another vvc project and it's mine :>)

[r08rob]

Got my mgf vvc today, get the kettle on I'm going in ........

[dig-mini]

Nice one mate get some pictures on then

[r08rob]

be getting some on tmorrow, hope the rain keeps off as the garage is already full so the MGF's on the driveway. Still, I can post some of the mini that's in the dry and I've yet to take out the engine from that. Didn't bother 'till I new I was going ahead.

[dig-mini]

Got a engine and most of the gear to do this conversion on my'n, so it will be nice to look and learn. What you doing about subframe making your own?

[r08rob]

not sure yet, I'm def. not buying one, to expensive, I like the idea of using the mgf subby and then being able to use the brakes, I read here that they fit under 13" wheels, the mgf one will need shortening and narrowing so after that it may be that converting the standard mini one might be easier and quicker, I want it on the road before the shows start so don't want any extra work. I want to keep it round nose and standard length.

[dig-mini]

If you use the mgf sub and brakes wheel stud patten is different. So you would have to think about what wheels to use. I'm not 100% sure on everything I say is correct I'm feeling my way too at the min. I'm going to modify the mini subframe, I think and use the the mini running gear.

[dig-mini]

Matt on here knows his stuff about doing this conversion.

[fra-mini]

looking at matts project craig.. youve got all the stuff to do it straight infront of you. =D

ill sort you the shafts out over the weekend, everythings up in the air atm waiting for this bloody baby! hes still not here!!

[r08rob]

who the heck was resposible for those stupid wheel nut covers, is it just me or are they a real bastard to get the nuts undone because the covers just slip and deform, the wrench in the bag with the scissor jack etc. was totally useless. didn't have a lot of luck with progress today, got a few hours on it but the nuts on the exhaust were rotted and seized on. Out with the grinder, I wanted to keep the exhasut intact and sell it on fleabay. Bloody rain isn't helping, if it's still crap tomorrow I'm gonna get on with the mini and take the subframe out of that. completely forgot to take pic's soz i'll take some tomorrow.

[ed4ran]

The mgf should have a black plastic tube in with the jack, this is to pull off the wheel nut covers, rather than destroying them. :)

[fra-mini]

The amount of sockets in the garage with Mgf wheel nuts in is crazy... Invest in a vice!

[r08rob]

Well managed to get the rear subframe loose from the mgf and that's where I came to a halt, the front of the mgf is on the ground and the rear was attached to my engine crane, I hoisted the rear in the air thinking I could slide the whole subframe suspension and engine out from underneath, the subframe seems to slide towards the front of the car as the back goes up, I can't see anything still attached, I'm sure there is nothing there, I think the subframe assembly is tipping and hooking itself under the car. Has anyone else had this trouble?

[fra-mini]

Yes I had it both times. Brake cables, handbrakes, coolent pipes, electrics, brake pipes, clutch, I lifted the car from the middle with a jack and a lump of 4x4. Then cut what I needed to or took it off. Then we "jemmied" it out, if you leave the wheels on it helps too..

[r08rob]

OH, glad it's not just me then, what with the rain on and off since I started and the other usual distractions I was beginning to think I was jinxed, still get this part out of the way and hopefully the rest should be just plain sailing:rolleyes:

[r08rob]

Discovered why the engine wouldn't come out from the MGF, I'd forgotten to dis-connect the second gear linkage cable, DOH!!!
Here's a couple of pic's of the project so far, I want to keep the n/s wing in place and try and get the engine in from the o/s if I can.

[MiniMadGreg.]

Nice project, how much you pay for the VVC out of interest anyway?

[dig-mini]

how sthe build going are you keeping under the standard round nose.

craig

[r08rob]

sorry i haven't replied, i've been working on another project, I'm converting the donor mgf to scooby power, including 4 wheel drive the lot, so much work I sometimes wish I'd started the mini instead as I'd only have had the front end to deal with.

[gazwad]

sorry i haven't replied, i've been working on another project, I'm converting the donor mgf to scooby power, including 4 wheel drive the lot, so much work I sometimes wish I'd started the mini instead as I'd only have had the front end to deal with.

we need pics of this...:)

[r08rob]

it's been a real learning curve, since the mgf was never meant to have anything like this, even the engine was in the wrong place(?) don't even mention the suspension. Gagging to get on with the mini though, I hate tossers up my arse, ooher, then getting in the way through the bends, wooses, learnt a lot doing the mgf and i'm a lot more confident in converting the mini, I will have to SVA the mgf as it's radically altered, I want to avoid SVA'ing the mini so I will be trying to keep the points up, 5 for the shell, 2 for the axles and 1 for the suspension and steering< I think that's right?
Here's a couple of pic's

[MiniMadGreg.]

Why didn't you put the engine in the back?

[r08rob]

putting the engine in the back would have only given me 2 wheel drive and there's not a lot of room in there either, I wanted 4 wheel drive to make the most of the conversion, it's taken a lot of measuring and figuring out to get it together, I'm takling the wiring at the moment, I'm using most of the stuff from the impreza, wiring loom, steering, shortened exhaust, steering including the wheel and column, my plan is to get it together and driving and then improve on it once it's together and working, when I started I wasn't sure if there was going to be a huge stumbling block preventing the whole conversion and i'd have to call it a day. I've got to lose as much weight from the front end as possible because the engine is going to cause some understeering issues, the bilsteins I've got improved the scoob drastically so will help, but I want to make some carbon fibre bits like a bonnet, I'm putting the battery, washer bottle and anything else I can over the rear axle to balance up the weight, even the wiring at the front will be minumised at the front, keeping the fuses and relays inside the car towards the rear.

[r08rob]

with all the wet weather I,ve started working on the mini and my plans to put the 1.8 vvc engine into that, I want to keep the front end and n/s front wing in place, it seems a shame to cut of the front as it's in pretty good condition. has anyone else done the conversion this way and put the engine in from underneath ?

[peskett]

this one had it in a fixed front end for a while
http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7083

[r08rob]

Thanks for the link, good idea building a jig, keeps the measurements more reliable, especially when keeping the front end in situ.
I started working on my mini with the help of my daughter who keeps giving her teachers grief, so I've got her to help taking the engine out complete with the front sub-frame, it's all dropped out onto the garage floor now and the work on the jig is underway.

[tomfc]

Have you got a build thread for the MGF?

[r08rob]

yep, here's a link

http://www.mgfregister.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6583&start=60

I need to update it as it a bit behind, I'll get round to it today or tomorrow. I'm close to getting the engine started, I think, but you never know what's around the corner.
Re my K series mini build, I've tried looking for some pictures of a front tubular sub-frame with coil overs, where I live, the guys who laid the tarmac on the road have just laid the new stuff over the old and where it finishes it's like driving into a kerb in the mini with standard suspension, grrrr. does anyone have a link to some pictures I could get some ideas from plz ?
Also if I just change the engine/gearbox and front rear suspension from original spec. can I avoid sva'ing the mini when built?