Oh god, i've gone and done it!!!!...

Well looks like the cammed V6 idea is going out of the window. I can't justify the amount of money needed to get anything decent out of them. Not as tunable as other V6 I've had in the past so I'm afraid it has to go....

...to be replaced by a 250bhp T16 engine with front mounted intercooler, all pipework and ancillaries, custom loom, garrett t25 with a t28 very soon after, uprated drive shafts and modified mountings.

I will be using Rover 420 T16 none turbo engine stabilizers and fitting them to the ZS subframes rather than using the Rover Coupe ones which aren't as strong, and don't want to mess with the handling of the ZS by using crapper parts.

The conversion is coming out of an MG ZR so half the conversion is already done, just need to modify a couple of things to get it snug in the ZS.

Suspension and brakes dont have to be touched as I'm starting with the V6 model and the weight of the T16 is almost identical to the KV6 engine, then a set of dimpled and grooved disks and mintex pads will be fitted.

I have the option of buying some goodies for it that were never fitted such as uprated rods and pistons, T28 turbo, even larger front mounted intercooler plus a few other bits.

One of the things with the MEMS ecu is that it can't be retuned or mapped etc, so there for it has to be mechanical tuning. but it can go up to a max of 14.7 psi, and you only need 12psi for 250bhp using the garrett t28.

So watch this space people as this WILL be happening in the next 2-3 weeks, but i'll be getting shots of engine removal from both cars, rebuilding the engine, and fitting it all back together so should be a nice story from start to finish :)
 
Cheers bud. It certainly looks the part now. I wish I had a few more pics of it nearer the time I had it as she was a sorry state on the out side lol.
 
I try not to bud lol. It's been a mental few weeks to be fair. I'm full legit now with my valeting business which is taking off by storm. Had loads of paint restorations to do, plus trying to do the advertising, build the FB page and website, plus doing all I can with the car in the spare time lol.

List of things left to do:

- Fit set of custom made mud flaps.
- Fit my set of Xpower springs from Eibach (rare as hens teeth)
- Order and fit a Clio 192 rear diffuser (which will remove the second exhaust trim that's no longer In use)
- Remove the air con system and re route the intercooler pipework.
- Fit the battery in the boot, if I can get the damn wire through the bulkhead lol (already fitted a O gauge wire kit ready)
- Relocate air filter where battery was to stop heat soak.
- Fit the lower mesh grill.
and a couple of other little bits.
 
Looking good and you have been very busy from what I have read. Keep up the good work. I'm gutted I didn't have the cash for the car at the time but love to see its being worked on and looked after properly.
 
Yeh they do come around very occasionally. But bought em a while back for the ZS180 so they are going on this instead :) Oh and I paid £80 for them 6 months ago ;)
 
How much you want for em, bearing in mind it MUST be a good price for me to change my mind about the Xpowers. I assume they are Civic ones aswell?
 
Right then. Pretty much got all the body work sorted now. Decided to strip off half the body kit as start again. Few bits resprayed such as rear bumper and a couple of wide arch pieces. Just one piece left to sort on the drivers side. Headlights now restored. Toyosport catch tank fitted. Wheels have had there cut back and polish now the paint has set properly. Whole car has had it's second cut and have gone nuts and taken it right back so there are no longer any swirls, scratches etc. Even managed to get rid of nearly every stone chip aswell (I love owning a valeting business lol) But shes looking stunning now...


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What a beauty!
 
How much you want for em, bearing in mind it MUST be a good price for me to change my mind about the Xpowers. I assume they are Civic ones aswell?

They are 180 coilovers not Civic. So the spring rates are correct but you may need to look into this as you have a lighter unit up front. If still interested pm me you email address and I'll sort some photos when I get home.
 
There is barely any difference between the T16 and the KV6 fortunately. This is why the 180 suspension or Derv suspension is recommended for the conversion. But to be honest, unless you sell the dirt cheap which I doubt you'll do, then i'll stick with the Xpowers ;)
 
Small update for the bank holiday :) Decided to fit a new set of Magnacores, new plugs, new dizzy, oil and filter change, new head unit and Rainbow Audio speakers wired in and a few other little jobs.

Also got my new oil catch tank. Matches the car lovely and being as it already has a couple of anodised red fluid caps, I thought I may as well stick with the colour scheme...


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Also made my mind up and used up the rest of the BMW Sparkling Graphite Grey I used for the wheels and sprayed the front splitter. Came out really nice and matches the wheels perfectly. I think I may use it for the fins on the wing vents and the rear splitter as it's growing on me and isn't fake carbon lol...


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I would, but no where to put it and I like my Mini too much! hehe.... A nice 1.6 with a 180 kit would do me.
 
That looks so good - looks like a brand new car. Amazing.

Wish I had the time, skill and dosh to do something like that.

