26 replies to this topic

[binge]

Yes, But putting a Hefty V8 in the back of a mini will make it Oversteer an awful lot, and the a**e end will be everywhere in the wet!!!

[eddyg]

I just emailed Cosworth asking if they make custom V8 engines
I'm not sure if they do but if they did and I had the funds to do it my god how brill would that be?


MMR

yes williams F1 team use them

Just what i was thinking.......750bhp................ 20,000rpm......mind you those exhausts and manifold do get rather hot.......and a 130dbs maybe not great on the motorway!!! lol mind you good power to weight.....

[Jammy]

Why make it fast as f***?!? You may as well do what most sensible people do and stick in an engine that accelerates very quickly and tops out about 110-120! Trust me, at those speeds, or anything over, unless you radically change the suspension set up (a la Z-cars) the mini isn't greatly stable!

Theres a number of good conversions for making a very quick mini. The Rover V8 on the princess gearbox as has been mentioned. Vauxhall, Honda Vtec, Swift Gti, K series, bike engined...

[sevretta]

You need a early Hemi big block for good horse power like the 426...

My old 77 ' caddy sedan deville is a 7 litre and it can light the tyres up but its just a big cruiser...no good for hot rodding....

[Mini Mad Rich]

Cosworth got back to me, they said a V8 would be too big. If I was to buy an engine from them they would recommed the new engine they are developing which is based on the mondeo ST220, it's a 3.0 V6 and puts out 350-400 BHP and loads of torque.

Rich

[Jammy]

Did they mention any prices?

[ditz]

Did they mention any prices?

Well, cosworths top spec duratecs are £10,000 dynoed and ready to bolt in, thats an NA engine that revs to 10,000 rpm (a pound a rpm, sounds reasonable enough to me ) and produces 300 and something bhp

was a big write up in it in fast ford, so i dont reckon anything top spec from them is going to be much less than 10k

[Jammy]

I believe Cosworth to be in that 'if you have to ask you can't afford' group of companies!

[v8mini]

red V8 van that is often at a few of the shows is Andy leach's Rover V8 few pics here

 100_1475.jpg   195.97K   17 downloads

or mines a mid mounted Rover V8 more info on my web site

cant comment too much on handling just yet, wasnt too stable to start with, just fitting coilovers all round to hopfully improve things.

[Ollie180]

[Mini Mad Rich]

I take it thats your pick up ollie?

Rich

[Jimmyarm]

Why not use a cosworth turbo lump ? Plenty of power there