January 10'-11' Build Off Rover 25 GTI

[deckerz]

OK so i though i may as well enter this. This is my rover 25 gti that i got from my Dad once the head gasket blew. Iv done quite abit of work on it so far but i don't really want to go out to take some picture of it so far at this time (22:00) so pictures so far will be up tomorrow.

This was it about 4 months ago now.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/car002.jpg

So far iv mainly got just visual upgrades with spare cash iv had in paypal, i got the battery cut off switch and a new gear knob.

I got a visual/performance upgrade the other day, a mg zr spoiler, the retail of one of these is £135+ but because this one is repo i bought it for £20 and it lighter too, the genuine weighs 3.5kg and this one weighs 720g and its just as good quality, only problem with it being repo is it needs abit of work but its worth while. il get a pic of it mounted tomorrow.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture047-1.jpg

i will also get pics of my work so far on the rest of the car too.

[deckerz]

sorry its been so long but i forgot about the thread, the rover 25 and the mg zr are basicly the same car but the zr is the tuned one, the only difference is lowered, stiffer suspension, spoliers and the mg badge...but mine comes with an upside, the zr had an option between AC or a sunroof you could not have both but the 25 you could have ac and a sunroof which mine has.

I also picked up a MG tailgate handle, i will post pics of the stuff mounted tomorrow...i promise but the stuff is unpainted, i need to get to halford and pick up a tin of my paint code, i don't wanna use cans again.


Bit desperate, somebody please post a comment so i don't have to tripple post :P

[KITT222]

Its nice to see a British Leyland car on XMS. Is it a diesel or gasoline/petrol? Manual? I know dont know a lot about British cars, so educate me on this car. I love Britain, and if America really screws itself up (and I mean REALLY REALLY screws up) than I'm going right to Britain. I'd really like to get a blue '07 Mondeo hatch diesel w/ stickshift if I do move out there. Oh, and a personal question: How is Chevrolet's image over there? Has the Chevy Cruze been well-recieved?

[deckerz]

Petrol, 5 speed manual, 1.4, limited to 135mph.

The ZR was in the WRC a few years ago, the 25s suspention is taken from the rover 200vi which is the best model of rover 200s. The most popular cars in britian are, renault, rover, mg, peugeot, VW golf, ford (not mustang or anything), honda, toyota, nissan, fiat, mitsubish and finally subaru. Those make all seem to go down well over here, we are seeing less and less jaguars though and the old british classics like mini, triumph.


Iv only seen 2 chevrolets where i live, one was a early 1930s and at a race track and the other was one a road the chevrolet laceti.


Pics of wing mounted.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture140.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture141.jpg

[texan_idiot25]

I love Britain, and if America really screws itself up (and I mean REALLY REALLY screws up) than I'm going right to Britain.

Why would you move to Britain? If you don't like the direction that the US is heading, you'll hate British government.

[KITT222]

Why would you move to Britain? If you don't like the direction that the US is heading, you'll hate British government.

Like I said, America would have to screw itself up big time, not with tiny things, like any kind of tax, or a bill I dont like passes. But as of now, I like living in America.

[deckerz]

tbh i don't really see what wrong with britian right now apart from only just getting out of recesion, anyway heres an update, i got a new engine.

Its a 1999 rover 200 1.4 twin cam so it has different electrical connectors but thats eaisily sorted, the vin number on the engine didn't match to any registered engine so after a few hours of research i found out this engine was rebuilt by MG in 2005 it had the whole inside of the engine replaced, crankshaft, conrods, pistons, valves, valve springs, cams ect but the guy i bought it off didn't know that, i got it for £100.

Here it is part stripped, some parts are rusty but those are rover 200 steel parts that did rust, im going to replace the sump, and other rusty parts with the rover 25 alloy engine parts. The block and cylinder head were also replaced when it was rebuilt so they arn't bad, just abit dirty.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture155.jpg

And here are the cams comparison, on the top is one of the old rover 25 rusting cams, and on the bottom is one of the MG ZR MK2 Alloy cams.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture161.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture160.jpg

I have ordered a new clutch kit and uprated gasket set with stretch bolts, i was going to order a new flywheel but im just going to steal the alloy one off the 25 engine, the cam belt, oil pump and water pump were brand new on the 25 so they will go on this engine too. I still need to get a new radiator but that can wait until the engine is ready, it needs a new oil filter but they arn't alot, castrol magnetec oil and NGK iridium spark plugs to get the best out of the engine. All for now...

[xmod noob]

Petrol, 5 speed manual, 1.4, limited to 135mph.



dont want to sound negative but were do you get that top speed from. the highest speed i got from a 1.4 engines was 105 mph and that was pushing it hard. theres no way a 1.4 rover engine can get anywere near that with out a turbo and alot of tuning and maybe nos.

nice car anyway

[deckerz]

This is limited to 130mph but the speedo goes up to 135mph, my Dad did a top speed run once and got to 120 before having to brake but aparently it will go up to 130mph.

