7 replies to this topic

[cstudep]

First off would like to say great site, and I wish I had the parts access here in the states that you guys have over there!

I have a 1960 Mini, it has a 1330cc (1275 a series bored 60), flowed and ported head, Fast road cam, stainless 3-1 header, and maniflow exhaust. Not sure that it maters but it is also converted to positive ground and 12v alternator with electronic ignition.

It currently has a Weber DCOE 45 with a swan neck manifold to avoid cutting into the bulkhead. I have had a heck of a time getting this thing tuned, I am sure most of it is my lack of experiance and it does run pretty good, but it will just about make your eyes water and gas you out of the car when sitting still. It sure seems to be running rich at lower RPM but at speed it seems to do fine, but like I said I have not had a whole lot of experiance with carbs. I have not had the chance to do the engine shut off thing at various RPM's since I only got to drive it 5-6 times before the weather turned bad here and I had to garage it. I hope to be able to get it out again soon though.

Would I be better off selling the Weber and getting either a HIF44, which appear to be very hard to find here is the US for the limited amount I have been able to look, or even a Dual HS4 setup which seem to be a lot easier to find. I really like the way the dual SU's look, Do they fit in the Mini without modification? Oh I also have Cooper S disc brakes on the car as well as a Power brake servo so I assume I would also have to have a manifold with vacuum port of some type?

Thanks for any info
Paul

[minimadjonesy]

Paul,

I had a 1340 a few years back, it had a webber 45 but with a standard inlet and the bulkhead box. took a day on the rollers but it eventually ran ok (drank a LOT of fuel though). Sold the car only for a friend to buy it from him and sell the engine on. the new owner has put a HIF38 on it but i think that's a little under flowed for it really. Had good results on friends 1340's with both Twin Carbs and HIF44's though.

I'd personally stick with the webber and get it set up right! Awsome sound when at full chat!

Jonesy

[bmcecosse]

The swan neck manifold negates any supposed advantages of the W45. An HIF 44 - 0r HS6 - SU would be the simplest option. But twin HS4 carbs were fitted to many UK cars exported to USA and that would be a good option too. Easy enough to make a good inlet manifold (with NO balance pipe) for them.

[Shifty]

Personally I'd stick a HIF 44 on it, much easier to set up. I'm sure someone on here will have one and would post to the US.

[S2000Steve]

HIF44 set up correctly will easily fo the job.

[cstudep]

Thanks for the input everyone it is very helpful.

The weber was on it when I bought it and I really don't like it from a getting it working and fuel consumption standpoint, and like mentioned above all the reading I have done on it, without moding the bulkhead for a proper manifold it is a waste of time anyway. Also like mentioned above it sucks fuel like nothing I have ever seen, I will have to add a second fuel tank to supply enough fuel to get anywhere, the gas stations in my part of the country can be pretty far apart! It does run pretty good though, and it sounds good too!

I will probably keep the Weber for now as my ultimate goal is to eventually restore this 1960 at some point since I have the original Austin 850 motor that it came with and all the numbers match to the original so I thought that was kind of cool. I plan to get another one eventually to put this 1330 motor in that will be more of a play toy with all the accompaning play toy modifications.

I did look for a HIF44 on ebay and found a grand total of 0 in the states and that is why I started looking at the dual setups, I found several of the dual HS4's I would imagine like bmcecosse said that is beacuse there are several different models of cars exported to the US with those carbs, I found lots of them off of Midgets, Jaguars, and others, but I also found some that claim to be off Mini's with manifolds and all.

I assume I will have to change something with the throttle linkage/cable switching it out, is there anything in particular that I am going to need to change for the SU carb from what I have? I have seen some with the SU carbs but never looked that closely at it and Mini's in general are fairly uncommon where I live so I don't have any examples to look at.

I have no problem paying post to the US if someone has something they are looking to get rid of for a resonable price, I suppose for that matter I could check eBay UK and see what is there.

Thanks again!
Paul

[Cooperman]

The twin HS4's are popular as the entire Mini Cooper 'S' range had win HS2's and HS4's were fitted to improve breathing with modified engines.
You do need a decent manifold without the huge balance pipe, but even with that they would be better than the Weber with that awful swan-neck manifold.
Incidentally,my Cooper 'S' has twin H4's which came to me from California as a swap for a really good gas-flowed head with my buddy who has a 1071 'S' in CA.

[cstudep]

The twin HS4's are popular as the entire Mini Cooper 'S' range had win HS2's and HS4's were fitted to improve breathing with modified engines.
You do need a decent manifold without the huge balance pipe, but even with that they would be better than the Weber with that awful swan-neck manifold.
Incidentally,my Cooper 'S' has twin H4's which came to me from California as a swap for a really good gas-flowed head with my buddy who has a 1071 'S' in CA.

What kind of manifold would you recomend for the twin HS4's? I have seen several mention the Maniflow manifold from mini spares but it looks like it has a pretty large balance pipe. I do seem to be able to find the HS4's here in the states pretty easily.

Do the dual HS4's get decent gas mileage at least better than what I am getting now which is very poor? I am not looking to get great gas mileage but better than what I am getting now would be nice.

Edited by cstudep, 15 February 2011 - 02:50 PM.