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Too early to be a Cortez, Q804BCH is a MK IV+2. After an awful lot of head scratching, a lot of wire brushing,too much puzzling with a multimeter, some interesting fuel tank surgery and a ridiculous amount of replacement sensors, parts and so on, mostly furnished from a now almost gutted 114 in Bridges breakers, she went through the MOT on the 25th.

While there's plenty of work left to do, things are looking very positive, aided in part by a splendid first build, complete with a fully annotated wiring loom. Compared to E500YPP, a MKIII convertible, she's quiet, currently a bit heavier to drive on the now almost impossible to source 185/55R13 tyres and, obviously a fair bit more powerful. The 'fly by wire' idle is a damned nuisance compared to a well set up SU and initial throttle response currently lacks the crisp certainty of the A+. This may change...

Both make wonderful noises as they rev past 4,000, but boy the difference in wonderfulness dates them. The MKIII moves smoothly from a distinct beat to the sort of throaty vintage roar that evokes old fighter planes, while the MKIV has a far more balanced duet of exhaust and induction roar, with the sort of almost electric crackle that you hear from the later 7s, Both send a tingle up the spine, but in two very different ways.

As for driving, there are more similarities than difference, Sure the MKIV is more sophisticated in any number of ways, but the MKIII feels lighter and leaner, both have that endless grip and a sufficiency of lovely nuanced breaking. On fast sweeping A roads the MkIV is a clear winner, but on B roads, I really see the two cars as much closer despite the power. However, I haven't properly set up the hydragas and dampers on the IV and the tyres are old. I suspect I'll have to drop to 175/65 R13 to get decently sticky tyres without a mortgage

So that's two on the road now, and I'm content. E500 still looks like she escaped from a scrapyard, but she's done well over 20,000 miles in about two years. The sheer practicality, has made her my only car for the last year and a half, something that several SSI Reliants never managed. For everyday driving this new one looks like a winner - you can't go wrong with four seats and an almost entire lack of leaks!

Well, that's a thousand miles done. Everything is smoothing up nicely and the little niggles have mostly actually been little. The worst was a dodgy fuel sender which left me with a mystery stoppage due to fuel starvation which had me stumped until I got logical and used the dipstick to check fuel level as part of a step by step diagnosis. It came up empty (with just under half a tank indicated).

The idle has improved significantly after replacing soft rubber tubing with hard plastic tubing for the vacuum. The front brakes have sharpened up naturally and so the session with copperslip, a wire brush and a huge G clamp is on hold. I can't find my hydragas pump after moving house so that's on hold too, but it needs it...

Sounding like a soundtrack to Jeremy Clarkson's greatest hits every time I accelerate with the remotest enthusiasm could get boring eventually, but it's still amusing my inner six year old.

One question: while it's got the lovely alloy chamber for the fuel injection, the exhaust manifold is old fashioned cast iron which seems like a bloody great lump of weight to have so far forward and high up.

I can't help noticing that some of the Rover 25 models have what looks like a stainless steel manifold that looks a lot nicer and looks like it should swap straight in. Does anyone know about the practicality and value of doing this. Even if it's neutral I'd be keen to as it looks much nicer and, having hefted both in a breakers, it feels like about half the weight.

Hello,
I enjoyed your post comparing the Mk3 to the Mk 4. What about a Mk 3.5?







Alan

Alan, you're such a tease...



Oh , by the way... (cough) extended rear stub axles (cough)... any progress on making a batch?

That's extremely cool. Isn't that a 25 engine? I would imagine that it will go like stink when its finished. I look forward to seeing it in the flesh.

that looks good my mk4 has been into France a number of times its a good Tourer 5 speed box makes all the differance

TONY MOSS
hon sec

Maphet wrote:That's extremely cool. Isn't that a 25 engine? I would imagine that it will go like stink when its finished. I look forward to seeing it in the flesh.

Yes it's the 1400cc 105 BHP twin cam. I'm just not sure what the diff ratio is!

Alan

@Alan

If it's any help the engine came out of an N Reg 214 4 door so an early build bubble shape 200. It ran sweetly enough and did drive despite a broken engine mounting (I did the mechanical strip out for Charlie).

@Alan

Little dig in some long forgotten digital pics turned up the registration of the donor for your engine N257 TPE, hope that helps

mikeeskriett wrote:@Alan

Little dig in some long forgotten digital pics turned up the registration of the donor for your engine N257 TPE, hope that helps

Thanks Mike,

I'll be able to decide which diff it is now. I hope to start work on the car later this year, there are three more projects before it.

Charlie( God bless him) seemed to get stuck at fitting the gear change. I've now got the front section of the exhaust, I'll fit that first then make the gear change rods work around the exhaust front pipe. That seems to be the hardest mechanical job. The task I'm dreading is all of that electrickery!
I'm hoping to aquire a scrapper MGTF in the next couple of weeks, we will see what parts that brings. but in the meantime it's rear beams.



















Alan