Hello again everybody. :D

[lesingepsycho]

Hello all. It's been awhile since I have been a regular around the forum. That's actually a positive because my Midget has been running with no hassels. About a year ago however, I picked up a MG Metro Turbo unit and have been working towards a conversion ever since. I'm starting all the way from a freshly machined block and crank, pistons etc. Most of the new parts can be seen on page 4 of my (the car's) website by clicking here.

I know I'll have lots of questions along the way and so I give my thanks in advance to all of you knowledgeable members out there who will help me along the journey!

CHEERS,
JACK

 

[Morris]

Welcome back Jack! I love your car. Good luck with the turbo. And keep us posted.

I was looking at your website and it said something about a Garret T3. Is that the turbo that came in the Metro?

 

[lesingepsycho]

Thanks! I take that as a huge compliment! I'll certainly keep posted on the forum but I should say that this will take at least a year or maybe more to get put together. I want to take my time and make sure everything is perfect.

The Metro Turbo came equipped as standard with a Garrett T3 Turbo which has a 0.25 A/R exhaust housing (I am told) and a .42 A/R compressor housing (stamped in the housing). I've read that it can be a bit "laggy" with boost not really coming in until 3000RPM. Still, I'm not to worried. Using another turbo is apparently an option. People say that one turbo which seems ideally suited to the 1275 A-Series is the T2 unit from the Renault 5 Turbo. You can fit this with basically a small spacer plate on the exhaust manifold but for now, I think I'll just get the T3 on there and use that for a while before I start getting all finicky about lag. The Metro Turbo was set to run at 4-7 PSI which is probably what I'll keep it at. I don't want to blow the thing sky high and I'm not looking to squeeze every last HP out of the engine. In my estimation, 4 PSI is better than 0 PSI so I can live with that. Again, that is far off. I may actually build the engine and break it in on the carb and then add the turbo in stages. Time will tell!

JACK

 

[AngliaGT]

Jack,

Was that the Metro that was on craigslist
for a while?From the guy who had a couple who
had a couple of other "interesting" cars for sale?

- Doug

 

[lesingepsycho]

I don't know of that for sure. If you're asking if I bought a whole Metro, then definitely not. I bought only the turbo unit from an MG Metro turbo on eBay in January 2008 from a guy just north of L.A. I just happened to stumble upon it one day while browsing Midget parts and it struck up my interest. Before I saw it on ebay, I didn't even know these existed. After a quick little bit of research, I realized it was too good of a deal to pass by so I snatched it up. Now I've just been acquiring parts bit by bit to eventually get it on the car and running (someday :crazy.

JACK

 

[Morris]

I think the Chrysler 2.2 Turbos came with a Garrett T3. You could pick up one of the VNT (variable nozzle turbo) units from the last couple years they made that engine. That will take care of your turbo lag issues. evil:

 

[bill_young]

Looks like good progress on the turbo. Did you make it down to Spridget 50 last summer at Lake of the Ozarks? I don't remember your car there.
There was a gent there (Jim Danielson) from Nebraska who has a Metro turbo on his Sprite/Bugeye that he bought in England on a vacation. He said that the intake manifold needs some massaging for hood clearance at least with the bugeye bonnet he's fitted, might clear ok on a box Sprite. Here's a photo that Gryf Ketcherside took of that installation.

 

[lesingepsycho]

Nope, I wasn't at Lake of O. Heck, I'm lucky if I have time to make it to the Annual British Field Meet here in my hometown of Portland, OR each year! It's supposed to be the biggest brit-car swap meet west of the Mississippi or something like that. That's a nice lookin' car though! I like the way he managed to get an intercooler in there. From what I can see, I'm going to have to put a blister above the carb. It's either that or some people said to shave the manifold mating surfaces at an angle of a few degrees so that it tilts down slightly. Personally, I think a blister giving a hint of what might lurk beneath will be cool, but then it's obvious that I'm not too concerned about the "stock" (HAHA) appearance of my car!

JACK