[texan_idiot25]

dont want to sound negative but were do you get that top speed from. the highest speed i got from a 1.4 engines was 105 mph and that was pushing it hard. theres no way a 1.4 rover engine can get anywere near that with out a turbo and alot of tuning and maybe nos.

nice car anyway

You can't judge a car's performance solely based on motor displacement.

[deckerz]

Well heres an update for you guys, i got the head off, iv ordered a valve compression tool to remove the valves and spring properly, one of the valves was harder to push in so once all the valves and springs have been removed from both heads hes going to take all 32 valves and spring to work to messure them so we can select the best 16 for this engine. We are just going to scrape the black off the top of the pistons instead of opening up the block to clean them.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture167.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture168.jpg

Got the uprated gasket set

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture169.jpg

Also some interior visuals, seem eaisier to shift now...

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture165.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture166.jpg

EDIT - Me and my Dad should be able to get the engine out of the car soon, the hardest bit will be lifting it out over the bumper, thats right...we don't use engine winches :)

[xmod noob]

You can't judge a car's performance solely based on motor displacement.

i wasnt i was going by the manufacturers specs for that car and it say`s 115mph for that size engine. maybe the speedo say`s 135 mph but it wont do that speed unless its turbo`d are has some serious engine work done which it looks like he is going to do

[TheB1GDude]

I believe the rule of thumb is a car (assuming it's in decent shape) will do a top speed of 20MPH less than what the speedo reads so 135 - 20 = 115 which matches the manufacturers specs for it.

If it has as stated been rebuilt by MG and given the mods deckerz plans to do I reckon he will have a quick little car once all is said and done.

[texan_idiot25]

What a strange engine block, it's just sleeves... Do these things take any boost?

i wasnt i was going by the manufacturers specs for that car and it say`s 115mph for that size engine. maybe the speedo say`s 135 mph but it wont do that speed unless its turbo`d are has some serious engine work done which it looks like he is going to do

135 is not that fast, and many hot-hatches can do it. Given enough room, I wouldn't be surprised to see a modern 1.5L do it with enough road. There's folks who claim to surpass that with these little 1st gen CRX Si's, and they never had more than 90hp in the US.

[deckerz]

Not this 1.4, well not without lots of mods, the eaisiest way to go for modding the 25/zr engine is to get the 1.8l vvc engine, it uses the standard 1.8 block but with a vvc head, the vvc head uses much bigger valves and cams to compensate, then there are lots of companys that provide performance cams for the vvc and forged pistons for the block ect, mods seem to start more commonly for these engines at 1.6 although the 1.4 zr engine (the engine in the pic) is a slightly uprated version of the 1.4 25 engine. Back to the vvc engine, people usually add a small turbo like a T2 but you can go bigger if you have the money, they also use this engine very commonly in the caterham 7 but they don't put a turbo on because theres not really enough room under the hood.

Iv just discovered the weight of the car. The 3 door weighs 1020kg and the 5 door weighs 1040kg, mines the 5 door but iv still got a pretty light car i think.

EDIT: Heres some candy....

Brand new flywheel, looks a little old because it was stored for almost 10 years.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture208.jpg

and clutch kit

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z201/denzil49/Picture209.jpg

[TheB1GDude]

If you wanted a turbo I would go back to the 2.0L Turbo stock option found in some of the older / bigger Rovers then rebuild it rather than mess around with the 1.8L option.

I'm not sure how I feel about your weight :) 1040 kg is 2288 lbs, my Mustang weighs 3483 lbs (or 1582 kg) so for only 542 kg more I've got a 300HP V8 and rear wheel drive :)

[deckerz]

If you wanted a turbo I would go back to the 2.0L Turbo stock option found in some of the older / bigger Rovers then rebuild it rather than mess around with the 1.8L option.

I'm not sure how I feel about your weight :) 1040 kg is 2288 lbs, my Mustang weighs 3483 lbs (or 1582 kg) so for only 542 kg more I've got a 300HP V8 and rear wheel drive :)

Yeah, the 2.0l from tomcats and wedge style 214, unfortunatly we are seeing less of these engines, the 2.0l head is is the same as the 1.8l vvc head except the intake manifold is injection rather then vvc.

Oh and i believe this is the classic arguement :P power or lightness. Once my engine is complete it should be putting out more then the standard 106hp, im aiming for around 150hp out of this 1.4, you will have twice the power but im 502kg ligher. I feel a race coming on haha, maybe one day when i move to america, i want to ship the car over, i believe they didn't sell this in america so it would be unique.

[TheB1GDude]

lol HP mean's nothing :) I have 320 foot-pounds of torque that's what gives me all my power :)

But you would definitely be unique as I don't believe Rover ever made it into the US car market, you see older MG's but like the 25 unless another manufacturer bought the design and started selling it themselves, i.e. the Vauxhall Astra vs.the Saturn Astra.

