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MG MGF Technical - Electric hood

Been scanning that great source of information and entertainment today and I have found an advert for a 2000 F, gold like mine, for sale with an electric hood !

Anybody got any information on that ?

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Electric hoods were sold, for a short while, as an official MG accessory - but were withdrawn to a high rate of warranty claims (the hood isn't really designed for electric operation, and the hood sticks would bend after repeated use).

My own opinion on these is "why?" Unless you are arthritic, the hood can be easily raised and lowered from inside the car using your own arm power in a much faster time than any motor. It just seems a little pointless to me...
Rob Bell

Rob,
That's answered that then, you learn something every day.

Mind you Dawn has become a dab hand at getting the roof up if it's raining while we are travelling in about five seconds flat, some poor excuse about getting her curls wet ! who needs an electric motor ?

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Adrian/Rob

There is a '98 VVC for sale locally equipped with a dealer fit cruise control. Another pointless option.
Tony H

Crickey - that's a rare find Tony! I would think that most MG buyers thought the same and didn't order it!

Were TFs available with cruise? I have a feeling that MGR quietly dropped that particular option after BMW left the scene... ;o)
Rob Bell

I've always wondered about the correct way of flinging the roof back from inside the car - how do you get round the issue of kinks in the rear screen? I can never get it to fold crease-free when I do it...
Paul Bevan

Paul, that's another good reason for not having an electric hood - unzipping the rear screen prior to lowering the hood might seem laborious, but it's the only way to keep the screen in as-new condition. The karate chop method helps, but that involves getting out of the car & still stresses the plastic over time.
Mike Hankin

Which reminds me to mention to you Mike:

Further to your "take roof down in sitting position" demonstrations - I tried for the first time in traffic (trying to look cool) and quelle suprise the hood got stuck half way down & I had to get out & manipulate it (now not looking cool and surrounded by passers by sniggering).

But - have mastered the technique now !

thanks Hood Guru !

Fiona ;-()
Fiona

Ah ha,
I did say she has cracked getting it raised quick, but getting it down, as you say, is a different kettle of fish.

I use the chop and fold method, unzipping takes forever. I have a very, very slight crease in my window but when clean and polished is hardly noticeable.

It lives in the garage at home and never gave me a problem through the winter, although folded carefully of course.

Any chance of rain and the half tonneau cover is packed away, just in case a quick raise job is required.

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Mike, I tried the unzipping, got bored and decided the hassle outweighed the risk of having to replace the screen in future! So, flinging the roof back from within the car or karate-chop when outisde the car is the norm for me now.
Adrian, is there a subtle technique for raising the roof from the driver's seat??
Paul Bevan

Fionna,
The top stopped halfway down because the elastic straps were not performing as they should. Just push back on the second bar (from the front) when you push back the top.
This will let it drop all the way down.


The sides of the rear screen are held in place by velcro. This can be adjusted.

The reason that creases may occur when you fold down the screen without hand intervention (ie karate chop!)is because there is not enough side ways outward tension to keep the plastic from creasing onto itself.

You need to fold down the softtop until the rear screen starts to get a curve in it.
Then release the velcro on one side and slightly stretch over the side of the screen and re-attach to velcros. Do the other side as well. There should now be little slack across the plastic screen.

Test by pulling up the softtop and locking into place. A "crackling" sound can be heard as the velcro tightens. The screen should now be a little extra tight across.
Now unlock and push the top down slowly so that it folds away as normal. Check to see if the rear screen now folds unassisted.

Hope the above makes sense, and it works for you as it does for me.

Cheers,
Branko.


Branko

As mentioned previously on another similar thread, Mark Leonard has a great piece of kit, a piece of foam pipe lagging which is placed on to the window, thereby enabling the window to fold rather than crease. Works for him and it gets cold in Cheshire.

Paul,
Don't try it from the drivers seat while moving !
Seriously though, she just turns round kneels on the seat and pulls it up the same as I do if caught in rain, but if it keeps her curls dry she's pretty quick at it.

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Actually it would be VERY nice and most adequate to have an electric hood. Every other sport car does... even the Opel Tigra. And we are now in the 21st century -in case you people are not aware-. I wonder if perhaps some kind of hydraulic device might work instead of just electric which seems to fail most of the time.
Les Cavendish

Les,
the MGF system _is_ hydraulic. Just the hydrailic pump is electric.
http://www.mgfcar.de/powerhood/index.htm

The very last I'd wast my money ;)
Dieter

Les,
Sorry I fail to recognise the Opel Tigra as a sports car.

<<<<And we are now in the 21st century -in case you people are not aware-. >>>>

I'm sure the people on here are aware that we are now in the 21st century, but 1995 was 20th century and an electric motor would be necessary to power the hydraulics, even on an Opel Tigra.

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

<<<<And we are now in the 21st century -in case you people are not aware-. >>>>

Errrm, .... me's happy to having a fold-back hood, instead of an MGB or MGA like clip-on hood.
;)


Dieter

I agree Dieter,

There is much pleasure (IMO) in manually doing things with your MGF, like,
putting down the hood,
putting up the hood,
putting on the hood cover,
adjusting the outside mirrors,
changing gears,
holding your foot on the accelerator so car will go,
and so many more things.

All that is part of owning and enjoying a great sports car.

Cheers,
Branko.


Branko

Branko,
Don't forget :
reversing and stopping without waiting for a beep (or a crunch).

being able to change things yourself.

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

Adrian,

Yes, too true....

and having to put a key in the petrol filler cap and actually turning it!!

Aghhhh , the simple pleasures in life. :-)

Branko


Branko

Branko,
These 21st Century drivers just don't know what they're missing do they ?

Adrian
Adrian Clifford

The marvel of the simple minded...
Les Cavendish

LOL :)
Dieter

This thread was discussed between 24/05/2005 and 29/05/2005

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