11 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

I was clearing out the loft space above my workshop when I found an large old box with a load of carburettor parts in it. It's been there for about 14 years I reckon and I had completely forgotten about it.

 

On opening it up I found:

 

A pair of HS2 carbs on a Mini manifold complete with heat shield and linkages, just need stripping, cleaning & polishing.

A good pair of HS4 carbs with a manifold, just in need of cleaning & checking over, but all complete (they will do nicely for my newly acquired 1990 Cooper 1275).

Three HS6 carbs that just need stripping and cleaning (all the same hand so not suitable as twins, but would make a good up-grade for a car with an HS4, especially if gas-flowed.

An HS4 in good condition, just needs cleaning and polishing.

But, maybe best of all, a matched pair of H4's on a manifold which is a better one than the BMC one. They need float chambers, linkages and a re-build, but matched H4's are very hard to find and are required for some race applications (pre-1967 FIA). I have twin H4's on my 1964 historic rally 'S'. 

 

So It's been a good day all told!

 

However, I also found some brake calipers and I thought I had found a pair for 7.5" discs. One is, but the other is from a Rover 214. Never mind.

[Spider]

I love surprises like that !

[Curley]

What make them a matched pair please?

[Cooperman]

The float chamber and the linkage pick-ups need to change sides. I don't think it is easy because the castings seem slightly different, although I am happy to be told otherwise. Will take a look tomorrow.

 

I just looked and a good set of H4's seem to be worth over £600 on a manifold, although I am not anxious to sell them as they are a spare set for my 'S'. Maybe I'll get the parts and sort them out to be in good working order. The manifold looks good too and much better than the usual BMC 'log' type.

 

What I really want to do is to gas-flow the head on my 1990 Cooper and fit the twin HS4's. It already has around 84 bhp, or it did in 2004 when I finished it, but subsequent owners might not have looked after it, so I'll strip the head, gas-flow it, get it skimmed a bit more and fit it with the twins. It already has an MG Metro cam and the 35.6 mm inlet valves. With the carbs a bit more flowed and the inlet manifold smoothed out I might gain a bit of mid-range and better throttle response.

 

It will be put on 10" wheels, the wheel arch extensions removed and side chrome seam strips, the huge mirrors taken off and replaced by one small rectangular A-post mirror. I think a Mk.1 grille will be a nice touch and the black paint will need a respray. The other things it won't have are the white stripes on the bonnet, the side decals and the Cooper sticker on the boot lid.

[DeadSquare]

M'thinks I can hear a wife, muttering in the background, "I suppose you have got to go and buy some more Minis to put all those carbs on !".

[Cooperman]

Actually she tends to encourage me to buy Minis. It does seem that they are fun and we always make some sort of profit in the end.

We were even on TV in the old 'Car Booty' show when we were raising funds to help our 15-year-old grandson buy parts for his 998 Mayfair.

I just sold a 1964 850 project to someone who will make a great job of completing the restoration and I await the arrival of my 1990 Cooper 1275 rally car.

The only one I would never sell is my 1964 Cooper 'S' rally car which I have had since 1991 and which has been restored and prepared since 1995. It has done 32 historic rallies and won 5 of them outright.

The 1990 Cooper which I have just bought back was prepared by me for the 2004 RAC Lombard Revival Rally. I got it up to 7th overall (out of 120 cars) against modern cars, but then went off on the last test in Caerwent and broke the lower arm inner suspension pin. Then I sold it, but have just re-purchased it. It is black with a white roof.

[Hedgey]

I have a nice pair of H4 carbs for a MGA.

They need new bushes/rebuild and a manifold but otherwise are in good condition. I could really do with finding time to sort them out and get them sold.

I think they look fantastic when polished up

 

Elliott

[luismx123]

It's a good day when .... Doing a job on my mini doesn't take 3x as long as I planned....

[Cooperman]

Thr H4s as a matched pair are very valuable. They are required on a Cooper S to meet certain competition regs.
The ones on my S came from my buddy in the USA and were from an MGA.

[Hedgey]

Thr H4s as a matched pair are very valuable. They are required on a Cooper S to meet certain competition regs.
The ones on my S came from my buddy in the USA and were from an MGA.

 

I could do with getting mine ready to sell to recoup some money to finish my project. Any idea on the best place to sell them?

 

Elliott

[Cooperman]

Many will say Ebay, but maybe it would be better to offer them to the guys who race or rally early Cooper 'S's. 

Richy, who runs Mini Spares North in York, races an 'S' and he would know who might be interested. You could give him a call as he is very helpful.

[Curley]

Personally I can't stand eBay!! By the time you've answered all the stupid questions from people who don't read the listing, the PayPal fees, the eBay commission, and the inevitable dispute when people try to defraud you i find it's not worth the hassle. I'd much rather do as you say and offer it to someone I know or list it here for maybe a little less and save myself a LOT of bother.