convert to toyota engen

It's very simple: Sell your Mini to someone that loves them for what they are, then go to the nearest used car lot and buy a Toyota.

What's the problem with Mini engines? If it's just that they're not 'modern' you should have a good think about why you own one.

If you are worried about economy, the standard engine will return upwards of

40mph at a steady 60mph, which even today is a good figur., If you are looking for more performance, an A+ series engine can be tuned near indefinatly, 100BHP is fairly easily achieveable, If you are only looking for super quick performance, and possibly that elusive 5th gear, fit a honda, vauxhall or possibly suzuki engine - these are more commonly fitted to minis, many kits are available etc.

RS

Elusive 5th gear? You can have a 5 gear gearbox fitted to a Mini if you really want to you know.

Taffy

i do know about the conversions, jack knight do a nice one, but for that money you're already half way there for a honda type R conversion

True, and that would return better mpg than an a-series if driven nicely as the mini is about half the weight of a Type R Civic! although you would also have an incredibly fast and reliable car with lots of gears and a smooth engine!

Or you could just spend the same amount on an A-Series and put up with it needing a rebuild every 50,000miles if you thrash it!

miniman

Well my A'series has almost gone around the clock and hasn't needed a rebuild yet and I've occasionally thrashed it too, but I don't have a fifth gear mind you.

Taffy

aha but a japanese engine would go around the clock twice and you would be able to constantly thrash it from day one, they even have six gears.......! ;-)

how times have changed and technology has progressed!

Have you noticed that when people say that a car has lots of character they really mean that it has lots of weird niggles and problems that they put up with happily, my mini has character!!!!!!

Has anyone ever made an electric mini (not BINI on new italian job!) there are motors available that you can fit on each wheel, four wheel drive mayhem!

miniman

Maybe so, but a Mini isn't really a Mini unless there's an A'series up front singing away?

Taffy

I am not such a purist and given half a chance would jump ship to some modern technology! Some people have minis to polish and enjoy, I am probably classed as a heathen but I really do enjoy abusing the poor little a-series and will until it breaks, but then they are so cheap to rebuild I would probably do it again and again and again! The gearbox on the other hand leaves much to be desired, I am just about to embark on using motorcycle oil (fully synthetic) and will do some follow up posts when I next service the thing to see whether it is any different to car oil, I have been reliably informed that as the majority of motorbikes have mixed engine gearbox oil then their oils are specifically made for that purpose, no harm in trying!

take care

miniman

Well if you have a monster powered A'series then you really need to fit a gearbox that's man enough for the job? Like a straight cut job for starters?

But I certainly don't just polish and admire my Mini, oh no but then mine's used as the family car too, but I do also enjoy giving it a bit of stick over the mountains/hills that make up the South Wales valleys of my home town.

Taffy

Straight cut is good but to make a strong box would require about the same dosh as a jap engine,oh decisions!

Good fun those crazy welsh roads! pity about all that rain whenever I go there! ;-)

miniman

Yeah don't talk to me about all the rain and then there's the amount of salt they put on the roads/hills during the winter, like today because there's snow down. Oh yes keeping a Mini healthy here is a tough job you know ;O)

Taffy

There you go....

The Muffin Man

Thanks for the comentry, I have just bought a 2nd mini so now I have a clubman 1275 with a 2nd engen rebored to 1.310 but both engens died, and spares are killers here in south africa ,

The first engen was shot when I got the mini, will needs complete overhaul. The second dropped its timing chain tensioner, and in the process the clutch sheered the locating washer .. the end of the crank is chewed up. The engen still had its honing makes in the cylinders so it was bearly runin :-( it used to go like a bat out of hell :-) ..

and a clubman 1275 gts that I would like to restore.

I love the handeling of the minis :-).

My reseason for the toyota converesion is , it's cheaper to repair / overhaul and it turns the mini into a pocket rocket.