my project begins

[Woody]

I have just got home from fetching a metro GTI :D
It is complete , running and MOTd till december :D
Has anyone on here fitted the metro subby as it is ?

[BassAddict]

Good luck with the project !!! MarcE30 on here has cut the top off the gti frame and fabricated towers onto it to mount to the mini bulkhead - he's using coilovers with his.
I believe the watsons solution, which uses slightly different suspension, keeps part of the original gti towers to use coil springs in-place of the original hydragas units - sure Geehawk can confirm this
Rich

[trickey]

Welcome aboard! Its always nice to have new people for the rover forum, it gets a bit quiet in here sometimes :D

I'm using the metro subframe, I've modified it by removing the hydragas mounts and welding up some towers to bolt to the mini in the usual way, and making up mounts to attach the rear of the subby to the floor.
Its quite easy to do, but it depends on your weling and fabricating skills. the hardest part is getting the subframe positioned corectly, as this affects camber and caster, and they are hard to adjust on the metro.

to be honest, Isometimes wish I had just bought one from watsons, I'd probably be on the road by now :evil:

[evolotion]

good show :) nice to see more people stickign the engine rover should have plopped in the mini themselvs :)

[Woody]

The plan (if you can call it that ) is to put the mini towers onto the metro subby and use coilovers (got the front ones allready)
I am a panelbeater by trade so my welding should be up to scratch :D
i also run my own small body/paint shop so have accsess to all the equiptment (but never have the time :x )
it is good to hear that some people are going down this route before me and maybe i can avoid some problems :lol:

[BassAddict]

If you're going coilovers, might be worth looking at replacing the front upper arms with MGTF front upper arms ;) !
Rich

[GEDI]

if your sticking with metro track/suspension then you can buy a pair of barckets from watsons that bolt the mettys hydragas towers to the shock mounting points of your mini, they only cost £50 and sort out the whole alignment thing.

got to be easier than welding mini towers to the frame

[FatKev]

You mean £50, a scrapped metro K subby and engine could put me on the right track to making a valver?! :shock: I'm sure I totally misunderstood you Gedi :?:

Kevin

[Geehawk]

£50, a scrapped GTi, a bit of welding, and some coilovers could get you on the way to a valver.

Bit more welding and you could save the 50 quid too :wink:

[FatKev]

Bah... rather spend the £50 and save the time, effort and swearing :?

I can't weld (yet), I'm more of a spanner monkey :( but a cheap git of one who doesn't want to pay Watson for a fully done subframe...

Kevin

[BassAddict]

Never know about the £50 brackets ! Very useful bit of info !!! :) I wonder if the mrs fancies a k-series next ?!!! :)
rich

[Geehawk]

Buy them and you could have a K series first :wink: :lol:

[BassAddict]

My metty front subframe is way too chopped up to attach the brackets to !!!
Rich

[FatKev]

How come no one has ever mentioned these plates before?! I could have surely started to build a valver instead of upgrading my PC! Awww bumflaps :cry:

Kevin

[Woody]

That sounds good , i will have to do a search for thier site .

[nightflier]

If you're going coilovers, might be worth looking at replacing the front upper arms with MGTF front upper arms ;) !
Rich

What is the benefit of using the TF upper arms? And is there any benefit in utilising the MGF lower suspension arms (from the rear of MGF)

[MattG]

What is the benefit of using the TF upper arms? And is there any benefit in utilising the MGF lower suspension arms (from the rear of MGF)

http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3842

[nightflier]

Cheers Matt, so the TF front arm could be used to mount front coilovers, is that right? What about using MGF rear lower arms over standard Metro? Any advantages there?
Sorry for all questions, just haven't quite got my frame yet, so asking q's as they occur to me!
:)

[BassAddict]

I "believe" the TF front upper arm can be used - I've bought some that are sat on the kitchen floor - but not had a chance to go to the garage and look into it properly - I've got to move a couple of non-runners out of the way to get to my subframe at the mo :( !
I've also bought a complete MGTF rear subframe to use either complete or for parts !
Rich

[nightflier]

BA, you're doing what I wish I had the money to do, buy up 'useful' parts and trial them to see what works!
Would you mind keeping us updated? ;)

[BassAddict]

Yup - if I get a chance to do some work over the weekend I'll get some pics of everything !
Rich

[Woody]

I havent got the metro striped yet , but the intention is to make a bracket simlar to the mini coilover bracket (on the top arm )bolted on with the shocker hole

[BassAddict]

Hi Woody - MarcE30 has been trying this - the main problem found was clearance between the spring and the upper inside edge of the wheel itself using such a bracket - he's got it figured out now I think - but after quite a few attempts - hopefully this is where the TF upper arm will help as the coilover can be mounted lower down.
Rich

[metro_mike]

if your using tf top arms i think they changed the spec of the top ball joint on the hub, so they might need swopping too. not a big job if you got the special socket to do them :D

[BassAddict]

Cheers Mike - I'll remember to check that !! :)

[Woody]

Well after a lot of change in my personal life ( new : wife ,house,2 changes of workshop etc etc ) i am ready to carry on on the mini van/ rover GTI power unit :D

[ADD26K Jimmer]

keep us posted bud..... just about to start something similar!

[Woody]

just got to get a job done in my workshop to make room for mine to come back inside , soon i hope :D

[matbmx_2007]

Good luck with your project! will be good to see some pictures ;)