed suspension up grade, but again there are other options available from other specialists.

Brake wise - well, it would seem rude not to go for Trophy AP racing front calipers and 304mm rotors... nice!

BTW What wheels are currently on the car? Do you have any pictures of it? Would be great to do a web-feature on this car now it has re-surfaced again :oD

Cheers
Rob Bell

I will definatly be keeping it! I was thinking as its a bit special i should continue the theme as i have the facilities of my dads garage and tools & mechanics! The suspension is fine at the moment but i was thinking about avo's or billy's. As for the alloys ive been looking around for the same set but i simply cant find them i have no idea what they are but they will definatly be staying on the car! Brake wise i think your right, trophy's are needed. also my plans are real carbon fibre interior bits, trophy front lights, front splitter, and when i have a bit more money maybe a s'charger and other engine work, would like to see how much bhp i can get out of it! As for pics i will take some when i go to collect it and send them to you!
Nick Lewis

Thanks Nick :o)

Great to hear that the car is now in such enthusiastic hands :o)
Rob Bell

Tony Bolton M.L.G. defunct. probably... . but his web sites seem to be in good working order though.

http://freespace.virgin.net/tony.r.bolton/mgftune.htm

http://www.mlgcars.fsnet.co.uk/mlg300.htm


Cheers,
David. (just got back from a 1700 mile UK trip, 99.9% top down ;-) )

David Peters

Hi Nick, seems like Jasons' Funky F is a long way from it's former home in Thundersley, Essex these days :-)

I know this car personally, it's owner, Jason White, was one fo the founder members of Essex Club MGF (now Essex Roadsters) and the last i heard he is now tooling around in a supercharged Elise :-)

The car was indeed featured in MG Enthusiast magazine, the article is called 'Funky F' and the car was on the front cover. If you are interested it might be worth your while contacting MG Enthusiast magazine for a copy of the issue in question (MG Enthusiast Magazine August 1997 Volume 20, Number 5), they might still have a few copies left. Actually it's worth subscribing as the magazine is pretty good anyway (as is totalMG).

Jason dropped out of the MG scene a while ago, it must be at least 6 years since i saw your F (indeed the picture Rob has linked to above was shot at Silverstone in 1999 i believe), however from memory here is the spec of the car...

MGF 1.8i - BRG paintwork
KH Splitter - yellow
High level brake light surround - yellow
Grilles - yellow
16" TSW Hockenheim alloys, with centre nut painted yellow
Yokohama graphics on the side cills (under air intakes)
Motobuild exhaust (this may very well be mild steel and could be due for renewal by now)
Tony Bolton (Moor Lane Garages) direct to head multple throttle bodies
Gems ECU
Cat bypass

I don't remember the bucket seats Rob alludes to earlier in the thread, or the boot lid spoiler, but i do seem to recall Jason had painted the passenger air bag blank (green i think).

Anyway, the car is blisteringly fast (or was anyway), we attended a number of events together and exiting Brands Hatch one day we (as a convoy) were passed by the green SP Cheetah. Naturally we all toe'd it big time, i bottled it at (ahem) excessive speed, but Jason was still behind him at (ahem) even more excessive speed - to the extent that a few weeks later at Silverstone i got the third degree on the SP stand about the 'green F' that was still behind him at XXXmph!! LOL :-)

I have some photos at home (somewhere) and may be able to get in contact with Jason (long shot this, i haven't seen him in ages). If you are interested in copies of the pix then i can provide (will have to sort them out though, i think i have half a dozen or so) - it'd be kinda nice to speak to Jason again, i'll see if i can get a definative spec on the car for you.

In the meantime here are some more online pix...

Rear shot
>> http://www.hometown.aol.com/ap1000000/images/hlbl4.jpg <<

Front shot
>> http://www.hometown.aol.com/ap1000000/images/splitter5.jpg <<

Andrew Phillips
N926 FEV
"Scarlet Fever"
Scarlet Fever

Hope you had a good trip David! :o)
Rob Bell

Good to see that N775 FOO has re-emerged again isn't Andy? :o) Ah, brings back some good memories :o)
Rob Bell

Sure does, Funky F was one of the very first 'extreme' Fs, the owner took it into new modding territory with the MTBs, i believe this was a first for an F, certainly Jason had a lot of trouble finding an ECU to run them (hence the GEMS unit) - i don't know, these young whippersnappers have it so easy these days...

;-)

LOL :-D

SF
Scarlet Fever

thanks Rob,
We had a great trip !! Went all the way down to the South-West(St-just), Cornwall, Devon etc. Very beautifull region. Nice cliffs, breathtaking views, friendly people and good food in the local pubs. We´ll definately be back!! Loved the twisty and winding roads to bits, especially the *F* did.

A little dissapointed in the few *F*/*TF*´s I encountered on our trip. I guess I only saw 15 or so. On the other hand, Audi TT, Audi A4 convertible, Miata, Porsche boxter, Jag XK(R), BMW M3 convertible, TVR Cerbera, Ford Streetka,... all abundantly present on british roads. From the sample I´ve seen of roadster driving Britain, I think the Miata finds a good competitor in the Ford StreetKa (IMO hairdressers car, with complete lack of style)for being Uk best selling roadster.In Belgium I have yet to see the first streetka on the road.

Amazing: The BM M3 convertible by its own allmost outnumbered the MG´s spotted. Crazy isn´t it, seeing it all around, being such an expensive car.

Some other exotic cars I encoutered:

Morgan Aero 8
Caterham 7 Super Light (carbon all around)
TVR Tuscan
TVR T350 (not sure it passed to fast)
Maserati coupe
Aston Martin DB7

Can you imagine me seeing all these beautifull cars and not even suffering from a strained neck. :LOL:

However, not a single MG driver flashed our waved back at me. :-( I would have thought finding more camaraderie amongst us MG drivers.

Funiest thing of all, most of the roadster drivers I encountered had - much to my surprise - the top up !! What was wrong with the weather last week? I thought I would see more of the HCHDC back on the MG-rover board.

Cheers,
David.



David Peters

When i first mentioned this car i was'nt expecting much back! I have never felt so attached to a car through knowing its history! It is still very fast and loud! it would be great to hear what jason has to say about it, after all its not every day you get a car with such a well known history! When i collect it from my dad's garage i will post some pic's for all to see!!!! Cheers for all the feed back
Nick Lewis

Nice... even I can remember a funky F with the FOO license plate.... although I didn't know it had MTB's. Guess the yellow/BRG combination was much easier to remember.

respect (like they say)
Erik

Nick,

I have a phone number for you, it is my mate Mark, he and Jason were pretty close and Mark reckons he knows the spec of the car.

My email addy is: AP1000000 at AOL dot COM

Obviously replace the 'at' and the 'dot' with the relevant symbols :-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

This thread was discussed between 30/07/2004 and 04/08/2004

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