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1993 Mini Rio... A-Series To 1.6 K-Series!

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#1 willava182

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:07 PM

(Edit: Little did i know at this point that I would soon move to k-series haha..)

 

Well the original thread i did is lost and gone... so i thought i would create a new one, whilst I have had loads done, and lots to talk about!

 

It isn't so much a project, but I'm slowly changing it to the car I've always wanted :)

 

This will be pic heavy (you have been warned)

 

First off, here is the car back in February 2013, when I first got the car!

Pretty ugly i know, but for a first car.. it was awesome :D

 

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The first thing i had to do was to get it through the mot and pass my driving test!

 

It was really sluggish to drive so the engine was cleaned of all its bits and things were tweaked and holes filled to get it through the mot

 

Well my driving test!

Failed my test the first time (Not even sure why)

Passed the second with 0 Minors (Pretty good huh? :P)

 

The first thing i really wanted to do was to get the interior sorted, so with inspiration from 'minimaxie' i did this!

 

spent ages making these door cards from scratch... looks pretty good :)

DkBgMtRDl.jpg

 

Next was the seats.. do I get new ones, leather covers.... nope to both £30 seat covers from ebay... and actually they look really really nice!

 

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Next up what wheels and removing those awful stripes on the bonnet!

 

got some superlight wheels :)

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So the car looked like this for quite a while :) until about april 2014 

Ao7o3ngml.jpg

 

 

 

april 2014, massive oil leak struck! half moon seal amongst other thing went, so engine came out, and i decided to have a rebuild at the same time!

 

MG Metro cam added duplex chain ect ect.

 

This made much a difference! it actually drived like a 1275 after that and not 998 :L

the timing chain was so streched it was skipping teeth!

 

I also changed the Diff!

i had a 3.9 which i was un aware of... which is why it reved its bolocks off!

Later found out it used to be a hillclimbing car! :)

 

so switched to a 3.44 and its great :)

 

and changed from red to black grille...

 

The Rio now looks like this!

 

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lovely :)

 

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Heres the engine after :)

 

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As well as that... got the front 2 spot lights wired up and a new radio stereo..

 

 

i replaced the ash tray with a switch panel i made :)

 

EnFVscJ.jpg

 

 

 

Next to do is the sills and floor pan... they are getting worse pretty quickly!

 

and after that, its engine upgrade time!

 

hif 44 carb (already bought) mg manifold and spi exhaust manifold and undecided on the downpipe!

 

then a nice twin works style exhaust :) 

 

 

Thennn a 3 clock gauge set up :)

 

Stay tuned :P


Edited by willava182, 06 March 2015 - 07:15 PM.


#2 alex-95

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:19 PM

looks good mate, alot better without the red grille and the bonnet stripes.



#3 willava182

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:23 PM

looks good mate, alot better without the red grille and the bonnet stripes.

 

Cheers :)

took me a while to loose them too!



#4 Chris1992

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Posted 15 April 2014 - 09:48 PM

looks miles better now mate! those bonnet stripes were not doing you any favors :lol: 

 

love the door cards, how did you make them? start off with blank ones and stretch the material over the top? 



#5 willava182

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Posted 16 April 2014 - 07:25 AM

looks miles better now mate! those bonnet stripes were not doing you any favors :lol: 
 
love the door cards, how did you make them? start off with blank ones and stretch the material over the top?


Started with blank cards, 4mm foam on top then used copydex glue to stick it on as well as staples!

#6 willava182

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 10:52 AM

LET THE K-SERIES CONVERSION BEGIN!

Yeah I'm going k series haha, do I go 1.4, 1.6 or 1.8 vvc
Mmmm choices all over 105 bhp anyway :P

#7 Hendred

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 11:03 AM

Very nice, individual stand out car especially with those door cards



#8 MINIMADrt

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 11:41 AM

K series 1.8 NOT VVC. 1.4 ok but still small 1.6 is what is known as a square engine bottom is 1.4 top is 1.8 which together make the 1.6 can't be tuned that much. Always use a reprogram able ECU as the river one is rubbish. If you go on the 16v mini forum and type in badstar to monster you will see my conversion sadly sold it back in 2012 and no idea what's happened to it. One of the worst things I done. Are you doing all the work your self of watsons??

#9 willava182

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 11:46 AM

K series 1.8 NOT VVC. 1.4 ok but still small 1.6 is what is known as a square engine bottom is 1.4 top is 1.8 which together make the 1.6 can't be tuned that much. Always use a reprogram able ECU as the river one is rubbish. If you go on the 16v mini forum and type in badstar to monster you will see my conversion sadly sold it back in 2012 and no idea what's happened to it. One of the worst things I done. Are you doing all the work your self of watsons??


Interesting thanks, I'll check it out :)

I figured 1.4 when I get bored I can always get a 1.8 pretty cheap and swap it.

I'm not doing it my self no, the guy recently did a 1.8 for him self it's a beast!
He's also doing 2 other 1.4's so I'm next on the list :)

#10 MINIMADrt

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 11:50 AM

That's alright then are you going 16v 1.4 or 8v?

#11 willava182

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 11:58 AM

That's alright then are you going 16v 1.4 or 8v?


Haven't decided, looking for a donor car currently, what do you recommend.

And out of Internest why not vvc?

#12 MINIMADrt

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 12:06 PM

I would say a mg tf 1.8 as they use metro fromt subframes both front and back and pritty much every thing in them you would need I would also say make sure you use servo brakes ( your need them lol) U are unable to use mini as they hit the engine due to position unless you can convert the pedal box to run to the near side I used a fiat siento one with a bit of fab work.

VVC engines are more hassle than there worth you can get greater power mods and performance with the 1.8 standerd. Once you take of the power steering air con and all the other rubbish you will gain a little bit more bhp any way.
The VVC engine are notorious for problems far worse than the dreaded head gasket of the k series engine.

I may be mad but I love my rovers.

I must be the only mechanic that does the reson I put a k lump in mine was took keep it as much rover as posable even no my mini was an 86 (Austin) still made sense to me. Lol

#13 willava182

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 12:24 PM

Haha, I've got to check insurance on the 1.8 if it's too much I'll be going 1.4 :)

#14 MINIMADrt

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 12:31 PM

I was 23-24 when done Mine and through Adrian flux it was some were around 400 a year fully comp with everything mentioned and declared including track day cover. Not to bad I thought but yea check as nothing worse then putting all your effort into it get it how you like it then unable to use it.

#15 willava182

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 12:35 PM

Yeah the problem lies with being 18, I guess I have 1 years ncb shouldnt be too bad





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