Road rally micra ??

[GeorgeG]

Hello everyone.
It all started a while ago with a friend of mine purchasing a 1.0 micra (coil pack) to use it for a while and then passing it to me to have it as reserve car while I prepare my clio 172 for road rallies.
The truth is that I had such a good time with the micra that I am seriously considering to sell the clio and prepare a micra 1.3 for road rallies and use it as my everyday car.
The funny thing is that I realise that in general I am having a much better time and enjoy much more driving a well sorted small engine car that requires that xtra bit of effort than something easy and effortless like the clio. I had in the past a proper tarmac rally spec 106 S1, a mini and a panda 100hp so to me bhp figures tell sometimes half the truth
The micra is a very popular and respected rally car in my country on class A5 and I ve seen numerous times what they can achieve with a committed driver.

My first question is that it looks that I managed to find a distributor type 1275cc micra (1998) facelift. Can I use the gearbox from the 1lt micra (coil pack). Obviously I just want the crown wheel pinion but a gearbox swap will be much easier. Do I need to swap driveshafts flywheel etc..

Thanks for reading.
George

P.S if anyone has a well sorted micra and want a px/swap with a properly maintained 172 cup p.m me

 

[h701micra]

All gearboxes are interchangeable
Keep an eye on the linkages too, there's 90degree difference in its fitment from early cars to later. Clutch on yours will be fine. 1.3s are 180mm and the coilpack 1.0 were also 180mm
Drive shafts were thicker on coilpack equipped cars too so I'd grab those just in case
The 1.0 coilpack box has the same ratios as what your 1.3 currently does too

Do you have the 1.0 car as a donor?

 

[frank]

the coilpacks are 2nd facelift k11 george (post 2000) with a crank sensor mounted on the bellhousing, and they have the starter mounted under the inlet mani iirc
so the c/p flywheel has notches for the crank sensor, and the ring gear on a different offset
what diff ratio do you need ?

 

[GeorgeG]

Thanks for the replies. You both seem to be among the jedi masters here
At the moment I am gutted because the guy I was getting the micra from decided to sell it despite the fact that we agreed and told him to put the money into his account without even seeing it in flesh.
So the hunt will continue..
At the moment I have the 1lt coil pack micra that I was thinking to use for the final drive and as spares.
From what I read on the forum it is pointless/more expensive to go for the 1.4 coil pack micra so I ll keep looking for a non sunroof with minimal rust 1275cc distributor type micra.

 

[GeorgeG]

Sooo the second micra is adopted
1999 Vreg non sunroof
P/S steering
Rev counter
Leather steering wheel ahahahahaha
A/C AHAHAHAHAHAHA
Rear headrests
on 14 inch
and more importantly 1275cc distributor type.

I am really chuffed since it is the same color as the 1.0lt car and it goes really sweet.
I ve done around 400 miles the weekend so I know its ok.
There is no rust anywhere apart from the front crossmember that will be changed and strengthened this week.
Back sooon.

 

[GeorgeG]

I got today my new front crossmember. However it looks a bit flimsy. I know that I said before that I would strengthen it anyway but everyone I asked said its not necessary.

The car will be my everyday car but it will have a busy life doing road rallies and thus I dont know if it needs further strengthening for mounting the sumpguard.
Are there also other areas that will need stich welding (engine mounts, suspension pick up points, rear axle etc)
I have a million more questions but I ll do some more reading first..


Regarding the gearbox though I am still confused lol

 

[h701micra]

I'd add a strip of metal to the bottom and top personally. Just for some meat to bolt to

 

[SuperUno]

IF it is the front sump guard mount then yes weld it up, I used some angle iron and strips of metal to brace it all up.

Has survived many road rallies and two Wales Rally GB's

 

[GeorgeG]

Thanks for the replies both of you.

I am on the search for a proper set of dampers.
I ve seen that people are using anything from challenge Bilstein, AVO gtx, GAZ, Spax etc
To be honest I am thinking more of the challenge bilstein or Harry Hockley (front) with challenge Bilstein rears.
I dont want to use coilovers at the back or use solid top mounts at the front. The micra will be my everyday car/toy and night car so few compromises are necessary for longevity.
I am thinking to polybush it with Humphris grA bushes/ mounts etc (no I dont mind the solid feeling, as long the car will not fall apart).
I know that @SuperUno you are using Spax and if I remember correctly @Jordan27 also. how do they compare with the rest, feel etc. How are they valved? Are they serviceable?

What do you people think..

 

[h701micra]

A properly set up coilover can be just as comfortable as anything else. The only reason the general populus believe theyre all rock hard is the fact their only experience is cheaper types.
Any well made coilover is serviceable (even cheaper ones these days are at least rebuildable)

I think a lot of people choose spax is because that's what Matt H sells and they're sorted by his experience.
My opinion there is that everyone will have different driving characteristics so that'll directly affect their 'should-be' setup. Buying a generic set up and bolting it on isn't getting the most from it.
Get yourself a decent adjustable set, and visit a suspension/chassis tuner and have them set up to you. You'll be amazed at the differences

 

[SuperUno]

Yep we run the Spax set up with forest spec stuff or round (bigger dia) struts. If you are road rallying you can't fit coil overs to the rear (Blue Book rules).

As any says suspension is a personal thing, I like the spax stuff as it works, no real issues but if road rallying on the rough then buy the forest spec stuff. Only had to rebuild the fronts after many years of working including two WRGB's.

 

[GeorgeG]

Cheers for the quick replies.

@h701micra I agree with you that a properly valved and with nicely matched springs suspension doesnt have to be rock solid.
It took me almost 8 months to set up my 106 and as you said it made a massive difference after corner weighting and matching springs with adjusting bump and rebound... The reason that I am asking is to get some feedback on how different solutions "feel" and how these cope under pressure
I am quite lucky due to my work to have a very big choice in springs etc so I just want a nice baseline to start..
Gaz for example seem to be ok on track but on bumpy staff they are another story.
I dont know about the AVO gtx how they cope but I heard mixed things.
I used spax on my mini and they were nice but I dont know how they are on a micra.
Bilstein motorsport might not be adjustable but they work properly (on other cars that I ve tried)
@SuperUno
Thanks for your input that was very useful
I know about the regs on the blue book and I like my car always to be within... I guess you ve seen some of the escorts and how these comply.. (joke)
Thanks again

 

[SirChris]

I swear by Matt Humphries gear, he services, builds and aids hundreds of drivers and their cars. With this he has influence with a few main brand producers to get the gear setup well for the micras. I have blown, bent and destroyed a fair amount of suspension setups and his stuff stays true. I run spax coilovers front and rear on the turbo and really love them, great feel and a fair amount of adjustment, still yet to drive on my inverted 40mm bilsteins so I cannot comment on another god brand, but tbh if Matt sells them, then they are good for the car.

 

[GeorgeG]

Thanks for your input @SirChris.
I am not trying to reinvent the wheel thats why I am not planning to buy something that is not adapted and tested to the micra.
I had a quick chat with Mat today but for some other things but soon we ll get to the choice of dampers
Looking forward to hear what you think when you ll try the bilsteins

 

[SirChris]

Will give you a comparison. Hope it all gets sorted