25 replies to this topic

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:26 AM.

[pusb]

If you're travelling on motorways to get to shows, I would've though the 1275 would be better MPG?

 

My understanding was that with high speed driving, a bigger engine gives better MPG as its less stressed?

[Richie83]

i can't see how an engine swap would save you money as you'd have to buy the engine/fit it etc. This would surely negate the cost. I get roughly 40mpg from my SPI

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:26 AM.

[Cooperman]

A non-original will be far from ideal. It simply won't be an original classic car then.
Compared to modern cars a classic car will never give a high mpg. That is a part of retro driving and it has to be accepted.
When I had a 998 Cooper as my daily car, back in 1964, I used to get about 35 mpg. I got around 28 mpg from my 1275 S and 20 mpg from my Cortina GT Mk 1.
Now I get over 35 mpg from my BMW 730D. It is how technology has moved on. The Mini is now a 6o-year-old car after all.

[alex-95]

Depends on the diff ratio, I use to get over 50mpg in my 998 ritz on the motorway, probably around 30mpg around town.

[GearheadGrrrl]

IIRC David Vizard built a Mini for MPG back in the 70s, he was getting better than 50 miles per imperial gallon with it on the highway.

[DeadSquare]

In the hope that the Police wouldn't pull me over, because I kept getting caught for speeding in the mid 60s, I bought an ex-Royal Mail Mini van for £50-00. 

 

It had 76,000 miles on the odometer, had been excellently maintained, with an 'as-new' passenger seat, and the only things it needed were new driver's door hinges and door latch.

 

My ploy worked.  Not because the police thought that I was a postman, but because it had an 803cc engine, an 1 1/8" carb, a 3/4" restrictor orifice and wouldn't do more than 45 MPH.

 

The plus side was the fuel consumption, and when I fitted a Red-ex vacuum gauge it got even better at well over 50 MPG.

[luismx123]

I dont know the exact calculation and its too early to think right now, but I did a 1000km trip when I picked my mini up in Milan in August. Drove all the way home and calculated 5.2l/100km with my 998 stage 1. Mind you its running fairly rich, so maybe a few points lower. My 2004 clio does the same l/100km so I think its pretty reasonable. AND, as cooperman said (he is always right), its part of owning a classic car. I enjoy tanking my mini anyways

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:27 AM.

[Archived3]

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Edited by Mrplastic, 17 March 2019 - 10:27 AM.

[mab01uk]

IIRC David Vizard built a Mini for MPG back in the 70s, he was getting better than 50 miles per imperial gallon with it on the highway.

 

David Vizard ‘1275GT Around America Economy Drive 1976’

David Vizard ‘Around America Economy Drive’ project in a Mini 1275GT on Dunlop Denovos. It was published in 1976 as a series of articles in the long gone 'Practical Motorist Magazine'

The full story posted here:-

http://www.theminifo...omy-drive-1976/

Edited by mab01uk, 25 November 2018 - 10:26 AM.

[ACDodd]

The best mpg I ever got was from a specially built 1380cc economy engine I built for my own Midas kit car. On one 200mile motorway trip I drove using a vacuum gauge at 65 to 70mph all the way. The Twin hs2 equipped 1380 engine returned 58.5mpg. satnav verified figures.

Having an economical engine is easy, you just need it to run at its most efficient. However getting the driver to be economical is another matter!

Happy to advise anyone on a typical economy spec engine build. A vacuum gauge is a must, as is discipline.

Ac

Edited by ACDodd, 25 November 2018 - 10:39 AM.

[mab01uk]

803cc? I thought the lowest was 850? Please tell me more

 

The first A-series engine was 803cc and was used in the Austin A30 and Morris Minor (1952-56), the prototype Minis were originally 948cc but were down rated to 848cc for production as it was felt they were too fast in 948cc form for a small basic car at that time!

 

A-Series engine: a hard act to follow:-

https://www.aronline...gines-a-series/

Edited by mab01uk, 25 November 2018 - 10:36 AM.

[DeadSquare]

803cc? I thought the lowest was 850? Please tell me more

 

The 803cc engine was the start in 1951 of the A series as we know it.  It was fitted to the Austin A30 and replaced the side valve engine in the Morris Minor.

 

The stroke was the same as the 948 Minor/ A40 and the 998 cooper, but the bore was a tiny 58MM.  The engine got the nick-name  "The Mighty Atom", when supercharged and running on Aviation fuel.

 

The "General Post Office" quickly ordered the van version in considerable numbers, and because its engine was so well suited for their needs, continued to order the 803 engine when the 948 was introduced.

 

When the A30 van was discontinued, the GPO bought the Minor van, but still ordered the 803 engine,  and presumably were such good customers that BMC built them a special engine to sit on a Mini gear box.

 

The RAF also had some 803 saloons that were adapted for invalid hand control.