My MG ZS 1.8 VVC Conversion.

[Mathew_ZS]

Hi, im new to this forum and thought i would share a few pictures of my ZS with you all, it has a 160vvc conversion and goes pretty well, any feedback welcomed, any questions then fire away, thanks.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/530368_513985128619818_501105207_n_zps6d3383de.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/484918_187912164679268_2052782081_n_zpse65846a6.jp g

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/374448_187911764679308_450391514_n_zps7d599dd8.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/305612_187912001345951_900820302_n_zps13d0f50f.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/32337_187912211345930_665326207_n_zps2bc9fd2e.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/535372_187912108012607_975846133_n_zps20e8e9cd.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/550235_185464088257409_2017061853_n_zpsa426eb91.jp g

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/556941_513984121953252_23172630_n_zps40a34943.jpg

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg537/Mathew_ZR/599542_185464674924017_1407176932_n_zps9b269bb5.jp g

[petet16]

I like it, quicker than a 180 would you say?

[Mathew_ZS]

I like it, quicker than a 180 would you say?

Thanks mate, i don't really know in all fairness, never raced one or even driven one for that matter, would be interesting to see how it faired up against one.

[grimmy]

Hello and welcome to the site, nice looking car in the best colour, a wee shame its the hatch but hey ho lol.had a go of a vvc zs belonging to another member on here and it does go very well.whereabouts are you we seem to have members scattered everywhere so most likely someone will be near you.got any other plans for it?

[Mathew_ZS]

Hello and welcome to the site, nice looking car in the best colour, a wee shame its the hatch but hey ho lol.had a go of a vvc zs belonging to another member on here and it does go very well.whereabouts are you we seem to have members scattered everywhere so most likely someone will be near you.got any other plans for it?

Thanks for the welcome, ayee nothing wrong with the hatch lol, im from Birmingham..no doubt theres some ZS owners this way too..

As for future plans im hoping for a custom manifold, full exhaust with dual exits and maybe a 270 piper exhaust cam and Z&F Remap.

[grimmy]

Thanks for the welcome, ayee nothing wrong with the hatch lol, im from Birmingham..no doubt theres some ZS owners this way too..

As for future plans im hoping for a custom manifold, full exhaust with dual exits and maybe a 270 piper exhaust cam and Z&F Remap.

Will be interesting to see what it does with all that lot it will deffo be quicker than a 180 then,and having driven the vvc and my own 180 I would say there isn't a hell of a lot in Pete.very different power delivery but damn quick.

[petet16]

I'm thinking that the lighter vvc would offset the extra bhp of a v6.

[stamford]

Very nice Mathew. :hi: to the site.

[ian zs180]

very nice mate and welcome to the forum . Dont think there would be that much in yours and a 180 . I had a little play with a 160 zr a year or so back now and to be fair not much in it at all dont know if the 160 was standard but my 180 is

[talkingcars]

Nice looking car.

The V6 has more torque so will pull better at higher speeds but the VVC will be more nimble at lower speeds, just as the ZR is.

[welshone]

The vvc is missing one big thing. The V6 soundtrack ;)

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Heya Mathew & welcome to the site, nice ZS in the best colour with best engine.
Pretty much like mine.

[Smokey]

Welcome mate, Marcus seems to have the saloon version of yours... so he wins lol!

Seriously though, lovely looking car and am sure it goes well too

[littlened]

Why didn't they offer the vvc in the zs?

[petet16]

Too close in performance to the flagship V6 I would say

[Supercharged_Z]

They built some in the last few months of production

[CheshireDaveZS]

What exhaust is on it?

[Lukeus101]

Looks like a piper mate to me

[Mathew_ZS]

Sorry for the late reply, yeah Luke is correct, Piper s/s backbox.

sounds pretty good in all fairness / youtube link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtGuJQr4Ztg

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Mathew did you use the ECU,BCU from a MK1 or MK2 ZR ?
Reason I ask is mine has the MK1 at the moment and Ive had to addapt the Hazard lights switch to work and my fogs dont stay on unless finger is kept on button so just wondered if you used MK2 would that resolve these things ?
Also boot release has to be done from inside car as fob button on MK1 doesnt have this function. little probs but I would like to sort them.

[Mathew_ZS]

Mathew did you use the ECU,BCU from a MK1 or MK2 ZR ?
Reason I ask is mine has the MK1 at the moment and Ive had to addapt the Hazard lights switch to work and my fogs dont stay on unless finger is kept on button so just wondered if you used MK2 would that resolve these things ?
Also boot release has to be done from inside car as fob button on MK1 doesnt have this function. little probs but I would like to sort them.

