19 replies to this topic

[happydude2012]

Hi Chaps.

Im saving for a camper van or conversion project at the moment - i predict that by end september ill have one (or near enough) and then once ive got another set of wheels to get me to work, the engine is coming out of the mini and im stripping it and rebuilding it myself, this will include a full strip and refurb of the carb and gearbox, and im damn well fitting straight cut gears this time because i can.

Im going to video document the whole thing and it should be a fun journey - when i post the videos up in each section you can all shout at the screen "what are you doing???!!!" and "NO! oh my god you moron! "

 

somebody told me that there was a DVD that minisport used to sell that was like a video haynes - a guide to fully stripping, checking and rebuilding an engine.

This would help me massively more than reading from a book as id rather see it done than follow diagrams.

does anyone know if this is a real thing or am i back to the haynes

 

[WillCarter]

https://www.minispor.../mini-dvds.html

Is it the Haynes mini dvd you're talking about?

[imack]

I presume the mini is a road car, if so you'll get plenty of people telling you not to fit straight cut gears, I love them in mine but its only a weekend warrior/ toy but if you get on dual carriageway/motorway you need ear plugs, that's using straight cut drops and gearset, gearset only will be quieter.
Most of the gearsets use a tall 1st gear so you need to select final drive carefully, will depend on engine size and cam choice to some extent.
Good luck with it.

[jonlad]

Bill Sollis ultimate engine builder was really useful and was a good reference for my first a series rebuild...

 

 https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B002HRYFSM

 

Often they are cheaper on the forum or eBay. Good luck!

[Bat]

Hi,

Didn't there used to be a build a 1380 dvd as well?

Cheers 

[happydude2012]

I presume the mini is a road car, if so you'll get plenty of people telling you not to fit straight cut gears, I love them in mine but its only a weekend warrior/ toy but if you get on dual carriageway/motorway you need ear plugs, that's using straight cut drops and gearset, gearset only will be quieter.
Most of the gearsets use a tall 1st gear so you need to select final drive carefully, will depend on engine size and cam choice to some extent.
Good luck with it.

yes dont worry ive been there and back on this one over the past 12 months,  - ive even met people and driven their cars to see- ill have straight cut gears but helical drops. My pal had both and it was deafening. I dont mind the sound of just the gears and helical drops at all - the beauty being that im not looking for top end speed, just decent torque at low end- AC Dodd makes cams that would suit me to a tee - as i say, its an ongoing process and im goin to think it all through

Edited by happydude2012, 04 August 2018 - 10:04 AM.

[happydude2012]

Bill Sollis ultimate engine builder was really useful and was a good reference for my first a series rebuild...

 

 https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B002HRYFSM

 

Often they are cheaper on the forum or eBay. Good luck!

is there a 1275 one? this is 1380 (or does it not matter)

[Retroman]

Its pretty much the same 1380/1275 but the compression ratio / calculations / cc's work out differently [as they do for most]

 

I'm looking forward to your thread, fair play to you for doing it yourself, it is very satisfying...can also be a bit frustrating.

 

Take your time, measure things carefully, several times, recheck after fitting etc and if you are unsure ask...(it costs nowt)

 

You have it exactly right with a straight cut box and helical drop gears too.

 

The ratios are so good for a tuned engine and that noise is addictive

 

Best of luck.

[jonlad]

I did a 1275, as retroman said, the build is largely the same - as in the same parts in the same order and you need to check/look out for the same things

[nicklouse]

all i will say is get a minimum of a Haynes service manual. eg

 

not one of the new ones.

[happydude2012]

So in preparation.

Im staying with the 1275 set up, stage 2 head is fine for me also.

I could use some advice on the following.

 

If you were building a fast road engine / gearbox  - driven as an every day drive and had a 1275 block with a stage 2 head and HIF44 already, what cam/rocker/Gear ratio would you look at? 

Im going for S/C gears (not the drops) - yes i know theyre noisy - but just for arguments sake , what would your ideal set up be?

Im thinking in terms of engine size, cam choice, and final drive as mentioned by the Honorable gentleman above.

The overall aim is smooth, powerful road speeds, torquey and grunty, i am not trying to break the land speed record and i dont want to die concertina in a flying tin can.

 

Love a bit of advice from the engine/gearbox crowd as a sort of benchmark for components and what i should be considering.

 

thanks all/

Edited by happydude2012, 04 August 2018 - 09:08 PM.

[happydude2012]

all i will say is get a minimum of a Haynes service manual. eg

 

not one of the new ones.

 

Ill do my best - just not my favorite method of learning.

Edited by happydude2012, 04 August 2018 - 09:07 PM.

[nicklouse]

 

all i will say is get a minimum of a Haynes service manual. eg

 

not one of the new ones.

 

Ill do my best - just not my favorite method of learning.

 

neither me being  dyslexic (but paper was all I had in the 80s) but Video is the worst as there are so many assumptions. get the paper. read it watch the vids and go back to the paper. the paper does not change and the details are there in black and white. the vid may show a how to but will not show the variables.

[GraemeC]

High torque cam (MED HT, SW5, ACDodd, BP255....) with 1.4 rockers (CalverST) and 3.44 FDR 

[happydude2012]

well, ive already got an SW5 and it needs replacing i think - we will see after i measure lobe lifts -ive got to do that before i do any rebuilds because i need the car immediate and sorted soon.

Got 1:5 rockers as swiftune reccommend these with the sw5 but im told repeatedly they are naff. lol - and 3:44 final drive duly noted, thankyou