53 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

Very rare & interesting 2-cylinder Mini engine on ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649

[Ryang556]

Looks quite interesting, slightly pricey though

[Mini Mad Drakeley]

would be awesome to have but your sorta stuck without the gearbox at least, would have been cool to see what a mini would drive like with one in it though

Edited by Dan, 15 September 2011 - 05:25 PM.
Do that again and you'll get a warning. You know what I mean.

[Pigeonto]

Its just a paper weight with no crank/head/gearbox/pistons/rods but I'd like to know the story behind it

Edited by PIGEONTO, 15 September 2011 - 06:12 AM.

[TfcIan]

Already been posted here http://www.theminifo...howtopic=202513
Admittedly not with the best title.

[mab01uk]

There is an old photo of the full 2-cylinder prototype engine on its gearbox in this book:
http://www.haynes.co...47365&langId=-1

Mini: The Definitive History by Jon Pressnell, I would scan picture and post it but my copy is out on loan at present........

[maggies_minder]

Already been posted here http://www.theminifo...howtopic=202513
Admittedly not with the best title.

its actually the third time, i await Bungle.

[Tommyboy12]

I would hardly call it a paper weight. A standard gearbox with an adapter plate would solve the gearbox problem. Pistons and rods will be standard. Im sure kent would chop a camshaft in half for you (with the appropriate bits still attached) and I imagine a decent A-series specialist would be able to make something of a crank. Not a cheap project but by no means impossible.

[Dan6061]

What's the actual advantage of it then?

[mab01uk]

Already been posted here http://www.theminifo...howtopic=202513
Admittedly not with the best title.

its actually the third time, i await Bungle.

If people don't follow basic forum guidelines by posting a sensible or descriptive title directly related to the content of their posts, then you must expect re-posts to happen................

[Wil_h]

I would hardly call it a paper weight. A standard gearbox with an adapter plate would solve the gearbox problem. Pistons and rods will be standard. Im sure kent would chop a camshaft in half for you (with the appropriate bits still attached) and I imagine a decent A-series specialist would be able to make something of a crank. Not a cheap project but by no means impossible.

I guess, but for the engine to have value it must be historically correct. What you would end up with is something that never existed and was worse than a 4-cylinder engine.

It's a paperweight

[mab01uk]

What's the actual advantage of it then?

Compact and cheaper to build but I believe it was too unrefined and harsh/rough running in the end.

But there was a very quick 2-cylinder Special Saloon Mini Racer in the 1970's...................

Designed and built by Gordon Allen from half a 1700cc BDA (so rated at 850cc). In the 1970's special saloons there was an 850cc class which was full of destroked/overbored 970 Cooper S engines, usually running exotic 8-port heads and the like. This 2 cylinder BDA was a real winner once a few niggles were overcome. It was used by Peter Day in a Mini and also a Fiat 500 (the "Mighty Mouse") Here it is at home in the Mini;





http://www.racing70s...ns/mini_065.htm

[dribble]

" A two cylinder engine – made by literally cutting an A35 engine in half to create a 425cc twin – was rough and unrefined when used in an A35 test car.. So the now simple-sounding solution of placing the gearbox underneath the engine was born."

Taken from here http://www.1959minir...m/mini-history/

[Gulfclubby]

I'd rather have a modern Fiat Twin Air engine:)

[Dan]

I would hardly call it a paper weight. A standard gearbox with an adapter plate would solve the gearbox problem. Pistons and rods will be standard. Im sure kent would chop a camshaft in half for you (with the appropriate bits still attached) and I imagine a decent A-series specialist would be able to make something of a crank. Not a cheap project but by no means impossible.

Needs a bit more than that! The cam would have to be a custom billet, half a 4 cylinder wouldn't work. The timing would be terrible and look at where the dizzy drive has to be. Also this engine is the wrong way around, being a traditional A series layout from before the gearbox was stuck underneath and the engine turned around. The dizzy is on the wrong side, the manifold face is on the wrong side. You would have to make it run backwards, not a problem with a custom cam though. You'd have to use static ignition. And the crank would be billet too. The rods probably wouldn't be standard, no A series ever had the main bearings so close together so the big ends take up a fair bit of room. By the time there are crank webs in between those mains, even flat webs, there will be little space left for a standard A series big end. A more modern big end with thrust faces would be needed probably and with quite an offset too. So as said, possible but expensive.

Is this definitely the 2 cylinder do you think or is it half of the flat 4? It looks quite different from the other 2 cylinder block I've seen. I guess there were a few different development models though.