The tinworm really got hold here!
1 Like
What’s scary is that it probably isn’t as bad as MHR was when Haz started!
1 Like
Inbetween the second quadra being delivered and me spending some more time sorting bits out Haz really got on with the painting on MHR and starting to put some panels back on.
4 Likes
Two quadras in parts takes up a hell of a lot of room. Especially when all the sound deadening has been out & we’re sorting out the best parts to go back into MHR. Unfortunately the 2nd quadra has been wet so the foam needs a lot of drying out.
Oh - and I bought a velour interior from Lee as I always loved them. MHR did originally have leather, which I still have and is in nice condition, but a velour in good condition couldn’t be passed up.
5 Likes
It looks a million times better freshly painted.
I dont think I have read the long term goal. OEM car? OEM+? Or full on power upgrades?
And finally things start going back onto the painted shell…
Still a long way to go but now really starting to feel like we’re heading towards the home stretch. Lots of decisions still to make and lots of parts still to clean up before the go into the car but the 2nd quadra has some more recently refurbished bits which will make it a lot easier to know that things will work. It also still has the wiring harnesses in so we can attach a power pack to the car and test out things such as clocks, dashboards, regulators etc.
Does mean I have spent hours doing things like stripping 3 sets of dash clocks to make a nice fully working set but will save time later on plus it leaves Haz free to do all the important bits.
4 Likes
It really does.
My plan has changed so many times I’m getting dizzy and god knows how frustrated Haz is getting with me! The original plan was a ported & big valve cylinder head with a bigger turbo (still a T3 but the next frame size up), 3" exhaust, chargecooler, VXR injectors, and standalone ECU. To save cost and time this was then scaled back to OEM+ with 357s & Pace intercoolers.
MHR had a Ph1 engine fitted when Haz got it was obviously wasn’t right so that was gotten rid of and the Ph2 engine that Haz had in pieces was ignored thinking a Ph3 was needed given that it’s a J reg car. Having discovered that MHR is actually a J reg Ph2, rather than a Ph3 as originally thought, we have been going round options again.
Was then thinking about running the head, turbo & 357s on standard ECU & intercoolers so that I could upgrade a later date but I can’t find the valves or springs for it at the moment so started to look for a standard engine to drop in. Then found the new quadra has a large FMIC which might fit without too many mods to the bumper so could go back to a slightly tweaked engine, and if I can find the valves then might go with the upgraded engine on stock ECU with the boost wound back as it should flow a lot more air.
I think this coming weekend I’ll have another day with Haz and we’ll make a decision. If I can’t find the big valves then I’ll leave my ported head for the time being but if I do find them then might go for everything again - just on stock ECU. Have got an Adaptronic 420D which I would be tempted to drop in as a piggyback ECU at a later date so I can save up for it.
1 Like
So many options! Are there any better injectos than 357s these days? I know it means aftermarket ecu but that should be quite a big upgrade as well from the OEM ECU.
The 357’s were a straight swap out with an OE ECU that gave about 7% more fuel across the board. The OE ECU is low impedance blah blah which limited options a bit.
The more modern VXR items were a straight swap physically and a better all round injector, but do require an aftermarket ECU. Mine saw 242hp and 280lbft on these with standard engine internals and the 420D.
1 Like
And a big cost. Trying to get the car on the road with as little additional spend as possible so I can use it and then worry about the ECU later. But if I can get all the hardware in along with 357s I can at least run the car on the standard ECU (probably with a lot less boost given how much more free-flowing it will be) and then sort the ECU out at a later date.
1 Like
I wouldnt stress over the head mate. A properly set up, standard-engined 21 with a decent intercooler, exhaust, and a bit more boost will be great fun. Absolute power isnt everything, and the best bit of the J7R, for me, is that bit of lag and then a big punch of torque as it spools and pulls through the midrange. Far easier to enjoy on todays roads too.
1 Like
Yeah - I know it’ll be good with a mostly stock setup. Andy’s old car had a FMIC that looks like it will fit with only minimal tweaks (fog light spacers maybe) & SPAL fans so that is my current route forward I think.
Just thinking if I give my engine a refresh then I might as well throw the head, that I’ve spent a reasonable wedge of cash getting ported and new valve seats, fitted now with that slightly bigger turbo & 3" downpipe. I was never going for absolute power, just trying to get the intake losses down.