Mine is all mk2 equipment mate, everything works as it should too.

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Cheers, will look to change these early in New year then.

[Mathew_ZS]

Cheers, will look to change these early in New year then.

How come you opted to use mk1 equipment if you dont mind me asking?

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Engine and all the gubbins came from a MK1 ZR Express, it was too good an offer to pass up at the time, had the 1.6 engine in it first with Fast road cams,Z&F remap induction and other mods and I thougfht it went quite well - Untill the 160 was put in
and now it's a great balance of lightweight engine with a good bit of get up and go.

[Mathew_ZS]

Engine and all the gubbins came from a MK1 ZR Express, it was too good an offer to pass up at the time, had the 1.6 engine in it first with Fast road cams,Z&F remap induction and other mods and I thougfht it went quite well - Untill the 160 was put in
and now it's a great balance of lightweight engine with a good bit of get up and go.

Fair enough, cant complain if the price was right.

I'm loving the 160 power in the ZS, can't wait to start the power mods next year.

[BUCKYDEVIL]

Fair enough, cant complain if the price was right.

I'm loving the 160 power in the ZS, can't wait to start the power mods next year.

Will be keeping an interest in your progress Mathew..

[Mathew_ZS]

Will be keeping an interest in your progress Mathew..

I'll also be keeping my eyes open for any progress/updates on yours :)

[Dan1971]

Welcome ....

So what are the actual costs for these engine changes then ?

[talkingcars]

Welcome ....

So what are the actual costs for these engine changes then ?

LOL - ;) - you thinking what I'm thinking?

[pheelay]

Welcome ....

So what are the actual costs for these engine changes then ?


I'm thinking the same :) ZS105 feels a bit gutless. VVC transplant might be an amusing project for next year

[Rikki55]

Awesome! :D

[skyblueads]

Lovely, lovely car. Welcome to the forum. Ace colour. I'd be very proud to have that on my driveway!

[Skillen]

I'm thinking that the lighter vvc would offset the extra bhp of a v6.

I worked out power to weight ratios of 160ZR and the 180ZS and they the ZR was down by 1bhp per tonne, so think the zs160 would be down by 20?
Dunno if its enough to notice though.
The torque to weight will be down though
Nice conversion though. And won't be many around either!
And the XPG is nice!

[MG mad]

I like the idea of a VVC ZS, have been thinking about building one but have a few too many projects at the moment. Probably with a turbo bolted on, a cage bolted in to go racing in our MG series in Auckland.


I worked out power to weight ratios of 160ZR and the 180ZS and they the ZR was down by 1bhp per tonne, so think the zs160 would be down by 20?
Dunno if its enough to notice though.
The torque to weight will be down though
Nice conversion though. And won't be many around either!
And the XPG is nice!

Indeed, ZR160 (137.1 hp/tonne) and ZS180 (137.7 ) very similar power to weight, but the big difference is in torque to weight, where the 180 easily wins (186.8 N.m/tonne, compared to 152.0 for the ZR160). Both have similar gearing and identical tyre sizes (from the factory), the biggest difference is that the ZR requires a 4.2:1 FD to end up with a similar 0-60 time as a ZS180, which does so with a 3.94:1 FD. The ZS's in-gear acceleration is quite a bit better.

These would drop to about 128.2 hp/tonne and 142.0 N.m/tonne for a ZS160. All this suggests to me that you may get close to the 180's power to weight with a few bolt on mods to the VVC ZS, but you won't get close to the torque to weight without some serious modifications.

However, it is a great way of getting 80% of the performance benefit of a 180 out of a 120, without the former's thirst. It is a shame MGR didn't do one from the factory, a ZS 160 to go with a ZS190 would've been a much more complete range, just needed the 2.9 KV6 that was underdevelopment to complete the lineup.

[Mathew_ZS]

Lovely, lovely car. Welcome to the forum. Ace colour. I'd be very proud to have that on my driveway!

Thanks mate, tis a cracking motor.

Might be going shortly though if all goes well.

[talkingcars]

I like it, quicker than a 180 would you say?

I'd be suprised unless it's tuned, once rolling my ZS180 is close to my T16 maestro and considerably quicker than Mrs TC's ZR160 VVC on a straight drag.

[ZS120Driver]

Hi, I also just joined this site and have just finished (yesterday) fitting the vvc head to my ZS, also I live in Birmingham. Small world hey :P Really clean looking motor you got there, nice neat conversion too, all done yourself? Looks like you've had it on a rolling road by the pics, would you mind posting the graphs? Mine's blue with a few white stripes, must admit they do look rather fetching in XPG though!!