4 cylinder jag engine in a mini

colnerov · Nov 12, 2018

Hi, In an attempt to overcome the small wheel problem one company was modifying the gearbox by making third gear an overdrive ratio and increasing second gear ratio to fill the gap between the 'old' second and top which became the new third.

Colin

ibrooks · Nov 12, 2018

Yeah but they are still weak and the GTM puts more stress on the box - in a Mini it'll spin the wheels as a bit of a safety valve and they still kill boxes too easily when you up the power, the GTM being mid-engined won't (without serious provocation) and all the pain is given to the box.

doubleboost · Nov 12, 2018

Jack Night used to be the conversion kit for the mini box

130 · Nov 12, 2018

There are a couple of Rover 3500 V8 powered ones on Austin Princess gearbox, and a fair few on Vauxhall Ecotec 2.0 16V

keithski122 · Nov 12, 2018

I once converted a lambretta engine to run a suzuki gt185 barrel, piston and head.I had the barrel spiggot machined to fit the casing, then me and a work mate built up the stud areas with a mig.I used a mixture of mig and jb weld to seal the barrel area.Used a longer conrod and made my own iinlet manifold up, exhaust was bodged to fit(I think using an arc welder as we'd run out of gas).It ran, though my ideas of gaining performance weren't realised.

Gwil · Nov 12, 2018

octo0072000 said:
Gwil i also saw the pictures of the lotus mini sure it was in CCC magazine spread

That's it. Triple c, the magazine that once ran a series of serious articles telling us how to turn a Hillman Minx into a 'fast road car'! Strange but true. A pal of mine did all the mods they suggested and a few more, and for its time it was a quick car. He could stay with my lowered triple carbed and hot cammed Vitesse 1600.

Great times.

I just admire the imagination people bring to these projects. I'm toying with converting my Harley to a miniature triple expansion steam engine. Let's face it, it might be more powerful.....

Cobbler · Nov 12, 2018

Gwil said:
That's it. Triple c, the magazine that once ran a series of serious articles telling us how to turn a Hillman Minx into a 'fast road car..

I remember that, a pal of mine did the suspension mods, neggy camber & such, but never completed the engine side. From what I recall he lightened the fly wheel & skimmed the head, then women & beer took over. That would be about 1970. He still struggled to catch my series 2 Minor with a tuned Sprite engine though :laughing:

zeppelin builder · Nov 12, 2018

sasquar said:
easy is a relative term..... three of the studs line up, sever need redrilling, most intersecting with other holes than need plugging first, none of the water or oil line up at all (99% of conversions dry deck and use external oil feed). Bore spacing is close, but not perfect, (gets better when the engine is taken +.080" to make 1380, as they offset bore them at that oversize) and you have to convince the a series that it would like to be an overhead cam engine, with cambelt drive and tensioners etc........ But yes, its 'easy' compared with some conversions!!

To be fair, you can actually buy a conversion kits with all the adaptors etc, but its still not exactly the bolt on conversion that some people would have you believe!!

Back in the 60-70's someone actually managed to get the lotus twink engine onto the mini box, was in a magazine years ago, but apparently handling was somewhat comprimised.....

a lad Jim Dryden had a bda ford twincam
in a mini with solid beam rear axle
scottish champion 1980s

doubleboost · Nov 12, 2018

zeppelin builder said:
a lad Jim Dryden had a bda ford twincam
in a mini with solid beam rear axle
scottish champion 1980s

Now there is a name from the past

vwmark · Nov 12, 2018

vw-al said:
I was there on Saturday ,was this the white one with sidedraught carbs sticking out the front?,I couldn't get a proper look as it was crowded and forgot to go back as there was so much to see.

Thats the one.

ibrooks · Nov 13, 2018

doubleboost said:
Jack Night used to be the conversion kit for the mini box

You still get "Jack Knight" boxes and kits but even their 5-speed box doesn't give an overdrive - 5th is 1:1 and the other 4 just give a closer set of ratios from 1st upwards. They are aimed at the competition market and perfectly fine in that application but competition cars seldom make relaxed motorway cruisers.

500e · Nov 13, 2018

Can you get a helical JK box thought all were SC then with the SC drop gear NOISY think 6th gear was 0.84 or there about

fizzy · Nov 13, 2018

Gwil said:
I saw a Mini in the 70's with a Lotus twin cam head grafted onto an A-series block. Then somewhere there's a guy with Ducati desmo ohc heads on a Harley crankcase.

Logic never stops some people, I'm pleased to say!

As a very young kid at Olympia I remember seeing a Jag V12 in a mini. It was in the back where the rear seats were supposed to go.

octo0072000 · Nov 13, 2018

used to be a Minivan with a 4.2litre inline six jag engine in the front on the drag strip years ago not sure if it was road legal at some time

130 · Nov 13, 2018

I think the fun is in the keeping an old Mini FWD through Improvisation.

That said, I pulled up beside a Prius a few months back and said to the wife "I should get a Prius"
She said "So you can tear it's soul out and make it V8 RWD?"

She's a keeper.

slim_boy_fat · Nov 13, 2018

keithski122 said:
It ran, though my ideas of gaining performance weren't realised.

Ah, but you learned a lot in the process. :thumbup:

ronan · Nov 13, 2018

There are some amazing people out there with great ideas and talent to pull it off. The Great Allen Millyard being one who always amazes me, the guy is a genius. He wanted a large v-twin motorcycle engine, no problem, head out into the shed and make one.

octo0072000 · Nov 13, 2018

found the jag minivan it's called stripteaser full history in the link

http://www.theaccelerationarchive.co.uk/features/stripteaser/page_1.html

octo0072000 · Nov 13, 2018

ronan said:
There are some amazing people out there with great ideas and talent to pull it off. The Great Allen Millyard being one who always amazes me, the guy is a genius. He wanted a large v-twin motorcycle engine, no problem, head out into the shed and make one.