7 replies to this topic

[Peel]

Hello all. I've been too long without a Mini, so I'm getting to know the market again. A fair few of the clean-looking, original cars in my range (about £4k) are the 50hp carb + cat 1275 set-up. What's the deal here? I've read it described as "hopeless" somewhere. Has anyone with first-hand experience got views please?

• Presumably stock performance is somewhere between a 998 and a 1275 twin-point?
• Can you legally remove the cat and does it make any difference to performance and/or passing the MoT emissions test?
• Any differences in how they respond to stage 1 tuning compared with older carb models?
• These have static rear belts right? Can you swap them for interia reels?

 

There may be more, but that'll do for now. Thank you!

[HarrysMini]

Not sure how they are hopeless.

 

You can legally remove the CAT as a carb car doesn't require one for current MoT regs. It will respond very well to a stage one kit. 

I'm fairly sure they are static rear bets, and yes you can convert to inertia reel. 

[alicetheauto]

Carbs kill cats. If you have a cat on a carb mini, technically it should be fitted if it was there as standard from new. The problem comes where the car has been converted from SPI or MPI to carb. Then it MUST have a cat, MUST pass the original injection emissions test. But it can't pass the emissions test (cats make a huge difference) and if you fit a cat it destroys it rapidly. I'd avoid at all costs.

[HarrysMini]

Carbs kill cats. If you have a cat on a carb mini, technically it should be fitted if it was there as standard from new. The problem comes where the car has been converted from SPI or MPI to carb. Then it MUST have a cat, MUST pass the original injection emissions test. But it can't pass the emissions test (cats make a huge difference) and if you fit a cat it destroys it rapidly. I'd avoid at all costs.

What makes you think it's had an SPi to carb conversion? The late carb models came with CATs as standard.

[firstforward]

Yes I have a late 93 carb with cat and it runs fine, not much difference if any with my SPi. SPi drivability is better though.

Edited by firstforward, 03 July 2014 - 08:13 AM.

[AVV IT]

I have a 93 1275 Sprite, which falls into this caregory. Performance wise they have a low compression engine typically producing around 53bhp. Frankly I found mine a bit tame, even with a stage 1 kitted, and I eventually replaced it with a rebuilt MG metro unit which was a massive improvement.

The rear belts are indeed static items, when I enquirered about swapping over to the inertia version from a later model, I believe I was advised that they only work when the reel is mounted at a specific angle in the rear companion bins, therefore I would also need the mounting brackets fitted to the companion bins of those models, which due to the availabilty of the brackets, effectively means welding in new companion bins!

For MOT purposes A CAT is only required on a car that is required to pass a full CAT emissions test, which in classic mini terms only applies to fuel injection models. You can therefore legally remove the CAT on a carb model (assuming it was a Carb model as standard) On a car that is required to pass a full CAT emissions test, the absence of a CAT where one was fitted as standard is listed a reason for failure of the test though. There does appear to be some confusion/misinterperattion of this requirement though (even amongst some MOT inspectors), so if you plan in removing the CAT you really need to find an MOT inspector who understands how the regs are apied to older cars.

[alicetheauto]

I didn't assume it was a conversion, I just put a warning. People do convert from injection to carb, with a local friendly MOT station passing it. Then they sell to an unsuspecting new owner, who takes it for MOT and it's flagged as missing its catalytic converter. It then can't pass without a converter fitted (its electroniccally noted) but the carb overloads the converter, still failing its emissions test. An untestable car.
I understand there are a number of cars out there from the crossover period, but chances are many have been de-catted over the years.

[Mk1Dave]

If I remember correctly if the car is built/registered before August 1992 the cat can be removed. I had an early spi cooper which I removed the cat on. Was never a problem come mot time.

The wife's carbed open classic was fitted with a cat. This was swiftly replaced with a stage one kit