Phoenix Estate Vvc K-Series Diy Subframe Conversion

3 minute(s) of a 66 minute read

Phoenix Estate Vvc K-Series Diy Subframe Conversion 

Compliments of Alburglar @ http://www.theminiforum.co.uk

7-8-2013

I should be working on my Zcars Minus, but I got fed up of boring eurobox daily drivers and vvc metros that aren't worth any more money when they're finished (even if they are 185bhp!). So when I got an offer I couldn't refuse on the latest VVC metro, I sold it and bought...

...a ropey (but registered!) Phoenix Estate. For those who don't know, a Phoenix Estate is a fibreglass Clubman Estate style shell, with an ugly Robin Rialto/Reliant hatchback and rear lights (the trailer lights in this pic a no longer in it)... Ford p100 sierra pickup lights are the same too, 1987 to 93.

...which I will sort out buy making and grafting on a grp clubman estate rear valance and shaving off the square box section at the bottom of the hatch door. I may possible add mini rear lights too.

I am going to try and do a 'quick' Watson's style DIY conversion to an MGF subframe, because I already have two along with LSD pg1 gearboxes, driveshafts etc.
Just gathering some more parts, but work should start soon.
...the shell really is ropey tho. The paint is peeling off the door steps and other places where they weren't sanded at all. Crazing in the gel coat had been fillered over and not sorted properly so that's falling off in clumps too! Gonna need a lot of sanding and repair...

I can't claim credit for the Gta. The last owner put that one together, but it needed a clutch or rather a pg1 conversion to get a bigger clutch on it, a custom exhaust, an uprated FPR then z&f remap, welding in an inner wing, welding to door steps, a rear quarter repair and the gti trim rub strips and skirts all fit terrible.
It would have been a wicked car once it's all done but that's a lot of money on a car that will only ever be worth £1500. The lad who built it, loved it and wanted it back so I sold it back to him, which was nice.

This is the phoenix from the field. It was on ebay for £1500, then £1300. I paid a lot less in the end. It really is in quite a sorry state. The rear end pic is from years ago just after it got sprayed. It is far worse now, two layers of paint (orange and blue under it) need to be sanded off along with all the filler, in order to get to the gelcoat. Then sort the crazing out. It needs the grp equivalent of a bare metal respray. Ill post some pics up.