You have done right to be calm and confront them, you could of ended up in hospital and lost your car. Bit of a long shot but we need to lookout for these fuckers, did you get any of the astra reg plate?
I have just sold a car I had, it was on my drive with no insurance and no tax, got a local car garage to sell it for me picked it up for me, 10% charge on the sale of the car:-) saves all the hassle.
I have seen 1 or 2 minis with 4efte engine conversion but not a metro, it should fit in much better than a mini, no room for a front mount intercooler with a mini.
Have you been to Manchester minis in your metro at all? I use to go there, use to be a good club but from what I have heard not many go now. I have a mate in Manchester with a mini clubman GT, you might of seen it out & about.
I have heard one or two people say direnza springs are crap on a starlet, thats probably why they are cheap, send them back get apex one's £100 very good.
I would go for reliability over bhp, I might be wrong but that looks like it needs some TLC £1900 no more for that and you will be chucking money at it, if you have got £2700 it's probs best if you can save up a little more Say around £3500 and go for a much nicer one:-)
Red best, it's just a shame they suffer paint fade so bad. Black second for me but not good if scratched, blue not a fan at all with that colour, silver and the white one's not the best colours but look cleanest.