56 replies to this topic

[topcat]

From December 2007 to Feb 2009 I did my first mini rebuild. I never got round to posting it but now I have decided to put a 2.0 8V Vauxhall Calibra engine it I thought It would be a good time! Heres a few photos of the original rebuild:







A nice Gazebo Respray!!








Loads of Relays!









I have recently purchased a C20NE engine with a home made subframe, driveshafts, gear linkage and a few other bits and bobs. The plan is to sort it all out, paint it all up, get a new gearbox, re-do the wiring, get a 2pc fibreglass clubman front then chop the front off my car and swap it all over. Here's a few pictures of the conversion:

Edited by topcat, 20 April 2010 - 08:46 PM.

[HARBER07]

Did you buy that engine off Craig by any chance?

[topcat]

Wow that was a quick Reply, Yer the conversion is out of pootle!

Got the engine off the subframe and in the living room for some cleaning and paint!



Started hacking about at the subframe and doing a bit of re-welding. Cut out quite a bit and chopped off some unused brackets.

[HARBER07]

Thought I recognized it . You know It's all good when the engine is in the living room! - should be a nice conversion.

[mymini007]

Looks like a good project, I am sure I have seen your car around 'nam

[Boycie]

Love it - cheap, reliable power and torque.

Is that engine an NE? I only ask because if it is, it must be an early one with that cam cover- looks like an SEH (130bhp).

[ad53ggz]

nice build what type of paint did you use?

[brian1975]

Nice project, im the chap you were talking to in halfords last night.Do you belong to any of the local clubs.

[topcat]

Looks like a good project, I am sure I have seen your car around 'nam

Yer I'm around the 'nam quite a lot so quite possible.

[topcat]

Love it - cheap, reliable power and torque.

Is that engine an NE? I only ask because if it is, it must be an early one with that cam cover- looks like an SEH (130bhp).

Yer Apparently it is a NE but as you say, it usually says 'Injection' on the cam cover. Wish it was an SEH.

[topcat]

nice build what type of paint did you use?

It's 2k Rover Electric Blue. Good thing about it was, It's so toxic it killed all the flies/bees/wasps that flew into the gazebo before they got to landing on the wet paint!

[topcat]

Nice project, im the chap you were talking to in halfords last night.Do you belong to any of the local clubs.

Hi, Thanks, Yer I'm part of the Six Ex Mini Owners Club. Don't get to go along as much as I should. Nice wheels by the way, love starmags.

[craig 1010cc]

Ah glad to see you've started a build thread

Sadly I can confirm it is a NE, Owen who I brought it from swapped the rocker cover over as he preferred the ribbed ones for his other engine

Can't beleive that your misses lets you build it in the house Looking good though, you remembered where all the bits go

[Owen]

he preferred the ribbed one

Hahaha

[topcat]

he preferred the ribbed one

Hahaha

Ha ha, Yer I prefer ribbed too, Might have to get a chrome one off ebay at some point.

Think I have found a F18WR gearbox so that should be pretty good. Welded some new rear mount brackets on the subframe. Also cleaned and painted up the suspension, just have to put new bushes/bearings in now. Also started cleaning the engine and drilling out the broken exhaust studs, may have to heli-coil them because they wouldn't come out with easy-outs. Also got a new brake master cylinder to remove the servo and got new engine mounts. Plan to do a lot more soon as I will have more time, been really busy recently.

I broke the gearbox on my A-series a couple of weeks ago so the mini is off the rod till I get the conversion done. Had to get another car, within 2 hours I became the proud owner of a BMW 316i with 11 months MOT & 3 months TAX, £350!! Just has a blowing exhaust which i welded up and now it's fine! Can't wait to get the mini back on the road though!

Edited by topcat, 24 June 2010 - 11:52 AM.