He didn't do any work on the Torana. (I know they stuck his name on them but he was not responsible for the car)

He did stick a few Climax engines into Vivas though.

But it would still need to be mated to a mini box, I'm not against that idea but why not just mate a modern engine (more advanced) to a mini box?
Here's one I prepared earlier

Looong term project Suzi 1.3L G13B single cam(so far) these engines when combined with the twin cam head, all std push 100bhp and the only item at the back of the engine is the oil filter.
I know it sounds hypercritical of me to criticise these Climax engines but if it has to be mated to a mini box why not use something that is readily available, more powerful and cheaper .

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

They have been fitted to Mini gearboxes over the years. It is about as easy as fitting a Ford motor. (except a Ford motor is easier to get.)

Hi,

Sorry to ask you guys silly questions really, but if you are fitting modern engine....
Why do you have to fit it onto Mini gearbox?

1) Mini gearbox was made for 35-76 Bhp(wih turbo) and 4 speeds.
2) Modern engine with 5 speed gearbox will make easier.....conversion!?
3) How expemsive is it to make Mini gearbox to take 100Bhp?

Just curious...

Cheers
Atchi

I'm not aware that anybody here in Oz lately has bothered fitting foreign engines onto a Mini box- as you say just throw the lot in instead, 5 speed and all. Toyota Starlet GT turbo is the weapon of choice lately, it fits in without the more radical body mods needed for a Honda VTEC. There are far more of these on the road here than VTECS due to our draconian registration rules. You guys in UK have got it easy.

Years ago in UK though it was popular to fit a Ford twincam, even BDA to a Mini box- Manx used to do a kit for it.

A well built 4 synchro Mini box can handle 180HP for a while, as long as you don't abuse it.... boostedmini got about 5 years road use out of his last Mini-K (4 synchro remote) box.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

There's a Morris Minor around Vic that has one of those CC engines.

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miniswift,
At the time there were very few other front wheel drive gearboxes availible and virtually none that would fit into a mini without the engine being setup north south and coming into the cabin space . Putting a different engine onto a mini box involved similar work then as to what a modern engine conversion does now so it was the early equivalent of it . Peersonally I would like to put a highly efficient modern engine on a mini gearbox as a tradeoff of keeping the original design ideals of the mini and it's advances but still having a more efficient multivalve engine . Now having seen the info on Mad Matts conversion kit using the BMW bike head (and the others availible in the UK) that's basically what I wanted but with even less engineering work required (no need to make an adapter to join the tail of the mini crank to the crank of the modern engine . It is all horses for courses and personal preference , there are some amazing power figures coming from the conversions but I like the balance and power availible from an A series without needing to go for double the power but would like to get the power more evenly across the rev range and have more long term reliability which would come from the motor working less to produce it .

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I have actually been thinking the opposite way. It is the gearbox in the Mini that is holding you back, the transfer gears cause a lot of drag and rob a fair bit of power.
How about an A-series with an end-on gearbox? (I wonder where I can find one of them :mrgeen: )

In yer shed, maaate...

OK so how much power do the transfer gears rob, really- and are straight cut ones much better? (apart from the bloody NOISE).

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

If the Cooper S is not allowed in the shed then there is no way the Monty is going in.

I don't know how much they rob. It would be a fair amount. I suppose it is really a question for a bloke with a dyno.
Need to take a dyno reading off the flywheel and then another reading off the gearbox. Then fit straight cuts and try again.

If the Montego was roadworthy I would bring it along to the dyno day (and leave it in the carpark at the end of the day)

Hi,

Any gearbox will take 20-25% off you power.
I think I heard Swift gearbox is one of efficient one and 17%.

I know about BDA engine on Mini gearbox.
I have read so many books about Minis when I came over to UK.
It was my English lesson due to me being a foreigner.... well Jap.

Any how, I know '60 and '70, most of the cars on the road was rwd.

I think using engine oil for a gearbox is hard work for any oil.
Also, if you modified Mini gearbox, you will be ending up tp pay $$$ before you know it.

Before I start tobuild my B13B Mini, I wanted to make 999cc with South African crank.
I had a big bore engine ready, crank ready, 970 cooper S con-rod.
I wanted to have KAD or Jack Knight 16v head....£3000 just for head.
I wanted to have 5 speed gearbox with Quaife LSD........£3000.

So, before I start, I asked my better half, this question.
I am building my dream Mini. You are not to stop me, but would like me to go and spend £7000 for engine and gearbox or £150 for Suzuki engine and gearbox?
I'm sure you can guess which was her answer.

Now, my build so far.
I bought '68 Mini for £600.
G13B enigne for £150.
mk1 Gti gearbox for £50.
Suzuki sports LSD£150.
Suzuki sports Group A camshafts £150.
Yamaha R1 carbs £50.
Cylinder mod £200.
lightened fly wheel £40.

So, over all, I have spent about £2000. I think I can't complain to be honest.

Cheers
Atchi

But with a Mini you are running a gearbox and the primary gears, they to not trasnfer the power without taking some power in the process.

A normal gearbox in top (direct) gear will only take a minimal amount of power to run. If you are in the lower gears the losses are increased. With a Mini you are always running a chain of gears, the losses are always there.

miniswift...does the Suzuki sports LSD £150 mean you end up with equal length driveshafts

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"Show me the Mini!"

Current FWD boxes are usually twin shaft design, top gear is never 1:1- all ratios have a pair of gears in mesh.
But at least the motor is direct coupled to one of the shafts...

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.