Blog: Micra 1.0 Race Car (Cheap..)

[moleymolo]

Hi everyone. Back posting now I ACTUALLY have a Micra...

Now, the intention was to gut the car to the bare shell and fit a 2.0 in(Yes I've read the pros and cons and whats involved etc...) but due to a change of opinion and some regulations I've decided to keep it as a basic race car for use in hillclimb/sprints etc just as a bit of a play thing really.

Photos will be uploaded of the "beast" half way through the interior stripping stage but I just want to get opinions of parts for the engine.

Now with the aim of putting a 2litre in the car I've gone and stripped out practiclly everything electric as I was intending on using a standalone ECU... and I still am... but with the 1.0. Seeing as I've cut all the wires to the engine just because I wanted to get the damn thing out... (oops)

So basically I need a little expert opinion on suitable bits of the following. Now I don't want to spend thousands, I just want to give it a little "oomph" and make it sound fairly decent (not always the point but as I said, just a play thing for a bit of fun). My mum MAY be racing it as well so don't want to scare the **** out of her either...

So just need some info on what to get in terms of:
ECU
Exhaust (Whole thing)
Intake
and general racing parts for a cheap car like this.

Would weber carbs be a bit pointless on an engine of this size??

I am going to lower the car to start off with and then maybe buy some coilovers or something. It will start off basic and will get more advanced as I feel the need to upgrade etc

Just to let everyone know I'm not a novice mechanic or racer just asking people who have actually fiddled with these cars more than me... :wasntme:

So... any help appreciated

Will try and get a few photos lined up soon..

 

[frank]

there,s a lot you can do to the 1.0,s (mine was still pulling strongly at 8k+ rpm with pretty inexpensive mods) and baguete,s blog has loads of info for you :grinning:

 

[moleymolo]

Thanks for that "frank" - very informative... Although was a little disapointed at the stock power of a 1.0... I thought it had at least 70 for some childish reason...

Sounds like cheap power to me and with this car being gutted straight through only having a roll-cage, 1 seat and a small dash it should be pretty damn nippy...

Photos are on the way as we speak...

 

[moleymolo]

Got a feeling these may be a tad too big...

 

[Shaun]

looking promising! (Y)

 

[moleymolo]

Cheers, thats my mate in the photos-I was taking them and he got in the way...

Done a fair bit more to it since then, front grill has come off, lights are off, battery etc are out, interior is slightly cleaned up - havent had much time to get to it lately so hopefully this weekend I'll be able to go and do some more.

 

[mattjo]

Hi moleymolo, looks good, the sounds deadening on the floor is worth getting rid of, it's suprisingly heavy!

 

[moleymolo]

Yes it's going... Got my hammer and chisel at the ready... lol

 

[sterry9454]

imo
The sound proofing in the car is easier to get off with a heat gun!
The sound deadening and underseal/ underchip under the car is really worth getting off weighs a ton! easiest way to get that off is wire wheel on an angle grinder but trust me its one hell of a borin an messy job
Good Luck

 

[frank]

that would be a ball-ache with a hotgun i chose an air chisel on a frosty spring morning (it shatters like a biscuit) :grinning:

 

[moleymolo]

You suggesting I put the car in a freezer for a bit... lol...

 

[Suze]

Hot air gun, hammer and chisel [and a bit of swearing!] were my methods of attack which worked....

 

[moleymolo]

Well an update, didn't get the sound deadening off although got the front bumper off and surrouinding bits - only to find out that most of the lower bracing is rotten as hell. Although a bit of 2x4 steel box section should be sufficient enough to repair it - just hope it's allowed but then again, got to be better that whats there now!

Wanted to get the engine out buy didn't have a crane to hold it in place...

Got some more photos but need to get them e-mailed to me as wasn't my camera.

 

[moleymolo]

Few new photos - should have been added with my previous post BUT my mate took his time getting photos onto his computer.,..

