Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

You can talk about anything here. You'll also find a section with member posted photos of our events here.

Moderator: Committee Members

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:39 pm

Haha yeah it's a nice invention, I'd rather make my loom though so I can add extras like fuel pump and speakers

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:13 am

No more glass fuse box

Image

The car is now protected by 33 fuses and 7 relays, wiring mission almost done, just needs extending out to the headlights and rear lighting loom making.

Image

Image

Hard lines for the brakes mocked up :)

Image

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Wed Aug 30, 2017 1:34 pm

Can't believe the wiring is almost finished, have done the loom to the boot now as well, just the headlight connectors left to add. Managed to get a pair of new headlights that take a H4 bulb instead of the old type :)

Next big job is get it ready for paint, should keep me busy for a few weeks I think. Aerocatches turned up for the bonnet. I've got some struts on the shelf too but I'm not sure there is room to fit one, having the original bonnet prop isn't an issue really.

I'll add the wiring in for this as well, a little extra choo choo for it!

Image

No room for the bottle the boot so behind the passenger seat is looking likely. I think wizards do an adapter for a 'blow down' tube to exit through the floor from the relief valve. I think it will be ok for the moment though long as it's not pointing at me!

User avatar
Rob Bell
Committee Member
Posts: 14422
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:36 pm
MGF Register Region: South East
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i + MGF Shed!

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by Rob Bell » Wed Aug 30, 2017 2:07 pm

Never tried NOS - might be fun in a FWD with a bit of torque steer! LOL ;)

ZS drive shafts would be the best bet for this sort of thing - they're equal length (with a support bearing for an intermediate shaft to the OSF IIRC...)

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:32 pm

Yeah I did look into equal length shafts, I think that bearing might need a mount fabricating.

I'm hoping the torsen b diff will help keep it straight. 25hp isnt a huge Increase but I think it will feel like more!

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 10:26 pm

Image

Wiring done! Milestone, even tested the speedo which seems to work.

Front brake lines all in and done, odd to be working on a car and not getting dirty. Need to finsh the rear lines and fit new rear cylinders then it will have brakes.

Next job modding the bonnet to fit some Aerocatches, then on with the sanding.

User avatar
Rob Bell
Committee Member
Posts: 14422
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:36 pm
MGF Register Region: South East
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i + MGF Shed!

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by Rob Bell » Mon Sep 04, 2017 9:47 am

I know - it looks as though you could eat your dinner off it Ed! :lol:

Looking great: when is the exterior re-spray planned?

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:33 am

Will be a few weeks getting it ready and then I'll order 5 litres of paint. Have got the bonnet pins to fit yet and want to get the brakes all done.

User avatar
Tipper
Posts: 720
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 3:39 pm
MGF Register Region: Devon & Cornwall
Model of Car: RV8 + ZS180
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by Tipper » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:50 pm

I've been following your build with much admiration as the quality of the build is excellent. Well done.

(It seriously puts some other's efforts into the shade IMHO)

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:19 am

Thanks :)

The moment of truth will be when it drives down an actual road !

I did manage to test all 5 gears the other day though so at least the torsen diff install seems to have worked, that was rather involved.

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:20 pm

I had an Aeroflow 90 degree fitting orb fitting into my front brake master, it decided it wasn't wanting to seal any more :(

So I've changed the Aeroflow fitting for a banjo and so far, no drips, we now have brakes!

Image

I've officially started on the bodywork again, bonnet refitted with Aerocatches and a strut too, just clears the windscreen wiper motor.

Image

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
Rob Bell
Committee Member
Posts: 14422
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:36 pm
MGF Register Region: South East
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i + MGF Shed!

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by Rob Bell » Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:15 pm

Almost approaching the moment you need to get it sprayed Ed?

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:03 pm

Yeah getting it ready for paint is the next and last big job. Last night I spent some time faffing with the front sidelight units getting them fitted reasonably well. We've had to rebuild the front of the wings as they were completely rotten so it took some time reshaping the welds with the Dremmel.

I've refitted the rear droop straps on the trailing arms, managed to angle the bracket so they clear the antiroll bar. It really did need them as otherwise when the back wheels are off the ground there is a lot of load on the bushes, plus the knuckles could potentially come out!