[96SVT281]

should be nice when finished and hp doesnt win race torque does... and some cars can completely surpass the speedo on thier car before i swapped my v6 for a v8 in my mustang after removing the governor i was burrying needle in 4th

[deckerz]

Well once its all up and running il get it on the dyno they have at the mg rover meets.

Some chinese company or somthing have bought MG but they can only sell the cars under the MG name and other companys can't copy the designs, they have produced a replacement for the ZR but its just a rover streetwise with a MG badge on it and it looks awfull.

[deckerz]

There will be a update later guys but first some bad news :(

My Dad phoned up the insurance company yesterday and its going to cost £3600 for insurance on my Dads, they said the car is in the lowest group but its just my age and experience. He said he won't pay for it and i can't pay for it so as soon as its done its getting sold on :( with the money he wants me to get a moped but i don't want one and iv got my reasons, freezing during winter and slipping on ice, get soaked when it rains and they make the most annoying noise ever. My Mum said she would pay for driving lessons but whats the point if i don't have anything to drive.

[winner]

im not sure about in the UK but over here the price is lower if you take more drivers ed classes, and there is also things like 40 hour teen driving programs you can do. you should defintly check it out and see what you can do, and since your mom offered to pay for it, i'd do as many as possible

[FloydfanYodaman]

im not sure about in the UK but over here the price is lower if you take more drivers ed classes, and there is also things like 40 hour teen driving programs you can do. you should defintly check it out and see what you can do, and since your mom offered to pay for it, i'd do as many as possible

EXACTLY...when i got my license...a LONG time ago LOL...drivers ed after school for a month, drivers training classes on the road for a week...and a B-average in school all helped lower your insurance...i know when i bought my first rig...car payment 182 a month...insurance 197 a month...could never quite understand it...good luck!...maybe look into an enduro motorcycle ;)

[TheB1GDude]

There are a few things you can do in the UK to try and get it down but unfortunately not as many as in the US, when I bought my first car it was a 1982 Ford Fiesta 1.1L I paid 500 pounds for it and the insurance quotes got crazy!! I went with a company that was recommended by my college and they got the price down to 1000 pounds a year and that was without going on to my parent insurance or being the second driver of the car or any of the stuff you have probably tried to get the price down, it was crazy money but I only had the car for a year and by that time I had gained enough experience and not had any accidents to get the price down for my second car.

Now that I'm in the US with 13+ years of experience of driving various different vehicles in numerous countries I can insure a 4.6L sports car for 500 bucks a year, it's cost more to insure the wife's VW Tiguan which has an engine half the size :)

All I can say is call around, look online at the specialty companies, the last few pages of Max Power always used to list the companies that would ensure kids with hot hatches so maybe so you can get a better rate from one of those, also look at being the primary driver rather than adding yourself onto your Dad's policy.

[deckerz]

insurance is outrageous over here now, the car was in the lowest insurance group, its just me being a new driver thats the problem, so its going to be somthing else, if i wasen't a car nut i wouldn't care what car i got but i am so i will be picky lol, i was thinking a rover 200 which is the predecessor of the 25 and imo has a nicer face, that wierdly costs just over £1000 to insure for the 1.4, then theres fords but i really hope i don't end up going chav route and get a peugeot.

[texan_idiot25]

insurance is outrageous over here now, the car was in the lowest insurance group, its just me being a new driver thats the problem, so its going to be somthing else, if i wasen't a car nut i wouldn't care what car i got but i am so i will be picky lol, i was thinking a rover 200 which is the predecessor of the 25 and imo has a nicer face, that wierdly costs just over £1000 to insure for the 1.4, then theres fords but i really hope i don't end up going chav route and get a peugeot.

1000 per month/6months/year?

I pay about $160/month for the CST10 & CRX (CRX being more expensive). It's really not that much with a job. And, as far as vehicles go, both are hated by insurance companies. The only "discount" i get is for student and multiple cars. No "safe car" discounts for me... :P

[TheB1GDude]

It's probably a year as in the UK they tend to prefer the yearly policy renewals, mines 125$ a month for a 6 month period, then renewal, the Tiguan costs more than the Mustang.

[texan_idiot25]

And 83/month is unreasonable.....? I wouldn't sell a car for that.

[TheB1GDude]

It's all about priorities.... what do you want to spend your money on, do you have a job, etc, etc...

My first car cost me 500 GBP, the insurance was 1100 GBP a year, I did some basic repairs but I didn't mod it as it just wasn't worth it.

My second car cost me 3000 GBP, insurance was 800 GBP a year, I was working a basic part time job, going to college, still living at home rent free, so I modified the heck out it.

When I got my third car my insurance was 600 GBP a year, I had finished uni and was working a really job making good money but I also had a place of my own with high London rents so the mods made to it turned out to be very minor.

I think what deckerz is finding is that as you can drive trying to modify a car isn't possible because things like insurance kill you.... 83 pounds may not seem a lot a month but if he isn't working or is working but has to pay rent he obviously wants to find a cheaper price.