8 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

You may have seen this one before......but you have to admire the engineering skills and its practically all British Leyland parts, transverse mounted engine and front wheel drive just like proper Mini's ! 
More here:
http://reocities.com...2760/Viku2.html

Rover V8 3.5L engine on transverse Austin Princess fwd gearbox for the Mini Clubman V8








"Plan included fitting the engine transversely like the original Mini layout, finding a suitable gearbox/diff and mating everything together. Gearbox is originally from an Austin Princess. It is of Mini design, located underneath the engine. Surprisingly the Rover V8 block and Austin Princess gearbox fitted pretty easily (?) together with only a few adapter plates. Flywheel is a combination of Range Rover and Princess parts. The clutch is a combination of late model Rover clutch plate and Saab turbo diaphragm. A new final drive was specially designed and machined for this engine, ratio is around 2,7:1. The engine is tilted backwards about 10 degrees. Carb is a 390 cfm Holley which also needed modifications to gain bonnet clearance. Engine is rebuilt and fitted with a hotter camshaft. Owner Viku Perala from Finland, fabricated one-off exhaust manifolds with stainless steel and mild steel tubing. His Mini has "only" a single exhaust because the dual would not fit and he wanted some stealth effect… Well, the exhaust note is hard to miss !!! Cooling is taken care of with a Mini 2-row super cool radiator and a specially made auxiliary radiator. Surprisingly enough suspension components and suspension pickup points are all ORIGINAL. Furthermore, bulkhead is also original, no cutting was required !!! Like you see in the photos, the package is pretty tight but everything fits. What is even more surprising is that this car does not feel over engined. It runs just about the same way an original Mini does. Only difference being the extra torque....."

 

[mab01uk]

and a couple more fwd V8 Minis here.....

 

 

 

Edited by mab01uk, 16 March 2018 - 10:09 AM.

[hazpalmer14]

must make for some interesting handling! Have to admire the work though

[DeadSquare]

In the early 70's, I had much the same idea, but of putting the relatively light ex F1 3 litre alluminium Repco Brabham V8 in the back of a Cox GTM.

 

I got as far as buying an automatic 1800 gearbox ( to save sorting gear linkages), but the plans petered out when I tried to lift it.

 

I had already pranged my Unipower GT, which I found tail end heavy, and I didn't want to build something that could win 'the traffic lights grand prix' but didn't handle.

Edited by DeadSquare, 22 June 2018 - 03:20 PM.

[DeadSquare]

In the early 70's, I had much the same idea, but of putting the relatively light ex F1 3 litre alluminium Repco Brabham V8 in the back of a Cox GTM.

 

I got as far as buying an automatic 1800 gearbox ( to save sorting gear linkages), but the plans petered out when I tried to lift it.

 

I had already pranged my Unipower GT, which I found tail end heavy, and I didn't want to build something that could win 'the traffic lights grand prix' but didn't handle.

 

The "New and Unused" gearbox is still in its packing case, somewhere in the barn ,

[viz139]

I saw this clubman at the IMM in Finland ,absolutely beautiful with no external mods except as you can see in the second photo the grill is spaced forward to clear the exhaust. If I remember correctly the air filter is custom made from saucepan lids to keep it low enough to clear the bonnet. 

[stumpy75]

Isnt the rover v8 aluminium must be comparable to a mini lump ???

[mab01uk]

Isnt the rover v8 aluminium must be comparable to a mini lump ???

 

Yes.....its light weight alloy construction has always made it a popular choice for transplants while retaining the original cars handling and balance. When BL launched the MGB GT V8 there was very little increase in weight from the Rover V8 over the cast iron B-Series 4 cylinder engine of a standard MGB. Also the same for Triumph TR7 to TR8. The Rover V8 was derived from the original design by Buick in the USA where it was considered a small compact V8 engine.

Edited by mab01uk, 07 February 2019 - 10:46 PM.

[mab01uk]

Another transverse Rover V8 plus BMC 1800 gearbox Mini Clubman project (in Australia) is in progress here on the Mk1 Forum:-

(You may need to register to view this part of the forum)

http://mk1-forum.net...php?f=6&t=18661

Edited by mab01uk, 07 February 2019 - 10:44 PM.