You'll see what I mean about the front end ROT!

That last one is just a random photo - nothing to do with us actually making progress on the car whatsoever...

 

[sterry9454]

how about droppin the engine onto the floor and liftin the car off it, thats what i did
but make sure to lower the whole car not to damage the sump etc then lift the car off it, easy way to do it if no engine crane lol

 

[moleymolo]

The car is on axle stands with the intention of getting the exhaust system off but the grass is so bloody thick and long under the car i couldnt see what I was doing so just left it... lol

 

[moleymolo]

Progress is having to be halted for the moment due to medical bills and also having to replace the clutch in my daily driver so wont be doing much on the car until middle of summer, will try and do somethings here and there but wont be anything major...

 

[moleymolo]

Managed a few hours on Wednesday, and managed to get the front right suspension off and hub etc, although i forgot to undo the driveshaft nut when the car was on the deck with working brakes so at the moment i still have it all connected with the driveshaft... oops...

Aiming to have it all off within the next month ready to replace the front crossmember and structual bits

 

[moleymolo]

Greetings - happy new year... oh not yet. Seems a long time since I was last on here...

Major progress has been made, engine/box is now out, suspension struts are off, ALL wiring has been removed - still have fuse box and the front wing relay boxes if anyone wants any spares, also bought the engine rebuild bits conistsing of gaskets, valve guides as well as F/R brake pads and shoes.

Next thing to do is to get the back end up on axle stands and remove the rear shocks ready for new springs.

Will try and get some photos taken Sunday. Now the engine is out I can actually start progressing with the car.

 

[moleymolo]

Progress, engine is half dismantled. All inlet and exhaust is off, cam cover is off - only design flaw so far is Nissan using screw heads instead of bolt heads - had to buy a screw extractor set...

Gearbox is off.

Bit disturbed by the fact that the oil out the sump is more like thick black paint... which would explain the amount of crap caked on the cam chain side.

Nice bruise on left arm thanks to the engine hoist! grr.

That's it for now

 

[Grevs]

whats the estimated weight of a stripped k11 like the shell with suspension and wheels and the engine and gbox

 

[moleymolo]

Not sure tbh, but I'm guessing there's at least 130kg worth of bits to be stripped out (assuming your stripping the dash as well).

Stripped out a nissan sunny 1.4 and out accellerated a BMW 2.0.

 

[Grevs]

yea all out including floor sealer which i reckon was 3 or 4 kg

 

[Grevs]

thats just inner floor sealer

underneat to be done yet,i plan on getting the plasma cutter in to and getting rid of alot of useless pannels and a hole saw for places

 

[moleymolo]

Right an overdue update. I have (or will be very soon) taking delivery of an ex-formula 1000 rally car. I have still got my silver micra which I will keep modifying as a possible spare roller or depending on cash, another rally car for tarmac events.

I have got an astra gte rally car too which needs work so looks like I am going to be very busy this summer! (although i have a v6 engine for the astra in the pipeline so should be interesting)

Not much else to really report to be honest. Will hopefully get some photos of the new car when it arrives.

 

[mattjo]

Sounds good you'll enjoy f1000, looking forward to some pics :grinning:

 

[moleymolo]

Cheers,

Im not actually doing F1000, but will hopefully be doing some UK rallies (I live in Guernsey) in the upto 1400 classes, the car I'm buying I got purely to have some fun and also because it had already been modified so saves me doing the work.

Still got lots to do with this one though - perspex windows, fibreglass doors/bonnet etc, engine mods. usual stuff.

The shell I have in the photos will be a spare shell kitted out with the usual bits like suspension etc just without the roll-cage for the moment. Concentrating on getting this new car sorted first.

Will get photos when I get the car itself... I've been waiting 3 months to sort out one and kinda miffed as I didnt get to drive it first, got a few people over in wales going karting and they picked it up for me. Still, gives it a clear out ready for my driving (Y)