81 replies to this topic

[Mini1990]

Not quite sure where to put this so please be kind.
I've got a classic Mini. 1275cc. The gearbox has nearly had it, and I was thinking, that this was a good excuse to swap my engine for a bigger one. Last night I was looking for decent engines that would fit. Preferrably turboengines, and then I thought of the new Mini's engine.
Is it possible to fit a BMW MINI Cooper S engine in a classic Mini, and still keep the standard length of the car?
Has anybody done this?

Appreciate it.

[Wil_h]

My guess is no, body mods will be required.

My personal opinion of the MINI engine is that it's a a load of rubbish, and if you are going to all the effort of fitting a different engine you'd be better chosing something decent.

[racer36]

personally i think slightly differently as the BINI engine seems quite good and reliable to me

body mods will be needed but i have seen a clubman on ebay which had 2 engines ( 1 front 1 rear ) and the front engine seemed to fit with only a few mods

hope this helps

[Retro_10s]

have seen a clubman on ebay which had 2 engines ( 1 front 1 rear ) and the front engine seemed to fit with only a few mods

terrible example that car didn't have two engines fitted, it was a bare shell that had been put up on bricks, 1 engine had been shoved underneath it at the front and one at the back was jut sat there, nothing connected up at all. MAssive project.

I would say there are a lot better engines to go to he trouble of fitting, but on the other hand,.. I'm not sure i've seen BMW mini engine in a classic mini yet and i guess it could make for a nice lively car...

but it'd be cheaper to use a better + more powerful + reliable engine like the VTEC

[racer36]

well at least it showed that it would fit in the engine bay....

[RowenBlaineSkinley]

yeah, it would fit, but you would have to make your own subby or modify it

alot of work and precision involved
but yes it is possible

but the bmw's clutch is dead easy to burn out
so ild go with the vtec
or something similar with a strong gear box

*cough* 3 litre V6 with 5 speed granada gearbox *cough*

[insamoufonyx]

My guess is no, body mods will be required.

My personal opinion of the MINI engine is that it's a a load of rubbish, and if you are going to all the effort of fitting a different engine you'd be better chosing something decent.

How do you work that out then? clearly dont have any experience with them, cooper s is putting out 160bhp from a 1.6 with a charger from factory! and the JCW one is hitting 210bhp.

Or if you really want to go crazy Lohen do one at 280bhp still from the cooper s engine.

*personal insult removed*

Back on Topic - It will fit in a cluby engine bay, but you would have to take inner wings out, move the bulk head further into the car, modifie the floor plan and build a custom sub frame, so a huge amount of work,

One of the easyest engines to fit with minimal mods i belive is a suzki swift engine, jsut requires subframe mods

Edited by minili, 15 February 2009 - 08:26 PM.
No need for personal insults

[1987_ParkLane]

Haha, I love the what this always comes up, and in my opinion, the new mini engine is a good one, but not too keen on the looks of the car. But it is so much easier to achieve the same power or more from an easier fitted engine.

[Wil_h]

My guess is no, body mods will be required.

My personal opinion of the MINI engine is that it's a a load of rubbish, and if you are going to all the effort of fitting a different engine you'd be better chosing something decent.

How do you work that out then? clearly dont have any experience with them, cooper s is putting out 160bhp from a 1.6 with a charger from factory! and the JCW one is hitting 210bhp.

Or if you really want to go crazy Lohen do one at 280bhp still from the cooper s engine.

*personal insult removed*

Back on Topic - It will fit in a cluby engine bay, but you would have to take inner wings out, move the bulk head further into the car, modifie the floor plan and build a custom sub frame, so a huge amount of work,

One of the easyest engines to fit with minimal mods i belive is a suzki swift engine, jsut requires subframe mods

I know perfectly well what they are capable of, and in my opinion it's not great, I know people with 1.4 K-series engines with more than 280bhp, I know people with 1 litre A-series engines with nearly 160bhp too (and the A-series is a pile of sh!te when you look at it). I think there are far better engines around and If it was my time and money I was spending on a conversion then I'd be looking else where. This is my personal opinion of an engine, I think it is based on sound knowledge, but if this make me an idiot then fine.

I also find that voicing opinions it better done without insults. Especially on forums when we're all hidden behind the safety of our keyboards.

Edited by minili, 15 February 2009 - 08:25 PM.

[Turbo Nick]

i'm with wil, there are definately better engines out there to start with.

what about the honda b16? 1.6l and 160 reliable horses out of the factory without a supercharger.

Edited by minili, 15 February 2009 - 08:25 PM.
Personal insult removed from first post so editing replies

[1987_ParkLane]

Its amazing how the BINI causes so much friction lol.

[Turbo Phil]

*editing replies to personal insult*

I'm with Wil & bud on this one. If you're going to all the time effort & expense of a major engine conversion, there are better engines to use.

[Shifty]

*editing replies to personal insult*

[1987_ParkLane]

At the end of the day, people have their own opinions, me personally, I wouldn't go with the BINI engine, but some would. But what really annoys me is how people get treated when they try and put their opinion across, at the end of the day, we are on here to help each other out, and make constructive discussions, and NOT call people stupid things.

[Wil_h]

It's not that I even don't like the MINI, I've been to the showroom a few time with a plan of buying one for my wife. They've been a bit overpriced so far. But as no-one can sell cars at the moment and even MINIs have a discount.

We will be re-visiting in a few weeks I suspect.