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My Danish '84 Metro
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MG mad
Posted 23/5/2014 9:52 PM (#712274 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Cool, very nice result
MLC
Posted 28/5/2014 9:00 AM (#712341 - in reply to #696224)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro
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Love this car, great inspiration for my project.
DotMatrix
Posted 17/8/2014 10:01 PM (#713911 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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I fitted my new soft yokohama 048's to a set of ronals I had laying. the reason this image is not of them fitted on the car is that we didn't have any more balancing blocks so balancing and fitting will have to wait for next weekend, but they look really good I think. will look great with my white roll cage


DotMatrix
Posted 24/8/2014 9:17 PM (#714072 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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balanced the wheels and fitted them to the car and drove for a test drive even though it was a bit wet on the road they grip really well.

during last race it developed a substantial blow in the exhaust. It turns out the exhaust was cracked all way round so we welded that up.

also bought some solid front subframe mounts off petrol_head and I fitted the two front ones. didn't fit the two rear ones yet.


























Marv_666
Posted 24/8/2014 10:48 PM (#714076 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


'88 MG METRO 1300

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I like those new wheels, the white matches the number square and cage as you say rather well!
Not a fan of Minilights, but did like the way they sat in the arches...
will have to wait on some action shots for a proper comparison!?
More 'function over form' for you I guess though!?!

Is the car bottoming out, or is that exhaust scraping from a puncture etc?
DotMatrix
Posted 25/8/2014 9:53 AM (#714078 - in reply to #714076)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Marv_666 - 24/8/2014 11:48 PM

I like those new wheels, the white matches the number square and cage as you say rather well!
Not a fan of Minilights, but did like the way they sat in the arches...
will have to wait on some action shots for a proper comparison!?
More 'function over form' for you I guess though!?!

Is the car bottoming out, or is that exhaust scraping from a puncture etc?


I dont know when the exhaust hit something but I don't think it was during the race, the car isn't that low and there wasn't any jumps on the last race so I don't worry about it. perhaps it was during loading-unloading or during transport.

yes it is definitely more function over form this car I really want to beat that clubman and those a112's I am in group with when racing but they are both really light and quick

The minilights are great but I do have a little worry that the reduced wheel track with the new wheels will be bad for cornering speed compared to the minilights. But then these new wheels fixes other problems that the minilights has like them being so far out that they hit the arches when going over bumps or jumps as the new wheels will go up in the arches and the minilights didn't, an other thing is that the ET of the minilights made the inside wheels rub slightly when turning tight corners, and I suspect that the new ones doesn't do this, so looking forward to racing with these new ones

but yes I do like the look both of the rims and the color scheme now action shots will come after next weekend when I go racing again so you wont have to wait long
Marv_666
Posted 25/8/2014 2:00 PM (#714084 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


'88 MG METRO 1300

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Probably not much difference in the gap between inner sidewalls as the Minilights were wider anyway. (I think?)
Arch clearance, steering lock, brake cooling (don't know if that's ever an issue), and sidewall movement should all be improved...
not forgetting the new rubber compound and tread pattern increasing traction, probably have higher cornering speed!?
Plus loads on bearings and suspension will come from the original location, not further outwards, so I don't foresee problems!? (touch wood)
Have the option of using wheel spacers (if they're permitted) to maximise track without arch contact too?!
AND you can play around with ride height and suspension pressure now when you couldn't before... it's all good in my book!?!
Metromartin
Posted 25/8/2014 3:16 PM (#714092 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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That looks fantastic on the Ronals!!!
DotMatrix
Posted 25/8/2014 6:49 PM (#714108 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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thanks I also like them a lot. looking forward to seeing some action shots of myself after next weekend

yes the mini-lights were 6" wide and these are 5.5" I believe. Arch clearance is definitely improved and so are side-wall movement, these are very stiff tyres, even stiffer in the side-wall than the a539's. I don't know about brake cooling if that is better or worse, but it isn't a problem in the short distances I race anyway.

they are much softer in the compound and have more rubber touching the road so the idea is definitely to increase my cornering speed and I'm hoping on a substantial increase

you are right about bearing and suspension loads, didn't think about that, but then again I haven't have problems with wearing out bearings or anything

on the back I use cooper s drums with the build-in 1" spacer so they all wheels are pretty close to the back of the arches, but once I have driven some more with these wheels I will see if they should be moved out or anything. but cant move them out to much as I am planing to swap over the a539's when it rains (if these are better in the rain, I don't know?) if the a539's prove not to be better than these in the rain I might lower it a bit more but not too much as it is already a problem getting in on the trailer for transporting.

but I might have to shorten the rods a bit more and pump some more pressure in because of the increased grip of these tyres perhaps?
DotMatrix
Posted 22/9/2014 11:08 PM (#714609 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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did the last race of the season last saturday and it was a hard course with rough narrow asphalt roads and gravel in the corners. to cars rolled and one took out a sign.
the car didn't drive well, it felt as if it was lacking power all through out the day, bit I couldn't work our what it was until the last race. I believe the headgasket has had it between the second and third cylinder and I also believe that the dropgears or finished, possibly clutch or final drive also. so it looks like I will have to invest in a new gearbox for the next season. when maintaining a constant speed on the transport route I could both hear and feel a gear slapping and hitting the casing somewhere and it became difficult to disengage the gears using the clutch.

it will be exciting to open up the engine, I really hope that the work with new pistons, raised compression and honed big ends are not damaged.

pictures from the race and videos will be uploaded as soon as possible.
rallyxrich
Posted 27/9/2014 4:29 PM (#714676 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro
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I see you are using Yoko rubber, I was using them too, swapped to Hankook Z209 tarmac rally tyres. These are awesome, was losing 17secs a stage against a similar specced car when i was on Yokos, that gap was totally closed on the Hankooks.

