12 replies to this topic

[300bhp/ton]

Hi, new to the forum. As you can guess by my sig I don't actually have a Mini, but I do love cars

Always loved the Mini's though but never had the chance to drive one, that is until yesterday. My best mate just picked up a very nice 1979 Clubman GT. And of course I just had to have a go!!!

SUPER, BRILLIANT, AWESOME, INCEDIABLE FUN!

Are some of the words I'd use to describe it.

So my questions are:

1. On a stock 1275GT what sort of power can you get from the A-Series engine? I was thinking along the lines of tubular exhaust manifold, free flow exhaust, K&N cone filter, ported heads (bigger valves??) and a wilder cam all combined with a tune.

Anyone want to throw up some links of good places to buy these parts from, and what sort of recommendations you have.

2. Carbs, I'm pretty sure the Cooper 1275S used twin SU carbs, where as the 1275GT is single carb. How does the twin setup compare? I was really impressed with the throttle response of the single, would a twin setup still be as crisp? And what sort of extra HP would be available?

3. Suspension, any recommendations on what suspension to run, or is th stock setup pretty good anyhow?

4. Ultimatley, how much HP can the little A-Series support as a n/a street engine without the need of constant rebuilds?

Thanks for your help, I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions in time.

[Big_Adam]

i can answer 4!

a mini in japan is rated at 210bhp NA but thats a full race car. a turbo mini will get 200 at a push.

edit

oops. you want a road crushing low maintence thing....hmm....prob be more like 150bhp to be resonable. but someone else would know better.

Edited by Big_Adam, 09 October 2006 - 02:09 PM.

[Bungle]

1) i have fitted my 1275 mini with stage 1 kit (exhaust filter and manifold) modded head and 1.5 roller rockers this has brought my power up from 60 bhp to 85 next thing to change would be the cam

2)a hif 44 single carb is as good as twin su's

3)on my mini i have lowered the suspension with hilo's fitted spax shocks negatave camber brackets on the back and adjustable tie bars

4) hp of a A series engine is sky's the limit depends what you want and how much you want to spend, a 1380 with 16v head would give you 150 bhp but it would cost you over £5000, i think jammys 1425cc engine was over £10,000 new

[Jammy]

OK....here we go.

If I was you, unless your specifically looking for a period car, don't bother with looking for a Cooper S or GT, you'll pay for the badge and the fact they are rare. You can pick up a cheap round nose or a Clubby and build up an engine for less than you'll get a Cooper S or GT.

A Stock 1275GT is 59bhp I believe. Stick on a Stage 1 kit (don't believe you can get a tubular manifold, and there are very well performing manifolds already (the best currently being the Maniflow Stage 2), a nice cam and rockers and a ported head and I reckong you'd be up towards 80-90bhp.

Suspension, MiniSpares do a very good kit that includes Hi-Los (for setting ride height), and fully adjustable bottom arms and tie-rods, and I think bushes, not sure if it has camber brackets for the rear. As for shocks and dampers, you can either stay with rubber cones, although a fair people have commented on the improvement with these (relatively) new springs that replace them. Then I'd either get Gas-Adjust for a nice ride, or Gaz adjustables for track day handling. Or Gaz/Protech coil overs for the best in road handling (but get corner weights set up), although for a fast road car they aren't really needed.

Twin carbs are harder to set up than a single, but usually give more torque and are more responsive than the single SU. Not sure on how much extra power you'd get just sticking twins on a stock engine over a single, maybe 5bhp, you need to make sure the engine has the breathing ability.

You can tune a NA A series upto 100bhp quite easily. 130bhp can be had with a fair whack of money, and has been said, 210bhp is currently the most from an NA tuned engine. I would stick to about 100bhp at the the flywheel if you don't want regular rebuilds, with a cross pin diff and orange diaphragm on a pre-verto clutch.

[Sam]

Or just do away with the shonky old A-series and get something decent in there..

[300bhp/ton]

Cheers, for the rplies. Keep 'em comin!

I was thinking of along the lines of 115-130bhp from the stock short block, don't know if it's possible but didn't some of the 60's Coopers produce ~100bhp from about 1 litres displacement.

And yeah, I'd be looking at n/a (natuarally aspirated), so no forced induction. Although I do like the idea of a roots supercharger, but having had a look at the prices I think the money would be better spent on a heritage bodyshell, lol.

Don't think I'd really be that interested in an engine swap, sure I know Rover K-Series DOHC units, or similar ones could be sourced. But to be honest I think it would take away from the charm of the Mini, I love the noise and feel/power delivery of the older A-Series engines. Modern 16v units just don't sound the same. Also I'd be wanting to stick with carb as opposed to EFI.

Although I do admit a 350bhp Evo engine could well be interesting in a Mini

But I have my Camaro as my fast vehicle, I'm just after more poke so that the Mini will be able to keep with most things on the open road.

Anyone know how much a Clubman GT weighs?

Cheers.

[miniboo]

Or just do away with the shonky old A-series and get something decent in there..

family forum Sam dont swear!!

[Pooky]

Or just do away with the shonky old A-series and get something decent in there..

Sacrilege!

[retrodan]

120-130bhp is deff not cheap by a long way i should no!! just got mine re tuned an rolling roaded and now 121.6 bhp, this cost me without g/box easy £4000. and it is very very fast, a 100bhp mini lightend a bit would eat 90% of the cars on the road around town and to about 80/90 mph!!!

[Cloverleaf]

I agree with Retrodan......spent in the region of 4k on my 1380 for 112 bhp at the wheels and I got some pretty good deals along the way

Edited by Cloverleaf, 09 October 2006 - 03:36 PM.

[Sprocket]

Turbo is your best bet

Freshly rebuilt, standard bottom end, big chamber gas flowed head, Kent MD274i cam, intercooler and 10psi boost. That should be good for 150 bananas and driveble how you want. You will need an uprated clutch though.

[AlexM]

With a turbo engine 150bhp is probably the limit without frequent rebuilds, but I know at least one person who has close to double that figure although it does need to be rebuilt fairly frequently.

However you can almost double the cost for a turbo engine, and a fair chunk will have to spent on the gearbox, which tends to be a bit of a weak link in the chain.

So you could potentially have the 300bhp/ton to match your display name

[300bhp/ton]

Cheers.

But I'm still not all that interested in a turbo, don't want the lag.

Not that I have anything against turbo's, my intent is to fit one to my TR7 V8.