I just got a quote to rebuild my 1100 and I am shattererd.
I was assured by the salesperson I spoke to that all this work was needed but, OMG

Hot tank
crack test crank
line bore block
line bore rods
rebush little ends
crack test rods
sonic test block
deck block square with crank
off set bore
hone
dry build
rebuild and dynamically balance
Total $2346

This total excludes parts including pistons,bearings, a special harmonic balancer,
So there, thats 3k for a short motor.
People scoffed at $3300 for a 1275 runner

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That's what ya pay......

There's big money in rebuilding engines..... my LS cost around the 4k mark to rebuild, without mods attached or fitted. So that seems to be a reasonable price IMO

I'm just curious to know - how much did you think it would cost you?

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

I just bought a ready to drop in MG Metro 1275 from Mini Classic for $2200, will sure beat the little asthmatic 998 in there at the moment.

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Pearl - 1275 MG Metro Powered '65 Mini Deluxe

I'd expect the reason why some people were umimpressed with $3300 for a 1275 runner is that you don't know just when it's going to need a rebuild as quoted. If you buy it privately, you have no clue of its history and you can only trust what the seller tells you. Even among Mini owners, not all sellers are transparently honest! If you buy it through an importer, they'll generally give you at least a start up warranty, but, at the end of the day, they're in a similar boat - they haven't seen the history of the engine, so they can't even be sure how long it's going to last, and they're taking a risk in giving that warranty. That's why they'd charge $3300 (plus of course their purchase cost, freight, duties, and a little profit). $3300 from anyone not giving a warranty can still be considered steep - even $3300 from someone giving only a start up warranty - unless you can trust the seller (based on reputation with warranty claims) - can be steep, given a dodgy engine might still start, and therefore the warranty is fulfilled... That's not necessarily because the seller's trying to rip you off, it's just what can happen! I'd be wanting a couple of months warranty if I were buying a running engine (unless it was very cheap), purely because you can't be sure it's not going to go bang the day after you start it up. And then you've got $3k on top of the $3300 you've just paid out... You could've bought another Mini! And that's why people can be sceptical towards running engines. Even importers can be sceptical, unless their people overseas were driving the car before it was cut up. That's also why many people recommend buying a cheaper non-runner. Better to spend say $4500 (engine plus rebuild) to get something you know will last for ages than $3k for something that might already have done over 100,000 miles (but still runs).
What's the spec of the engine you've got a quote for..? I'm curious about the offset boring...

What sort of engine are you wanting to build? High performance or stock? That quote seems about right for the work, but I have to ask, why is it being offset bored, why does the block need line boring, why is it being balanced?

If all you want is a stock 1100 then none of that should be required unless there is a fault in your engine that needs fixing - mismatched main cap for instance. The engine is balanced at the factory and generally you don't need to rebalance it for an average engine build.

I got a quote to build by 1275 short motor of around $800, which included all machining and labour and I supplied the parts. That didn't include balancing, can't remember if it included crack testing (I assume so), my crank doesn't require machining and I supply the cam.

For $2400 I'd at least want the cylinder head work included.

That's about right. Work costs money. IMHO I think that price is cheap for all of the above work.

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

It might be the right price for the work listed, but why that work??
For a road engine rebuild, sonic testing block, line bore of block, line bore of rods, rebushing small ends, decking (just as a matter of course) all seem over the top. Just MHO...

Sounds about right - I'm doing mine on the 'drip feed' method ie I'm doing the rebuild myself and just taking each job into the engineers as I need it done. So far I've spent about $1200 on machining and parts with assembly by myself (only assembly so far has been the head) Just need to buy my pistons from GR and get the block bored then dry assembly to see if we need any off the block and or head before it all starts to go together. Guessing about another $1000 will see it all done.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

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What they said. For a street engine, in most cases, I don't think all of this is necessary. My brother, my Dad and I recently overhauled a 998. We checked the bore and it had very little wear - was within spec so we got lucky with that. Then we cleaned it ourselves and honed the cylinders.

We didn't do any of the other stuff (apart from assembly of course )

One of the rods was crooked so we swapped it with another one, so we probably should have got it balanced and we don't have the peace of mind of knowing there are no cracks in the crank or anything, but we can live with that.

Having said that, I am now building up a hot 1100 which will need to have a few of these things done, mostly because of the cost of the parts involved and it will be more expensive to replace/fix if something fails. Also, I want all the tolerances to be good because it will give more power.

Many of these things will give you peace of mind, but you can get away without doing them, unless like Anto said there is a fault with your engine or parts have been changed.

i can sell you a low km complete worked 1132cc with fully rebuilt gearbox for $1800

I bought a short motor that had already been bored out to 1030cc and fitted with new pistons, double row timing chain, water pump, etc for $650.00.

I then got it stripped down and rechecked and found it needed a few new bits fitted plus got the cam ground and the motor balanced.. $1700.00

Then I had to buy a head for it ... $156.00

Then get the motor put back together and fitted.. $750.00

There is $3256.00 already without extras..

What they quote and what they actually perform on the engine might be two seperate issues.

Find out how you can be sure all this paid for work will be performed If you hand over your engine, and have it handed back to you painted and ready to bolt on how can you be sure that it has all been done.

Sorry, I'm always the sceptic...

If I'm paying full price for the work to be performed. I want to know that it is done and not just passed over.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I'd shop around on that quote here in Adelaide.

I got a much better deal, for over 3 grand, but that included all parts, including the gearbox, engine head everything. Complete rebuilt engine.

Call all the mini places. You could luck out, and get a rebuilt engine that a customer defaulted on, or that got rebuilt and never used, so is being sold, and you'll get a whole engine and gearbox for the price of a rebuild. Providing you get receipts and proof of the work and stuff.

But in the end, time is money, engine rebuilds use a lot of time, therefore a lot of money.

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1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T