Great little car you have there!
DotMatrix
Posted 27/9/2014 6:25 PM (#714678 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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thanks ok. I did realize that the michelin rally tyres that some use are better than the a048's.
do you know if these hankook's are DOT approved or E marked? where do you buy them and what do they cost?

Edited by DotMatrix 27/9/2014 6:25 PM
DotMatrix
Posted 16/3/2015 10:49 PM (#717376 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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So at the last race the car started not sounding well, there was clonking sounds and jerking in the car when maintaining a constant speed on the transport route and I didn't feel it had the power it should.

So I have removed the engine and started to check it over and so far most look fine, the drop gear and diff is fine although I thought that either the centre drop gear or diff pin was worn through, but both were fine.

I noticed a lot of copper shreds in the bottom of the gearbox which looked like stuff off bearing shells so I removed a couple of big end bearings caps and they were fine but then I removed the centre main bearing and it looked like you can see in the picture. the middle of it is wider than the ends as though it has been squashed and one of the thrust washers looked bad.

so when I have time next weekend I will remove the crank and do some measurements and try to find out what went wrong.











DotMatrix
Posted 22/3/2015 9:50 PM (#717441 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Location: Jelling, Denmark
So this weekend I played with gearboxes I bought a close ratio first motion shaft and laygear (DAM3167 and DAM3168), found them on ebay, the laygear is new and the first motion shaft was said to be use but looks brand new.

To make this into a close ratio A+ box I needed to use the second and third gears from a normal 4-synchro a-series box which is why I dug out an old 998cc mini engine, separated the engine and box and took it apart.

I also went down and found a nice low mileage A+ box (50k miles) I had and took this apart as the housing that is currently in the car is cracked around the oil drain plug and has been recoiled various places so I wanted a fresh one.

So now all that is left to do is to put it all together into the "new" housing with a new laygear shaft and new small bearings and first motion shaft bearing and then I have a close ratio box to put in my racer for this season

I considered purchasing a lsd but dont think I need it that much but I am still considering whether or not to put in straight cut drop gears.












DotMatrix
Posted 4/4/2015 10:17 PM (#717618 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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fitting a lexan window in the rear. I do also have alle the rest of the windows but haven't fitted them yet. I hope there will be time before the first race, but maybe not.








Edited by DotMatrix 4/4/2015 10:18 PM
DotMatrix
Posted 4/4/2015 10:40 PM (#717619 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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So the renovation of the engine and gearbox is in full progress fitted a new alternator with a slightly bigger diameter pulley.

I wanted a new gearbox in the car as the old one had been recoiled several places, was cracked and without thread in the oil drain hole and was leaking many places. I had a nice low mileage a-plus gearbox that I used as a base for this new gearbox build, and I had the gears that you saw in earlier pictures. Also the combination of gears going in will give a helical close ratio gearset like the one in the 1275gt and cooper s but in an A-plus version.










DotMatrix
Posted 7/4/2015 10:31 PM (#717655 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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So I got a bit more work done this weekend. bot the differential shimmed up and assembled. measured the endfloat in the idler gear but was missing a shim in the right thickness so ordered one of those. also took the crank out and concluded that it needed to go in for a polishing and a checking if it is still straight. I would like to get it cross drilled to avoid this bearing failure in the future.






Metromartin
Posted 8/4/2015 5:56 PM (#717671 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Excellent build diary as usual!

I spy my old wide steelies on the GTi
DotMatrix
Posted 8/4/2015 9:06 PM (#717682 - in reply to #717671)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Metromartin - 8/4/2015 6:56 PM

Excellent build diary as usual!

I spy my old wide steelies on the GTi


thanks your old steel wheels indeed. that gti needs to be fixed and driven very soon. I have acquired an 1.4 engine which is complete and supposedly low mileage, I will be dropping that in.
DotMatrix
Posted 8/4/2015 9:57 PM (#717685 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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news about the engine build. we talked to the engineering shop that I use to bore cylinders and grind cranks. they had my crank in for checking if it took damage and to have the bearing material polished off but they called back saying that the distance between the two trust-washer surfaces were very worn and the distances between them were 31.30mm and should be 30.090 and unfortunately they don't make thrust washers that thick so the old crank is scrap unfortunately. I really liked that crank as it has taken much abuse without breaking

so instead I went down to my parts shelve and found a turbo crank I have had laying around. it is standard measurements on both thrust-washers, main bearings and big ends. I will not have it cross-drilled at this time as I really need to have the engine together this weekend as the first race is the weekend after.

