14 replies to this topic

[Rusty1182]

Hello All

 

I'm Collecting my new mini on Friday and it has a 1275 Maestro engine in it.

 

Are these any different from the mini 1275 engines?

 

I know they are both A series but is the compression etc the same?

 

also, it still has the Maestro Inlet Manifold.   should I change this for a normal aftermarket one?

 

Thanks

Ant

[Stevie W]

Hi Ant,

 

From memory, the Maestro was front wheel drive and had an "end-on" VW gearbox and was an A+ engine, so I believe the block and crank would have been different (akin to the rear-wheel drive Morris Marina/Ital/Sprite/Midget/Moggy Minor etc.).

 

I'm not sure this block would fit a Mini transverse gearbox without loads of modifications. With regard to similarities to the Mini engnie, I believe the Maestro was similar with high compression pistons, but with electronic ignition and an electronic automatic choke.

 

Cheers, Steve.

[Tommyboy12]

The block is technically the same but it won't have the whole maestro engine in it. That car used an end-on gearbox not an in-sump like the Mini. The block also faced the other way around with the dizzy facing the firewall. If you swap the crank then you can fit it to a mini gearbox.

I also doubt it has the maestro inlet manifold as this had a 180 degree turn in the manifold so the carb would hit the bonnet in a mini.

[Rusty1182]

The engine is already in and working and driving.    i was just wondering what the differences would be when ordering parts for it.

[MiniJosh92]

Oil filter is different, goes straight onto the block like an mpi mini.

[nicklouse]

i would just wait untill you get it as it may not what people are telling you or may not as original.

[midridge2]

You may mean its a metro engine.

[MacGyver]

Maybe it's a metro engine?
My dad had a maestro that died a year ago... RIP... And I scavenged what I could from it and the block was unusable unless major work was done to it.
It has the same'ish' block but it has completely different innards...

[Tupers]

I put a 1300 Maestro engine into an Austin 1300 in 2015 and it's pretty easy.

The only major mechanical difference is the crankshaft but I had a good A+ one that I swapped in with the bearings.
The oil pickup in the bottom of the block is also larger as the Maestro has a threaded fitting there. To get over this I cut the fitting down to be flush with the block and screwed it in with a bit of loctite.

All in all it's a reasonably simple conversion as long as you're familiar with Mini mechanics.

[MacGyver]

I put a 1300 Maestro engine into an Austin 1300 in 2015 and it's pretty easy.

The only major mechanical difference is the crankshaft but I had a good A+ one that I swapped in with the bearings.
The oil pickup in the bottom of the block is also larger as the Maestro has a threaded fitting there. To get over this I cut the fitting down to be flush with the block and screwed it in with a bit of loctite.

All in all it's a reasonably simple conversion as long as you're familiar with Mini mechanics.

Darn, why did I listen to them! 😒

[Tupers]

Here are a couple pictures from the conversion. I didn't take any detailed pics of the differences unfortunately but they're really not that far apart. 

 

 

 

 

Interestingly if you we're looking to add air-con and other auxiliaries to a Mini as I am these blocks are ideal as they have many more mounting lugs cast into them. 

[Rusty1182]

Thanks for the comments looks like its a normal kind of engine swap then

[nicklouse]

well it is basically the MPI block.  but the Maestro power unit is very different.

[mini13]

dosent the maestro block have the oil pickop pipe changed to be like the inline engine, also isnt there rear main bearing differences for a rear oil seal.

[Guess-Works.com]

Nope, straight swap...

Replace the crank for a mini one and off ya go...

 

Old A series inline engines, Midget, Marina and Ital do have to have the rear main cap modified...