Track ZR's replacement- race build R8 200 with ZR's heart!

[JOHNDQ]

Another little update since its been June/July since the car has been started or even moved :S I decided to let the little Rover have a break over end of summer and put the Evo on the road for a while....

IMG_20190915_091420~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20190915_083815~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr

Any way back to the R8, made a few changes to been it into line with the regs for the race series i want to run in. The major one is the fact i have to run the factory size wheel from the range so shes finally back on 15" wheels ....

IMG_20191027_151425_2~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20191027_151357_2~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr

That being said brings a few good points, looks better and i can set the car lower but the on the negative side means i cant run the big brake kit so im down to ZR160 282mm discs and calipers :scared Im also going to have to use the 216 GTI wheels (which are heavier than the 17's) because the Turbo wheels rub on the 160 brake caliper carrier. Back on track next month with this set up and stiffer coil springs for a bit of test time to see what happens :tt2

[JOHNDQ]

Can finally get on with the car again now xmas and new year are out of the way. Replaced all the seals, pistons, sliders etc for the 160 brakes and gave them a coat of yellow. Not a lot of space under the 15's tho....

IMG_20191229_160115~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20191229_160021_3~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20191229_160053_3~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20191229_160037_3~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr

[whitetop]

Nice update, did mind yellow but i can tell you don't use the spray its crap, paint is a lot better and cleaner results.

[JOHNDQ]

Nice update, did mind yellow but i can tell you don't use the spray its crap, paint is a lot better and cleaner results.

I use the VHT caliper paint from the states, its far better than the stuff i have tried from Halfords ect but ive found if you dont use there clear coat it chips easy....

IMG_20190817_215631~2 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20190817_220539 by John Quincey, on Flickr
IMG_20190825_193704_2 by John Quincey, on Flickr

[JOHNDQ]

Little update to the thread, so over winter made a lot of changes to the car. Those being stiffer springs (up by 100lbs front and 120lbs rear over the old ones) change to the ride height which was the main reason for going to the Rover Sport 15" wheels, going from the 330x28mm discs, 6 pot calipers and DS3000 pads to MG ZR 160 282mm discs and calipers with Carbotech XP8 race pads, changes to both axle Toe and Camber settings, a G code gearbox with a Quaife ATB diff. So anyway on the 9th i finally got to get on a Trackday with MGoT to see how it all played out. I must say i really wasnt sure what would happen after making so many changes all at once and more less starting agian but im pleased to say the car handled amazing and the transformation in the traction was unreal. With the open diff last year on MGOC Class A Dunlop full slicks i got no end of wheel spin but with the ATB on thinner road tyres there was none. Thats all for now until the next change or trackday....



IMG_8568[447] by John Quincey, on Flickr

Video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weccj1Pt9n8&t=309s

[JOHNDQ]

Well guys due to the current situation the poor little Rover hasnt moved since Februarys trackday with MGOT so i decided now Santa Pod has reopened id take a trip up there. Not the best outing for a car aimed at the circuit with -3 degrees of camber, 195 tyres and not a very powerful engine but thought at least gets the oil circulating :tt2 Anyway was a good afternoon out and i beat my previous best by over a second with and best of 14.1 at 97 mph, not going to set world on fire but thats faster than a ST Fiesta, ST Focus 225, VXR Corsa or Astra etc so not bad for a non turbo 1.8 K Series. The Quaife ATB makes a HUGE difference definitely the best mod by far be it an expensive one :laughing2 The commentator on the live stream was funny when i lined up he said "wow a Rover 214 how are they still about, the Tomcats where cool" Head over to Santa Pods YouTube page if you want watch it the time is 17:45 i think.

Anyway here is a little video.....

****CLICK BELOW****


santa pod upload by John Quincey, on Flickr

[JOHNDQ]

Little update with a BIG CHANGE coming for 2021. I decided that im going to race with the MG Cup next year since the ex Dunlop 216 GTi's have been added .Ive been thinking about this for a while now and have been looking for another car for around 7 months now with no luck finding either a good 3 door 216 GTi Twin Cam or an factory Dunlop Challenge car so i have decided to convert my shell over to the Honda powertrain. Unfortunately even this has been a pain these car are incredibly have to find now but after 4 months of non stop checking every site i could find and think of i got one.

2020-11-24_09-54-44 by John Quincey, on Flickr

Luckily ive also managed not to have to ruin a good car and found a rotten donor car thats been in a shed, in a field for almost 10 years im told (not sure if thats true but its never had a computerised MOT test. Anyway so the car got delivered with flat tyres and the brakes locked on... great start. So i spent a morning making sure i had something worth starting with as the people who recovered it said it would not start. After fitting a battery, working around the after market alarm, replacing a few fuses, putting some clean oil in we had a cracking car with spark but no fuel. Bit of investigation found the fuse for the fuel pump kept blowing so after dropping the tank found the fuel pump had sorted out. I had a old pump from a ZR so after wiring up a switch and sticking the pump into a jam jar with some new petrol she fired straight up and all sounds ok was happy i had wasted £250 on a seized engine

2020-11-28_10-38-03 by John Quincey, on Flickr

2020-11-28_10-38-19 by John Quincey, on Flickr

Next on the list is to remove the engine, gearbox, looms, ecu and everything else i need so can get everything opened up and rebuilt while work is closed over xmas and new year and get it fitted into my Rover R8 Shell asap so the roll cage can be fitted in new year!!!!



CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO HEAR IT RUN FOR THE FIRST TIME

GTi start by John Quincey, on Flickr

[whitetop]

Looking nice there john, a nice honda engine swap is what i was going to do with the ZR but could never find one myself, the week the car went i ended up finding one lol

Great engines and way less problems.

[JOHNDQ]

Must say it did take a long time to find an engine, found a lot of SOHC cars bit unfortunately not was I was after. Be 60HP down from my engine but if all goes ok ok I can upgrade to a higher class next year and upgrade the engine

[ZR190]

Did you end up racing.