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The Car Thread


MadManMike

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I can has Recaro?

Yarp.

I can has Recaro.

Just picked up a set of Evo VII buckets for the Leon. They're reclining rather than fixed as the car is primarily a daily and I can always change later, but picked them up for next to nothing as yet another mini project to retrim, work out a subframe configuration to suit and get in. No mad rush on them, but will be nice to get to work on them when I have time.

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Looks serious...

I'm guessing the oil cooler is there due to packaging issues?

Yeah, considering I have no inner wings and it's still an A-series lump, there's actually not a lot of space in there with the front rad, header tank, catch tank ect. There's even less now as I've added a second cooler coming straight off the tap on the head and back into the water pump as I was getting hot spots at cylinder 3 and 4.

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Spec:

1380 block, 4 bolt centre main strap

Stock crank and rods (at the moment)

Forged Omega pistons with MED rings

AC Dodd TSR cam

iSky Followers

Mini Spares Competition push rods

Ex Neil Slark Super Mighty Mini cylinder head with enlarged valves, bronze guides

1.5 Roller Rockers

Weber 45 DCOE on 5" manifold

Maniflow Stage 2 large bore LCB, RCM, centre exit box

A&R Precision ultralight flywheel

A&R Precision ultralight ally backplate

CG Clutch 6 puck paddle

Orange diaphragm

MED Roller tip S/C drops 1.089:1

Mini Spares S/C gear kit

X Pin DIff, 3.9:1 FD (plus off ratio drops makes 4.25:1 FD)

It's still on a mild tune at the moment as it's only done about 200 miles but figures at the wheels:

1st RR Session 96bhp / 99 lbsft

2nd RR Session 109bhp / 103lbsft

More to come

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That mini looks sweeeeeeet!

f**king alternator belt slipped off the family wagon this afternoon, luckilywe were nearly home so I don't think it's damaged anything :(

Golf? Check the alternator pulley, the clutch mechanism may be seized and therefore needs replacing otherwise it will cause you nasty issues later...

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Brand new Direnza Kit. There currently on Ebay for £230 I believe. I'm after £190. Would prefer collection (Telford or Rugeley) but would post if you can give me a few days to sort a box out etc.

Cheeers for the offer dude, was really looking for a single pass type set up.

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It goes pretty well yeah, although I'm going to have to change the FD ratio as it's bloody ridiculous! Doing best part of 6k at 60mph isn't ideal, great for hill climbs but going to suck for sprints. It's fully road legal as well.

It's got an Aldon Red tuned 65D electronic ignition with mechanical advance instead of the usual vac advance. I'd like to go down the route of Nodiz or MJ but at the time funds had run out and this was the cheaper alternative.

I think I had a thread on TMF a while ago but got flamed by everyone for all the things they don't like, like FG fronts and wide arches.

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It is a lot of work but I don't like most of the engine conversions out there. The Honda and Vauxhall lumps are very heavy and far forward, so the handling abilities of the mini are somewhat ruined. For a motorway barnstormer / drag car they're very good, but I don't feel they're as nice to drive on a nice back road.

They're also quite expensive, conversion subframes can run into the thousands alone, let alone the cost of the engine, suspension, all the re-wiring, ECUs, different drive shafts, exhausts ect. The only conversion I would do is the Yamaha R1 / Suzuki 'Busa conversion, but even that you also won't see much change from 6-7 grand.

Plus I like the feeling of knowing I built that engine entirely from scratch. The only bit someone did for me was hone the block which I got off Prawn. Everything else, including gearbox, block and head was built in my lounge from component form. I learnt so much about the combustion engine from doing it, how finely tuned every component is but also how small things here and there dramatically improve power / torque. I don't think I would have the same satisfaction from just plonking a ready made Honda engine in the hole.

Edit = Plus, it might not seem like a lot of power in the great scheme of things, but when you consider it started out as an engine that produced 60bhp, to increase that power by almost 100% is actually quite a lot, especially in a 600kg car

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I was driving back to suffolk and suddenly my car won't change gear. The clutch cable is not broke and I've adjusted it, the clutch appears to engage and disengage when the pedal is operated. The car will not go into gear, it just crunches suggesting I have a clutch issue... But I'm not entirely sure what it is? I replaced the clutch last Easter and it has done about 10k with no issues until now. Gears worked perfectly before so I'm a little confused!

Any ideas of what I should be looking out for would be great, I'm currently waiting to be towed back to my parents farm

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