Mg maestro turbo

[F189JCATURBO]

I'm just searching for it now. Sounds like just the ticket to pass my 4 hour flight tomorrow

 

[F189JCATURBO]

Just back from hols hoping to start a bit more this coming weekend.

Got passenger side inner sill to do any advice from some experienced? ???

Book was worth a read too passed on many an hour ,)

 

[Rocketman]

Well worth a resto these are.

The original problem with them was reliability and handling (not as sweet as other hot hatch's). Personally I would stay stock engine wise but it's up to you. Still all that being said these turbo versions certainly have a good future in the classic market and are an interesting car.

Nice work so far BTW.

 

[F189JCATURBO]

The handling isn't so bad. There are quite a few decent suspension kits around and ploy bush kits
The worse part was braking the brakes were no better than basic models and still kept drums on the back, not exactly confidence inspiring under heavy braking.

Hopefully be some updates this weekend when chopped both archs out

Andy

 

[Wallace]

Not sure how you are going about this job but make sue you cover any glass to protect from weld splatter and grinding sparks.

 

[blenkie1]

Handling on these cars were more a problem because of the sheer torque of the motor. EFi models were bad enough. We sold loads of EFi's and a few Montego Turbos and reliability was never a problem with them even the electronics and fuel injection system were reliable. The 1.6 S series now that was a different matter. Remember these engines were based on ones fitted to late Marinas.

Look forward to the updates

 

[F189JCATURBO]

At the moment it's sat minus glass. Doors and bonnet no tailgate or bumper and front wings and top of slam panel unbolted and all interior apart from dash removed. I'm on the hunt for any speck of rust to remove so once it's in for a full spray it should last me a few years. On got 96k too.
Underneath apart from one sill and both inner arch is solid and rust free

Got many hours yet with a clean and strip disc ahead of me

andy

 

[XMWelder]

Nice to see a Maestro on here. I'm currently hunting down panels for a 1992 Rover 216 GTi (3 door) as arches are now breaking through plus rear o/s quarter has rippled where previous dent was pushed out. May have to go down the fabrication route as Rimmers only sell nearside quarters on backorder. Have driven both EFi and turbo Maestros and Montegos and apart from being fun to drive and rapid, they also had epic torque steer.

 

[carfix]

It's a small world!!

I also have a MG Maestro Turbo in a very similar condition to yours.

It has taken a quite a few years to source the many panels that need to be replaced.

I have been putting off the welding for years but I now have a decent welder (Portamig) so I have no excuses.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

I remember a mate having one, the disembidied voice saying "the oil is low" "the door is open" etc and him driving down the road arguing with it.

 

[ross_m]

Great to see another one being saved! My Dad owns #146 and has owned it since 1990 when it was a year old. I rally one although not a turbo. Braking can be improved by various aftermarket kits. I have fitted mgtf AP Racing 4 pots on the front with 300mm discs, proper pads and they are excellent. Im yet to try the car with zr rear calipers and discs. As for handling torque steer has always been a talking point with turbos. With some proper suspension these cars handle very well.

Good luck with the project. If you havent already you should sign up on the maestro owners club.

I can also supply brand new rear arches and outer sills if your interested.

cheers
Ross

 

[ibrooks]

I learnt to drive in a 1.3 Clubman. Dad had a diesel 2.0 DLX for a few years and before that an MG Montego. He worked for British Aerospace and so got the employee discount which at the time my mum got the Clubman was 27.5% as opposed to 11% on a Metro so the Maestro was cheaper.

As hot hatches they equalled everything else available at the time but had the wrong badge.

And those bemoaning the torque steer..... have you ever driven an XR3i or RS Turbo? the XR3i would fight you and an RS Turbo would drag you all over the road. It's just a fact of life when you try to put some torque through the front wheels. Ford came up against it again with the Focus RS and had the same results despite some sort of trick differential. Most other modern cars aren't as bad because "modern" multi-valve engines don't have the same sort of low-down grunt that these things had - the few that do also tend to have some sort of limiting devices in there that prevent the engines from making all they can until the thing is on the move.

I was always under the impression that the Rover 25 was pretty much just a Maestro with a different skin.

I've still got a brand new pair of Rover 25 rear calipers plus a good second hand set of hubs and the handbrake cables sat in a box. They never found their way onto my MG ZR before the gearbox let go (turbo diesel plus big wide tyres and lots of grip is too much for even the PG1 gearbox after 80k miles).

Iain

 

[Robotstar5]

I was always under the impression that the Rover 25 was pretty much just a Maestro with a different skin.