also there is some debate in A-series circles on whether or not a cross-drilled crank is needed. I have opted for a higher oil pressure right now, and I do believe that cross drilling is needed when operating at high revs like in a race engine and when your bearings only have the groove half way round.
Dave 20VTRO
Posted 9/4/2015 9:12 PM (#717696 - in reply to #717685)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro
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DotMatrix - 9/4/2015 8:57 PM

news about the engine build. we talked to the engineering shop that I use to bore cylinders and grind cranks. they had my crank in for checking if it took damage and to have the bearing material polished off but they called back saying that the distance between the two trust-washer surfaces were very worn and the distances between them were 31.30mm and should be 30.090 and unfortunately they don't make thrust washers that thick so the old crank is scrap unfortunately. I really liked that crank as it has taken much abuse without breaking

so instead I went down to my parts shelve and found a turbo crank I have had laying around. it is standard measurements on both thrust-washers, main bearings and big ends. I will not have it cross-drilled at this time as I really need to have the engine together this weekend as the first race is the weekend after.

also there is some debate in A-series circles on whether or not a cross-drilled crank is needed. I have opted for a higher oil pressure right now, and I do believe that cross drilling is needed when operating at high revs like in a race engine and when your bearings only have the groove half way round.


Re the cross-drilling, if your old crank was cross-drilled and the shells were in good condition when you took them out
then you have your answer. Also I would have a look for oversize thrust washers, after all 24 thou thicker per washer
isn't that much.
DotMatrix
Posted 9/4/2015 9:53 PM (#717697 - in reply to #717696)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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Dave 20VTRO - 9/4/2015 10:12 PM

DotMatrix - 9/4/2015 8:57 PM

news about the engine build. we talked to the engineering shop that I use to bore cylinders and grind cranks. they had my crank in for checking if it took damage and to have the bearing material polished off but they called back saying that the distance between the two trust-washer surfaces were very worn and the distances between them were 31.30mm and should be 30.090 and unfortunately they don't make thrust washers that thick so the old crank is scrap unfortunately. I really liked that crank as it has taken much abuse without breaking

so instead I went down to my parts shelve and found a turbo crank I have had laying around. it is standard measurements on both thrust-washers, main bearings and big ends. I will not have it cross-drilled at this time as I really need to have the engine together this weekend as the first race is the weekend after.

also there is some debate in A-series circles on whether or not a cross-drilled crank is needed. I have opted for a higher oil pressure right now, and I do believe that cross drilling is needed when operating at high revs like in a race engine and when your bearings only have the groove half way round.


Re the cross-drilling, if your old crank was cross-drilled and the shells were in good condition when you took them out
then you have your answer. Also I would have a look for oversize thrust washers, after all 24 thou thicker per washer
isn't that much.


my old crank wasn't cross-drilled, none of my cranks are and the bearings are always worn out. every single year I take the main bearings out and they are always worn out. the big end bearings last way longer, they last about two years.

I know 24 thou isn't that much but I can only get std size and 3 thou oversize. the 30 thou oversize I can find a part number on aren't available from mini spares any more and they wont get them again.

but yes. I ought to get the turbo crank cross drilled but there isn't time right now, I will probably get it reground and cross drilled next winter.
DotMatrix
Posted 12/4/2015 9:33 PM (#717735 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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So today and yesterday I assembled and adjusted the engine.
Adjusted valves, idler gear end-float, primary gear end-float and made a new battery bracket.
Its very nice to have an engine that doesn't rattle or clatter anywhere, although I know full well that it will only last about 15 minutes of racing, then everything will make the usual noises

turbo crank (CAM6581), new main and bigend bearings, turbo oil pump, new high flow waterpump, new alternator, lightweight battery.
fitted the engine and gave it a new filter and new oil and went for a drive and it drove nicely.














Edited by DotMatrix 12/4/2015 10:01 PM
DotMatrix
Posted 18/12/2015 9:58 PM (#720621 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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So I plan a bit of work on this car before the next season.

I plan to change my dual carburettor setup for a single HIF44 as it should theoretically be just as good and as it is more correct, weighs less and takes up less space.

I have collected 3 nice manifolds for a single SU carb which is supposed to be best flowing, a Howley, a Titan Motorsport and an Mg Metro manifold. I am considering building a diy flowbench to test which is actually the best and then use that on the engine.

I also ported a HIF44 as you can see should be good to see what the rolling road says about the result.












Edited by DotMatrix 18/12/2015 10:05 PM
DotMatrix
Posted 21/3/2016 9:31 PM (#721549 - in reply to #455743)
Subject: RE: My Danish '84 Metro


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this weekend I took out the engine and took it apart. The cam and followers was worn out as expected but the bearings and the rest of the engine looked good luckily. I took the engine block and the crank to the machine shop to have the crank checked and the centre bearing cap changed for one with four bolts instead of the standard one with two bolts. when I have them back I will have them balanced together with a new lighter flywheel I have. tight schedule as the first race is the 7-8'th of may. the radiator was leaking so I will send that to be checked also.












Edited by DotMatrix 21/3/2016 9:32 PM
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