Sean Waite's Turbo Metro

My Rover Metro started life as a 1 owner Metro 1.1 Quest, carburetor 4 speed. This model is the most basic you can get, with simple items such as rear wash/wipe, radio, glove box lid, clock was all an option along with other parts of trim.

When I bought the Metro, the mileage was very low at 18,000 miles and was still wearing its original tires, unfortunately two blew out on the motorway home from Bristol to Kent. Its a very original car that has not been welded so my first job was to remove both subframes and clean and treat the floor to keep it protected for the years to come.

Once I was happy with the floor I set to work fitting a K series turbo engine, along with as much trim as possible to replicate a Metro GTi.
The Turbo conversion wasn't new to me as this was mainly to replace my old shell, but with a new shell it gave me opportunities to improve areas I felt was weak in my old Metro K turbo build.

Since running the car, and having Kmaps map the engine it develops 261 hp @ 14 psi with 279nm of torque. I have previously run 12.7 seconds at Santa Pod quarter mile crossing the line at 113 mph, with my tweaked map I'm hoping to beat this time.

Engine

• Standard spec 1.8 turbo k series engine
• Fitted with all new genuine bearing shells and oil pump
• Upgraded Westwood ductile iron liners
• Genuine Mahle pistons with modified ring gaps to allow for more expansion
• Stiffer oil rail with Elastomer head gasket
• Standard spec head/cams
• VVC inlet with 52mm throttle body
• 315cc injectors
• GT2560r ball bearing turbo
• MEMS 3 management with a custom tune from Kmaps
• 'Frozen Boost' charge cooled inter-cooled system
• 3" downpipe into a 2.5" custom stainless exhaust system
• Walbro 255 fuel pump, with Sytec fuel regulator
• 3.7kg ultra light flywheel
• MG F engine radiator with remote stat

Gearbox

• Standard C6 pg1 gearbox fitted with type B differential
• Exedy 280lbft clutch

Suspension, brakes and steering

• Mgf steering and front suspension geometry (inc red band rack)
• Mgf front hydrogas cones fitted with Gaz dampers
• Metro GTi front anti roll bar (poly bushed)
• Metro GTi rear anti roll bar poly bushed (x2) doubled up
• Metro GTi rear hydrogas cans
• Mgf front calipers with yellow stuff pads, dot 5.1 fluid
• Compomotive 14" alloy wheels on Yokohama A539

Interior

• Metro GTi lightning door cards and seats
• Metro GTi rev counter clocks ( with standard 110 mph speedo)
• AEM wideband gauge
• AEM tru boost gauge and boost controller