21 replies to this topic

[NDT]

Assuming you're building a Mini which is still recognisably a Mini (10" wheels, rubber cone suspension etc) - what's the point where power and torque start to ruin the car?

 

I'm thinking just a little more than Cooper S power.

Any opinions?

 

[nicklouse]

will be fine.

[DeadSquare]

Assuming you're building a Mini which is still recognisably a Mini (10" wheels, rubber cone suspension etc) - what's the point where power and torque start to ruin the car?

 

I'm thinking just a little more than Cooper S power.

Any opinions?

 

What a sensible attitude !

[rich_959]

Agreed, very sensible approach. I asked a similar question when planning my project. I also drove a few cars from standard up to 110bhp (all naturally aspirated A series). For me, the sweet spot was around 90bhp with a sensible 'road' cam giving a broad torque curve. It's amazing how very different a group of different tuned 1275 minis can be. 

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

What an interesting question.   Maybe when driving in the dry is like driving on a wet road you probably don't need anymore torque.

[NDT]

Agreed, very sensible approach. I asked a similar question when planning my project. I also drove a few cars from standard up to 110bhp (all naturally aspirated A series). For me, the sweet spot was around 90bhp with a sensible 'road' cam giving a broad torque curve. It's amazing how very different a group of different tuned 1275 minis can be. 

yes, I can imagine.

I'm tempted by a mild turbo (as I have the engine already), but a nicely tuned NA at around 90bhp is a bit more fitting... particularly in a Mk1.

[nicklouse]

 

Agreed, very sensible approach. I asked a similar question when planning my project. I also drove a few cars from standard up to 110bhp (all naturally aspirated A series). For me, the sweet spot was around 90bhp with a sensible 'road' cam giving a broad torque curve. It's amazing how very different a group of different tuned 1275 minis can be. 

yes, I can imagine.

I'm tempted by a mild turbo (as I have the engine already), but a nicely tuned NA at around 90bhp is a bit more fitting... particularly in a Mk1.

 

why do people keep going on about BHP? it is Torque that you want. a car with bigish BHP can be a right pig to drive.

[Cooperman]

As Nick says, it's good torque from around 2500 - 3000 rpm which will give best classic driving pleasure. The old 510 cam in the original Cooper 'S' was fine for a road car, although later cams such as the MG Metro were/are even better. Both give max power at around 5500 to 5700 rpm.

 

People get obsessed by maximum power, and if a few tenths of a second per lap or per special stage mile are important, then that's fine.

 

But for a classic car on public roads and in traffic good torque is needed.

[mk1leg]

a good 100 for 100 is a great engine

[dyshipfakta]

I Find 40bhp to be about right means I can go everywhere flat out lol

Edited by dyshipfakta, 19 March 2019 - 08:12 AM.

[NDT]

Yes, there's a lot of pleasure in going flat out a lot of the time!

[DeadSquare]

I Find 40bhp to be about right means I can go everywhere flat out lol

 

Hear Here.

 

I had a beautifully set up 850 Mini pick-up, with a large valve polished head and 948 cam, and traffic permitting, I could drive flat out almost everywhere.

 

Then I put a 997 with a 544 cam in it.

 

Ruined it.

 

I had to keep lifting off on the corners.

[1330RG]

I used to have a 1330 built from an old mg metro engine, it put out around 80hp and a little more in torque and it was excellnt to drive, it used an older swiftune sw5 cam and an mg metro big valve head and the mid range was just insane! The torque steer was fun and kept you alert and if you booted it just right the wheelspin and understeer was also very good fun.

I think to many people get cuaght up these days on big hp and engine swaps, we can all put 700hp forged tiwn honda 4wd systems in a mini so we can brag how powerfull and fast it is but a mini is about fun! Its always been about the driving experience not the power and pub figures.

As others have said get good torque and great low to mid range torque, hit the B roads and have more fun than any modern car will give you at 40-60mph.

[surfblue]

I Find 40bhp to be about right means I can go everywhere flat out lol

Careful now! God you're a mad sort of a fella altogether, all this talk of wild power outputs!     

My 850 supposedly had 37 horses when new, I think most of them have escaped over the last 55 years, Im down to a pony with a limp and a 3 legged donkey under the bonnet, A set of 5.20 x 10 crossplies and a wet corner and you know youve got all the power you'll need.

Ex F1 driver James Hunt used to talk about how he loved driving his Austin A35 van flat out everywhere, as much fun at sane speeds as a F1 car at insane speeds.

[NDT]

 

I Find 40bhp to be about right means I can go everywhere flat out lol

Careful now! God you're a mad sort of a fella altogether, all this talk of wild power outputs!     

My 850 supposedly had 37 horses when new, I think most of them have escaped over the last 55 years, Im down to a pony with a limp and a 3 legged donkey under the bonnet, A set of 5.20 x 10 crossplies and a wet corner and you know youve got all the power you'll need.

Ex F1 driver James Hunt used to talk about how he loved driving his Austin A35 van flat out everywhere, as much fun at sane speeds as a F1 car at insane speeds.

 

Bugger, that's not helpful!

I'm now split between:

- tuning the 850 the car originally came with (and keeping the charming pudding stirrer gearstick)

- a mild turbo (I've got most of the bits)

- a sensible MG-metro based 1293 with a decent road cam

Edited by NDT, 20 March 2019 - 09:33 PM.