5 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

There was a very quick 2-cylinder Special Saloon Mini Racer in the 1970's......

Designed and built by Gordon Allen from half a 1700cc BDA (so rated at 850cc). In the 1970's special saloons there was an 850cc class which was full of destroked/overbored 970 Cooper S engines, usually running exotic 8-port heads and the like. This 2-cylinder BDA was a real winner once a few niggles were overcome. It was used by Peter Day in a Mini and also a Fiat 500 (the "Mighty Mouse") Here it is at home in the Mini;

 

The 2-Pot 850 Allen BDA (Peter Day)

Edited by mab01uk, 08 March 2023 - 07:11 PM.

[mab01uk]

This 2-cylinder 850 Allen BDA engine on a Mini gearbox was a real winner once a few niggles were overcome in the 1970's. It was used by Peter Day in a Special Saloon Mini and also later in his Fiat 500 (the "Mighty Mouse") with the Hybrid Mini unit and front subframe now mounted at the rear.
Here it is at home in the Fiat;

 

The Fiat was bought by Ian Medcalf off Peter Day as a rolling shell in 1987 and a Swiftune A-series engine installed for hillclimbs and sprints.
Ian is trying to find some in period film footage of the Fiat (or Mini) with the unique sounding half BDA engine.....so if anyone has any footage or photos from back in the day please share!

Ian Medcalf Video Interview | Pride of the Paddock | Race Retro 2019.
"Graham Clark of VFS Videos interviewing Ian Medcalf in the Pride of the Paddock area at Race Retro 2019. Ian talks about his totally rebuilt Fiat 500 with its Swiftune engine (the car was more famous for the 850cc half BDA engine in circuit racing days), which he now uses to do sprints and hill climbs throughout the United Kingdom."

 

 

Edited by mab01uk, 22 December 2022 - 07:55 PM.

[Avtovaz]

wow.

 

 

Id love to hear that  2 cylinder bda. That would have been amazing. 

[Shooter63]

I always thought that the engine was a great bit of engineering but those quoted power figures are just mad, you cannot get 112ftlb of torque from a N/A 850cc engine,the absolute best will be around 80-85 ftlb. Anything more than 100ftlb per litre is basically impossible even the old F1 3.0 V10 engines which have to be considered the pinnacle of N/A technology struggled.

Shooter

[mab01uk]

"Mini - The Racing Story" book by John Baggott has a bit more info below.



I also remember well this CCC track test article below and great period photo of Peter Kitchen's 1300cc Allen BDA Mini racer.....



More info and in period articles on Gordon Allen and hybrid Minis here:-
https://twiniminis.com/gordon-allen

Edited by mab01uk, 11 January 2023 - 09:54 AM.

[mab01uk]

 

Photo of stripped down Allen BDH Mini engine and gearbox.

It could well be from Peter Kitchen's Allen Mini racer in CCC article above or one from the same batch.

 

Edited by mab01uk, 11 January 2023 - 09:56 AM.