Montego/Maestro were built at Cowley, 25/45 were an update on the 200/400 range which was designed in collaboration with Honda. The Honda version (Concerto?) had a few differences and went down the same tracks.
Memory's a bit rusty but I think the Rovers were coded R8 and Hondas YY so the machines could differentiate between the different models.

 

[octo0072000]

I learnt to drive in a 1.3 Clubman. Dad had a diesel 2.0 DLX for a few years and before that an MG Montego. He worked for British Aerospace and so got the employee discount which at the time my mum got the Clubman was 27.5% as opposed to 11% on a Metro so the Maestro was cheaper.

As hot hatches they equalled everything else available at the time but had the wrong badge.

And those bemoaning the torque steer..... have you ever driven an XR3i or RS Turbo? the XR3i would fight you and an RS Turbo would drag you all over the road. It's just a fact of life when you try to put some torque through the front wheels. Ford came up against it again with the Focus RS and had the same results despite some sort of trick differential. Most other modern cars aren't as bad because "modern" multi-valve engines don't have the same sort of low-down grunt that these things had - the few that do also tend to have some sort of limiting devices in there that prevent the engines from making all they can until the thing is on the move.

I was always under the impression that the Rover 25 was pretty much just a Maestro with a different skin.

I've still got a brand new pair of Rover 25 rear calipers plus a good second hand set of hubs and the handbrake cables sat in a box. They never found their way onto my MG ZR before the gearbox let go (turbo diesel plus big wide tyres and lots of grip is too much for even the PG1 gearbox after 80k miles).

Iain

Iain if you want another i have a quick rover 45 TD conniesser going up for sale shortly pm if interested

 

[macca666]

Take it you guys have been here

http://www.maestro.org.uk/forums/index.php

I actually joined this forum having been recommended here after buying no. 108.

Its good to see the BL brigade in force

 

[ibrooks]

Montego/Maestro were built at Cowley, 25/45 were an update on the 200/400 range which was designed in collaboration with Honda. The Honda version (Concerto?) had a few differences and went down the same tracks.
Memory's a bit rusty but I think the Rovers were coded R8 and Hondas YY so the machines could differentiate between the different models.

Not sure I'd believe all of that. The 45 was clearly a Honda Civic and mine was a far better built car than my MGZR - the fit and finish was a different league considering they were the same age (and the ZR never reached the mileage of the 45 with me). I also know the original Rover 200 was a Honda Concerto - I had a couple of those too (petrol and diesel). From what I did on the ZR it seemed to share far more parts with the Maestro than with the previous Rover 200 or 45. But by then it was a long time since I'd been under a Maestro.

I'm not looking for a car at the moment so the 45 isn't of interest to me but if I was I'd seriously consider it - I'd recommend a 45 diesel to anyone.

It's not that long ago I sold a pair of Ridgard seats from Maestro race cars. They were a bucket seat covered in the same material as the MG's of the time. One went to go into a racer and the second went to a guy building a Mini which had MG Metro seats (same fabric). They were ever-so-slightly mis-matched (badges different sizes and different colour piping) so I'm guessing came from different seasons.

Iain

 

[Robotstar5]

The 45 was clearly a Honda Civic and mine was a far better built car than my MGZR - the fit and finish was a different league considering they were the same age

The 200 was re-designed (project Jewel?) to become the 25/MGZR and the 400 became the 45/MGZS, all were built down the same tracks at Longbridge to the same standards, which were much higher after the Honda collaboration.

 

[Soulcharger]

Right picked this up a whole ago been stood over 12 years but seeing as they getting quite rare now thought it's defo worth sorting. Started stripping her down and was expecting the worse but it actually not bad Rear valance and boot floor gone So all cut out new stiffeners welding in new boot floor and new valance panel made and welded in Boot now save to sit in without flexing Inside panel made and welded in just needs holes drilling and rear bumper mounts taking into square cutout Next jobs both rear archs and passenger sill Archs are easy to do but anyone got any advice with the sill?? Bit dubious about getting stuck in with the grinder

Andy

Andy, how did this end ? Did you manage to finish and respray ? Looks like a huge weld-a-thon....................

 

[cliff366]

Nice car my brother in law had a turbo in black my mum had a white mg as above they used to haul along and also had the talking dash lol

 

[TechnicAl]

I had a MG Montego Turbo.........it was too powerful......set off with too many revs and it would bounce along and the steering just didnt work. Once you got used to it you could set off smoothly but any lapse and it started bouncing