25 replies to this topic

[wainesworld]

Am toying with the idea of a Vtec next year, where can anyone recomend for this service? and does anyone know how much this might cost??

Thanks in advance

Waine

[jameswildcooper]

stay A series.
i spent over 5k collecting literally everything for my b18 conversion.
i went back A series and used all that money from Honda conversion on just the engine. and new i have a forged 1293 capable of over 200bhp.....

[Prawn]

I spent ages toying with the idea of Vtecs and engine conversions, but then after driving a few, I decided against it. On road performance isn't the insane jump up you'd expect it to be from a good A-series, and they never handle right, and don't make Mini noises.

if you've got the money required to invest in a Vtec conversion, then you've got the money to create a SERIOUSLY good A-series.

[The Matt]

My small bore VX conversion still feels totally Mini. VTEC conversions are a little heavier and the weight distribution is off too. But they are quick.

Then again, the sort of money I've spent on mine, I could have got a VERY sorted A-series in there instead.

[Bungle]

i would stay with a A series and keep the mini a mini

until the DVLA/VOSA can work out what is a mini's monocoque and what you can and can't chop out it makes building such a car a mine field

[jameswildcooper]

agree 100% with prawn....
chuck 5+ grand at a turbo A series.....
gearbox was most costly bit on mine.
owes me around 2 - 2.5K straight cut gears, straight cut drops, straight cut final drive and sailsbury LSD.
ive gone for a blowthrough supercharger setup from slark race engineering and hoping to achieve around the 170BHP mark.
then next year im going to sell the charger conversion and go for a decent turbo conversion so i can wind the boost up so i can achieve 200+bhp

[jaydee]

To Vtec or not
Well..
NOT.

[MJWarren]

I looked into the vtec. What's not to like? 150+bhp not pub figures. 5 speed box. Reliable. Economical.

[jaydee]

..and don't make Mini noises..

Good point, i love Mini noises. Its just part of its character.

[The Matt]

Mine makes FAR nicer noises than Mini noises!

[Turbo Nick]

i'd have a vtec any day, as long as it was still in a honda

[Prawn]

Small block vaux on an A-series subframe seems like one of the best swaps to me Matt, it just makes the most sense when you see how small the C/E16's are as well.

The thing that surprised me the most though, a friend locally built a watsons Vtec Mini with a B16B on DTA that was mapped to 192bhp, yet in a straight line drag race from 30mph, My 120bhp A-series actually nudged a nose ahead at first, and then it was pretty much dead level all the way up to 100mph, at which point the Vtec sailled away rapidly, but below 100 there really wasn't much in it.

Weight plays a big part, but i still expected it to just vanish, and it simply didnt :S

[The Matt]

It's gearing, gearing is IMO the most important factor to consider in an engine conversion and often gets overlooked, resulting in poor performance from a torquier, more powerful engine than the A-series.

[mini_mad69]

I was considering a Vtec, but they seem one of the more complicated and expensive conversion, that's why I've gone down the small block vaux route.

I don't know the weight, but the engine seems very light and have been told it's keeps the mini'ness handling.

[M J W J]

Matt is spot on. When I was researching into doing an engine I looked at some power curves and worked out the ratios that would be ideal for a mini for some of the engines I looked at. A small block 1.6 Vauxhall engine using a diesel gearbox fitted (3.55 final drive) was about the closest I could get to what is wanted.

Answer to your question to vtec or not. Answer is not. Vauxhall power it instead.

As for cost 5k would probably see you do it yourself. If you were to get a garage to do it then it would be a lot more. Not many places will do a drive in drive out conversion. If you are unable to work on the car yourself I would not recommend an engine conversion on any car. Trying to get it repaired and serviced will be a pain.

You could talk to Hayling mini (jerry) over on 16vminiclub. They do this kind of thing however he is in Hampshire