Hi All I am a proud new owner of a K3 and would like to ask some questions to you K3 experts........Not sure if it was factory built but the plate on the bulkhead is from GTM 17-07-95. the car has stood for 4 years

1, I have a front indicator/sidelight cracked, what car are they off ?
2, The suspension is very stiff is this normal or is something suspect ?
3, The gear lever is a little stiff is this normal ?
4, It requires 2 front seats what is the best seats to use?
5, It is in gell coat but its a little faded can this be re=polished

Sorry about the amount of questions but have to learn somewhere
Thanks
Lee

Oh, you bought the one I was after.

Might I ask for how much seeing as the auction ended early

You do know its a 1.4 and not a 1.6 don't you?

Hi,

1, I have a front indicator/sidelight cracked, what car are they off ? early Sierra cosworth or Sierrra Ghia,
2, The suspension is very stiff is this normal or is something suspect ? this depends on the ride hight, but it should not be hard.
3, The gear lever is a little stiff is this normal ? Sound like it needs some lub because if rods it a striring soup but smooth.
4, It requires 2 front seats what is the best seats to use? I got MGF in mine (need to attach a frame to make them as wide as old Metro seat) Metro seats or MX5 seem popular. you go down the after market seat road although the seat belt harness could bea problem, which why I didn't.
5, It is in gell coat but its a little faded can this be re=polished, Yes you can polish the Gelcoat but this will only make it shinny not restore the colour.

Thanks for the answers on the questions, does anyone have a copy of a build manual that could be sent as a PDF. Really getting into the car now, got some MGF seats today.
I intend to join the club will post form off on Sat.

Hi Jaffacakekilla
I got the car at silly money for one of these, yeah its a 1.4 but no problem going to have some fun in it and enjoy it. if needed may change the engine in the winter to a 1.8 but well see, everything came with it including the soft top almost new and it apears to be built very well, trying to get some info now and history on it. If you are local to cumbria your quite welcome to come and see it, infact any owners of GTM's please feel free to get in touch.
leezr160@hotmail.com
Regards
Lee

Alan (RossaBitz) has these in stock.

Welcome to the mad-house

hiya thanks for the welcome, do you have a email for him or number ? also is it a big job to get the gear linkage off ? and any hints and tips ? its a little stiff. thanks again

It's (well mine was) bolted to the floor with 4 bolts - goes thru' the bulkhead (I'm guessing there will be several versions of this bit) under the engine and loops forward to join the gearbox

My old car had some play at the rear where the 'hockey stick' joined the gear box, person(s) who built it drilled holes bigger than the bolt so no matter how tight you got it a couple of months later it was gathering slack again.
I've seen somewhere that where the rods disappear thru the bulkhead they are supported - if You can do a similar trick under the car where they emerge it can remove some of the slack.
Or You just fit an elise cable setup.

Also.....
Alan Britton
SPECIALIST ENGINEERING
145 HERNE ROAD
RAMSEY ST MARY'S
HUNTINGDON
CAMBS
PE26 2SY
01733 844839
rossabitz@btconnect.com

Many thans for that, i am going to get stuck into it tomorrow, so will let you know how I get on. Jobs for tomorrow are
Gear linkage
Strip and clean the brakes, and clean discs in laith
start polishing the gel coat
Fix mgf seats in

if the suspension is stiff, it probably means that the hydragas units are knackered (so they are full of fluid to pump to correct height, with no nitrogen gas left, hence effectively solid suspension). I am currently having huge problems finding decent front units, which actually come off the rear of the normal metro. the front standard metro units will be far too hard.

I have jumped up and down on the suspension tops and they do move just think they are set solid. Can they be re-made ?

Well that 12 solid hours on the k3 jobs done,
Interior put back together and mgf seats in
Gel coats has been polished to bring it back to life
Brakes stripped and cleaned
Gear linkage freeed off

The hand brake cable is dead, is it a STD metro ?? and if not what is it off ?
Rear calipers have seen better days so a set going on too

Finally drove it very impressed only up the road but still its a start

re: suspension spheres - the rear ones on the mgf are the same part number as the fronts on the metro, so no problem there, plenty on fleabay. it's the fronts for the k3 which are the problem (which are the rears on the standard metro) - the mgf variety will be too hard. so it's a matter of hunting around breakers yards, but the youngest you will find will still be 10 years plus, so generally knackered because they rust inside. there is talk on the mgf forums of replacement spring units to fit inside the same dimensions as the hydragas units, but not available yet and probably cost £200 each.

I saw a company that was selling re-condition Spheres, what they are doing is get them checked, cleaned, painted and re-filled with Nitrogen at 400psi as per the orginals.
The advantage with these are they can be re-filled time and time again. But I can not find the company so may be they went bust.
Suplex are making a spring shock conversion kit for the MGF at 930 +VAT which would work although may make for hard ride.