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Marea marea 20vt conversion

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Marea marea 20vt conversion

steve20vt

steve20vt

Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
224
Points
60
Location
North East Lincolnshire
Hi folks.
Just popped over from fccuk. My coupe is coming off the road towards the end of May for a year long full body resto.
In the mean time I needed a suitable car for towing the coupe to and from various places.

Plus I still need my 20 valve turbo fix.
Hence buying a Marea.
I wanted a weekend really but a 97 plate saloon popped up on eBay just down the road from me so I snapped it up.

It needs an mot come June but from what I can see it should fly through.
Then as I strip the coupe I'll be swapping all the good bits into the marea.

The marea is a 1600 16 valve, no abs etc

Steve
 
20140505_192147.jpg

20140505_192334.jpg


20140413_153313.jpg


soon two will become one. ...
 
I couldn't help try the coupe wheels on. Although the 205 50 tyres are a little big for the marea but they don't run anywhere.
The car will be dropped 35mm on custom coupe springs soI'll be dropping the profile to 45's

The original coupe engine is standard and quite high miles.
I've another bottom end that's been rebuilt ready to go in.
And I've also got some goodies to fit.


GT28RS
EVO fmic
440 injectors
3.8 bar fpr
3" five bolt downpipe
Walbro fuel pump
All new manifold / turbo studs and nuts.
All new turbo / manifold gaskets
New timing belt kit.

I can't wait to get stuck into the projects.
The coupe is going to be off the road for a year getting fully restored.
I'll be putting a year's test on the marea before I pull the stock engine out and begin the conversion.

I'm using the marea as a test mule for the engine befire it goes back in the coupe next year.
When the coupe is finished in not sure what will become of the marea. Maybe I'll just stick another standard 20VT engine in and sell it on.

I'll keep this thread updated as I go along.
 
I've been driving the marea around for a bit and now the tax v test have run out.
It needs front discs and pads
exhaust blowing
and there's slight play in the bottom arm rear bushes. But apart from that it looks good for a test.
I've been quoted £508 fully comp for a 360 bhp coupe engine / transmission / suspension conversion which I think isn't too bad. But my coupe only costs me £240 in Stock trim.

I'll still be playing with the coupe till the beginning of August and not planning the conversion till mid sept.
But I'll be prepping the engine and running gear and making up a special loom in that time.
 
Just sorted my insurance out for the coupe and the marea today, coupe insured till the marea is on the road hopefully august.
Then marea fully comp with engine swap plus mods running 350 ponies comes in at £504 for the year.
Well happy. That's with agreed value and salvage retention too :)

The marea will be fully legit on the v5 as a marea 2.0 20 valve turbo.

I'm open to suggestion on the colour as I'm sick of getting stick for it being "brown"
 
steve20vt said:
Just sorted my insurance out for the coupe and the marea today, coupe insured till the marea is on the road hopefully august.
Then marea fully comp with engine swap plus mods running 350 ponies comes in at £504 for the year.
Well happy. That's with agreed value and salvage retention too :)

The marea will be fully legit on the v5 as a marea 2.0 20 valve turbo.

I'm open to suggestion on the colour as I'm sick of getting stick for it being "brown"
Click to expand...


White :D black Wheels
 
Things have been quiet on the marea front recently. I'm slowly cleaning up a coupe engine loom, and been sorting my garages out.
The mrs starting a new business and needing loads of stuff doing at the new premises has taken most of my weekends up but it's a means to an end so I'm happy to help out.

A woman reversed into my coupe last week in the car park outside my unit. I was not best pleased. Minimal damage to the o/s rear quarter above the each and her insurance has settled with me by cheque for £330 so alls not lost.

I've been (trying) getting the marea ready for an mot in standard spec before I do the conversion as I wanted to use it to go on holiday with in sept, but time and money have all but run out till after the holiday.
I noticed it had a sticky front near side brake which caused a judder. While replacing the discs and pads I found the sliders free, so assumed the caliper was duff. It's only done 48k miles so what did I expect lol.
As predicted the piston refused to push back but I could turn it. So the hose must be duff, cracked off the bleed nipple and the piston would then push back with ease, the fluid that shot out the nipple was black.
Ordered a pair of hoses and when they turned up, fitted and bled the system. All good again.
I also replaced the near side rear lamp unit with one on eBay for nine quid delivered. I need an off side one too but I begrudge paying thirty quid! It's only the outer clear lense that's holed but looks crap.

I'll still mot it and run it stock for a while so I can strip the coupe, clean up the parts and get another engine built up.
Holiday in three weeks then get stuck into the coupe / marea projects
 
I got the marea tested on sat morning. Straight through no advisories so that's a blessing!
I did have to fork out 30 quid for a drivers side rear lamp unit though, which turned out to be a tinted version. Had to buy some tint spray to make the other one match, but all is well now.
This car is absolutely mint underneath, the exterior is a tad shoddy though. Dents and painted over marks and scratches abound.
One of the rear door handles looks to be disintegrating which is odd.

The coupe is now tucked up in the workshop waiting to be relieved of it's running gear, which will then be overhauled and generally tarted up.
The marea bodywork will be brought up to a decent standard before it gets plastidipped and then the rebuilt 20 valve turbo engine can take pride of place with some nice go faster bits.

I'm aiming for 320bhp
 
Small update on this, slow moving project but still happening. Gathering engine rebuilding parts, plus all new coupe dampers, strut tops and bushes etc.
also refurbish the brembo calipers.

Got to get the punto motd then I can get the marea next to the coupe and strip the front off it and start swapping brackets, wiring and all that guff over.

Like I said slow progress as money is tight but things are going on in the background.
 
I was a bit worried I wouldn't be able to fit the coupe and the marea in the same garage.
IMG-20150208-WA0006.jpeg


It's a tight fit but there's room for both.

IMG-20150208-WA0004.jpeg


Next job is to get the Mrs punto through its test so I can use that while I get the marea done.
Lack of funds hasn't been helping, the daughter has just passed her test so I've had to use my marea fund to get her a car :(
I'm hoping things will change at work too, so I'll be working four on four off which will give me the precious time I need to get things done quicker!
 
I am looking forward to updates on both cars, (y)

I know with the Bravo side of life the rear lights where not tinted from 1995-1997 and tinted from 1998-2001. The tinted version superseded the non so if you preferr the non-tinted ones it is hard to find them, might be the same with Mareas?
 
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