Rover Metro GTi Turbo
Discussion
Hi All,
It’s been a while since I've had anything I've been excited enough about to put up on here, not helped by the fact i don't keep anything for long, more recently the metro follows two m52 converted BMW's (E30 & E21) and then a totally standard Peugeot 205 xs, I had planned to get out of old or modified cars for a while and i tried pretty hard looking at various sensible Germans, but then evidently still failed.
A metro GTi has featured somewhere on my list of wanted cars for some time, I've been casually keeping an eye on any standard low miles cars or well built VVC's.
However with the 205 recently sold, when this car came up falling into the low miles/decent originality and 1.8 bracket + the bonus of a turbo I decided it may be time to scratch that itch and I was soon off to view it. I was impressed with what I saw and with the quality of the build, I’ve learnt over the years to only pursue modified cars if they’ve been done right, the E30 and E21 reinforced this, the former being mostly put together by an E30 M3 specialist, and the latter mostly home brew, the difference was pretty stark. On viewing the metro I could see the quality of the suppliers used and the bills to suit.. conservatively around 15k has gone into this build.
So about the car, firstly this is a genuine 1991 registered mpi GTi 16v with 44k on the clock, with the original docs pack/service book/two Rover keys (one with original dealer keyring), it wears its original dealer plates, rear window sticker and all the windows including the windscreen plus sunroof are reg etched, as are the headlights. It has had 4 previous owners, the first being Rover, the second & third being wife and husband and the 4th being the last owner who had the car built.
Here's some of the spec;
Exterior;
My favourite colour on these - storm grey – and happily the only thing that is non standard externally is the later rear lights and the wheels powercoated grey (though I have a silver set too), nothing has been cut about or stuck on, no silly wheels or spoilers :-)
Interior;
Recaro front seats low mounted retaining all functionality
Safety Devices rear cage
Battery relocated behind passenger seat with battery cut off switch
Pro Alloy fuel cell mounted behind seats with fuel pressure regulator
ECU mounted in glovebox with boost gauge
Dash is all original and all working including dash lights apart from temperature gauge (to sort)
Electric windows
Sunroof
Rear interior removed but original steering wheel, gearnob, headlining, front door cards, carpet, all remains in place.
Engine/drivetrain
1.8 16v Turbo K series from a 70k mile Rover 75 SE T replacing original 1.4 K series lump, this is a very clean conversion given it’s still a K series engine so is fitted on original engine mounts etc, nothing cut or reworked.
Pro Alloy custom radiator with Spal electric fan and
Pro Alloy custom intercooler plus pipework
Demand Engineering custom manifold and downpipe ceramic coated with stainless two box system and black chrome exhaust tip (same guys that did the exhaust for Guy Martins transit)
K&N enclosed intake
Emerald K6 ECU on custom loom
Remapped to 227bhp/290lb ft by Emerald
Original GTi R65 gearbox, fitted with Gripper plated limited slip differential, TTV lightened flywheel, Helix motorsport clutch and short shift kit
Suspension/brakes/wheels
Polybushed throughout
GAZ Adjustable shocks with spherical mounts
Refurbed hydragas units refurbished and individualised
Mintex pads & Tarox discs
Braided lines
Standard GTi mpi wheels powercoated grey fitted with Avon ZZR 185/55/13
Whilst the front seats and rear interior has been removed pursuing a track spec build, fortunately all the original interior was retained and well stored, so it's in the condition you would expect given the mileage and condition of the car, I have the original fuel tank as well so I could put the interior back to standard which was my original plan..
This car took the previous owner 9 years to build to the current spec, being off the road for the vast majority of that time, it was completed around a year ago and has done 1,000 miles since.
Whist the inspiration was track focused, it hasn’t done a single trackday or even attended a car show so far! I don’t have any intention to track it but it certainly will be going to some events.
