owned by MGMetro Jim - it's story in Jim's own words:
MG Metro Turbo F539PLP
First Registered: - 23rd January 1989
Mileage When purchased: - 45300
I saw the car advertised on e-bay in June 2009.
It had been dry stored for around 14 years and was claimed to be totally original with no rust.
It was bought back from London where it was stored by the original owner by a guy from Walsall.
He got it running and had new tyres fitted before it had an MOT in November 2008.
He then spent some time cleaning and polishing the outside of the car.
I went and saw the car in Walsall in early July and after some umming and ahring I decided that I had to have it.
So a couple of weeks later (19th July), money changed hands and I collected it (on trade plates)
along with a new set of front discs, brake pads and a spare heater.
On the way back from Walsall, the car lost power a couple of times but picked up again, I thought no more of it.
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When I got home I cleaned the insides and got insurance through SAGA for £105.00 (sometimes it’s good to be old),
the car already had an MOT and I taxed it on 1st August.
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Shortly after, it had to be towed home by the RAC with a blocked needle valve in the Carburettor!.
The exhaust back box rusted through and the front pipe was on its way out as well.
I managed to source a NOS front pipe but the back box was not available.
Someone on the forum pointed out one on e-bay which I bid 99p and won (cost £15.00 P&P) which I fitted in September 2009.
The car was still not running right and I noticed the carb was leaking slightly, so it had a complete strip and rebuild in October 2009.
I also replaced the fuel pressure regulator and all of the fuel pipes at the same time.
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Just before the MOT in November, I changed the brake disks and pads,
as there was some feel in the pedal when the brakes were applied.
It passed the MOT only after both the rear brake cylinders were changed as they were both seized
(I didn’t notice, the hand brake worked fine and it stopped in a straight line!)
As I had refurbished the carb, I asked the garage (my MG main dealer) if they would check the timing and the mixture.
When I got the car back, with it’s MOT, the garage was quite proud that they had used their 20 year old
Krypton tuning station to set up the car, and that it still worked.
The car now runs like a dream and I am getting over 35 to the gallon on a run.
The fuel pump now started to play up!
I traced one problem to a loose connection on the oil pressure switch and with that fixed;
the next problem was a loose connection on the ballast resistor in the fuel pump line.
The resistor was replaced and the inside of the engine bay cleaned and painted.
The whole car was then cleaned and polished.
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Then the pump itself started cutting out!
Back on e-bay, one fuel pump purchased and then fitted the car is now running correctly.
It has hiccupped a couple of times since but this could be down to the pressure relief valve on the carb,
the turbo boost dump valve or the strainer in the fuel tank. The investigation continues!!
Seen below at Pride of Longbridge 2009 but she has attended many events and
will be heading up to Coventry for the 30th Show on 10th October 2010.
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