Rimmer Brothers : MG TF body shells now available

Keith Adams   

MG TF body shells are now available from Rimmer Bros.

The oldest MG TFs are now pushing 10 years old and, with corrosion prevention on all models not being what it could be, Rimmer Bros.’ announcement that a selection of new body shells are in stock is good news. These body shells have been sourced from MG Birmingham and are the final few of the MG Motor UK production run, which officially came to an end last autumn.   

The part number is ZUA000740 and, according to Rimmer Bros., this is a limited quantity item so customers will need to be quick to secure one. They are sold less Bonnet, Boot, Doors and Front Wings although a package can be put together to include these at extra cost.     

The body shells are priced at £750 plus VAT and are not expected to be around for long!     

Any AROnline readers requiring more information should call Rimmer Bros. on +44 (0)1522 568000, email them at mgrover@rimmerbros.co.uk or visit www.rimmerbros.co.uk .    

MG TF body shells are now available from Rimmer Bros.
Keith Adams

22 Comments

  1. Would these body shells suit the early cars, i.e. those with the original Hydragas suspension?

    The existence of these body shells suggests that the assembly at Longbridge was much more than just bolting the wheels on a fully-painted/trimmed car straight out of the container from China.

  2. I am sure that, unless there are major differences between the two in other places, the people with the tools and expertise to field strip an MG TF should be able to do a little fabbing and welding to make it into an MGF.

    It’s a great price 🙂 – almost worth going to find a tatty one.

  3. Surely the differences between Hydragas and coils are the subframes? I would have thought the MGF (read Metro) subframe would bolt into the TF shell?

    I was under the impression that SAIC Motor shipped over bare shells which were then painted and assembled at Longbridge.

  4. That’s a coincidence – I was looking for an image of a badly customised Metro which a colleague had shown me at work and found this photograph of a Rover 100 Series Cabriolet shell.

    Okay, it’s not an MGF or TF shell but the Metro body was used to hide MGF running gear in prototype form during development. Note the word “classic”.

  5. Does the very existence of these excess body shells indicate that significantly fewer cars were sold than SAIC Motor/MG had originally hoped/expected/planned?

  6. Does this mean that the TF is no longer? Did NAC/SAIC Motor produce any in China?

    Anyway, if this is the end, it is a shame that the TF has gone out with a whimper as it deserved better than that. Mind you, so did the 75 and ZT.

  7. @J1
    Apparently, SAIC sold 155 TFs in 2009/10, compared to the 10,000 p.a. that were sold under MGR. It is fairly certain no more new TFs will roll out of CAB now – we therefore have to wait and see how long it will be before ANY completed car does.

    Popular opinion is that the SAIC TFs were the best of the whole run, and were considerably cheaper. However (and I deliberately express no personal opinion) the sales did not meet expectations for whatever reason. I am not even sure how long it took to sell the 500 “limited edition” cars, if indeed they did all sell

  8. @Ianto
    The SAIC Motor MG TFs were all made in China and assembled at Longbridge (CKD – the irony here is not lost).

    They did not sell well in China due to lack of perceived practicality – the same reason why the MG3 SW DID sell.

  9. I was under the impression that the TF’s body shells came to the UK pre-painted. However, as these shells are in primer, it appears that there is still a Paint Shop over at Longbridge. Does anybody know what state MG6s will be in when they arrive at the factory?

    Jon.

  10. Ianto : Ironically, as fate would have it, the very first SAIC Motor/MG UK-built TF is up for sale on Auto Trader at the princely sum of £19,999.

    I think that, considering the importance of this car, the ad is pretty low-key and, only on closer reading, do you realise what is actually being sold. Surely, this is something that the Heritage Centre would be interested in?

    This MG TF LE500 was, in fact, initially advertised at a price of £24,000 and has now been dropped – that was effectively double the RRP (of the standard TF 135).

    The car is actually #1/500 of the LE500 but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was the first SAIC Motor-built TF, just the first numbered one of the 500 Limited Editions.

    That’s a bit like the red Mini at Gaydon which has the last production number without necessarily being the last one built! 😉

  11. Paul T :

    Ianto : Ironically, as fate would have it, the very first SAIC Motor/MG UK-built TF is up for sale on Auto Trader at the princely sum of £19,999.

    I think that, considering the importance of this car, the ad is pretty low-key and, only on closer reading, do you realise what is actually being sold. Surely, this is something that the Heritage Centre would be interested in?

    This MG TF LE500 was, in fact, initially advertised at a price of £24,000 and has now been dropped – that was effectively double the RRP (of the standard TF 135).

    The car is actually #1/500 of the LE500 but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was the first SAIC Motor-built TF, just the first numbered one of the 500 Limited Editions.

    That’s a bit like the red Mini at Gaydon which has the last production number without necessarily being the last one built!

    Do we know whether #500/500 is out there? Is there a register of these TFs?

  12. @Ianto (Post #8 and Post #17)
    I exchanged emails with Doug Wallace, MG Motor UK Limited’s PR and Events Manager, earlier this week and can therefore clarify the current position concerning MG TF production for you.

    MG TFs are built in batches and, while the most recent batch was completed last May, Doug has confirmed that “no decision has been taken to cease production.”

    MG TF production in China totalled 181 units while a total of 906 have so far been built in the UK and, as at the 31st January, 2011, 791 of those UK-built cars had been registered here.

    The MG Dealer Network therefore still has a stock of new TFs which are on sale at a recommended on-the-road price of £14,799.94 (inc. VAT @ 20%) and which are fitted with a Style Pack consisting of Twisted Pepper alloy wheels, leather seats and silver interior trim work as standard.

    The MG Car Club’s MGF Register caters for all F and TF owners irrespective of whether the latter are MGR-built or MG UK-built.

  13. @Clive Goldthorp
    £15k for a brand new hand-built sports car is pretty cheap when you think about it.

    I do, though, prefer the MGF’s styling. Who hasn’t had the occasional eBay session looking for a cheap MGF to restore this winter?

  14. Jon :
    I was under the impression that the TF’s body shells came to the UK pre-painted. However, as these shells are in primer, it appears that there is still a Paint Shop over at Longbridge. Does anybody know what state MG6s will be in when they arrive at the factory?
    Jon.

    The TF body shells were sprayed by hand.

  15. Simon Woodward :
    @Clive Goldthorp

    £15k for a brand new hand-built sports car is pretty cheap when you think about it.

    I do, though, prefer the MGF’s styling. Who hasn’t had the occasional eBay session looking for a cheap MGF to restore this winter?

    I agree, when compared to the price of the last MGR-built TFs.

    However, is it not reasonable to suggest they are hand-built as they stripped out all the mechanical assembly machinery and shipped it to China???

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