Whilst I’m really happy with the car overall there are some jobs to do;
I have a strong smell of fuel in the car that needs addressing (more on that later)
The alternator is noisy from a cold start
The cambelt was done towards the beginning of the build and hasn’t a lot given the miles covered but it’s pretty old now so I need it changing for piece of mind
Engine oil change
I’ve been trying to think how to explain how it drives.. but it’s pretty difficult to put it into words!! At normal speeds it feels surprisingly solid, the gearchange is nice, the clutch not anything like as aggressive as I thought it would be and it deals with the road services pretty well. Once you start waking up that engine though pretty much all hell breaks loose! Contributing factors – low weight, pretty short gearing (70mph is pushing 4,000rpm), light flywheel, very little lag and lsd + ZZR’s.. basically there is a lot of power at any revs/any gear/whenever you want it, and plenty of traction.
On less than perfect roads it is quite happy to pull you all over the place in the pursuit of forward motion, it needs full concentration but is so engaging as a result, plus there is all the turbo flutters/noises you could ask for which is pure fun, even more so because you know a metro GTi shouldn’t be doing that!
I would say 227bhp in this car is pretty ridiculous, and whilst considering only that figure + Metro probably sounds like a recipe for a decently quick car, the reality is it’s a bit of an animal, it could probably be knocked back 50bhp and would still be a little rocket, but then again there is something fun about trying to tame it.
It’s been a while since I've had anything I've been excited enough about to put up on here, not helped by the fact i don't keep anything for long, more recently the metro follows two m52 converted BMW's (E30 & E21) and then a totally standard Peugeot 205 xs, I had planned to get out of old or modified cars for a while and i tried pretty hard looking at various sensible Germans, but then evidently still failed.
A metro GTi has featured somewhere on my list of wanted cars for some time, I've been casually keeping an eye on any standard low miles cars or well built VVC's.
However with the 205 recently sold, when this car came up falling into the low miles/decent originality and 1.8 bracket + the bonus of a turbo I decided it may be time to scratch that itch and I was soon off to view it. I was impressed with what I saw and with the quality of the build, I’ve learnt over the years to only pursue modified cars if they’ve been done right, the E30 and E21 reinforced this, the former being mostly put together by an E30 M3 specialist, and the latter mostly home brew, the difference was pretty stark. On viewing the metro I could see the quality of the suppliers used and the bills to suit.. conservatively around 15k has gone into this build.
So about the car, firstly this is a genuine 1991 registered mpi GTi 16v with 44k on the clock, with the original docs pack/service book/two Rover keys (one with original dealer keyring), it wears its original dealer plates, rear window sticker and all the windows including the windscreen plus sunroof are reg etched, as are the headlights. It has had 4 previous owners, the first being Rover, the second & third being wife and husband and the 4th being the last owner who had the car built.
Here's some of the spec;
Exterior;
My favourite colour on these - storm grey – and happily the only thing that is non standard externally is the later rear lights and the wheels powercoated grey (though I have a silver set too), nothing has been cut about or stuck on, no silly wheels or spoilers :-)
Interior;
Recaro front seats low mounted retaining all functionality
Safety Devices rear cage
Battery relocated behind passenger seat with battery cut off switch
Pro Alloy fuel cell mounted behind seats with fuel pressure regulator
ECU mounted in glovebox with boost gauge
Dash is all original and all working including dash lights apart from temperature gauge (to sort)
Electric windows
Sunroof
Rear interior removed but original steering wheel, gearnob, headlining, front door cards, carpet, all remains in place.
Engine/drivetrain
1.8 16v Turbo K series from a 70k mile Rover 75 SE T replacing original 1.4 K series lump, this is a very clean conversion given it’s still a K series engine so is fitted on original engine mounts etc, nothing cut or reworked.
Pro Alloy custom radiator with Spal electric fan and
Pro Alloy custom intercooler plus pipework
Demand Engineering custom manifold and downpipe ceramic coated with stainless two box system and black chrome exhaust tip (same guys that did the exhaust for Guy Martins transit)
K&N enclosed intake
Emerald K6 ECU on custom loom
Remapped to 227bhp/290lb ft by Emerald
Original GTi R65 gearbox, fitted with Gripper plated limited slip differential, TTV lightened flywheel, Helix motorsport clutch and short shift kit
Suspension/brakes/wheels
Polybushed throughout
GAZ Adjustable shocks with spherical mounts
Refurbed hydragas units refurbished and individualised
Mintex pads & Tarox discs
Braided lines
Standard GTi mpi wheels powercoated grey fitted with Avon ZZR 185/55/13
Whilst the front seats and rear interior has been removed pursuing a track spec build, fortunately all the original interior was retained and well stored, so it's in the condition you would expect given the mileage and condition of the car, I have the original fuel tank as well so I could put the interior back to standard which was my original plan..
