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MG MGF Technical - X-Power Speester roll hoops

Managed to fit the X-Power roll hoops before the storms hit London yesterday - and I have to say that I am both delighted and impressed with this kit.

Over all it is very well designed, and a doodle to fit. It requires practically no modification to the trim to install, the brackets fit nicely on the seat belt intertia reel 'turrets'.

The reason for this post is not to euligise over the product, but to share a problem I encountered with re-installing the seat belt inertia reels that is probably specific to the instalation of these hoops to early MGFs.

The inertia reels are held in place by one torx50 head bold @ 37Nm, and a locator pin, that fits into a slot on the mounting face. This slot is replicated on the hoop bracket.

The problem is that the locator pin on my inertia reels are in a different place to the locator hole on the bracket - which suggests that the TF uses a different inertia reel to the one in my car.

The solution was simple enough though: mark the position of where the hole should be and drill a 6.5mm hole through the bracket.

Job's a good 'un - and I am pleased as punch with the result.

Not yet sorted a replacement windstop - but I have a cunning plan... ;o)
Rob Bell

any chance of some pics?

Nathan
nathan

Took some as I was installing them Nathan - so will host them on a site as soon as I get a chance :o)
Rob Bell

Hmmm, Pascal and I fitted the hoops to my car (trophy) without any drilling whatsoever.
T

superb !!! :) !!!
nathan

>> Hmmm, Pascal and I fitted the hoops to my car (trophy) without any drilling whatsoever. <<

That doesn't surprise me Thierry. Remember that my car is a 1995 build car, whereas you guys have a late model MGF Trophy and TF160 - most likely with a later design of interia reel.

The post is a heads up for us 'early guys' wanting to fit these hoops ;o)
Rob Bell

Hmm '95 eh?
must be one of the first ones.
I remember driving one of the prototypes around the factory when we were doing clutch installation tests at Borg & Beck .
Alan
AP Jones

Fairly early, but not one of the first. One of the first 2,500 actually ;o) Built in December '95, and finally collected by me in January '96 :o)

Must have been pretty fun driving one of the prototypes before the press had a good idea of what the car looked like Alan! :o)
Rob Bell

Hmm. I managed to get them to fit onto my 1998 F without drilling, though it was a bit of a struggle...

Do look nice, though :-)

Jamie
J Wakeham

Rob, will be interested in your cunning plan for a windstop. Did your seatbelts work perfectly when the T bar was re-fitted? Ours didn't, but a spot of trimming of the T bar foam did the trick.
Nik & Anita

Nik, the cunning windstop plan is to use a roller bind mounted under the T-bar trim. Then, using a couple of trim tabs with velcro, the windstop can be deployed and attached to the 'hoops. All rather similar to Thomas' idea as shown on Dieter's web page :o)

The seat belts worked fine after installation - I just had to make sure that I didn't twist them before re-attaching the reels to the parcel shelf. :o)
Rob Bell

Just posted the pix and the installation process onto the web: http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/hoops/index.htm

I'm kinda glad that S&R had run out of the painted hoops now, because the chrome ones look stunning :o)
Rob Bell

Good work Rob.
Mike (London Office)

As ever, well done Rob, they do look the business on the F, actually a lot better that I thought when I saw the initial picture.

Since you've done the instructions (and made it look easy ;o) ), all I need to decide is if I want another MK2 replacement T-bar, or find a good way of re-covering/disguising the holes made when fitting the Rover windstop :oD.

Les
Les Piggot

Cheers guys :o) The hoops really were very easy to fit - the only reason why it took me more than a couple of hours to do was the fact that
a) I was taking my time and enjoying the sunshine ;o)
b) I was also taking pix
c) I had to drill those extra holes that probably no one else will have to do! LOL
Rob Bell

I've been on the track for some rool hoops after looking at Robs pics, did all the usual stops, and saw a few on ebay at what looked excellent prices. However, I'm just off www.x-power.com site to see that the hoops have now been reduced (Rob you might not like the price of them having just bought them :( ). But have a look at the almost surreal windstop for the hoops, surely they cannot be serious!

http://www.mg-xpower.com/mgshop/product.asp?cat_id=106&prod_id=312&bhcp=1

Don't people rob banks with similar headwear?

Les
Les Piggot

LOL - don't worry Les - that was the price I paid for them ;o) Astonishingly good value aren't they?

Yup, that windstop is just nasty. I reckon the sun blind idea will work better ;o)
Rob Bell

Which way round are ppl putting the sticker???

When I got mine from silverstone last year they had the sticker so that if you are standing at the front of the car you can read it, so thats how i did it,

http://www.btinternet.com/~edd_t999/images/mymgf2/may045.jpg


But Ive seen others putting it the other way!!!
http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/hoops/index.htm

not important i know, was just wondering.
Edd

Hmm - interesting point Edd.

I figured that you were more likely to see the sticker when either looking in through the rear window, or when standing towards the rear of the car - hence stuck on facing towards the rear...

Is there a right way or wrong way? Nothing in the instructions about it! LOL ;o)
Rob Bell

Rob, your instructions made it look easy plus the reduction in price made it tempting so I have placed an order . I will have a Windstop for sale and wait with anticapation to see results and pictures of your soloution.
Andrew Regens

Right...... Now I am unhappy. I like the sticker that you guys have..... I must have thrown mine away with the box.... Will have to buy one at Silverstone.
Nik & Anita

This thread was discussed between 28/06/2004 and 01/07/2004

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