Discussion
SlowStig said:
Whats wrong with skully? He does look awesome when lit up at night!
The car isn't that low any more, local lotus specialist was chatting to me and advised a good setup on the suspension and ARB's which have made it handle tons better which I am quite impressed with. Oh and I have stuffed a couple of metros, this is the results of one rolling:
That slowed me down and made me drive a lot more sensible as well as much more responsibly when others are in the car or others are on the same road.
Indeed, if you go too low, you alter the roll-centre which can actually make the car want to roll more. It becomes a vicious circle as then people fit stiffer ARBs to compensate which makes the handling even less compliant and generally worse.The car isn't that low any more, local lotus specialist was chatting to me and advised a good setup on the suspension and ARB's which have made it handle tons better which I am quite impressed with. Oh and I have stuffed a couple of metros, this is the results of one rolling:
That slowed me down and made me drive a lot more sensible as well as much more responsibly when others are in the car or others are on the same road.
Cheers for the comments! It has been a fun project, took it on a bypass today for the first time and was quite surprised at how quick it hit *ahem* 70...
Insurance is costing me 830 per year with brenacre £1500 agreed value. 24, 3 years NCB and dodgy postcode but the policy is limited by power, not modifications so any handling or interior mods like a cage do not cost extra but if i touch the engine then it does. Much better system imo for a modified car as they keep a list of mods so they can replace like-for-like if the worst happened without it affecting the policy costs.
In total, the car has cost me less than 2k to do but I did it cheaply by buying a knackered car with a lot of the mods for £250 and stripping it then scrapping the shell, saving me about £400 on bits and pieces. Car was £650 but was only on around 50k miles and never welded(until now) with original arches which was a bargin.
My next plan is a 5 door, rust and odd coloured doors, crappy interior, caged with wide steel wheels and odd trims and either another VVC or a 1.8 turbo fitted to it.
Insurance is costing me 830 per year with brenacre £1500 agreed value. 24, 3 years NCB and dodgy postcode but the policy is limited by power, not modifications so any handling or interior mods like a cage do not cost extra but if i touch the engine then it does. Much better system imo for a modified car as they keep a list of mods so they can replace like-for-like if the worst happened without it affecting the policy costs.
In total, the car has cost me less than 2k to do but I did it cheaply by buying a knackered car with a lot of the mods for £250 and stripping it then scrapping the shell, saving me about £400 on bits and pieces. Car was £650 but was only on around 50k miles and never welded(until now) with original arches which was a bargin.
My next plan is a 5 door, rust and odd coloured doors, crappy interior, caged with wide steel wheels and odd trims and either another VVC or a 1.8 turbo fitted to it.
There was 2 versions of the VVC engine, the one I have fitted is the earlier MEMS2j version which is around 143bhp standard(hense the name) with a plastic 48mm throttle body.
The second one is the 160bhp from the MGF trophy, MGTF160 and the MGZR 160. This is MEMS3 management system and has a different throttle body, tri cut valves and a different exhaust manifold(6 bolt vs 4bold on the 143).
The MGTF 135 engine is different again as they are a variation on the standard 1.8 which is found in freelanders, mgf etc but only 118bhp as standard. the 135 engine has a bigger inlet from a VVC 160, 52mm throttle body and different cams which give the extra 17bhp difference.
The difference in price is significant, I got my engine VERY cheap but roughly £300-400 for a decent 143 or £500-600 for a 160 with the ecu/5as/fob/loom and if its going into a metro then you need the loom converting for around £40-60.
They are quite a common conversion just not well known about due to the image metro's have compared to other hatches but yet even as standard, they are quick for the insurance group and if looked after(not ragged from cold etc) then they make pretty good first cars as there is no driver aids such as PAS or ABS so teach proper control and how to brake without locking up.
The second one is the 160bhp from the MGF trophy, MGTF160 and the MGZR 160. This is MEMS3 management system and has a different throttle body, tri cut valves and a different exhaust manifold(6 bolt vs 4bold on the 143).
The MGTF 135 engine is different again as they are a variation on the standard 1.8 which is found in freelanders, mgf etc but only 118bhp as standard. the 135 engine has a bigger inlet from a VVC 160, 52mm throttle body and different cams which give the extra 17bhp difference.
The difference in price is significant, I got my engine VERY cheap but roughly £300-400 for a decent 143 or £500-600 for a 160 with the ecu/5as/fob/loom and if its going into a metro then you need the loom converting for around £40-60.
They are quite a common conversion just not well known about due to the image metro's have compared to other hatches but yet even as standard, they are quick for the insurance group and if looked after(not ragged from cold etc) then they make pretty good first cars as there is no driver aids such as PAS or ABS so teach proper control and how to brake without locking up.
Agreed, the GTI is quick enough with just the 1.4! My brother had a 214 SEi as a 2nd car... 105bhp and it felt quick enough!
My first car was a 106 xsi 1.4 8v with 105bhp, the Metro and Polo 16v were the 2 competitors to it!
To sum up, you could have a 160bhp Metro for under £2k? Blimey! Must be quite a tool!
How much are upgraded parts???? As I'm presuming you can't just chuck a VVC in a metro and expect it to stop!?
My first car was a 106 xsi 1.4 8v with 105bhp, the Metro and Polo 16v were the 2 competitors to it!
To sum up, you could have a 160bhp Metro for under £2k? Blimey! Must be quite a tool!
