You need to tone up your cheek muscells due to the amount of smiling you'll be doing.

http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&am...

Can be a D.I.Y job. I'd use a Turbo VVC from a MGZR and turn the boost up as well.

I'd say get a mems3 VVC Engine with the full 160hp which should also have the later head gasket and 52MM Aluminium TB. Little more wiring but the best of the bunch, you want the 5as and corresponding fob too. You will have to use the R65 gearbox as will already be present with the metro. This is OK, but the best box is the R65U which is slightly uprated and stronger. Can be found in the 1.6 & 1.4 bubble rovers (rover 25?). The PG1 box will be too big and get more involved, it's also heavier. Stronger though, but it's a light car with small wheels so a R65U will be fine. You don't want one out of a later 1.6 car like a MGF/TF as it may be a IB5 which is a ford gearbox that rover used. Of course, you can just stick with the box you've got which will be an R65, dunno if it'll be the uprated one though. Next thing, starter motors..... the VVC engine is bigger, obviously... longer stroke, it also is higher compression. This means that the 1.8VVC tends to struggle to start with a R65 std metro starter. Not just because the engine is a longer stroke and of higher compression, but also because the flywheel is small... effectively gearing the starter down making it harder to turn the engine. There is a 0.7KW (standard) and a 0.8KW which is better. I found another 0.9KW, a bosch starter... spins it for fun. Fit this and a nice thick set of battery cables and you're sorted. Part no..

RB-STAR0002 BOSCH 106 Series
0.9KW/12V, CCW, 9-Tooth Pinion
ROVER
OE Nos: 001 106 016;

Ummm, I would fit a remote thermostat as precaution, but with the engine and rad being in the front of the car unlike in a MGF there will be much less thermal shock, plus the head gasket is better like aforementioned on the later engine anyway. Oh and the VVC160 has a water to oil cooler to keep the head and block the same temp to stop warping, as standard.

Probs other things to consider but that's all I can think of for now.


EDIT: I assumed you'd be doing the conversion yourself... anyway... all useful info!

My son who runs the Metropower website currently has two VVC Rovers, one his Rover Metro which the family bought new in 1993 when it was a humble 1.1c runabout ... c for carb. The car is faster than his Lotus Elise .... in a straight line...

Lots of useful information on Metropower.
..

I bought a second hand box to rebuild and fit when I was fitting my new clutch and flywheel.. The box had the Bosch starter fitted. This one..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rover-25-45-1-4-1-6-16V-1999...

Never had a problem starting since I fitted the new box with the Bosch starter it came with. Make sure you have a decent battery and nice fat cables.

Ok i had to join just to reply as there is a lot of incorrect information here

Firstly go to www.metropower.org.uk and join up, everyone is friendly and will answer your questions

Liquid Knight, they never did a VVC Turbo in any of the MG or Rover cars it was a 1.8 non vvc they turbo'd. There are a couple of VVC turbos as aftermarket but they are not the easiest to do as Turbo Technics found out

Yazza54, R65U is fine for a VVC conversion and may last but they are hit and miss though (mine did 5 laps of the ring with no issues). They were fitted to later Rover 100's as std and inorder for the VVC and r65u to fit you will need the 1.6 bubble rover 200 flywheel and clutch. The PG1 box is the one to use, and can be used either with a MGF or TF (if you want to go springs not hydragas)subframe that needs a couple of mods with a grinder or a bracket welding onto the Metro Subframe. Then use MGF driveshafts as they are a direct fit. Using the PG1 with c6 gearset is similar ratios to the R65U. With the PG1 you can easily add a torsen ATB diff which will help traction. The PG1 gear selector will need changing from a 200 again and needs to be cut, shortened and welded in.

The R65(U) starter has no problems starting the VVC engine either as the 1.6 flywheel is smaller

MEMS2J 143 vvc is the easier to fit but the MEMS3 160 engine can be mapped and was fitted as std with the metal 52mm throttle body. Both give roughly the same power output with an air filter, 52mm tb and decent exhaust

No need for a remote thermostat use the PRT from the landrover

You will need to mod the Rover100/Metro loom to use the 1.8 vvc but this is easy to do, and its easier to start with an MPI K series Metro / 100

You will then have a car with close to 200bhp/tonne 0-60 in under 6 seconds and 140mph that will do a qtr mile in 14.5 roughly the same as a RS Focus

The sky is then the limit as to what power you want, the VVC can be tuned to 200bhp but the mechs limit the revs to 7500. Above this you need solid lifters and cams but 240bhp is the norm for a high power N/A 1.8 K-series engine

If you want serious power the k-series can be turbo'd, one Metro has just shy of 300bhp

Welcome to Pistonheads. I meant to put 1.8K turbo and not VVC. typo rather than an deliberate attempt to mislead. Personally I'd go for a T series on an original MGF box or to keep the costs down find an accident damaged MR2 turbo and use the bits from that.

That's why I suggested the MR2.

I wouldn't put an engine in the front of a Metro. If you want brand loyalty a superharged KV6 on an MGF boc would be fun weigh about the same as a T series and would give you more torque than any of the combinations so far.