Hi again everyone. Just after some more advice if anyone has the time.

Have been considering removing my 1.4mpi and fitting a MGF vvc engine over christmas, if so I'd like to budget for/start collecting the parts.. Anyone got experience of this and the work involved? Would it be better to just fit a MGF rear subframe and get the handbrake improvements etc?

Also, as I am studying Mechanical Engineering I was thinking about getting some CAD practice by designing and then building a roll cage to fit in my K3. Would be nice to have a little more rigidity with the roof off, and some extra protection should someone pull out infront of me again! Just wondering if anyone has done this and if there are any pics for this?

Cheers, hope someone out there can help!

There's a powder blue one somewhere that Dudly built while He was working at GTM He used MGF bits in that - I've no more info than this though

I used an MGF rear subframe to replace the accident damaged one in my K3 and found that they are essentially the same other than I had to remove some brackets from the MGF unit to fit the thing to the K3, however when you remove the excess bracketry the original holes are still in place, it looks like MG used the metro frames and just added whatever they needed to get it to work in the MGF.
Personally I would use the whole engine, gearbox, brakes etc.from the MGF and work out how to make the gearlinkage work with the cables and sort out the handbrake cables to work as well and you will have sorted most of the K3 issues.
Good luck.

Thanks for the replies, looks like I'll be using the whole lot.


My Dad (a mechanic) has been telling me this for years... should have believed him!

Cheers again, guess I'll get hunting for a front end smashed mgf....

It looks like we are all on the same page. I have just stripped an MGF to provide all the running gear and wiring loom to transfer to the K3. The metro and MGF subframes are all the same to the point where the MGF rear subframe is a modified front subframe but uses the same pick up points from the front wishbones to fasten the bottom arm and the adjustable track rod to. Everything is rubber bushed and is quite loose. I am making my own front frame to give me twin unequal wishbones and coilovers and am still considering whether to bracket off the sphere tower to fit coilover to or go the whole way and make a complete subframe for the engine etc and get the geometry right. only time will tell.
If you are not too far from chesterfield you can come and have a look.
Peter.

Would be fantastic if I could come and have a look! Could save me some serious time when i'm stripping the MG etc. Anytime in particular you don't mind me coming?

Cheers, Andy.

I am in weeknights except thursday but give me a call to be sure. my number: 07881810488.
Peter.

Peter,
Probably a good idea to send personal info via private message rather than post

Technology is getting too much for me. Thanks for the tip.
Cheers, Peter.

I am thinking of getting a MGF and
doing this to my k3
how did it go.
can any one help with what parts u need
do you have any photos you can email me

Mine is coming along nicely now, MGF rear subframe and engine/gearbox in, wiring loom sorted. Fired it up last weekend to discover head gasket gone which is probably why the MGF was sold anyway. This weekend will see head gasket removed and new exhaust system fabricated if parts turn up today. See last three newsletters to see how stuff fits! If you are not too far from Chesterfield you are welcome to come and take a look.
Peter.

hi Peter nice work on the k3
I live too far from Chesterfield thank you for the offer to come and take a look.
i have some questions if you have some time

I would not able to make a hole new front subframe if i was to modify the front subframe like you did to the rear one
to have coilover suspension and use the bracket that you retro fitted to the suspension towers to take
the 13inch damper units do you think this would work on the front
the kit of parts did you have them made or did you you make them (do you have a drawing or cad file )

you wrote The gearbox buttress on the F comes slightly too far
forward and hits the tub so The solution was to grind
off the top corner to match the Metro one and re plate
it. Problem solved. Phew! See pic 5 do you have any more photos of this

the engine and gearbox the clutch slave cylinder bracket and the top
hoses were hitting the tub as well i have seen k3 on her with 1.8 mgf engines
how have they done this with out cutting the tub

i would not use the Metro fuel tank
and also want to use the MGF fuel pump and sender
unit, you made a fuel tank that would go behind
the seats i would have to have one made
I could not do this too
so may cut the tub to fit the engine

thanks
paul

Paul, thanks for the comments, in answer to your questions:
The brackets that I fitted to the rear will also fit on the front and the only proviso is that you would need the top arms to have the damper mounting hole in them. MGF top arms all have this hole but some metro ones don't. Also you would probably have to carve the front inner arches about. I have cad drawings for the brackets and I had them laser cut then welded them up myself, likewise with the fuel tank. I can find out a cost for a kit of parts if anyone is interested.
With the gearbox buttress I bolted the metro one to the MGF one and scribed the topline from one to the other. I will try and post a picture next week showing this.
I used the PG1 gearbox straight from the MGF complete with the clutch slave bracket and this is what caused me the grief so possibly others have used the metro box which fits but the clutch is cable operated. You would still need clearance around the top hoses though.
My metro fuel tank was scrap anyhow but I didn't have room after cutting the bulkhead to fit another one hence designing my own. The laser cutting and welding was simple enough but in trying to be clever I thought that I could cut the mounting flange out of the MGF plastic tank and fit it to the top of the stainless tank, no chance, as soon as the flange came off the stress in the plastic sent it badly oval so I had to turn a new flange out of white acetal.
The MGF fuel pump and sender unit is about 100mm too tall but has telescopic legs which are easy enough to cut down and are spring loaded to keep the pump flat on the bottom of the tank.
It all seems to be working so carry on!
Peter.

hi I was thinking of cutting out the flange out of the mgf tank. i see that it does not work.
i would be interested in a kit of parts.

thanks
paul

Having had a word with the laser cutting company an axle set of parts would be £30.00. I can weld them up for you if you wish at no cost, ( takes about ten minutes).
These would bolt directly to the subframe and replace the front half of the sphere housing. They are made to take Gaz adjustable 13" dampers, I paid around £130.00 a pair for these but as yet haven't got round to corner weighting for the spring rates that I will need.
As an aside I have now replaced the head gasket with a multilayer one and made an exhaust system so I can now run the engine and get motivated to finish it!