The April 2018 Classic TF Registrar’s Report

Hi, and welcome to another successful year of interest and activity in MG related motoring.

In this third Classic TF Registrar’s report for Opposite Lock 2018 I want to:

• Give you the final details of the 2018 Classic TF Register run, which is on Sunday the 6^th of May, 2018, and will see us head to Wings Over Illawarra 2018.
• Give a quick pictorial review of the Classic TFs at last October’s Club Display Day
• Start a dialogue on whether we can organise an import of some five-speed Classic TF gearbox conversions

So, let’s get started!

The Annual TF Register Run: Wings Over Illawarra 2018

This month I want to again plug the annual TF Register run, which will be held on the Sunday of the two-day Wings Over Illawarra air show on Sunday 06 May 2018.

I invite all MG drivers to join us in an MG and hope that as many Classic TFs as possible can make it!

WOI 18 is a two-day air show with a similar program being offered on both the Saturday and the Sunday (05/06 May 2018).

For full details of WOI 18 including keeping up to date with the flying program see: www.wingsoverillawarra.com.au.

Here is the latest advice from the Air Show organisers as at 16 Mar 2018:-

The Australian Defence Force

We can now confirm the majority of Australian Defence Force assets scheduled to attend (subject to serviceability and operational requirements). 2018 will see the largest collection of RAAF aircraft ever to participate in the event.

Visitors on Saturday 5th May, 2018 will be treated to spectacular flying displays by:

• RAAF Roulettes
• Hawk 127 Lead-in fighter
• F/A-18A/B Hornet
• C-17 Globemaster III
• C-27J Spartan

And Sunday 6th May, 2018 visitors will see amazing flying displays by:

• RAAF Roulettes
• Hawk 127 Lead-in fighter
• F/A-18A/B Hornet
• C-130J Hercules
• P-8A Poseidon

In addition, there will be a Hawk 127 and F/A-18 Hornet on static display for both days.

We are still awaiting final confirmation from RAN and Army, but it is expected that we will have flying displays by MH60R Seahawk Romeo and Army Blackhawk on both days and static displays will include MRH-90, B429 and EC135-T2+ from the RAN and a S70 Blackhawk from Army.
Please note: As expressed above these aircraft are scheduled to attend but are subject to serviceability and operational requirements.

Although you could attend one or both days I am requesting that we concentrate on maximising MG Car Club attendance for Sunday 06 May 18.

Here is what you need to do to register your MG and support the Classic TF run.

It’s a web based process:

1. Go to www.wingsoverillawarra.com.au/page/classic-motor-clubs
2. Register your car as attending with the MG Car Club of Sydney on Sunday the 6^th of May
3. Submit your completed registration by hitting ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page

You will receive an email confirmation plus a complimentary admission ticket for you as the driver, but not for any passenger(s). Each pre-registered car and driver is free, but any passenger(s) need to pay the admission charge.

Please note:

1. The WOI 18 organizers see the classic cars as a part of the air show exhibits and therefore require each car to be in place by 0830 and commit to staying till the end of the air show at approx. 1700, so it is a long (but very enjoyable) day. Please do not book unless you are willing to meet these conditions. Thank you.
2. I have already registered the MG Car Club of Sydney as attending and as it is an approved run for the club, classic plate registered vehicles are eligible to attend without using up one of your log book days

If you have any difficulties registering please contact me by mobile asap! (0418 424 748)

Getting There

If you have booked in to attend on 06 May could you let me know by email ([email protected]). Here are the rendezvous details, so we can all arrive and park together:

• We need to rendezvous so that we can all arrive together as a group to the air show
• The rendezvous is the Hungry Jack’s restaurant parking area at Yallah NSW, which is just on the end of the F6 freeway. The F6 freeway is the freeway south from the outskirts of Sydney, currently ending at Albion Park Rail, which is where the airport is located
• The MG Car Club group will leave Hungry Jack’s Restaurant at 0815 sharp on the Sunday morning 06 May so we can all arrive together to the air show car parking.

I have also attached some photos of some rare warbirds from a very recent air show I attended on 11 May at Tyabb in Victoria, just to stir your interest in these types of events!

The Classic TFs in our 2017 Car Show and Display Day

It is very satisfying to report that our classic TF turnout is now one of the strongest register turnouts on each October display day, and again I want to thank each and every one who supports us in this way.

The competition was again very strong and the standard of the Classic TFs on display each year just gets better and better! I attach a few photos of the full classic TF line-up in 2017 for you to enjoy.

The Classic TF Report in each month of Opposite Lock in 2018

In the first half of 2018 I plan to report on both the Wings Over Illawarra air show, and on the classic TF display cars at last year’s MG Car Club of Sydney Concours and Display Day, to whet your appetite to get these lovely little classics out and about, culminating in first half year in attending the WOI 18 air show on Sunday 6th May.

In the second half of the year I will concentrate Opposite Lock monthly articles onto the lead-up to the October major club event – the 2018 Concours and Display day.

However, what is particularly welcome at any time is your personal story about owning or operating a classic TF. I’ve been very encouraged by a number of articles of this type submitted during 2017- so again I extend the invitation to each of our readers. Please write and tell us about yourself and your cars!

I again want to thank Phil Clarke from Griffith NSW, who recently joined the club and immediately provided us with a story about his newly acquired Classic TF ‘Tiffany’. Ros, our editor, published the story in last month’s Opposite Lock and it’s now available to read on the website if you’d like to take a look.

Well done mate!

Five-Speed Gearboxes for Classic TFs

If you have ever driven a Classic TF on a modern freeway, you will know it is an understatement to say that they are very low geared and just can’t keep up! Indeed, my little classic TF1250’s motor is at approximately 5200 rpm (with a redline of 5500!) at an indicated 60 mph. The simple fact is that these cars were not designed for the higher speeds which are legal on modern roads.

The underlying reality is the fitted 4 speed original gearbox is designed for much lower speed cruising. One possible fix is to replace this box with a more modern five-speed gearbox.

However, in my limited experience so far, the options offered within Australia mainly used Japanese-manufactured five-speed boxes that required changing the internals of the Classic TF cockpit to accommodate the differently shaped bell housing.

There now appears to be at least one UK-based conversion which does not require changes to the Classic TF interior. After some useful conversations during our Illawarra register runs, I would like to commence a dialogue with interested person(s) who might consider purchasing one if we could agree to make a bulk buy and import say five or so of these conversion kits.

It’s all tentative, and a bit of a chicken and egg situation, as the actual costs will depend on the numbers we are purchasing and importing, and we can’t get firm costs for all this until we know how many we could order!

So, without prejudice or commitment, could you let me know of your ‘in principle” interest in purchasing a five-speed conversion. Depending upon the levels of response we may or may not proceed any further

Enjoy your motoring,

Michael Hough,
Classic TF Registrar