The Rally Maestro project

[John C]

Who is this 'Hen' trader chap?

[threelitre]

I've just read through this complete thread! What a story so far...

As an owner of a Landcrab and a Maxi I know of their successful past in rallying. My Maestro, so far the poor relation always used for the boring or dirty jobs in a car's life, will soon be bathing in the glorious shine of a Maestro doing well on an endurance rally!

Interesting modification to use the HS6 carb. I've been pondering this idea too, but for different reasons. Are you using the older style fixed needle or the swinging needle?

Alexander

[Guest]

Sorry to sound ignorant but I dont know the difference. I will get some photos done in due course. The o.e. carb is back on for now (mainly because the HS6 modded one is probably jetted all wrong, it drinks petrol), until we get to the rolling road where all this will be sorted. Will answer the question in due course - the rolling-road people are regarded as SU experts.

The girls driving it are dead serious on a good result - this is not about doing up the car "just to get to the finish." (see www.girlsacrossafrica.com )

Im hoping for news of MG MALS trip to his secret stash of spares.

[threelitre]

The rolling road will sort that - true. The jet will be fine on the HS6. It may have a wrong spring and needle. Both can be choosen to closely match the ones fitted to the original HIF44 carb. If the HS6 is one with a 'swinging needle' the needle is not firmly fixed, but is allowed to lean against the (front?) wall of the jet, making the carb easier to adjust, gives better mixture on small throttle openings and is possibly (even) more tolerant to dirt. In this case I think the needle of the HIF44 can be put into the HS6, more or less creating a reasonably behaved car in one swoop...

Regards,

Alexander

[Guest]

Time to crack on and finish this project - the rally is less than 12 weeks away with Christmas to ruin last-minute panics. So, whats news. Well, we have decided to go with a two litre full width radiator (more air, bigger area exposed to the air, and single core is going to flow better than two cores etc), downside is heath-robinson home-made piping, but you cant have everything.
Have sent MG Mal a PM.

We have fitted a bigger silencer box (centre one) to quieten it down a tad.
Its now skidded to resist invetible bashing.

Rover Centre of St. Albans have found some Sachs Africa-spec Maestro shock absorbers for the back, nice one, eh?

Hen reckons we will see his sumpguard next week....

Professional photographer is dropping in on the workshop on Saturday, will send some fresh photos in due course.

[Guest]

My Sumpguard is in the back of the Landy should he fail to complete.
Have read Pm and will get back to you.

[Guest]

We are now finally thinking about what spares the car should carry. Among the items we are needing to finish off the project are:

Two litre spec "full-width" standard radiator....

Pair of drive shafts (full fitting kit)...

Spare coil (we have one fitted but its a new Chinese item and on past events these have often proved duff, wont put up with severe under-bonnet heat)...

apart from the obvious, like brake pads, fuel filters, air filter and other light items, etc. What's forgotten: All suggestions gratefully received.

-Philip

[Guest]

Full ignition spares (at least 2 sets I would think?)
Lighter fuel (gas) incase you take a tyre off the rim in the sand etc.
Spare, spare wheel
Thermostat and hoses (universal hose will come in handy)
Hose wrap repair bandage's.
basically lots of stuff , but I suppose you have to think carefully about weight etc.

Spare flexible fuel hose
Spare coil of Brake pipe
Pipe flaring kit.

A must if you want to complete the rally.

My uncle used to rally many years ago (did this one too), and he claimed that having a flaring kit and spare pipe with him, meant at least 3 other team/team mates completed the rally.

He unfortunately blew his engine in the last stages on the cape town run.


Mal.

[countrydude]

I have a spare lucas coil if you are interested dlb198 yours for £15 delivered. It was fitted for a couple of days but wasn't the problem so I removed it. I was going to keep as a spare but then I switched to a 820 coil.

[Guest]

Has anyone got a good sound ECU box to carry as a spare, we also would like a complete distributor to carry as a spare.

Two old front struts and two rears would also be good (complete), which we could refurbish with new KYB shocks.

thanks...(reasonable prices paid up front, naturally)

Philip
....(email me on mail@endurorally.com )

[E_T_V]

There isn't anything in the distributor so all you need is a cap and a couple of rotor arms.

Front hubs with fitted bearings would be in my spares box.
ECU's are very reliable but zip tie a bagged spare to the original just in case.

[Guest]

Agreed! Anyone got these items up for sale?

[E_T_V]

Only spare van hubs here I'm afraid (no use to you).

I'd also consider buying some of those performance pads advertised recently on the forum too as they are cheap enough and work well apparently.

[Guest]

We are sticking to standard pads, as they will last longer.
Now then, here's a tricky one. The engine has had a steady oil leak since we got it - one old lady, 15,000 miles from new, 1.6 engine remember, and thought nothing much of this as we had so much else to concentrate on. It was commented upon when we took it to Bradley's rolling road at Shipton Under Wychwood (near Witney), for a tune up (92bhp at the engine they reckon, but its not running right on tickover, too much black smoke at the back and it seems a bit rich at low revs so its got to go back).

The oil leaks have got worse and we now think we ought to take time to sort this, there is a clutch to do. (found a Borg and Beck one on ebay, hope its not a chinese copy including the cardboard box!).

So, the question is, where do we get gaskets from? We also need a clutch cable. Rimmers were none too productive, but then I did call at the fag-end of Friday. Any steers on this would be most welcome as we seem a bit stuck.

[G Force]

(92bhp at the engine they reckon, but its not running right on tickover, too much black smoke at the back and it seems a bit rich at low revs so its got to go back).

.

Hmm. 92 bhp, I was expecting a little bit more of an improvement than that. There shouldn't be any black smoke at any time, so I expect the over-rich mixture is killing off some of the power at the top end.

Is the HS6 now fitted? What worries me a little bit is how an SU specialist outfit with a dyno could have let the car go out running so rich that the engine is black smoking at idle and low revs

Where abouts does the oil leakage appear to be comming from?

Gary