This car took the previous owner 9 years to build to the current spec, being off the road for the vast majority of that time, it was completed around a year ago and has done 1,000 miles since.
Whist the inspiration was track focused, it hasn’t done a single trackday or even attended a car show so far! I don’t have any intention to track it but it certainly will be going to some events.
Whilst I’m really happy with the car overall there are some jobs to do;
I have a strong smell of fuel in the car that needs addressing (more on that later)
The alternator is noisy from a cold start
The cambelt was done towards the beginning of the build and hasn’t a lot given the miles covered but it’s pretty old now so I need it changing for piece of mind
Engine oil change
I’ve been trying to think how to explain how it drives.. but it’s pretty difficult to put it into words!! At normal speeds it feels surprisingly solid, the gearchange is nice, the clutch not anything like as aggressive as I thought it would be and it deals with the road services pretty well. Once you start waking up that engine though pretty much all hell breaks loose! Contributing factors – low weight, pretty short gearing (70mph is pushing 4,000rpm), light flywheel, very little lag and lsd + ZZR’s.. basically there is a lot of power at any revs/any gear/whenever you want it, and plenty of traction.
On less than perfect roads it is quite happy to pull you all over the place in the pursuit of forward motion, it needs full concentration but is so engaging as a result, plus there is all the turbo flutters/noises you could ask for which is pure fun, even more so because you know a metro GTi shouldn’t be doing that!
I would say 227bhp in this car is pretty ridiculous, and whilst considering only that figure + Metro probably sounds like a recipe for a decently quick car, the reality is it’s a bit of an animal, it could probably be knocked back 50bhp and would still be a little rocket, but then again there is something fun about trying to tame it.
Edited by daniel-5zjw7 on Monday 25th September 23:27
Dr.Hellno said:
Like you say; light car, light flywheel, quick spooling and strong torque is a great combo on the road.
Bet 3rd gear in this thing raises a few eyebrows
Yes third gear is really the point at which you can access what it has to offer.. though you still need to be brave!Bet 3rd gear in this thing raises a few eyebrows
daniel-5zjw7 said:
Dr.Hellno said:
Like you say; light car, light flywheel, quick spooling and strong torque is a great combo on the road.
Bet 3rd gear in this thing raises a few eyebrows
Yes third gear is really the point at which you can access what it has to offer.. though you still need to be brave!Bet 3rd gear in this thing raises a few eyebrows
What turbo, td04?
Thanks for the comments guys, I'm pleased to see it brings back memories for some and others like me who can appreciate the build itself.
So on to the fuel issue. When i say the car smells of fuel inside i mean to the point the sunroof needs to be open all the time to vent the cabin, and usually windows open a bit as well. Also if I'm out in it for more than 15 minutes I've been feeling like its giving me a bit of a headache. It may be I'm imagining the latter, I've never had a fuel cell inside a car before and was prepared for a bit of a fuel smell after filling up etc, but this is all the time and too much. That said as my initial plan was to re-instate original fuel tank and rear seats it didn't bother me too much.
But then, doing one of the most enjoyable tasks when buying any old car - going through all of the paperwork and organising it into MOT's/V5's/invoices etc (hopefully it isn't only me that gets satisfaction out of this!), I found a receipt for the fuel filler cap and on the description it said vented.. I have to say I wasn't aware of there being different types of fuel caps but after a little research I realised there was indeed vented and non vented options.
From here I thought i had the answer and all i needed to do was replace the fuel cap for a non vented version, but to be sure I wasn't going to cause a pressure issue to the tank running a non vented cap I put a call into Pro Alloy to check. The guys there are brilliant and after me explaining the current set up and sending over some pictures we've worked out the issues and I'm very pleased I didn't just fit a non vented cap.
