First Message for this Forum!

[Adrian Clifford]

Thank you Andrew, we also have summer to look forward to, we hope.

Have a nice one yourself.

[muz]

Hi team, another Aussie on board. I live in Brisbane some distance north or my colleague in Melbourne. My F is not my every day transport but it does get used extensively for touring around this huge country of ours...... Am a dyed in the wool MG person also owning a TC. Love the F, have had it since new. Have sufferred the usual woes but still enjoy it immensely. Any of you chaps who are coming down to see your lads hand back the Ashes feel free to make contact......

Cheers - Murray

[andrew]

Well three degrees this morning when I started out but by lunch time a warm 16. Driving with the top down heater on and the sun out nothing better, until summer!.

[mikenz]

Well given that the Aussie's have been active I thought I should add a bit from further down under! Having said that there's not a lot to add...... One item of possible interest is that MGCC Auckland has been giving some consideration to how to get MGF's out on the track. A problem that we have at present is that Motorsport New Zealand, our regulatory body, will not allow any F/TF on track, even for club level events, without a roll bar. We currently have a contact in the UK working toward providing some information on the roll protection offered by the windscreen frame - I understand MGCC UK can do club level events for road cars without a roll bar - can anyone over the ditch let me know what the situation in Australia is? F's are getting so cheap over here now that many more are coming into club circles - existing members buying them plus new members.

At the end of this month, we are holding an "MGF/TF Technical Evening" with three invited speakers to let people know a bit more about some of the common problems with these cars.

[andrew]

CAMS allow F/TF's in club events with out roll cages, there is talk of this changing so that all open cars must have approved ROPS ( roll over protection sytem ). There is an event happening soon, CAMS authorised, six hour relay race ( dubed a regularity event) that as long as the car has a fire extingusher, the driver a helmet and dressed in wool or cotton neck to ankle clothing they can race. I have a half roll cage CAMS approved, five point harness, race suit, for club sprints and hill climbs, reaching close to 200kmph at Sandown on the front and back straights I think it a wise precaution. We had a club member roll five times at Philip Island and the screen frame remained intack as it was ment to but he also had a half cage and escaped just shaken but with a wrecked/written off car.

[mikenz]

Thanks Andrew, thats useful. MSNZ will not allow any F's to compete in club level events without roll protection, despite the UK club rules. If CAMS are moving to needing roll protection then its probably doubtful we could get any change over here. What sort of events can F's compete in? We are trying to consider how we can get F's into motorsport as they are getting quite cheap over here (96/97 models in average shape selling for $7-9k) but they don't seem to fit into any existing classes.

[andrew]

At club level, all cars can compete without a roll cage but should have a three point seatbelt if built after a certain time. I don't think that a roll cage will be compulsery for quite some time BUT if one is fitted it has to meet the regs that apply now. For club events including sprints, super sprints and hillclimbs belts and helmets are required but you don't need anything for motorkhanas and OST's. For MG Racing F's fall into under 2.0litre in fast road along with B's A's and V8's in the last race an F was third overall in the wet.

[mgadavidson]

A lot of the clubs here in Vic are starting to make it compulsary to have a cage in open cars. It has put me out of a couple events. The clubs so far have been Holden and Ford, both manafactures that don't have a lot of open top models.

Adam

[alanmackew]

Hi, I just found this site today (from another BBS), I am in Melbourne also. Have been a member of the local MG car club for about 18 years having owned a 1963 MGB prioy to my 1997 VVC. Also have a 1995 Caterham seven with Rover K Series engine,
Cheers, Alan

[andrew]

Welcome Alan, Whilst you are looking at MG Forums check out the Victorian club site that has just started. See you at the next club event?.

[colintf]

Hi Alan, and welcome to the F Reg forum!!