Eh...1996 Rover miniMetro

Mic

Mic

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I could soon be coming into possesion of a 1996 Rover miniMetro.
Car is in good working order but needs a fuel pump.

However, being te crazy loon I am, is there anything I can do with it thats, oh I dont know, crazy?

Any huge engines fit into it? Is it a good handling car? A good track car?
I know there was a beast of a rally car years ago.

Im also looking for views from Penski and other 'retro' enthuisiasts on the forums.
 
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Mic said:
I could soon be coming into possesion of a 1996 Rover miniMetro.
Car is in good working order but needs a fuel pump.

However, being te crazy loon I am, is there anything I can do with it thats, oh I dont know, crazy?

Any huge engines fit into it? Is it a good handling car? A good track car?
I know there was a beast of a rally car years ago.

Im also looking for views from Penski and other 'retro' enthuisiasts on the forums.

Is it a Mini or a Metro/Rover 100?

*n
 
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Strip it, slam it, K series or VVC (a 1.8 K series would be a right blast), side exit exhaust with one silencer, steel wheels.

Job done.

Put some "hot-hatch kill" stickers on the doors too :D
 
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Mic said:
Its a rover miniMetro i was told. Not a mini as in mini cooper.

Austin Metro:

rovermetro29oe.jpg


Rover Metro:

tosell0059pv.jpg


Rover 100:

getpimageaspxid100415bf.jpg


Rover mini:

1996rovermini13i10pw.jpg


Mini:

cpaaabd9mini6qj.jpg


*n
 
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I want an uber-early Metro...Recessed lights and everything.

nl81metro45vl.jpg


Like that...but older.

OMFG! You can almost SEE the poverty oozing out from between it's shonky, BL-brutalised spot welds:

lc8pub021wg.jpg


*n
 
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The original Austin Metro was marketed as a miniMetro, in the mistaken belief that it was a replacement for the mini. A 1996 car would most likely be a Rover 100, though it might be a late Rover Metro.

They handle pretty well and can be made to handle very well. The 1.8L K series engine is the largest standard lump that will drop straight in, which could give you up to 160bhp depending on spec. The engine is also available in 1.6L and the Metro came as standard with 1.4L and 1.1L versions of the same engine

Have a look through the forum archives for Reylands 1.8 engined track car.

As for crazy...the Group B 6R4 rally car was (loosely) based on a Metro and that had 330bhp in factory spec and the works teams were getting significantly more than that out of the mid-mounted V6 engine.
 
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Being that the early ones have the hateful little A-series in them, there's bits readily avaailable to drop in VTEC lumps or the C20LET...

With a late model, K-series is the best bet :)

*n
 
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penski said:
I want an uber-early Metro...Recessed lights and everything.

Shudder. My dad bought a 1L HLE brand new (can even remember the reg number OOD 200W). It spent a frankly astonishing amount of time in the dealers, ending up with a new engine and gearbox amongst other faults.

He didn't learn though, and traded it in againt brand new MG Metro (XDV 920X) and a nearly new MG Metro Turbo. To be fair the MG Metro was very reliable and quite fun to drive. I was eventualy given it with about 110k miles on it. It needed a bit of welding, but was not too bad as dad is a firm believer in Waxoyl. I passed it onto my brother, and it ended up with my grandmother who pretty kuch drove it into the ground. In all that time the only real failure was a headgasket at about 100k miles. The Turbo is still going strong, and as a Mk1 is quite a rare car these days.
 
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Dogbreath said:
Hush your mouth! :p If the A series is hatefull, then the Beetle engine is nothing short of despicable.

Nah - the Type 1 can give uberpower. The A-series won't go bigger than 1500cc/150bhp and costs a bomb to tune.

*n
 

Mic

Mic

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Okkie dokkie.
Not knowing too much about the car, its defintly a 2 door metro. It looks the same as the one penski posted.


So im hearing track car then boys? More specifically a K-Series 1.8? (OMG HEAD GASKET FAILURE!!) or a vtec lump?
 
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What's your budget?

If it were mine, I'd roll on FAT 13" alleycats (mini shops do them for £cheap£), as low as it would go, strip everything other than the seat out of it, bolt in a 1.4 or 1.6 K and an Eaton M45 then go scare kids in Saxos...

*n
 

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penski said:
What's your budget?

If it were mine, I'd roll on FAT 13" alleycats (mini shops do them for £cheap£), as low as it would go, strip everything other than the seat out of it, bolt in a 1.4 or 1.6 K and an Eaton M45 then go scare kids in Saxos...

*n
Well im thinking track weapon.
Since the car is free. How much would a 1.8vvc engine set me back?
 
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Mic said:
Well im thinking track weapon.
Since the car is free. How much would a 1.8vvc engine set me back?

I think Reyland were quoting about £3k for the conversion...But don't quote me on that. :/

*n
 
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Its not just the engine...Its the fitting, fettling, suspension, brakes, setting up...It all costs.

Seriously though - fit an Eaton M45 supercharger at 6-7psi - it's positive displacement so it won't see 'boost' ('boost' is only indicative of a restriction in your system anyway) but should improve volumetric efficiency all across the rev range.

30% gain for about £400?

*n
 
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