My Metro

Ralphh85 · Post by **Ralphh85** » Sun May 02, 2010 4:38 pm

been building this for last 18 or so months, thought i would stick it on there since its now MOTed and working. def not finished tho!

for more pics an info go to my build journal... http://metropower.org.uk/forum/forums/t ... 39&start=1

quick spec...

mid engined V8
all round vented discs,
gaz coilover suspension.
bias bar master cylinder.

last time i had it on the corner weights it was 897kg, 60/40 weight split and almost perfectly even side to side, 2kg in it. i hope to get it down to at least 800 if not lighter. and its a joy to drive, controls are just as they should be.

just got a 3.9 which will be next engine once i have built it up to my specs.

Ralph

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Sun May 02, 2010 6:10 pm

Good work Ralph. Does it handle like a crock of sh*te because of the empty engine bay?

Chris

Ralphh85 · Post by **Ralphh85** » Sun May 02, 2010 7:14 pm

nah she drives lovely, has fuel tank an few other bits an bobs under the bonnet, its still got 39 an a bit % weight over the front so its only same as say a lotus elise, an they dont handle bad!

also has nothing left of the original subframe, totally home built with inboard coilovers.

Ralpg

Darkspeed · Post by **Darkspeed** » Sun May 02, 2010 11:06 pm

Just spent the last hour trecking through that thread and have to say thats an impressive project. Nice work.

Andrew

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Mon May 03, 2010 7:57 am

Ralph,

Got to admire your innovation and attention to detail and the pleasure of surprising much more exotic cars at the traffic lights.

See from your other post that you've bought another 3.9 was the other one knackered?

The 3.9 HC engine in standard tune in good nick produces 184BHP so a very well put together one might make a bit more, a fast road engine with stage 3 heads and a decent cam will make 230 - 250 BHP depending on how wild you go with the cam, the 3.9 has the same short stroke as the 3.5 so does like to rev if set up properly with attention to the valve gear geometry and the fitment of rocker shaft end supports, otherwise, the shafts can break if you regularly use in excess of 6000RPM for extended periods.

A good fast road cam is the Crower 50232 which peaks at 5500 but will rev well to 6500RPM, V8 Tuner has them at a good price.

Kevin.

Kevin

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Mon May 03, 2010 8:22 am

CastleMGBV8 wrote:Ralph,

Got to admire your innovation and attention to detail and the pleasure of surprising much more exotic cars at the traffic lights.

See from your other post that you've bought another 3.9 was the other one knackered?

The 3.9 HC engine in standard tune in good nick produces 184BHP so a very well put together one might make a bit more, a fast road engine with stage 3 heads and a decent cam will make 230 - 250 BHP depending on how wild you go with the cam, the 3.9 has the same short stroke as the 3.5 so does like to rev if set up properly with attention to the valve gear geometry and the fitment of rocker shaft end supports, otherwise, the shafts can break if you regularly use in excess of 6000RPM for extended periods.

A good fast road cam is the Crower 50232 which peaks at 5500 but will rev well to 6500RPM, V8 Tuner has them at a good price.

Kevin.

Kevin

Have you actually tried that cam with the stock injection? my experiments with aftermarket cams on a 3.5 with stock injection ended in tears...

Ralphh85 · Post by **Ralphh85** » Mon May 03, 2010 9:25 am

thanks for the compliments guys!

3.9 i just plan on re building with ported heads and different cam, and then anything else which is needed to keep the engine in 1 piece.

its running on an emerald ecu, so can change fueling/ignition to suit, changing cam is very important cause the range rover cam has the wrong kind of power. bloke on the rolling road commented that the torque shot up at 2.5krpm and then remained about level of just over 200 right through till 5.5k where we set the limiter, it very very happyly hits the limiter which is worrying, on stock injection it wouldnt get anywhere near, 5k was max.

i more want the kind of cam which will progresivly climb, not reach max very quick an go nope thats all ya getting sorry.

Ralph

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Mon May 03, 2010 9:33 am

Dave,

My information is that the Hotwire EFI can handle a cam with a LCA of 112 deg. if fueling is a problem Mark Adams said he has a chip that will suit the cam, alternatively a change to Megasquirt or similar will give total control of fueling and ignition which is a big advantage.

Kevin.

JJMclure · Post by **JJMclure** » Tue May 04, 2010 11:14 am

ha ha thats pretty cool. My grandparents used to have a metro but not like that!!

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Thu May 06, 2010 10:49 pm

Serious amount of work there...

but a few queries.

Rear coilover mounts...and Im sure you have a little concern yourself ? At a minimum I'd add a brace between them

Does the fuel tank have some form of internal collector for the fuel outlet, or baffling ? EFI pumps should never be allowed to see air.

Ralphh85 · Post by **Ralphh85** » Fri May 07, 2010 8:37 am

the mounts are pretty stiff, they are like 5 or even 6mm steel, either way i plan on making a new tubular subframe next which will be much better designed, purpose for the job rather than a modified existing one.

and similar with the fuel tank, it does have baffles but they are not really 100 adequate when its running very empty, think i will also make a new fuel tank and probably use thinner material, and think up a better baffling system. the pump does see air when empty and i brake hard down hill, fine side to side.

Ralph

DaveEFI · Post by **DaveEFI** » Fri May 07, 2010 9:54 am

CastleMGBV8 wrote:Dave,

My information is that the Hotwire EFI can handle a cam with a LCA of 112 deg. if fueling is a problem Mark Adams said he has a chip that will suit the cam, alternatively a change to Megasquirt or similar will give total control of fueling and ignition which is a big advantage.

Kevin.

Oh indeed - I'm sure it can be made to work. Just cautioning against expecting it to be 'plug and play' with the standard injection.

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Fri May 07, 2010 10:28 am

Have often wondered why in tank pumps don't cause an explosion. I took a Bosch pump to pieces and its internals are total immersed in petrol. Is it the lack of air that prevents an explosion.

JJMclure · Post by **JJMclure** » Fri May 07, 2010 10:55 am

r2d2hp wrote:Have often wondered why in tank pumps don't cause an explosion. I took a Bosch pump to pieces and its internals are total immersed in petrol. Is it the lack of air that prevents an explosion.

yes, no air no oxygen to allow ignition

stevieturbo · Post by **stevieturbo** » Fri May 07, 2010 4:28 pm

Ralphh85 wrote:the mounts are pretty stiff, they are like 5 or even 6mm steel, either way i plan on making a new tubular subframe next which will be much better designed, purpose for the job rather than a modified existing one.

and similar with the fuel tank, it does have baffles but they are not really 100 adequate when its running very empty, think i will also make a new fuel tank and probably use thinner material, and think up a better baffling system. the pump does see air when empty and i brake hard down hill, fine side to side.

Ralph

I was thinking more along the lines of the part of the frame the brackets are mounted on. There is huge leverage acting on this.

as for the tank. Easiest option is to create a small sump at the lowest section of the tank, with some sort of sump style baffling too. Or go to the trouble of fitting an external swirl tank. But a well designed tank would be the handiest.

Im sure you'd have room for a small round or square sump, say 4-6" deep under the actual main tank ?