To be Rocket builder with a few questions

[mrbrightsi]

Hey guys,

I went to RTR today, will go about looking round the mev ltd in mansfield, glad im quite local to these places.

Had a test ride in a sonic and was blown away. I do want to go the rocket/sonic route with transverse mid engine rwd layout kind of thing.

My silly twist to make things difficult is that i'll be using a clio williams f7r 2.0 lump from my donor car. Unfortunately this went from weekend car to donor thanks to that lovely thing called rust.

My key questions right now however are:

Is the MEV Ltd and RTR linked in any way? Is it possible for me to get work done on my rocket at the mansfield side of things as its a little bit closer and easier to trailer things about.

The clio is a shaft operated gear select with a cable operated clutch. Having seen that focus mt75 boxes are hydraulic are there are ways around this? I know theres fitting of aftermarket slave cylinders and pedalboxes with a cable operation, but with everything changing sides surely the operation would now be reversed?

Any input would be wonderful.

Thanks.

[Paul (madeye)]

the guys who just bought mabbs rocket are selling a new kit for a fraction of the price. a little research could save you a couple of k's

[Deleted]

Sept 29, 2012 15:22:40 GMT mrbrightsi said:

Hey guys,

I went to RTR today, will go about looking round the mev ltd in mansfield, glad im quite local to these places.

Had a test ride in a sonic and was blown away. I do want to go the rocket/sonic route with transverse mid engine rwd layout kind of thing.

My silly twist to make things difficult is that i'll be using a clio williams f7r 2.0 lump from my donor car. Unfortunately this went from weekend car to donor thanks to that lovely thing called rust.

My key questions right now however are:

Is the MEV Ltd and RTR linked in any way? Is it possible for me to get work done on my rocket at the mansfield side of things as its a little bit closer and easier to trailer things about.

The clio is a shaft operated gear select with a cable operated clutch. Having seen that focus mt75 boxes are hydraulic are there are ways around this? I know theres fitting of aftermarket slave cylinders and pedalboxes with a cable operation, but with everything changing sides surely the operation would now be reversed?

Any input would be wonderful.

Thanks.

Convert to hydraulic clutch as done in Mk2 escorts etc with slave cylinder conversions, and as for the gearchange, you can get creative with cables in a push/pull format, Ive even seen this done with rods or alternatively, im working on an MTX75/IB5 tiptronic conversion. The cables will be simpler, but it can be done with electrics/pneumatics.

I worked on clio williams 2.0 years back, very good powerplant. I bet the front wings are still in tact

[Paul (madeye)]

i have an mtx75 box available very cheap

[mrbrightsi]

The engine is wonderful thus not wanting to get rid of it and utilise it in something that doesnt rust to death. Yes the lovely plastic front wings are still alive and well, wish the entire car was plastic to be fair.

I've been trying to read about slave cylinder conversions, but im sure there'll be a way to get aroiund it, can only really investigate how its done when the engine is out and i can mock somehting up. I've seen a mtx75 box with a renault bellhousing on it. Cost about 500 quid. I wish i had that kind of money to throw about, but with having to convert to omex and maybe a single thorttlebody and plenum, the build price will be too much to go adding different gearboxes.

[Deleted]

You could use the engine, fab the mounts. What other Renaults use hydraulic clutches, and cable change? Then check compatability between the Williams engine.

I reckon a Meganne or newer Clio 172 box may be worth a shot. Ford use the same pattern from mk1 escorts to the present day in most vehicles. I can't see why there would be a difference in Renault as the Williams was a 2000cc stock block, with worked head ( I'm not a Renault expert lol, maybe wrong )

The driveshafts will be a problem, and have to be a hybrid shaft joined by a specialist.

[welshy1]

Hi welcome to the forum i have commented on your thread over on pistonheads ive no experience on the rocket (building a exocet instead) but for the gearbox im pretty sure the mk2 clios uses hydraulic clutches if would of thought the box would be able to fit the williams engine but can't say for sure.

[mrbrightsi]

Ive done a little reading and by the looks of it a push slave cylinder from the likes of rallydesign is feasable, with only a problem of finding a place to mount it.

The key problem is that this is a rod type gear selector, instead of having a cable like the mtx75, this has a couple of ball jointed rods going to the gearbox.

My key concern that this kind of setup will not work in the kit.