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K18ARY
4th October 2006, 12:45 AM
Ok now I have got it going and I actually understand auto electrics I was thinking.........should I go for a 1380 MED engine kit or keep that 998 for a year or so and start stockpiling parts for a 1.4 16 v K series conversion?

I know I would be able to do it, only thing I am not sure about is that my mini is a bit too good to start butchering. What do you think?

Big Gordy
4th October 2006, 01:30 AM
If its in good nick I'd leave it as it is. Just my puppence worth....its your car to soop up however you please:D How easy is it to fit the K series engine:question: There was one at Arbroath with a Honda engine in it and it looked a bit of a sqeeze:eek:
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/BigGordy/DSCF1183-1.jpg

Heather
4th October 2006, 01:45 AM
A series all the way:D

K18ARY
4th October 2006, 02:48 AM
It is a bit of a squeeze and having looked at a few conversions on 16vmini.co.uk there seems to be quite a few bodges. What I mean is that there is not set way to do it. There are kits you can buy with the appropriate mounts etc but it is a bit "haud it and daud it" in a lot of cases.

Whereas a sorted A series would keep the originality it still ain't the most advanced nor that reliable. Dunno what to do!

lightbody
4th October 2006, 03:43 AM
Every single Mini ever produced from 1959 to 2000, had an A-series engine.

Its now a genuine classic car.

Nuff said.

Big Gordy
4th October 2006, 04:00 AM
You might have more reliability issues with the K series than you will with the A :eek: You've got to keep an eye on the water levels in the K as they can blow cylinder head gaskets quite easily. Plus there are more go faster goodies for the old A series than for the K at the moment;) Ross has the MG ZR105 which has the 1.4 K engine and he enquired about the same engine they use in the touring cars (can't remember the name :I.....just remembered....JUDD) and was quoted about 22 grand:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: thats just the engine and gearbox..eeeeek :p:D:approve:

K18ARY
4th October 2006, 06:08 AM
jaysus! £22 grand!!!! I suppose I didn't really think about the K series upgrading aspect! There is no way I could just put the engine in and be done with it. Would much rather do a bit of tweaking!

I have bought the Vizard book to get an idea about the A-Series. Would just like to get rid of that A-series whine from the gearbox and have a 5th gear also hence considering a k-series.

broken_brian
4th October 2006, 06:33 AM
the k series is too big to fit in a mini unless u go for a clubman front end or do quite a lot of fabrication to lengthen the front of a standard one. Just to be picky the 1.4 k series are ok for head gaskets as they are a dry liner type block its the 1.6 and 1.8 that give you problems as they are wet liners and they have a tendancy to move slightly as i have helped fix my mates dads car twice now due to this happening :mad:

Gismo
4th October 2006, 01:07 PM
I was torn between the minisport 1430 and the MED 1380 conversion, the guys at MED were very helpfull, go for the 1380 it'll probably be more reliable ;)

bpirie1000
4th October 2006, 04:33 PM
A-series Everytime..

I know a fair number of People who shoe horn Other engines into minis and tehy just don't have teh same exhaust note .. The Sound of A Mini is Unique.

Burple
4th October 2006, 07:08 PM
STick wit the A-series all the way. I remember reading a few articles on the K-series conversion a few years back and it seems to be a lot more bother than it's worth. THe ground clearance at te front to the engine is also a nightmare when the K-series is in a mini shell - Seen a few at various shows...
If you *REALLY* want to convert it, the Vauxhall 16v twin cam or Honda Vtec are the only ways to go! :D:cool:
There's a company out there that specifically buids subframes to mount these into Minis, though they're not cheap! (roundabout £3k if it remember rightly... though I could be wrong ;))
If you choose to convert, be aware that whatever one you choose, there'sll be a fair about of bodywork extension and chopping, in the case of the Vauhall and Honda engines you'll need to add at least 3 inches to the length of the front of the car so the engine will fit! :eek: Unless you fit a Clubman front end.
I've only ever seen one round nosed mini where this extension actually looked professional enough not to look out of place and wrong....
And that was the guy up in Aberdeen (I think his name was Leigh?) and it turned out like this:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/160/pict0043zu3.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7647/pict0049gf1.jpg

:cool:

bpirie1000
4th October 2006, 07:14 PM
certainly was leigh and his car cost him in teh region of £35,000 to get looking like this......

Burple
4th October 2006, 08:22 PM
quote:Originally posted by bpirie1000

certainly was leigh and his car cost him in teh region of £35,000 to get looking like this......




Ouch!!!! :D
'Tis a beautiful toy tho! :cool::cool:

K18ARY
4th October 2006, 09:41 PM
Seen that mini with the vxhl 16v conversion. Not a big fan of th 90mm longer wings tho! Think it spoils the proportions.

There are a lot of cars out there that have k series in the standard round nose. Big mods are needed tho, webber box, turbo mods to bulkhead and a self fabricated subframe.

The more I look at the med website the more I fancy a "hot" a series. Plus I have managed to get hold of a straight cut MED gearbox for nowt! seems thats the way to go then. I can feel a winter project coming on!:)

Burple
5th October 2006, 01:15 AM
quote:Originally posted by K18ARY

Seen that mini with the vxhl 16v conversion. Not a big fan of th 90mm longer wings tho! Think it spoils the proportions.

There are a lot of cars out there that have k series in the standard round nose. Big mods are needed tho, webber box, turbo mods to bulkhead and a self fabricated subframe.

The more I look at the med website the more I fancy a "hot" a series. Plus I have managed to get hold of a straight cut MED gearbox for nowt! seems thats the way to go then. I can feel a winter project coming on!:)


Do It!!! :cool::cool::cool::cool::D:D:D

Duncan Stewart
6th October 2006, 04:53 PM
I'd stick with a nicely tuned A-series for your freshly restored mini :approve: :D
But if money is no object then a clubman front end and honda v-tec would be good :eek: :p

K18ARY
6th October 2006, 06:54 PM
A-series it is. Been speaking to the guys at MED and I reckon I am going to go for the engine kits as I want to build it myself, plus its only £500 for the short engine!

I always think that clubmans need to be done in a really 70's style with slotmag alloys and other bits of period charm. However a sneaky V-tec under the bonnet would be brilliant. An expensive engine conversion to do tho!:eek: