Hi there,
I've been browsing the forum for some time so thought I would actually sign up and introduce myself.

I was an avid biker, owning the bike I'd always wanted 1999 5EB R6. Had it for years but I have arthritis, it was difficult to ride and sat unused in the garage for 18 months until I decided, it wasn't going to get any better so sold it. 3 days later I bought myself an MK Indy. I had always fancied a seven type kit car, I had never driven one and couldn't find anyone willing to let me have a go in one so bit the bullet and just bought one figuring, if I didn't like it, i wouldn't lose any money on it. A tense few minutes on eBay and a near 500 mile round trip with a van and trailer I was the owner of an Indy! It was covered in stickers, didn't have the ideal engine and had no MOT. But on the plus side, it was the right money.

Here it is when I bought it, less some stickers,


I then decided thrashing it up and down the "car park" wasn't a good idea so took it for mot where it passed with no advisories! that evening, we took it to where else, but the pub, I fell in love with thing, it was great fun! Everybody looked, waved and asked about it.



Then I decided to set about changing some bits I didn't like, quite a lot in fact! The wheels were first, changed the max power 17's for a set of 15's and a nice shiny set of toyo t1r's



I hated the dash, it seemed to hide the wiring but that was it, oil pressure guage never worked, neither did the fuel guage, the speedo was way out and switches confusing so bought a carbon fibre dash, savage switches, an ETB digital dash and a gear linkage extension and spent a weekend in the garage fitting it all.


(No pics from before, needless to say it was UGLY!)

Spent a few weeks driving it with no real issues bar an alternator which I replaced, which still didn't work. Replaced all the wiring, still didn't work. Turns out the new replacement alternator was faulty! Another one fitted and jobs a good 'un.
I never liked the chequer plate rear cover so bought a sheet of black Perspex and set about making a new one. A couple of hours later I was much happier.





Much better I hope you agree.

There are a couple of small oil leaks to sort(it is a Xflow after All!) then maybe an engine change over the winter. It does go well to be fair, but nobody knows the engine spec. It goes a lot better than my uncles 1700 Xflow Westfield. It has twin 40's with 38mm chokes, double valve springs, duplex timing gear etc. revs to 7500 and is quite happy doing so. I just feel it isn't quite as quick as I want it to be. Rather than throw money at an old engine I think replacement(zetec/ST170) would be the way to go.

So up to now, I have covered nearly 1000 miles of the most fun I have had on the road. It's loud, quick, sticks to the road like s*it to a blanket and I love it!

Anyway, you are probably thinking, I wish this fool would shut up so I am going to do just that.
Thanks for looking.

Welcome mate - enjoy the car!!

You could have sprayed the chequer plate gloss black :-)

Stick a bike engine in it and get your dose of bike revs at the same time

Best wishes, Rob

Looks loads better already, bike engine sounds like a plan!!

Welcome!
Nice looking motor.
I actually thought it was a BEC without my glasses and not being able to read you speel!
(Short screen, digidash, exhasust on left)
Enjoy

http://youtu.be/Mvo3lazzSVo


Re the St lump

[Edited on 22/8/15 by big_wasa]

Welcome.

Looks nice and sounds like it's got a pretty well sorted motor. A bike engine would be the obvious upgrade, given you've come from bikes and to me thats crying out for an R1... but the subject is a can of worms and the arguments go on for ever. The only way to know if thats for you is to get a ride in a BEC and make your own mind up. If you put your (rough) location in your profile you might get some offers.

Welcome.
That looks a nice car.
I can only echo what's already been said.
Chuck a 5vy R1 motor in it and never look back.
I got into kitcars when an eye condition meant bikes where no longer a safe option. (Bike, safe, uhm)
Anyway. 4th BEC now. Tried the car engine options and keep coming back to bike power. They really are a lot of fun.

Thanks for the input guys. I do love the thing, such good fun, even at semi legal speeds it's a hoot to drive, I only wish I had bought one sooner. Do you find every cock in a semi quick car wants to race you??

I had considered the bike engine route to be honest, the amount of work doesn't put me off and the engine spec I am looking at building it would likely be cheaper to throw in a bike engine. The ST170 in the first pic is also mine, I have done all the work over the past years myself and I know zetecs/St motors very well(I put together a home built missile MK3 fiesta with a fettled 2.0 zetec). Either zetec or ST would be run on throttle bodies, cams etc. I just don't know if I could live without the barking carbs/TB's now. I would love to have a ride in a BEC to see if it floats my boat.

