In a moment of madness..................

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Post by CHR15E » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:53 pm

Same as any other car really?

When I had the LPG'd 820 there was a guy at the filling station I was using that had about an 03 plate Corsa 1.2 running gas.

He reckoned he was getting the equivalent of 100 MPG. :shock: On his 100 mile trip a day for work anyway.

Granted newer car so maybe a bit optimistic for the Metro?
Chris
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Post by Richard Moss » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:08 pm

A 1 litre Metro ought to be good for 40mpg+ on petrol so probably 35+ on LPG. Make that about 70-75mpg price equivalent. It would need an unleaded head or additive system (Flashlube).

I'm not sure what it would drive like, though - the power loss on a 1 litre A series engine might be too much to live with!
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

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Post by CHR15E » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:13 pm

Richard Moss wrote:I'm not sure what it would drive like, though - the power loss on a 1 litre A series engine might be too much to live with!
Hadn't thought of that. :lol:
Chris
19 Vauxhall Astra 1.6T SRi Nav Estate
08 Vauxhall Astra 2.0T Design Twintop
02 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4.7 V8 HO

Previously owned 57 800s 2000-2012
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Post by scoobyh123 » Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:21 am

Might be wrong on this Rich, but i seem to remember from A plate onwards, the A-series became the A+ and i think the benefit was it already had hardened valve seats for unleaded. I'll endeavour to check this out for you.
Looks like a nice little project though and (for a change!) a Metro worth restoring. I bought a yellow metro about 15 years ago as a "do up, sell and make a few £££" job. Suffice to say it became known as the yellow peril and i lost money on it despite selling it for £230 more than i paid for it!!
Good luck with it, be lovely to see it in all it's glory, completely glossy black all over! Well maybe not the windows........
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Post by scoobyh123 » Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:33 am

Hi again Rich, according to my info, if the engine code is 99HEnnn, it is suitable for unleaded but that engine code doesn't seem to appear until at least 1989. Also the power is well down compared to other 1.0 models (36PS instead of 47ish) so it looks like you'll need an unleaded head on it. I'm guessing if you had hardened valve seats fitted to the existing head and ran it on super unleaded you'd be fine but you'd probably lose a lot of power and economy running it on 95 RON or LPG.
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Dave
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Post by Richard Moss » Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:42 am

To the best of my knowledge, the A+ didn't get the hardened valve seats until 1989. That said, many owners of older Metros on the Owners Club forum report no problems using unleaded.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

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Post by scoobyh123 » Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:21 am

That bears out the 99HEnnn engine code not appearing until 1989 then. Of course if you just wanted a bit more power and economy and didn't mind a bit of work and a deviation from originality, you could fit a 1.3 A+ & 5 speed VW box from a post '89 Maestro. Would give you unleaded/LPG capability, more poke and better mpg. Not sure how much of a job it would be though?
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Post by Richard Moss » Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:40 pm

scoobyh123 wrote:Of course if you just wanted a bit more power and economy and didn't mind a bit of work and a deviation from originality, you could fit a 1.3 A+ & 5 speed VW box from a post '89 Maestro. Would give you unleaded/LPG capability, more poke and better mpg. Not sure how much of a job it would be though?
Space might be a bit of an issue - getting the K series and end-on gearbox in the Metro was hard work for Rover.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

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Post by BennyVitesse » Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:52 pm

Richard Moss wrote:
scoobyh123 wrote:Of course if you just wanted a bit more power and economy and didn't mind a bit of work and a deviation from originality, you could fit a 1.3 A+ & 5 speed VW box from a post '89 Maestro. Would give you unleaded/LPG capability, more poke and better mpg. Not sure how much of a job it would be though?
Space might be a bit of an issue - getting the K series and end-on gearbox in the Metro was hard work for Rover.
The whole front end is different, its roughly 3-4 inches longer than an A series Metro. You would need to pretty much 'cut and shut' a Rover Metro front end onto the Austin!
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Post by Richard Moss » Fri Nov 20, 2009 1:59 pm

It was never something I'd consider, anyway. I think a low mileage, early Metro is one to leave original.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

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Post by scoobyh123 » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:05 pm

Very good point Rich, excuse my sideways view of it and the suggestion of a 1.3, was just trying to figure a way of getting your LPG conversion really. Nice to know you're keeping it as Mr Rover built it!!
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Post by BennyVitesse » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:11 pm

Richard Moss wrote:It was never something I'd consider, anyway. I think a low mileage, early Metro is one to leave original.
Something of a rarity now as many have been raped for the Mini engine or written off. A lovely little car Richard, well done for saving it. I did the same thing myself earlier this year with a Rover Metro GTa.

With the R6 (Rover Metro) a lot have been modified by fitting an MGF engine or ruined by chavs by not pumping the Hydragas up. The 2 I owned were both kept as original as possible and any interior mods (stereo) were installed in such a way that it could be returned to standard spec easily.

scoobyh123 wrote:Very good point Rich, excuse my sideways view of it and the suggestion of a 1.3, was just trying to figure a way of getting your LPG conversion really. Nice to know you're keeping it as Mr Rover built it!!
Mr Austin-Rover you mean!!
Ben

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Post by Richard Moss » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:19 pm

BennyVitesse wrote:Something of a rarity now as many have been raped for the Mini engine or written off. A lovely little car Richard, well done for saving it. I did the same thing myself earlier this year with a Rover Metro GTa.
I just hope that I have the time and money available to do it justice.
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Post by BennyVitesse » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:36 pm

Richard Moss wrote:
BennyVitesse wrote:Something of a rarity now as many have been raped for the Mini engine or written off. A lovely little car Richard, well done for saving it. I did the same thing myself earlier this year with a Rover Metro GTa.
I just hope that I have the time and money available to do it justice.

With the first one I did bits as and when I could afford to and it was such a tidy low mileage car in the first place nothing major came up thank god.

The GTa was a slightly different matter, it needed welding on the floorpan in 2 places, a re-trim of the Suspension, 2 new tyres (unique size and directional!) and a really major service-the oil filter was so old the company making them had gone bust!
Ben

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Post by Richard Moss » Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:15 pm

BennyVitesse wrote:the oil filter was so old the company making them had gone bust!
I've come across cars like that before, too.
Out in the desert with a 1998 Grand Cherokee V8, 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4L and a 1997 Chevy Tahoe V8. Back home: 1969 MGC GT

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