Duncy H Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 What's his plans for it? Is it just going to be rebuilt or is it going to be done with a certain patina? I've arranged to buy a metro turbo engine at bingley so looks like I'm going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted January 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Welcome to the money-less club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 21, 2013 Report Share Posted January 21, 2013 Indeed, I'm not 100% sure why I'm buying it now cause I have little money and the mini is going to take a long time to be finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Be prepared to give it a full rebuild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I'm buying it complete but it's in bits I don't mind though, at least ill know what I'm getting and what to expect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I dunno if that'll work in your favour or not, check the needle nose bearing on the gearbox input matches up with the holes size in the transfer casing. Just make rue your either getting a turbo motor or a 1275, not a mish mash of parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 [blatent plug] If anyone's planning to buy and fibreglass bits at Bingly (or at all really) then get them from The Arc Angels and say Robin told you to [/blatent plug] Doesn't look like I'll be going up with them, as I've got plenty to sort out of my own, and I think there's a VW show on in Exeter on the same day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Yeh it's from a mini breaker I've bought loads of bits from before so I do kinda trust him. Still going to give it the once over. I am having second thoughts about it though constantly as I'm sure I could spend my money better elsewhere but the kid inside me keeps telling me otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I went to bingley with my dad today. Quite dissapointed really, took us an hour to look at everything and all the stuff for sale was either crap or too expensive. I also didn't come home with an engine. It wasn't all bad though cause I came back with lots of motivation to crack on with mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Why no engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I couldn't really afford it at the moment and I kept thinking of things it would probably need and it kept mounting up so I left it. I'm in no real rush too and am still tempted to plonk a bike engine in. That depends on whether I think I could modify a subframe myself though cause I don't like the idea of splashing out a load of wonga on a subframe. My engine options are still open really, I'm still a bit undecided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isitafox Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 B18 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 B16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoom Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 B16 is definitely the way forward! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I couldn't really afford it at the moment and I kept thinking of things it would probably need and it kept mounting up so I left it. I'm in no real rush too and am still tempted to plonk a bike engine in. That depends on whether I think I could modify a subframe myself though cause I don't like the idea of splashing out a load of wonga on a subframe. My engine options are still open really, I'm still a bit undecided. I've still never seen a Bandit 1200 engined mini. No idea why. With some super basic mods they can make 120bhp, maximum torque at 3500rpm but with bags spread out across the rev range, and relatively strong clutches and gearboxes. I believe the issue would be that they're physically quite big, and that the chain would foul on the gear changing mechanism, but I'm sure they could be overcome with the use of a cunning plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoom Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 You mentioned this to me ages ago Sam - obsessed much I looked into it though.. If you're going to be putting a different engine in a mini, it ideally needs to be over 150bhp or else its not worth it! Especially with a motorbike engine, as when you're pushing 600kg it'll tend to become a bit unreliable. 100bhp from a bike engine really isnt enough unless its a high revving monster, or else it'll struggle - especially as peak torque is only 67ft/lb - it would drink like amy winehouse, with not a lot of go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I spoke to a guy who used to race Minis, who reckons anything over 100bhp made them too unruly to really thrash in the twisties. Bandit 12s are only 100bhp stock anyway, with a loud can and a few tiny mods, they're 120bhp. Anyway, the oil cooled Suzuki engine (Bandit 1200 being the last incarnation) is one of the most easily turbo'd engines I know of. With a smallish turbo and IC, and a lowered CR you can get 250bhp with a pretty decent torque curve on them. They are also arguably the most reliable bike engine to have ever produced over 100bhp stock, apart from the Hayabusa. You can easily get 145bhp out of them, just stick GSXR1100 cams and carbs on them, but it ruins the torque at low RPM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 I wouldn't agree that an engine swap needs over 150bhp to be worth while. My friend Liam (used to be on here as Broomer) put a 1.6 k-series in his after blowing up his 1293, it makes ~115bhp, which is enough to have a really good laugh, weighs no more than the standard lump so it still handles like a Mini should, and besides anything else, it cost a hell of a lot less to do than building a 115bhp a-series would, will outlast a 115bhp a-series by a huge margin, and if it pops it's about £60 to replace. Plus, unlike a heavily tuned a-series, when you're not thrashing it, or it's cold and wet outside, it's perfectly civilized and easy/sensible to drive. I'd say that's more than worth while. Bandit engine sounds like a cool idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoom Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Anything over 100Bhp from an A-series, yes. The a-series is a torquey engine. The suzuki is not. 67ft/lb of torque standard - you can push that to about 100ft/lb tops - its nothing. It really wouldn't make for enjoyable driving. The Honda insight - a fairly aerodynamic car in comparison to a mini, requires 33ft/lb of torque to MAINTAIN a cruise of 65mph in 5th. To accelerate to 80 in under 30 seconds from 60, would require that full 65ft/lb of torque. The drag on cars, compared to bikes is insane Sam - you need a LOT of torque to move something like a mini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) But if you've got the power then all you need to do is gear it right and you'll be able to pull the car fine. The torque curve and peak power are what matter, not peak torque. How much torque you can actually put on the road surface is a result of power, not torque. It won't be that nice in traffic because you'll be having to use more revs than's comfortable and slip the clutch quite noticeably, but it'll shift just as well as a car engine with the same power as long as the shape of the curve's similar and both have got good gear ratios. For example, lets say you've got 120lb/ft of torque at 3000rpm, and you gear it 4:1 to do 60 at those revs, at the wheels you've got 480lb/ft of torque. Now if you only have 60lb/ft of torque but it's at 6000rpm, and you gear it 8:1 to do 60, you've still got the same 480lb/ft at the wheels. The peak torque's irrelevant, it's its relationship with engine speed that matters, because that's when it becomes usable in the form of power. Edited January 27, 2013 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muel Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Well, standard 1275 makes 69ft/lb, so it clearly is enough lol, especially if you consider that the Bandit is only 67 ft/lb stock. With mods it could easily generate more torque than a 1275. Depends what you want from it really, if I ever build a mini I won't really care what it does over 60mph, I'll have big bikes for that. I want something that handles like a go-kart, sounds like a bike and makes twisty roads below 50mph as fun as they are on a little bike. Maybe I'd be better off with a 1275 then thinking about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Reynolds Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 What happened to driving a mini cause it had an a-series engine in it? i tuned mine up to 98bhp at the wheels without going mad with the mods. Fast road cam (266 i believe), ported cyclinder head with larger valves, hif 44, LCB with sportec rear box, 1.5 rockers. People complain that mini's arnt the most relaible cars, and this is true, but i drove mine for the best part of a year with the oil control rings absolutly hanging out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncy H Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 That's the thing I'm worried about what mule touched on. I want the mini to be FUN! Not something that's going to break records or anything but good old fun! So I'm unsure what would be best in terms of going faster but still maintaining the fun mini characteristics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Reynolds Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 That's the thing I'm worried about what mule touched on. I want the mini to be FUN! Not something that's going to break records or anything but good old fun! So I'm unsure what would be best in terms of going faster but still maintaining the fun mini characteristics. Keeping an A-series engine, simple as! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoom Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Considered a supercharged 1275 dunc? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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