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I'm loving this build!
So much better than the Hyabusa engine.
That is done to death. How much hp does one need to have a fun car to drive?
The Honda ST 1300 heads in the rendering look so neat.
Keep us up to date with pictures please!

Now I am looking for an ST 1300 engine too.
My wife isn't pleased but she knows I love my projects...
And I agreed to replace our 'fridge with a bottom freezer unit, just 'cause she wants one.

Can you even turn the front wheels?

Ahh. Another Metro builder. Very cool. I'm building one too. If you need any Metro parts, let me know. I may have it, although my car was pretty stripped and rough. You should check out my MetroBusa build log. I'm not as far along as you though.

Greg

Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. Same back to all of you. Ain't this " I'm gonna build what I want" thing the greatest?

I'm really liking the MetroBusa, too. I almost went that kind of direction but fell for the ST motor. It makes about 110 hp and weighs right about 200 lbs. Nothing like a superbike engine but that's not what my project is about.

So, let's get to it, shall we? The body for my wife's car is off being dipped and I wanted to start working on the composite body for the ST project. I figured I'd start with the doors.
One of the cool/nice things about the Metro is the doors are symmetrical. That's all goodness since I can get away with making one mold and using it for both doors.

First, I need to make a 'plug', that is, a version of the part I want to make. Then I make a mold off of that, then I can start making parts. Here's what I started with...

The door I'm using is off my '54 and has no holes for the stainless trim so less for me to patch. I'll fill in all the holes (hinges and latch mounts, etc.) so my composite door can be fit to either side. Also, as I'm planning a roadster and won't run windows, I'll also need to close the gap where the window would otherwise roll up. And in keeping with the "nothing is ever easy" truism, there is a trim piece that runs along the top inside of the door that I need to copy... but it isn't symmetrical!

So, first thing I'll do is make one that is. Since I need these trim pieces for my wife's car, I can't just hack & weld the ones I have - and the 54 only had one of them... So, I'll take a mold from the ends of each side of trim, make a fiberglass part of each one and graft them together to get my custom, symmetrical inner trim strip. Then, that'll be bonded to the door and I'll be able to fill the window opening.

Here are the two trim pieces ready to be used as plugs for the mold. You can see how the shape is different, end to end. I need the more roundy shape on both ends so I'll only take a mold of the roundy part of each left/right trim piece.

As for the rest of the body, I'm going to take a mold from the back half of mine and the front half of my wife's. Since her's is going to be all pretty and will require all the bodywork to be done, I may as well leverage that. But, I want to use the back of mine since it's an early car and has no trunk opening. Yes, they made these things without trunks that opened. Trunk openings were added in 1959. Since my plans call for tilt up front and back body sections, the lack of a trunk becomes a good thing since it'll be way easier to make and actually looks pretty neat.

But I do have a bit of body work ahead of me. No worries, though. I'm not going to "fix" this - all I need is to get it nice for making a mold. I'll likely rough in some backing and use a ton of filler to get the shape. The poor thing is so far gone that once the molds are done, it's likely to be cut up and sent to the scrap yard.

Here's what I'm starting with in terms of the back half.

Good question! Yes, and those low fender openings are why the stock hub-to-hub measurement is a whopping 46.5". I just have to live with a tiny car that doesn't have a tiny car turning radius.

Out of curiosity, what's offset of the drive shaft from centerline on that engine?

I haven't taken an exact measurement but a quick, rough check looks like just over 4".

Is that all? Thats less than the radius of most of clutch discs. So using a 2 section driveshaft if the first section is 14" then you need a ~20 degrees on the joints, doable for a cv joint. Super cool, that would not only fit inside of a metro tunnel it'll fit in a book chassis tunnel!

Have you guys seen this??? http://www.sugargrovecars.com/MetPG/met.htm

Wow!
That is one fine looking car
Beautifully finished...

Thanks for posting the link

I saw this one at a car show in Tunica, MS in 2009. Yes, that is a big block chevy.

Nicely done. I bet that is a handful with such a short wheelbase and no wheelie bars.

Look like 70's vette seats.

I'd rather see a miata driveline in that for everyday "gas is headed toward $4/gallon" use.

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind sharing a couple of basic dimensions on that Honda motor? I'm curious how tall it is compared to other BEC engine options. Thanks.