I've finished off a bit of the wiring, now the gauges change from blue to red when the nitrous is active! I've done the speaker wire for the rears, it will have a stereo and it needs to be fairly loud to be heard over the engine! Had a look at what I can do for front speakers and I've ordered some 5x9cm 4 ohm tv speakers that should fit in the front dash panel, not that powerful but should be neat and tidy.

I've made a template for some stainless sheet to cover the strut tops in the engine bay, will get those cut out soon. The nitrous solenoids will mount there and I want an extra support bracket for the fuse box.

One last pain the butt job is the broken door pin, hoping to borrow an oxy torch soon and it will be out one way or another!

User avatar
Rob Bell
Committee Member
Posts: 14422
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:36 pm
MGF Register Region: South East
Model of Car: MGF 1.8i + MGF Shed!

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by Rob Bell » Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:43 pm

I haven't bothered with a stereo for the Shed. I use my iPhone for the sat nav, phone and entertainment purposes. It's mounted just over the instrument pack (good for sat nav, not too far from line of sight, not in the way of line of sight), and use the earphones on an extension. Works a treat :) :thumbsu:

I also have plans to turn this into an MGF-shaped selfie stick (shooting video on the phone!) :lol:

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:42 am

The only thing with a stereo is weight really. This one is a sd/usb reader only and an amp, no CD player and I don't have an antenna. Rear speakers are 5x7 so lighter than 6x9 but still sound good, just happen to fit the factory holes in the rear too. There are 3 speaker holes in the rear with a center one as well, very odd!

I got the tv speakers for the front but they are a bit weedy to be honest, might change them later.

My mate has actually built gopro mounts into his k series mini subframe, now that's some forward thinking, I barely remembered towing eye mounts lol

Planning on an oil change today as it's still got the oil in it from when I got the donor zr, still looks cleanish but the engine was sat nearly a year with it in.

Then I've got to change the rear brakes in the wife's focus.

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:06 pm

I got a couple of hours outside today so fired it up and changed the oil, it was on the same oil that came in the donor zr last year.

Image

While I had it running I decided to give the brakes a test, the car doesn't half shift when you launch it! Brakes work although I was locking up the rear left, makes sense as thats where least weight is. The masters are .625 for the front and .70 for the rear, with the front calipers needing a lot more fluid than the rear drums the front master does move a lot more than the rear one. I've not messed with the bias valve on the back line yet so might need to do that and maybe adjust the rods on the masters.

Also found the rod on the rear master is wet, fair amount of fluid in the rubber boot.. balls ! If it fills up again I'll change it.

flyingbanana
Posts: 459
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 9:07 am
MGF Register Region: Yorkshire

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by flyingbanana » Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:53 am

Rally Design used to have a good article for setting up bias pedal boxes, setting the front and rear pushrod length up etc.

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:02 pm

Just changed the rear master and bled it out again, will have to setup the balence on the rollers.

A bit more done this weekend, managed to borrow an oxy torch and heated the crap out the stuck hinge pin - now out!

Image

Made some stainless covers for the strut tower tops, added clips for pipes and extra support for the fuse box.

Image

Finished off installing the Nos kit.

Image

Engine bay done! Next job paint prep, should keep me busy for a while.

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:12 pm

On it finshing the bodywork up before the whole thing gets rubbed down. It's not perfect or a show car but will all be the same colour and not rusty!

Bit where I burnt the paint off the other day

Image

Front wing / indicator bit rebuilt

Image

Cleaned up the door shuts / back of the wings

Image

Rear arch had to be fabricated, not perfect but its solid

Image

External filler is gone, was quite rotten there

Image

Bottom corners of the rear window were totally rotten, I've seen got to finsh the ally parcelshelf cover.

Image

edk83
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:56 pm
MGF Register Region: Midlands

Re: Mgf donor car: building an MG Allegro VVC!

Post by edk83 » Thu Oct 12, 2017 9:02 am

Been busy fitting some proper lighting in the garage, only managed to short the house out once lol. Now I can see how poor my paint finish is doh.

Image

Post Reply