Metro modprod hillclimb/sprint VVC/6R4-ish thing...

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Rear beam and trailing arms fitted. Anti-roll bar mountings visible.

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The other reason for the crazy trailing arm arrangement is so that we can maximise to diffuser area. To answer a previous query, this is what a 60mph diffuser looks like...very long and very shallow angle.

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Not a lot of Metro left now...

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New space-frame front end starting fabrication after detailed design in 3D CAD.

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Trial fitting of front body panels.

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How to make the interior work with the roll cage, etc. The pedal box is an amalgam of Metro and MGTF bits to work with a hydraulic clutch and top-mount single line Mini brake master cylinder. No servo will be needed and no rear brakes to connect. Steering wheel is removeable but seat is bolted in position. 4-point harness will be connected to suit a HANS device helmet as required be regs.

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In this shot, with the interior painted, you can see the gearshift mounted up high beside the steering wheel. This is the original mechanism out of the MGTF, lightened and modified but using the MG bowden cable change. This allows us to turn the gear shift around 180 degrees from how it was in the rear-engined MGTF, and still work properly in front engined car. The cables needed a bit of tweaking but this works well!

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And now we come to one of the most annoying parts of the build....the front hubs and driveshafts. Unaware, to begin with, of the differences between the A-series and K-series Metro drivetrains, I got a bit confused here. I intended to use the original Metro K-series hubs with Mini brakes, and then thought to use Mini hubs with Metro K-series driveshafts, neither of which options actually worked.

We ended up with Mini hubs (significantly lighter than Metro items and with a wide range of brake kits available to suit) fitted with Metro steering arms to raise the outboard steering pickup points and a set of drive shafts with Mini outer ends and Metro inner ends. This gives opportunities for weight saving (new bespoke drive shafts and alloy hubs) and major brake upgrades later. The lengths of the drive shafts and steering arms all had to be worked out to suit the entirely non-standard front suspension layout.

[Divetrucker]

Mmmmm...Shiny!

A new Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing LSD. Whilst these are not the best suited for circuit racing, they are absolutely ideal for hillclimbs and sprints and are an absolute essential for serious competition, even with 10" wide slicks on the front.

[Divetrucker]

It is starting to look like a car again!. The engine and gearbox fits nicely in the engine bay, though it sticks out above the bonnet line, which will need a bit of a bonnet bulge to cover it.