Whilst the intercooler/radiator was done by Pro Alloy themselves, the tank was fitted by the previous owners mechanic so they were not aware of the set up.
Current filling set up;
So basically a piece of pipe on the end of the tank inlet pipe and a flange and cap (obviously designed to go outside the body) on top. The previous owner did tell me this isn't what he'd wanted and thought the filler cap would be on the body somewhere, but one of those things were he and his mechanic had different ideas. To be honest whilst i didn't think the current set up looked right, I was pleased no holes had been cut in the body and it is at least functional from a filling perspective.
Pro Alloy were even less keen however after seeing a picture, basically the silver inlet on my tank is their remote set up, designed to be used where the filler is going on the body so you can route pipework from it. For filling inside the car I should have a different direct fill attachment, which is designed to sit lower than the roll/vent pipe. With the current set up they believe the tank vent won't be doing a lot as the fumes will just vent from the highest point, my vented fuel filler cap! This also means if I had of just fitted a non vented cap that I could of ended up with the tank not venting at all..
So the silver inlet, hose and current fuel cap will come off, and a direct fill set up with spill tray will go on, the cap for the direct set up is non vented, and now because it will be lower, the tank vent will be operational again. I hope to have the parts ordered and fitted by the end of the week and I'm hoping for a significant difference inside the car. Although its something small I'm excited to have worked this out as is one of those little things that makes a big difference.
So on to the fuel issue. When i say the car smells of fuel inside i mean to the point the sunroof needs to be open all the time to vent the cabin, and usually windows open a bit as well. Also if I'm out in it for more than 15 minutes I've been feeling like its giving me a bit of a headache. It may be I'm imagining the latter, I've never had a fuel cell inside a car before and was prepared for a bit of a fuel smell after filling up etc, but this is all the time and too much. That said as my initial plan was to re-instate original fuel tank and rear seats it didn't bother me too much.
But then, doing one of the most enjoyable tasks when buying any old car - going through all of the paperwork and organising it into MOT's/V5's/invoices etc (hopefully it isn't only me that gets satisfaction out of this!), I found a receipt for the fuel filler cap and on the description it said vented.. I have to say I wasn't aware of there being different types of fuel caps but after a little research I realised there was indeed vented and non vented options.
From here I thought i had the answer and all i needed to do was replace the fuel cap for a non vented version, but to be sure I wasn't going to cause a pressure issue to the tank running a non vented cap I put a call into Pro Alloy to check. The guys there are brilliant and after me explaining the current set up and sending over some pictures we've worked out the issues and I'm very pleased I didn't just fit a non vented cap.
Whilst the intercooler/radiator was done by Pro Alloy themselves, the tank was fitted by the previous owners mechanic so they were not aware of the set up.
Current filling set up;
So basically a piece of pipe on the end of the tank inlet pipe and a flange and cap (obviously designed to go outside the body) on top. The previous owner did tell me this isn't what he'd wanted and thought the filler cap would be on the body somewhere, but one of those things were he and his mechanic had different ideas. To be honest whilst i didn't think the current set up looked right, I was pleased no holes had been cut in the body and it is at least functional from a filling perspective.
Pro Alloy were even less keen however after seeing a picture, basically the silver inlet on my tank is their remote set up, designed to be used where the filler is going on the body so you can route pipework from it. For filling inside the car I should have a different direct fill attachment, which is designed to sit lower than the roll/vent pipe. With the current set up they believe the tank vent won't be doing a lot as the fumes will just vent from the highest point, my vented fuel filler cap! This also means if I had of just fitted a non vented cap that I could of ended up with the tank not venting at all..
So the silver inlet, hose and current fuel cap will come off, and a direct fill set up with spill tray will go on, the cap for the direct set up is non vented, and now because it will be lower, the tank vent will be operational again. I hope to have the parts ordered and fitted by the end of the week and I'm hoping for a significant difference inside the car. Although its something small I'm excited to have worked this out as is one of those little things that makes a big difference.
Edited by daniel-5zjw7 on Monday 25th September 23:33
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