SLEEPERS! Anyone have a street sleeper here?

[Tommo87]

Fermit said:

If anyone says that Sierra isn't a sleeper (but, but, the wheels are 1" bigger than standard) then I'm outta here.

Why would they?

It’s about as far away from the ludicrous debadged Skyline type suggestions, that you can get.

[RB Will]

Another one that might divide opinion. Ok a standard / lightly modded Forester turbo isn’t the slowest thing going to those in the know, but 1100 wheel horse power.

[Fermit]

Tommo87 said:

Fermit said:

If anyone says that Sierra isn't a sleeper (but, but, the wheels are 1" bigger than standard) then I'm outta here.

Why would they?

It’s about as far away from the ludicrous debadged Skyline type suggestions, that you can get.

Because nobody on this thread has ever discounted a suggestion on the tiniest of details.

[Turkish91]

Du1point8 said:

full billet alloy Cosworth engine @650bhp Mated to a Samsonas 6 speed sequential gearbox, owner is trying to get it into 9 second 1/4 mile time

Saw this last night on a Facebook group but you beat me to it. I’ve seen it before years ago but looks like it’s now even more silly. The pictures of the block are amazing, and a few videos of it ripping about in the comments on this post. Breaks my rules for standing out as you don’t see them anymore, but top sleeper mainly because it’s so ridiculously fast!

Edited by Turkish91 on Monday 19th February 12:34

[donkmeister]

Turkish91 said:

Saw this last night on a Facebook group but you beat me to it. I’ve seen it before years ago but looks like it’s now even more silly. The pictures of the block are amazing, and a few videos of it ripping about in the comments on this post. Breaks my rules for standing out as you don’t see them anymore, but top sleeper mainly because it’s so ridiculously fast!

Edited by Turkish91 on Monday 19th February 12:34

Ha, I remember as a 17yo getting a lift from my GFs dad in his Sierra 2.0 estate and thinking it felt rapid (well, it probably had 3 times the power of my Fiat)... They're not exactly heavy, so a stripped out one is presumably a tonne or less. A favourable power-weight ratio if ever I saw one.

[donkmeister]

mercedeslimos said:

I follow a crowd who put 1.8T 20v VAG lumps in those MR2s, I reckon they'd be a lovely machine at 300bhp, enough to have major (and relatively cheap) fun, without killing yourself in the process.

I used to be in an MG owners club, and whenever someone with an F or TF started talking about turbocharging the K-series or a turbo swap the greybeards would inevitably say "no, too much heat soak with the turbo in the engine bay, can't be done, at least not reliably".

Given the number of people dropping turbo engines into similarly configured transverse mid engine cars I wonder: were the MG greybeards talking bks or are these other chaps having heat issues and/or fitting extra fans and ducts?

(As an aside it dawns on me now that the TF would have been and excellent use case for rear mounted turbos, the plumbing would be relatively easy and the turbo should be easy to keep cool.)

[e-honda]

donkmeister said:

I used to be in an MG owners club, and whenever someone with an F or TF started talking about turbocharging the K-series or a turbo swap the greybeards would inevitably say "no, too much heat soak with the turbo in the engine bay, can't be done, at least not reliably".

Given the number of people dropping turbo engines into similarly configured transverse mid engine cars I wonder: were the MG greybeards talking bks or are these other chaps having heat issues and/or fitting extra fans and ducts?

(As an aside it dawns on me now that the TF would have been and excellent use case for rear mounted turbos, the plumbing would be relatively easy and the turbo should be easy to keep cool.)

They are so cheap now.
If you could spent £10k on a turbo conversion it would still probably be the fastest thing you could build for just over £10k

[glazbagun]

e-honda said:

donkmeister said:

I used to be in an MG owners club, and whenever someone with an F or TF started talking about turbocharging the K-series or a turbo swap the greybeards would inevitably say "no, too much heat soak with the turbo in the engine bay, can't be done, at least not reliably".

Given the number of people dropping turbo engines into similarly configured transverse mid engine cars I wonder: were the MG greybeards talking bks or are these other chaps having heat issues and/or fitting extra fans and ducts?

(As an aside it dawns on me now that the TF would have been and excellent use case for rear mounted turbos, the plumbing would be relatively easy and the turbo should be easy to keep cool.)

They are so cheap now.
If you could spent £10k on a turbo conversion it would still probably be the fastest thing you could build for just over £10k

Maidstone sportscars do supercharged Honda K20 conversions for Elises and figured the MGTF should also be doable, so they made one:

http://www.maidstonesportscars.co.uk/projects/hond...

350 horsepower of grey MGTF! Probably costs more than £10K though. I posted it years ago and was told it's not a sleeper.

Edited by glazbagun on Monday 19th February 20:35

[donkmeister]

I do like that.

350bhp in that chassis will be brisk. I love my 160 but it always felt like it needs another 100bhp, so why not another 200?

[mercedeslimos]

donkmeister said:

mercedeslimos said:

I follow a crowd who put 1.8T 20v VAG lumps in those MR2s, I reckon they'd be a lovely machine at 300bhp, enough to have major (and relatively cheap) fun, without killing yourself in the process.

I used to be in an MG owners club, and whenever someone with an F or TF started talking about turbocharging the K-series or a turbo swap the greybeards would inevitably say "no, too much heat soak with the turbo in the engine bay, can't be done, at least not reliably".

Given the number of people dropping turbo engines into similarly configured transverse mid engine cars I wonder: were the MG greybeards talking bks or are these other chaps having heat issues and/or fitting extra fans and ducts?

