Gonna start with this.

My first car was a mini (retro type), when I was 17. I slowly started doing things to it on a cheap budget and have come along way since. For the past 3 or 4 years, since my engine failed in my first mini, I've got hold of another mini to replace it (had to scrap the old one).

This pretty long project which has been on-going through my uni years has snowballed into something alot more substantial than what I first planned. I got hold of a "metro turbo" engine, which was going to replace the tired old engine, however this turbo engine hasn't been in the car and used in anger yet, as I decided to take it apart and make a proper job of it, which has taken ages.


These days the engine is pretty much ready to go. The car has come a pretty long way now, but isn't going to be a "finished/complete car" for a while yet.

Here's a breif run through of the thing i'm talking about.

It's a 1990 mini mayfair which I bought as a rolling shell. Clubman front end, carbon arches, had 7x13 Ultralights but these are gone now. Most of the bits on the inside and out speak for themselves :
















Ok my favourite bit, the engine. ALL of the bits on this car have been put together/built by me, I wanted to learn as much as I could so i've given everything a go and so far its turned out great:



Lowered compression ratio of 8.5:1 for more boosticles:



Straight cut close ratio gearbox that I built, has a 3.2 final drive:



For the moment this is that standard metro "T3" unit:



All ready to go in:



These are 7x13 wellers, which I got sandblasted and powdercoated satin black. Green rim tape. Unsure of offsets but there higher offsets than the ultralights, still look awesome though:



Pretty much how it stands at the moment, got to mount the intercooler properly and fit it under the removable fibreglass front end:




Here's the spec:

Standard T3 turbo, to be rebuilt
Standard turbo carb, to be rebuilt with noice bits
Avonbar Billet acuator, 12psi i think, dunno how I find out
15+ psi

1293 Metro Turbo block
10cc dish Omega Cast pistons
Standard crank and rods
Centre main strap
Heavy duty main, rod and camshaft bearings

Powerflow high capacity oil pump
Avonbar phase 2 cam kit
Piper Vernier Duplex kit
MED Ultralight steel flywheel

Minispares Molybdenum 4-pin differential
Minispares Clubman SCCR gearset
TRAN-X 1:1 SC drop gears

Fully modded Benross head

MED ultralight backplate

Grey Diagphram
AP Race/Rally plate
EDIS and MJLJ setup
2wd Cosworth intercooler, modded plenum and pipes
Some sort of dump valve
In car bleed valve
Clubman f/g 1 piece front
Curley carbon miglia arches
7x13 ultralights
2 Cobra imola s buckets with TRS harnesses
All sound deadening gone tubby bye bye's
SPAXtics shocks and some hi-lo's

Loads of other bits to come yet but as I say its not finished yet. The engine runs but is currently out of the car and the engine is split, I had a problem when I put my foot on the clutch that the revs dropped from idle and almost stalled the engine. This was because of a under-tolerance crank endfloat value from when I first built it. Sorted now, just needs to go back together and it can be run in. Cant wait!!

Expected power will be about 170bhp with similar torque to begin with, at around 1bar/15psi boost. After a bit of development and a different turbo i'm hoping to see 200bhp.

More weight saving after this, aiming for 550kg. Then paint etc to make it look pretty.

Will update more as things progress from now on...

Cheers!