Engine Conversion & Insurance Question

[Martin_172]

right was talking to a mate about doing an engine conversion (in the future not now!) and about the insurance.

was talking about eather buying a 1.6 16v clio and tuning that or putting a 1.6 16v in mine, now with the money ive spent on my car (interior, wheels, suspension etc) i would never get all that back when i sold it and only some of the parts i could use on a new car.

now insurance is the next thing, obviously it would be cheaper to insure a 1.6 16v clio than it would be to insure a 1.2 16v clio with a 1.6 16v conversion. BUT.. is it possible to contact the DVLA and get my cars log book changed to a clio 1.6 16v so when getting insurance i dont need to say anything about the engine because its down as a 1.6 16v?

Lastly i dont want this thread to turn into the usual dont convert it to a 1.6 if your doing it get a 2.0 or buy a MK1 172 instead, i like my car so dont want to change it and after seeing my mate get a 1.6 8v nova gte to 175bhp N/A im quite interested in tuning a 1.6 16v

cheers

 

[edde]

Easy to change the log book just fill in your V5 with the new engine details send it off and they'll amend there records.
You'll have to tell insurance companies though as your cars original spec was a 1.2 not a 1.6 there no way round this.
Tunning the 1.6 isn't cheap but there are bit out there.

 

[Martin_172]

ahh right so even although my car on the DVLA records will be a 1.6 i still have to pay more on the insurance than if i just bought a 1.6 clio?

 

[edde]

ahh right so even although my car on the DVLA records will be a 1.6 i still have to pay more on the insurance than if i just bought a 1.6 clio?

It depends all insurance companies are different. Some charge you a % increase based on % increase in power so 75 to 110 is 47% increase so 47% more premium. Others charge a fixed rate. You need to check only the specialist companies usualy insure this type of modification.

 

[Martin_172]

ahh right i see plus at 18yr old the specialist companies wouldn't touch me likely.

still having a think here, im not arguing with you just wondering, if my logbook says my car is a 1.6 and i go to a specialist insurance company surely if they look up my car will it not show as a 1.6? (i assume they use the DVLA database?) or does the logbook show that you have changed the details?

 

[edde]

ahh right i see plus at 18yr old the specialist companies wouldn't touch me likely.

still having a think here, im not arguing with you just wondering, if my logbook says my car is a 1.6 and i go to a specialist insurance company surely if they look up my car will it not show as a 1.6? (i assume they use the DVLA database?) or does the logbook show that you have changed the details?

You maybe surpised give a load of them a call depending on your milage you may find you can insure it as a rally/race car very cheap.

The insurance company details are inputted from new you canot update them. The only reason the DVLA need to know is for froad tax and for your log book to be correct.

 

[Martin_172]

ahh right i see and when you say i can insure it as a rally/race car i can still use this as a normal road car?

thanks very much for all your help btw

 

[bmh.01]

I've managed to insure a 1.6 16v at 18 without any major hassle or expense (well £1k, not bad on the grand scale of things) so I can't see why you can't.
As long as you find an insurer that doesn't mind hybrids you'll be fine I would have thought.

Will be interested to see whats possible with the K4M lump if you go ahead with it.

 

[edde]

ahh right i see and when you say i can insure it as a rally/race car i can still use this as a normal road car?

thanks very much for all your help btw

Well sort of yes, a rally car will usiny be rally spec ie suspension cage etc and do very low milage if you ring and say you do 12k a year with no cage etc they may charge a bit you'd have to ring round.

 

[Martin_172]

Will be interested to see whats possible with the K4M lump if you go ahead with it.

yeah should be, i really do want to go ahead with it as a little project would probably build the engine while the 1.2 was still in the car so i dont have to go without a car for too long.

looked into turbo charging but would likely cost to much to get it reliable.

so would probably be looking at lightened & balanced crank, lightened & balanced conrods & pistons, lightened & balanced flywheel, cams, ported and polished head, full stainless steel exhaust with decat and stainless steel tubular manifold and what ever needs done with the engine management (i dont know much about that) Throttle bodys would be nice but again costs mega bucks

 

[Serg]

the costs dont seem that bad now days. my m8 just got a quote for putting a valver engine in his 1.2 mk1 and they only wanted another £100

 

[edde]

so would probably be looking at lightened & balanced crank, lightened & balanced conrods & pistons, lightened & balanced flywheel, cams, ported and polished head, full stainless steel exhaust with decat and stainless steel tubular manifold and what ever needs done with the engine management (i dont know much about that) Throttle bodys would be nice but again costs mega bucks

You can just get the stock ECU remapped so long as the cams arn't to mad.
If your going to stand alone ECU might as well get the throttle bodies as well.
Drop BenR a message the 1.6 engine is a miniture 172 engine I'm sure the manifold could be worked for good gains maybe not the same as throttle bodies as cheaply but you could keep the stock ECU with a remap ie £350 verses £600 or so for a stand alone £350 for mapping and whatever for instalation.