(As an aside it dawns on me now that the TF would have been and excellent use case for rear mounted turbos, the plumbing would be relatively easy and the turbo should be easy to keep cool.)

That takes me back to Practical Performance Car magazine, at least a decade and a half if not two decades! Rear-mounted turbo on a 205!

[Pit Pony]

normalbloke said:

Fermit said:

If anyone says that Sierra isn't a sleeper (but, but, the wheels are 1" bigger than standard) then I'm outta here.

Want me to hold your beer…?

It needs the base model dangly mirrors. And iirc the base model wheels were painted silver and had a small classic centre cap about 6 inches in diameter.

I learnt to drive in a Y reg base 1.6 estate. In beige with a mocha dashboard. With st tyres.

I'd says that is a sleeper, but black wheels are too obvious. You need some period plastic on them. Maybe from.a Granada?

Actually very jealous.

[Tommo87]

Fermit said:

Tommo87 said:

Fermit said:

If anyone says that Sierra isn't a sleeper (but, but, the wheels are 1" bigger than standard) then I'm outta here.

Why would they?

It’s about as far away from the ludicrous debadged Skyline type suggestions, that you can get.

Because nobody on this thread has ever discounted a suggestion on the tiniest of details.

You can drop the act and faux outrage on behalf of free thinkers everywhere.

You and some others are just moaning because some of your personal suggestions got shot down. It is getting boring now.

Edited by Tommo87 on Tuesday 20th February 15:26

[CKY]

mercedeslimos said:

I follow a crowd who put 1.8T 20v VAG lumps in those MR2s, I reckon they'd be a lovely machine at 300bhp, enough to have major (and relatively cheap) fun, without killing yourself in the process.

I've seen videos of those, but they have always been driven by the kinds of people who "roll race", which kind of misses the point of an MR2 imo; always preferred going quickly through corners rather than accelerating quickly in a straight line or outright speed, but to each their own.

[Trikster]

Recently had a Rocketeer conversion (3.0 AJ30 V6) completed on my MX5, not crazy HP, but just shy of 300bhp in what looks like a std 25 year old mk2 mx5 weighing appox 1000kg can be unexpected

Handles too as keeps the same weight distribution and had a little work done on the suspension

Had the guys at Rocketeer do it, must post a build thread at some point....

[jimmytheone]

Trikster said:

Recently had a Rocketeer conversion (3.0 AJ30 V6) completed on my MX5, not crazy HP, but just shy of 300bhp in what looks like a std 25 year old mk2 mx5 weighing appox 1000kg can be unexpected

Handles too as keeps the same weight distribution and had a little work done on the suspension

Had the guys at Rocketeer do it, must post a build thread at some point....

Please do!
I'm toying with the idea on my ratty na

[glazbagun]

Trikster said:

Recently had a Rocketeer conversion (3.0 AJ30 V6) completed on my MX5, not crazy HP, but just shy of 300bhp in what looks like a std 25 year old mk2 mx5 weighing appox 1000kg can be unexpected

Handles too as keeps the same weight distribution and had a little work done on the suspension

Had the guys at Rocketeer do it, must post a build thread at some point....

That's on my "very small lottery win" list. A V6 MX5 sounds like the car they should have made when they had all the mad engines in the 90's but were somehow too sensible.

[Missy Charm]

braddo said:

Here's a curio - a Mercedes Gullwing replica based on a SLK32. The supercharged V6 should mean 0-60 will be down around 5 secs.






The kicker - yours for £180,000!

https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1591153

That's the polar opposite of a sleeper, surely, given that it's received cosmetic modifications to make it a hell of a lot more conspicuous than the rather anodyne SLK base car but hasn't had much in the way of performance enhancement. Many more people are going to pay attention to it now than they would have done had it not been customized.

Looks impressive, mind.

[donkmeister]

jimmytheone said:

Trikster said:

Recently had a Rocketeer conversion (3.0 AJ30 V6) completed on my MX5, not crazy HP, but just shy of 300bhp in what looks like a std 25 year old mk2 mx5 weighing appox 1000kg can be unexpected

Handles too as keeps the same weight distribution and had a little work done on the suspension

Had the guys at Rocketeer do it, must post a build thread at some point....

Please do!
I'm toying with the idea on my ratty na

One of the YouTube car channels did one using Rocketeer gear on a driveway IIRC. It was the short chirpy Alex guy who has since gone on to do his own channels.

However if a job's worth doing...

https://www.monstermiata.com/

[Fermit]

Tommo87 said:

Fermit said:

Tommo87 said:

Fermit said:

If anyone says that Sierra isn't a sleeper (but, but, the wheels are 1" bigger than standard) then I'm outta here.

Why would they?

It’s about as far away from the ludicrous debadged Skyline type suggestions, that you can get.

Because nobody on this thread has ever discounted a suggestion on the tiniest of details.

You can drop the act and faux outrage on behalf of free thinkers everywhere.

You and some others are just moaning because some of your personal suggestions got shot down. It is getting boring now.

Edited by Tommo87 on Tuesday 20th February 15:26

Who said anything about outrage, I didn't. It's an observation. On numerous occasions on this thread some have been pedantic RE the 'rules' of what defines a sleeper. If someone challenges a car I post then it's no biggy, it's not stored in the memory banks with a statement of 'I WILL seek my revenge'

[jimmytheone]

donkmeister said:

One of the YouTube car channels did one using Rocketeer gear on a driveway IIRC. It was the short chirpy Alex guy who has since gone on to do his own channels.

However if a job's worth doing...

https://www.monstermiata.com/

Car Throttle, yes i thought i recognised him / his voice.
Dammit, has got me thinking about this in a "how hard can it be" way...