Gregory Kilmurray with his MGF was the runner up in the ClassicLine sponsored 2019 Gemini Events Pride of Ownership awards at the Himley Hall Classic & Retro Show. After the event, we caught up with Gregory to find out more about his classic MGF.
Gregory, from Dudley, has had a passion for MG cars for well over 30 years. In 1985 he bought his first MG, a 1976 MG Midget. In need of repair, Gregory took the car on because he was drawn to soft top models – a characteristic he still loves in cars today.
The ’76 MG Midget was the first of many classic MG’s. Later came a ’78 MGB GT, a ’77 Roadster V8 and a MG Maestro.
Around two and a half years ago, Gregory was searching on that popular online auction site for a rear wheel drive soft top for auto test rally driving, when he spotted the British Racing Green 1997 MGF. Tempted by the car, he placed a bid. To his joy he won the auction and claimed the MGF for £155! Gregory knew the car needed work and was up for the challenge.
Roll forward to 2019 and having spent £5,000 plus on the car, “Desmond” the MGF is now reliable and great for both auto testing and daily driving.
As an engineer by trade, Gregory has loved doing all the restoration work on the car. The first job was to rebuild the engine. Larger throttle bodies were needed, and a RamAir induction system added for a little more power. The suspension was replaced with uprated shocks needed for auto testing, as well as a replacement cooling system and hydraulic hand brake fitted.