85 replies to this topic

[Fatsam]

Hello all!
I was just having a moider with my dad and he mentioned being able to get a spacer plate in the 80's to fit on the gearbox of a mini, then being able to fit a ford X flow 1.3 block on it, Reason im asking is, Ive never seen it done before but apparently it was all the rage in the 80's when Xflow engines everywhere. Just thought Id ask Incase anyone had done this before or has anymore info on it
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Thanks
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Sam

[bmcecosse]

Yes - it was a (v expensive) possibility. Mainly done in the 1 litre racing saloon class - Ford 'screamers' were slightly better than the 999 S engine.

[Fatsam]

Are you sure? As far as my dad knows they nevermade a 1 litre ford Crossflow engine

[Cerberus]

Seen this come up a few times, IIRC the adapters are now like hens teeth.

I think, there were some pictures of one that had been done in a previous thread, but not sure.
Might find something with a search on here, or use google to search through the forum, which can sometimes give better results.

[ANON]

done by manx, think rosslinracing on here has a couple of them?

[bmcecosse]

I'm sure about 1 litre screamers - not sure if they were 'crossflow' - buy I suspect they were.

[samsfern]

I think there's also a 1600 x flow as well?

[Fatsam]

Yeah My dad recognizes the 'Manx' from Isle of man and Remembers how expensive they were! Apparently they were £1000 for the spacer and the crank had to be modified to take the Mini Clutch and flywheel assembly, Ive looked it up and there were no 1 litre Ford Cros flow engines so it must of been something similar, Apparently Only the 1300 crossflows would fit in a mini as the 1600 was to big.

[crock]

There must be something that can mount a 1600 cross flow Ford because I have personally dynoed a Lotus-Ford Twin Cam on a Mini transmission stuffed inside a Mk I Mini. I don't recommend it because it is much easier to install a supercharger and get a better result.

[Ivor Badger]

There must be something that can mount a 1600 cross flow Ford because I have personally dynoed a Lotus-Ford Twin Cam on a Mini transmission stuffed inside a Mk I Mini. I don't recommend it because it is much easier to install a supercharger and get a better result.

Yes, but if you are competing with it, the turbo will probably take you outside the class limit. which is why people fitted Cosworth MAEs and SCAs in minis. A 1 lt SCA gave 140+bhp and a MAE gave over 110 bhp on a single 1.5" restrictor hole in the inlet manifold.

[Ivor Badger]

Are you sure? As far as my dad knows they nevermade a 1 litre ford Crossflow engine

Cosworth used the Ford A series 5 main bearing block and stroked it down to 1 lt, the limit for the class for which they were built.

[mini13]

yep both the crossflows and their derivatives (lotus twincam ford BDA) can be made to fit, but its a big job.

another one for the 1 litre class was to graft an Imp engine to the mini box.

http://www.pistonhea...i=20&mid=0&nmt=

[megamini_jb]

I'd love to be able to do this with a 1600 crossflow.

My dads got an old fiesta he used to race that has a BDA and he has mentioned about this conversion kit that allowed a ford block to mate on a mini gearbox, then either the crossflow, lotus twin cam or bda head. That'd be so damn awesome. Surely the spacer plate can be quite simply re made though? God knows about the custom gearbox or crack part though.

I'd have this conversion over the rest any day.

Anymore info anyone?

Thanks

Edited by megamini_jb, 13 August 2016 - 06:13 AM.

[megamini_jb]

711 blocks seem to have sold for a lot cheaper than I was expecting.
Twin cam heads are bloody expensive, but the crossflow are nice and cheap.

Edited by megamini_jb, 13 August 2016 - 06:19 AM.

[Spider]

I would say this has largely lost appeal these days as there's just some many other 'packages' from other cars that shoe-horn just about straight in, that going to the trouble and expense of doing an engine conversion to a Mini Gearbox is seldom worthwhile now, especially give how frail the Mini Gearbox really is.

 

For around 20 - 25% of the cost of one of these Engine-on-Mini-Gearbox conversions a complete Nippon Hond-Toyo-san conversion can be done, which has a Gearbox rated to the Engine, that will last well and has a 5 Speed gearbox, Injection etc. They are almost fit and forget.