How much are upgraded parts???? As I'm presuming you can't just chuck a VVC in a metro and expect it to stop!?
it would be a very dull place if everyone here got frothy over MX5s 
or mapped BMW diesels. Nicely modified, and a real nice road burner, good job.SteveS Cup said:
To sum up, you could have a 160bhp Metro for under £2k? Blimey! Must be quite a tool!
How much are upgraded parts???? As I'm presuming you can't just chuck a VVC in a metro and expect it to stop!?
Well you could if you knew what you were doing and had a plan from the start. This is my 5th metro so I know what i do and dont like and what are good upgrades and what are a waste of money.How much are upgraded parts???? As I'm presuming you can't just chuck a VVC in a metro and expect it to stop!?
you can buy a ready-made VVC metro for between 1k and 1500 but unless its been done by somebody properly I would be quite wary of one as it's not difficult to drop a vvc in but getting the handling and brakes sorted is the biggest issue. I sorted them before going for a bigger engine so then I knew it would handle the power. The standard solid disk brakes on a metro does stop a vvc but warp so quickly that its not worth it as they start getting brake fade very quickly.
SlowStig said:
Cheers for the comments! It has been a fun project, took it on a bypass today for the first time and was quite surprised at how quick it hit *ahem* 70...
Insurance is costing me 830 per year with brenacre £1500 agreed value. 24, 3 years NCB and dodgy postcode but the policy is limited by power, not modifications so any handling or interior mods like a cage do not cost extra but if i touch the engine then it does. Much better system imo for a modified car as they keep a list of mods so they can replace like-for-like if the worst happened without it affecting the policy costs.
In total, the car has cost me less than 2k to do but I did it cheaply by buying a knackered car with a lot of the mods for £250 and stripping it then scrapping the shell, saving me about £400 on bits and pieces. Car was £650 but was only on around 50k miles and never welded(until now) with original arches which was a bargin.
My next plan is a 5 door, rust and odd coloured doors, crappy interior, caged with wide steel wheels and odd trims and either another VVC or a 1.8 turbo fitted to it.
Excellent regarding insurance... as soon as that bank balance has got a bit in it I'll be on the lookout. I was worried because of being modified companies would charge silly money Insurance is costing me 830 per year with brenacre £1500 agreed value. 24, 3 years NCB and dodgy postcode but the policy is limited by power, not modifications so any handling or interior mods like a cage do not cost extra but if i touch the engine then it does. Much better system imo for a modified car as they keep a list of mods so they can replace like-for-like if the worst happened without it affecting the policy costs.
In total, the car has cost me less than 2k to do but I did it cheaply by buying a knackered car with a lot of the mods for £250 and stripping it then scrapping the shell, saving me about £400 on bits and pieces. Car was £650 but was only on around 50k miles and never welded(until now) with original arches which was a bargin.
My next plan is a 5 door, rust and odd coloured doors, crappy interior, caged with wide steel wheels and odd trims and either another VVC or a 1.8 turbo fitted to it.
Love the 5 door idea, must admit I've wondered why it hasn't already been done, is there a reason?
I know the GTI shells have strengthening plates in the strut tops IIRC (don't quote me on the exact location though!) but surely they're not too tricky to add afterwards? 
mgmrw said:
where are you boys finding them?
I've been scouring that there auction site for a while in hope.
(that said I'd actually need a winning bidder to pay for once, or even turn up to view)
Mine was built, not brought I've been scouring that there auction site for a while in hope.
(that said I'd actually need a winning bidder to pay for once, or even turn up to view)
Goto www.http://metropower.org.uk/forum/category-view.a...
Check out the site for ideas and the for sale topic usually has a few for sale now and again. My mate just sold his one for 1200 as he wanted a quick sale. Just make sure you get one which has been properly done, any bodges will come to light sooner rather than later and most cars will have been bodged somehow. Mine had bathroom sealant holding the exhaust mid to the cat for example...
thanks. Even finding a 1400cc standard one was a mission that weren't scrap goods.
Aware of bodging, my 200SX was a proper "buyer should of been aware" jobby.
Garage compressor valve as a boost controller anyone?
Or how about the 5quid dump valve that blew up.
And lest we forget the home-done respray in Royal Nail red with brush marks
Aware of bodging, my 200SX was a proper "buyer should of been aware" jobby.
Garage compressor valve as a boost controller anyone?
Or how about the 5quid dump valve that blew up.
And lest we forget the home-done respray in Royal Nail red with brush marks
Bloody hell, thats impressive bodges!
My rear brakes were non-exsistant until I found that the slave cylinders were shot and the pads had been fitted the wrong way around so were not engaging. Plus, a small part of my floor had been filled with bathroom sealant so I have no idea how on earth it passed the MOT last year but I have sorted everything out with either new or refurbed parts so should be ok for a while hopefully!
My floor contained this stuff:
Which was covering up:
The crap I removed:
You can prob guess I wasn't a happy chap and slated the previous owner on MP with the pics and nobody has seen him on there since!
My rear brakes were non-exsistant until I found that the slave cylinders were shot and the pads had been fitted the wrong way around so were not engaging. Plus, a small part of my floor had been filled with bathroom sealant so I have no idea how on earth it passed the MOT last year but I have sorted everything out with either new or refurbed parts so should be ok for a while hopefully!
My floor contained this stuff:
Which was covering up:
The crap I removed:
You can prob guess I wasn't a happy chap and slated the previous owner on MP with the pics and nobody has seen him on there since!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff