The current mini I am building is an A series powered one, but that engine will inevetably die. So what I'd like to do is a conversion and have it ready to go in the car.
As much as I'd love to a ground up car, I won't be able to afford it, and my current plan will better suit my budget and space constraints.

The reason for the project is not only the economy and reliability side of things (depends on what I'd go with), but more job of actually giving me something to do when the car is finished, to keep me sane and thinking.

Im not after a speed demon of a car, I think I'd be perfectly happy with any NA engine of any size upto what will fit with how I want to do things.

I'm after an engine that physically takes up the least amount ofspace people know of. I'd like to be able to build the engine up on a subframe with running gear, brakes and the cooling system and have it ready for a relatively quick swap when it happens.

I like the look of the toyota conversions (actuall, all of the 1.3 blown engines) but they look too complicated and appear to be more of a ground up kind of thing. No body mods to the car would be what I'm after.

So if anyne can understand what I'm on about, could they please make some suggestions as to engines (or the car it coms from, as I don't know numbers well, eg..FTE, etc.) as I don't really know where to start. Perhaps the engines not going to be the problem, but rather the gearbox?

I'm obviously in the planning stages of things at the moment, so very little other than part collection and 3d computer models and layouts will happen for some time.

Thanks.

Daihatsu CB70 would be the engine of choice IMHO.....

Small, light, compact - and 77kW at 6500 rpm. Peak torque is 130Nm at 3500 rpm.

See here: http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_2131/article.html

Cheers,
Tricky

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Thats a good link you've posted there.
I must say that the two engines I would most like to do the conversion with is
the 660cc daihatsu copen engine, and the similar unit found in a Smart Roadster.
Both of those cars will unfotunately prove too difficult to get hold of, but looking at list there gives me something to mess around with when I go looking for something.
Thanks.

Anytime!

Cheers,
Tricky

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Hi. Not sure what you should go for but be aware that a lot of the engines out of Japan less than 1000cc were restricted to 47.7 kw but most that are listed as this can achieve anywhere up to double this output with a few tweaks. Most of these seem to be turbo so that brings it's own challenges, not least of which is finding one in Australia. One good thing with the suzuki 660cc is that it sometimes comes with a 4wd box.

http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_213 ... ticle.html

Happy hunting

Power doesn't really bother me.
47kw/60hp is comparitive to a stock 1275, but for only half the capacity, and less weight. At the moment I'd like to try and cram a 660 turbo into a mini. Using the
smallest possible engine gives me the best chance to get it into the bricks bay without mods.

go the 660cc it would be the easiest although i cant see it being any easier than a 1L the differences in cutting would be quite small on the subframe

Id go for something under a 1Litre but consider things like engine mount location, cable or rod change and hydrolic cluch over a cable one

I have found that rod gear change was far easier to do than cable (daihatsu) but the starlet has a hydrolic clutch

I say go for the small capacity engine if you can do most of the work yourself if you were to pay someone go g13 or4efte
cheers Paul

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with the fury of a Monkey Dishwasher aimed at your Purple

57 Morris minor
88 Rover Mini

The Nissan Micra unit is four cylinder, 1275cc (yes same bore and stroke!) has 55kw and is light weight and compact.

There is one with intact drivetrain and 140,000km on it in the local wreckers. It's been tempting me for months.

To me, a three cylinder Mini (even turbo) doesn't cut it. Minis need four pots. I'm just prejudiced I guess.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Okay then Brett, I'll look at the 660cc turbo four banger from a Copen.

I'd be doing the job myself, over the estimated time of about 3-5 working years.

Maybe if I get a small enough engine, I won't need to mod the subframe, just make up packers instead!

and once it's engineered and sorted.... hello March super turbo upgrade

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Exactly!

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Do you two understand the concept that it may be possible that a twenty-something year old does not see the need to make a mini go faster than is necessary?
If I want to go fast I'll buy a skyline or a V8 commodore, but for the excersise of what I want to do, 40-odd kilowatt of Japanese power would be just right for this.

That said, if you think the micra engine could fit without body mods, with a super turbo upgrade, I'm there!

The point I think SK is trying to make, and I'm certainly on board with, is there is an upgrade path available with the Micra donk.

Sensibly, you've decided right now you don't need heaps of power. But in five years time you might change your mind. So why not have something that is easy to upgrade later, as a bolt in swap?

I don't know if it will fit without body mods because I haven't tried it yet. I just threw it up there as an option that looks possible. I don't have the time and space at the moment to attempt it.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

I understand the concept... but I don't care in the slightest what YOU want out of it

that said... I don't see the point of the concept of an engine conversion without performance - ain't nuthin wrong with an A series

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I think the point of the excersise at this point would be to simply do it. Just to be different.
At one point I wanted to do a turbo EFI 850 a-series, just to be different, but I'm also seeing that now as stupid.
I figure the performance of a tiny engine would be half reasonable anyway. A lighter more free revving engine with a 5 speed (if they go there) would certainly be enough for me.
Like most guys I will eventually want more power (tim taylor grunt) but just not now.
When that happens I would live to do a 1.3 clubby.
But something smaller, easier, and a bit different for the first one seems right to me.



Didn't say there was anything wrong with the A series, but if I can improve on it for reasons other than speed, such as reliability, economy, cost (vs a rebiuld), lifespan
and parts availability (pushin it there I know ) then I think it could be a worth while excersise.

Brett, nothing against the micra engine, but I won't be buying anything for some time yet. I'm sure it will be gone by then (perhaps in your moke!)

Appreciate the input/arguements though, gives me plenty of stuff to consider.