As several members have advised or helped with bits I will report progress on this rally-car project from time to time.
The story so far: The Maestro is going to Cape Town in January against the clock in the World Cup Rally. Can it beat Peugeot 205s, Rover 25s with a champion rally driver at the wheel, and a Renault 4L?
(More on www.londoncapetownrally.com and also the Rover entry on www.worldcuprallydrivers.com )
The body is coming along a treat with lots of strengthening, Ive sent some photos to one or two on here but alas just cant hack the technology to put them up myself.
The ex-one owner, 15,000 miles from new car has turned out to be totally rust free in remarkable condition. We sourced new front wings, and a front bumper from the van/City, to change the front end as part of the ruggedising process, (plastic ones are vulnerable belting through Africa, alas, the rear is being retained but will get some strengthening on the mountings). The bonnet has been raised at the back to let air out, given its going to get a sump guard which might inhibit the flow-through of air.
A Mini Van petrol tank lives where the back seat used to be, this increases range, a sort of long-range tank if a Mini tank can ever be called that. The rear C-post window on the right side is now a metal panel and houses the filler cap. Seams have had massive attention, and steel plates welded to the inside of the sils joining the floor, the spare wheel well has been eased out a tad to take 175-14 van tyres (80 profile). Countrydude's strut brace is about to go in. Corbeau recliner seats have beefed up seat frames and due to go in.
The head is with Peter Burgess of Derby and he reckons his mods plus taking out something in block, to go to the edges of the head-gasket, (this baffles me but he reckons this mod alone is worth 4 bhp) will give the car 100 bhp on its single SU. A new SU H6 from Southern Carburettors is replacing the more modern unit as this older model has a seperate float chamber on the side, easier to remove and knock out water and muck, (but still 1.75ins).
Coil Springs of Sheffield are making two front springs, variable rate but 10 per cent stronger near the top end. I am talking to Gaz about putting Rover 25 rear springs/dampers on the back retaining the Maestro spring seats and mountings. (Ive seen what Owen Turner at the St.Albans Rover Centre is doing to his Rover 25 for this event....nice! Owen is something of a giant killer with his Rover 25s and wins events outright, check out www.worldcuprallydrivers.com ).
A Member on here is sending a new downpipe (Russ10) and we are going off to Jetex later today at Banbury to shop for a load of custom exhaust pipes. My idea of runnng the exhaust up and over the roof has been out-voted by the committee working on the car but its going to be tucked up well and mounted with lots of flex.
It will be red with a white roof and the paint shop at Tony Fowkes Automobiles near the Ace Cafe is hopefully going to see the car repainted in a week or so.
Its sitting on Minilite wheels and will look rather good, hopefully, a tribute to the BMC/Leyland competitions dept, we have some elderly ex-comps dept mechanics living near to us eager to see the car and offer their advice. The finished car will be on display at the NEC Classic Car Show in November, and you can cheer it off from Big Ben on Jan lst, (thats if it actually makes the start!). I suppose you will now say "why cant we see the photos".
P.Y.
www.londoncapetownrally.com
The story so far: The Maestro is going to Cape Town in January against the clock in the World Cup Rally. Can it beat Peugeot 205s, Rover 25s with a champion rally driver at the wheel, and a Renault 4L?
(More on www.londoncapetownrally.com and also the Rover entry on www.worldcuprallydrivers.com )
The body is coming along a treat with lots of strengthening, Ive sent some photos to one or two on here but alas just cant hack the technology to put them up myself.
The ex-one owner, 15,000 miles from new car has turned out to be totally rust free in remarkable condition. We sourced new front wings, and a front bumper from the van/City, to change the front end as part of the ruggedising process, (plastic ones are vulnerable belting through Africa, alas, the rear is being retained but will get some strengthening on the mountings). The bonnet has been raised at the back to let air out, given its going to get a sump guard which might inhibit the flow-through of air.
A Mini Van petrol tank lives where the back seat used to be, this increases range, a sort of long-range tank if a Mini tank can ever be called that. The rear C-post window on the right side is now a metal panel and houses the filler cap. Seams have had massive attention, and steel plates welded to the inside of the sils joining the floor, the spare wheel well has been eased out a tad to take 175-14 van tyres (80 profile). Countrydude's strut brace is about to go in. Corbeau recliner seats have beefed up seat frames and due to go in.
The head is with Peter Burgess of Derby and he reckons his mods plus taking out something in block, to go to the edges of the head-gasket, (this baffles me but he reckons this mod alone is worth 4 bhp) will give the car 100 bhp on its single SU. A new SU H6 from Southern Carburettors is replacing the more modern unit as this older model has a seperate float chamber on the side, easier to remove and knock out water and muck, (but still 1.75ins).
Coil Springs of Sheffield are making two front springs, variable rate but 10 per cent stronger near the top end. I am talking to Gaz about putting Rover 25 rear springs/dampers on the back retaining the Maestro spring seats and mountings. (Ive seen what Owen Turner at the St.Albans Rover Centre is doing to his Rover 25 for this event....nice! Owen is something of a giant killer with his Rover 25s and wins events outright, check out www.worldcuprallydrivers.com ).
A Member on here is sending a new downpipe (Russ10) and we are going off to Jetex later today at Banbury to shop for a load of custom exhaust pipes. My idea of runnng the exhaust up and over the roof has been out-voted by the committee working on the car but its going to be tucked up well and mounted with lots of flex.
It will be red with a white roof and the paint shop at Tony Fowkes Automobiles near the Ace Cafe is hopefully going to see the car repainted in a week or so.
Its sitting on Minilite wheels and will look rather good, hopefully, a tribute to the BMC/Leyland competitions dept, we have some elderly ex-comps dept mechanics living near to us eager to see the car and offer their advice. The finished car will be on display at the NEC Classic Car Show in November, and you can cheer it off from Big Ben on Jan lst, (thats if it actually makes the start!). I suppose you will now say "why cant we see the photos".
P.Y.
www.londoncapetownrally.com
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