Doesn't take hardly any dosh to do most of the things I do buddy. Paint for wheels and bumper was only £30, and I've probably used £15 worth of products getting the paint back. But come on dude, you should know my track record of not spending lol ;)
 
PIC HEAVY!!!

Well rather than showing you constant mediocre updates, I thought I'd save a few for one post lol. Been pretty damn busy with the Valeting business now the weather is getting nicer but still find time to play with the car lol.

Now some of you (no names mentioned) wont like one of the mods I've done, but it was FREE, and looks pretty good tbh. So without further ado, here's what's has been done in the last week or 2.

- Battery relocated to the boot and 0gauge wiring fitted along with a 150amp fuse.
- The whole air con system is now gone to help air flow over the engine.
- All intake, intercooler and air filter pipework has been replaced with new black and red piping.
- Semi wire tuck (still a few bits to do with this)
- Repainted the inlet manifold.
- Exhaust manifold, turbo and a couple of toher bits repainted in heat proof matt black.
- relocation of the air filter along with new pipe.
- Poly bushed the anti roll bars not powerflex by the way ;) )
- (this is the one some wont like) Carbon fibred the front bumper lip, rear bumper lip and the fins on the wing vents (didn't cost me a penny as the place gave me 2 off cuts hehe.
- Engine bay has been polished now loads of the wires etc are out of the way.
- Custom made battery plate made and fitted in the boot.

Trying to get the wire through the bulk head was a nightmare as 0gauge is pretty thick stuff and not very bendy lol. but got there in the end. Still plenty more to do and will be moving the iginition coil and extending the thermostat sensor wire so the remaining wires can be tucked today. Gonna see if I can hide the ecu aswell :)

So as a recap, this is how tatty the engine looked to start with...


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And here the past couple of weeks progress...


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Well. Amongst all the above, bye bye Baileys, hello Forge :)


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Also managed to get a nice chrome sparkplug cover and the rest of the piping to re plumb the intercooler :)
 
I would have, but she's developed a bit of a running problem which I'm trying to sort so shes in pieces again lol. Got spark, got fuel, compression is spot on and no boost leaks or vac leaks. But she'll fire into life, running but with an odd misfire. Then once warm and I turn it off, it wont start again. Entire ignition system has been replaced apart from the rotor arm which I'm waiting for. New fuel filter gone in and also a check of pump and injectors and still the same problem. Bugging the crap out of me but i'll get there.
 
Well buggar me. She's finally up and running perfect again. What a nightmare! Ended up replacing the entire ignition system, which every part is uprated now, plus the fuel system. Had spark, had fuel, and perfect even compression across the board and turned out to be the last piece of the puzzle.... A £7 bloody rotor arm lol.

Spark was there with the plugs being earthed, but wasn't creating enough spark and thus was getting worse and worse. Even looked good on a multi metre. It wasn't until I thought abut the colour of the spark, that I realised something wasn't right. Was giving off a dullish yellow spark rather than the bright blue spark. So replaced the rotor and jobs a good'n. So in the process of throwing it all back together... again!!! :)
 
The CF vents look good and I can appreciate the amount of work required to get them to that state. Good job!

It is good to see that you are using decent hose clamps :)
 
Cheers bud. Means a lot from you lol ;) ;)

But yeh nearly got rid of all the jubilees now. Only 2 left to replace. Not exactly cheap those clamps to get proper ones lol. Found someone to swap my Forge bov for a Forge recirc. So will get the gains without the loud dump. Will still get one though due to the air filter but can live with that.
 
Credit where credit is due :)

Mikalor clamps are heavy and not exactly dainty but are designed for the job, ie keeping the fluids where they should be. 'Jubilee' style clips don't give an even squeeze and are easily over tightened, damaging both clamp and hose.
 
Well still going strong and yes I do still have the same car after 6 months lmao!

Been doing a few more bits of body work as I'm slowly going round the whole car tiger sealing where I can to firm up the bodykit and stop a couple of rattles, and doesn't sound like a typical poor built MG anymore lol.

She's also in the process of having an uprated fuel pump fitted which has been started, just waiting for my new socket and for the bolts etc on the tank to have a good soak in penetrating oil. Pain in the back side as you have to drop the tank to access the pump.

Still looking stunning and I'd honestly say the body work is now around the 90-95% perfect area (par a few stone chips here and there) with just a couple of silly bits left to do.

Will get some pics as I do the fuel pump ;)


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Very nice, this is a stunning example. When you get bored with it someone is going to snap up a fantastic car.
 
Got one sorted ;) Well I thought being as the weather is sooooo stunning down this way at the moment I thought I'd give the old girl a full treatment. Took me about 6 hours of various coats etc but came up like new...


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Looks great. Well done.
 
There are quite a few people reading this thread looking at the stats but we've not had any updates from you in a while any updates on this project - or have you moved on to another one?

What are your plans for the future?
 
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