46 replies to this topic

[rids]

whats it drive like on 10's?

[MiniNissan]

Really neat installation, do you have any more pictures of how the subframe gets around the inner wings? I've never seen a subframe design that has support from the top of the suspension towers down to the front support that didn't require removal of the inner wings, would be great to see how you've done it. Hope my project turns out as neat as yours.

i tried to make a picture from under the wheelarch, i will make a better one after the weekend.


the inner wings just fit inside the frame, some modifications on the wing are required with this frame, but nothing major.

[MiniNissan]

The alternator is a brise 93mm, it only requires an L-shaped bracket and an (timing belt)idler from a '00 subaru WRX.

Edited by MiniNissan, 09 August 2012 - 08:10 PM.

[MiniNissan]

Actually, it drives really well with the 10" wheels gearing is short but really well suited to b-roads and country roads. not so great on motorway. havent really had it to top speed. It feels really great for the occasional blast up and down the road. but i dont really think of it as my daily driver for now.

[MiniNissan]

@ mr. L_jonez; i'm currently using the old aldon points distributor, it works well, but as an uprade i'm very interested in the Megajolt system, as you say, it is relatively cheap and i think it will really be an upgrade because it is programmable. i like the setup on your car.

[lucas1amps]

aldon points dizzy? is that a nissan item or off something else? i want to rin mine on carbs too be alot easier to replace the dizzy i got with a old fashioned manual dizzy! as im unsure what is invovled with the mega jolt system. any light you can shed on your ignition system would be a massive help! also you running a race tank or standard with a inline pump? many thanks luke

[fuzzy-hair-man]

I really like how your subframe doesn't reduce the ride height any, as it's low enough already anyway.
I guess the downside is the subframe doesn't offer much protection for the engine in case it does scrape.

Your alternator has me wondering if I could find one to front mount mine but I'm not paying 175 - 510 pounds that Brise quote!
But maybe I can find a smaller one that'll do the job. Suzuki swift seems as though it might be an option... http://www.turbomini...p?p=vt&tid=2995
I originally thought that your engine must be further back than mine (because of the firewall modifications)
but it's clearance on the water pump that determines how far back it can go so it can't be that different.

Bart you've found some different solutions to the conversion problems, great work!

[Tomm]

That is a interesting read about the alternators on that TurboMinis link.

Hopefully downsizing my alternator will stop from hanging out the front.

lovely subframe work.

[rids]

i was looking at a canal boat diesel engine and it had a tiny alternator . may be worth looking at marine engine alternators.

[MiniNissan]

aldon points dizzy? is that a nissan item or off something else? i want to rin mine on carbs too be alot easier to replace the dizzy i got with a old fashioned manual dizzy! as im unsure what is invovled with the mega jolt system. any light you can shed on your ignition system would be a massive help! also you running a race tank or standard with a inline pump? many thanks luke

The distributor is from the old a-series mini engine. still running breaker points. i had a bush made which has the outside diameter of the nissan distributor hole and an inside diameter of the mini distributor. the i modified the nissan distributor drive to fit on the mini's distributor shaft. there is more info on this in bigchiefs thread. irc someone used a late mini's distributor with electronic ignition. It seems to work fine, but for now i can't really tell you if the advance curves are anywhere near what the nissan motor wants, but there is no detonation or whatsoever throughout the rev range. the fuel tank is just the standard mini item with electronic fuel pump, no extra regulator.
the distributor in place:

fuel tank and pump:


the small plastic inline filter is there, because the tank had been in storage for some time and even though i cleaned it, i just want to be sure no dirt finds its way into the pump/filter.

[MiniNissan]

I really like how your subframe doesn't reduce the ride height any, as it's low enough already anyway.
I guess the downside is the subframe doesn't offer much protection for the engine in case it does scrape.

Your alternator has me wondering if I could find one to front mount mine but I'm not paying 175 - 510 pounds that Brise quote!
But maybe I can find a smaller one that'll do the job. Suzuki swift seems as though it might be an option... http://www.turbomini...p?p=vt&tid=2995
I originally thought that your engine must be further back than mine (because of the firewall modifications)
but it's clearance on the water pump that determines how far back it can go so it can't be that different.

Bart you've found some different solutions to the conversion problems, great work!

thanks, the subframe is about an inch lower then standard. the lowest point is where the lower tubes meet the subframe. where the bottom arm sits. that is lower then the sump. i was thinking about what you said about protecting it, and i think i can make up a very simple but effective sumpguard on the subframe.

scraping?? haha, i'm used to some scraping now and then, check out my daily driver...

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Here's what I did with my frame if it's any interest, the engineer* doesn't seem to think it needs anything running from the towers down to the front so this is pretty much it.
 Subframe1.JPG   71.48K   151 downloads  Subframe2.JPG   88.38K   117 downloads
These were taken a while ago there's been LOTs of re-enforcement go in and the rails are no longer just tacked on.
Basic idea is that the mini should be able to slide up on those rails, later I'll mount a sump guard to the bottom of the rails as well.

* Any engine conversions in Australia need to be signed off as complying with Aust. Design rules by an engineer. (not the easiest process)

The subframe is almost finished now (sorry no photos) and then hopefully the conversion will move along a bit quicker.

Yeah can see why the kombi might scrape...

Edited by fuzzy-hair-man, 14 August 2012 - 12:06 PM.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Double post... Sorry

Edited by fuzzy-hair-man, 14 August 2012 - 11:57 AM.

[MiniNissan]

great work, i can see the engineers view. the lower rails have plenty of strength in them by the look of it. The standard mini subframe is not braced from the towers down to the front either..
i love to see pictures of the finished frame. What did you do to put some strength back in the rear of the frame? where the diff. sits?
Your engine mount design is almost identical to mine, only much thicker material.

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Thanks; my idea was that the mini frames strength was down low at the base of the towers so I tried to work from this point, building from the top of the suspension towers has been popular in starlet conversions over here but now they are literally beginning to crack.

The engineer's specs were 6mm x 50mm plate joining the rails to the rear subframe mounts and over the arch between the towers, sort of like in this diagram:
 RearSubframeReEnforcing.jpg   18.76K   11 downloads (black lines are the rails running forward)

Some of the re-enforcing curiously is the same as recommended in Vizard's white book in the section about rally prepping.

Given the strength in the original subframe it's many times stronger, the weight of the subframe is beginning to worry me a bit. But to some extent I have to do as requested.

Still the engine is significantly lighter and the extra stiffness may help improve handling, it's also a very simple and light weight sumpguard now compared to the original.

by the way I think all of the Australian mini's have solid mounted front subframes, was there a point where rubber mounting subframes was phased in over there? (our last minis were ~78 clubmans)

Off to look at small alternators at the local wreckers...