I could always sell my engine/running gear to fund some/most of it as it seems a fairly decent spec, it's running an omex ecu and ford DIS coilpack so the money has been spent in the right places.

It seems moving from bikes to kit cars is a fairly common route by the sounds of it.

Thanks for the input guys.

quote:

---

Originally posted by AdamirishIt seems moving from bikes to kit cars is a fairly common route by the sounds of it.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by big_wasa

quote:

---

Originally posted by AdamirishIt seems moving from bikes to kit cars is a fairly common route by the sounds of it.

---

Yeh somthing along the lines of needing a licence for work and needing work to pay the mortgage . And the toys

---

Nice tyo see any keen owner..

As you already know the ins n outs of zetecs and as its already on the road chuck a 2.0l zetec in, some cams a bit of head polishing and a set of bike carbs, then enjoy the howl...

My st170 with zx9r carbs really howled when the vvt switched the cam!

Steve

A bit of an update, I thought I might as well keep everything in the same place.

I have decided to keep the little Xflow for the time being. I have finally got round to sorting the oil leak but might have got a bit carried away!

Rear crank seal was leaking so pulled the engine out. Drained the oil and pulled off the sump. Nice to see the whole rotating assembly has been balanced. Clutch(ap racing), flywheel(very light), crank, pistons and rods have all been balanced.

It has accralite pistons fitted on standard? Rods. Head has been well worked. Port matched inlet manifold, inlets been ported and polished.

As the sump was off I thought I might as well take the head off as well so I can change the valve stem seals. I don't have a compressor so can't do it that way. I'm guessing it has big valves as I don't think you could squeeze anything bigger in there! 41mm inlets. The cam I am still unsure of at the moment. There are no markings at all on it to say what it is. I have measured valve lift at 11mm but can't find any cam the same. I have found monsters with more and other fast road cams with less. It does have the duplex timing gear and vernier pulley though which is a plus.

I'm happy to report that there are no issues at all and it's a cracking little motor internally. It's been very well cared for in the past so I am doing my best to keep it that way.

I will put in a big order with burton power tomorrow and order everything I need for the rebuild.

Anyway, everyone loves pics!


















I also had a visit from a friend who used to race Xflow engined cars and he has found some spare bits for me. He may be along on here soon as he has just bought a clan crusader race car. I have pointed him in this direction. If any of you know of a straight cut box for a hillman imp then please let me know.

I feel I should point out that your roll bar has no bracing, so would just collapse if you ended up upside-down. That would be a pain in the neck!

I'll have to try not to roll it then!

Nice work!

Can't believe a ex - biker is not dropping a bike engine in though
Remember those awesome revs of your bike,and slick 6 speed sequential gearbox with clutch less up changes?
Just imagine them in your MK..........

And a forklift truck is cheating,nobody likes a cheat!

Haha thanks mate.

Never say never on the bike engine front though... I just can't warrant the expense at the moment. Though in saying that, this is costing a fortune! you little tease!

Unfortunately I don't own an engine crane but work has a forklift and it's only across the road. It was rude not to!

Your no too far away from me,we'll have to have a drive out and I'll let you listen to my R1 revs as I pass you!!!!

That poor old x flow will soon be on EBAY

Haha it's a deal. I would like a ride in a bike engined car just too see for myself. Or I could "borrow" my bosses 280bhp BDG motor for the day!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Adamirish
Haha it's a deal. I would like a ride in a bike engined car just too see for myself. Or I could "borrow" my bosses 280bhp BDG motor for the day!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CosKev3

quote:

---

Originally posted by Adamirish
Haha it's a deal. I would like a ride in a bike engined car just too see for myself. Or I could "borrow" my bosses 280bhp BDG motor for the day!

---

What's it in,a Escort?

---

Wow

Watched a tarmac spec mk2 fitted with a Millington 2.5 engine running 340bhp with seq box blow everything away on a track day at oulton park in the summer.

quote:

---

Originally posted by CosKev3
Wow

Watched a tarmac spec mk2 fitted with a Millington 2.5 engine running 340bhp with seq box blow everything away on a track day at oulton park in the summer.

---