Here's a project which I'm involved with at work, thought I'd share it on here since y'all love a good build thread. Excuse any marketing spiel, it's lifted straight from our company blog.

The SBD Racing MG ZR 160 - A.K.A Lemon Turd!

After the untimely demise of our previous track car, a long-suffering Primera, here at SBD we’ve decided to get back into motorsport with this MG ZR160. The whole idea of the project was to get staff some track driving experience, and a better understanding of vehicle dynamics through application.

So here she is, fresh from ebay picked out for the paltry sum of £450

IMG_1297 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMG_1295 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMG_1298 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMG_1301 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMG_1302 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

It has a 1.8 litre k-series VVC engine making 159bhp from standard, although not this one! The Lemon Turd unfortunately has a blown head gasket, and hence is quite a heavy smoker! The engine was immediately stripped down for some head work by Adam over the weekend.

IMG_1303 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMAG0007 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

The plan is to get it running as healthily as possible, and then strip it right down for maximum lightness, followed by uprated tyres and brakes.

IMG_1300 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

The car should be going on its first shakedown at the end of September, after fixing it up.

Stay tuned for updates! Stripping should be happening in the next week

Tim@SBD

these are quite well known for blowing head gaskets arent they?

Yeah but they redesigned the HG and replacements are fine

Today's progress: I took the head to Cylinder Head Services in Northampton to be pressure tested and machined back into good shape as necessary. No pics of the head to hand but I do have this lovely one of the inside of the engine block to show the state of the fluids!

tasty shot there of the block.

Looks like custard

more like french mustard.

Mmmmm French mustard....

Coleman's is nicer though............

It's gravy IMO!

Today we spent a couple of hours tinkering with the MG.

First, she got a good old clean and a T-Cut, to try and reduce the "Fifty shades of Yellow" look a little:

IMG_1381 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

IMG_1382 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

The cylinder head is still at Cylinder Head Services in Moulton, so the engine still looks like this at the moment!

IMG_1383 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

Next, we set about putting the Lemon Turd on a diet, stripping out the back of the car of all unnecessary weight, from this:

IMG_1386 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

To this:

IMG_1387 by TopMotors - Tim, on Flickr

The rest of the carpet etc will be coming out, along with the door cards, audio, and excess electronics.

We will strip more out in the coming week, and get the scales out to work out how much weight we've shedded!

Tim@SBD

Edited 27 August, 201214 yr by dirt_monkey