Morris Mini Cooper

[fantacmet]

I'm SERIOUSLY considering making a little turbocharger for this car. LOL. I think I'm still early enough in the building process to do it. Since the turbo for this would be smaller and I don't have anything to build a turbo for a larger engine at this point but I do for something this tiny in size it might be a good project.

Well I just checked and nope too far along, but that doesn't mean I can't do it on the next one. The though of adding a turbo, might just inspire me to buy another one.

Edited October 14, 2014 by fantacmet

[Skip]

Like your Irish flag idea for the colour. Rode in my first Mini a Mk II Cooper (non "S") while spending the summer in Scotland with friends from the States, buddy's dad was transferred over there for three years. His dad bought a Mini and a Daimler Limo while they were there the Limo was their family car! They shipped the Limo back and sold the Mini because it was a bit rusty. The Daimler had the coolest looking engine, I believe it was like a 289 ci, but it had valve covers that looked like a Chrysler Hemi. That first ride in a Mini got me hooked, years later I have one in the garage.

Didn't notice until it was pointed out about the rather large weave pattern of the med tape, it sorta looks a bit upscale especially on something as small as a Mini.

1.). Turbos are pretty much of a pain on a Mini, reason being the exhaust and intake are both up against the firewall bulkhead. 2.). You might try a little darker 1 - 2 shades or so on the Minilites, normally the spokes are painted and rims are clear coat over natural machined finish. Otherwise you're off to a great start.

[DonW]

The Daimler had the coolest looking engine, I believe it was like a 289 ci, but it had valve covers that looked like a Chrysler Hemi. That first ride in a Mini got me hooked, years later I have one in the garage.

It was 4561 cc / 278 ci and yes it did look a bit like a hemi. It gave 220 bhp. There was a smaller 2548cc / 155 ci version they used in the SP250 sports car and the V8-250 saloon.

Here's the bigger version:

Sorry, back to the topic - to me the seats are good in that material, I remember them being rather like that back in the sixties

[fantacmet]

Accurate shade of paint for the wheels wasn't too much of a concern since this doesn't replicate a stock Mini(well I suppose part of it does), but it's supposed to be someone's project. Someone who has more of a mindset to someone like me. I can't afford new wheels, but I can sure afford some paint to make them look different than everyone elses.

You did give me an idea though. A nice shiny lip on the wheel rim. HRM...................................

I WILL build one with a turbo at some point. It'll be a smaller Turbo for sure, there isn't exactly alot of space in there, and liek you said intake and exhaust are on the same side. The backside. Even tighter fit. Was thinking maybe of an injector setup with remote mounted TB's or remote mount the carbs with the turbo version. Thinking of sticking at least a type of CAI on this one. Up over the top of the valve cover and the filters right up front to get some good airflow right behind the grill. It would definitely be different.

Of course on a future build I could do a supercharger and a front mounted radiator instead of a Turbo.

[DonW]

Back in '75 a friend of mine had a Mini that he fitted a Wolseley Hornet bonnet to, but without the Wolseley grille. This gave a really neat forward facing scoop. He also stripped the interior and drove the thing like he stole it. Sadly one night he got into a race with a local dentist driving an MG-B in the town where we lived. The two cars made contact, the MG clipped the kerb and rolled, both cars were written off and the dentist was killed. Big local scandal. Chris didn't go to jail for his part in it but lost his licence and his interest in driving.

On a less downbeat note, here's a Hornet (a Mini with different bonnet, trim and extended tail) - you can imagine it without the special Wolseley grille, just an open scoop above the Mini grill.

[Skip]

Actually supercharging is easier than turbocharging a Mini. Judson made one which I believe was the same blower as used on Aircooled VW motors. Recently a company called Minimania minimania.com here in the states and Minispares in UK have marketed a supercharger kit for the Mini targeting the 1275 cc engine. (for a model there is very little if any noticeable differences between an 850 through 1275 cc engines.).

The attached pic shows a blown Classic Mini, one of the members of the Mini Club that I belong to has a Clubman GT Wagon (Traveler) with a blower on it, very quick Mini, Clubman had a squared off front end. His is almost the same color as this one he runs early Cooper S wheels. It's regularly thrashed on the local Auto-X circuits, no garage queen. Hope this gives you some ideas.

The blower in the picture wouldn't be all that hard to model it could probably be scratch built out of evergreen or Plastruct shapes without too much difficulty. Sits on top of a stock type downdraft intake.

[fantacmet]

The difficulty in the supercharger for me are the drive system for it. I'm trying to do a centrifigul style supercharger on a couple of kits right now, and making the pulley/belt system for it is a PITA.