536 replies to this topic

[supermotolee]

i'm very tempted by a 16v conversion but dont want to jump into anything and find the cost spiraling out of control what kind of money can you do it for working on it yourself but buying the subby to suit car i quite fancy a swift or the 1.6 your doing tom

just a rough run down of parts and prices would be good i have looked at the 16v minishop but i'm not sure what i'd need and wouldnt need

great project hope i could make as good a progress as you!

keep it up

[Purple Tom]

Well, I think the cost would vary hugely depending on the quality of finish that you're after. I prefer a high quality finish (silicon hoses, painted engine, serviced engine etc etc), so that would add to the overall finishing cost.

The most expensive item for the whole conversion is the subframe. This, along with all the necessary components, i.e driveshafts, bottom arms and tie rods, engine mounts and mounting bolts, comes to just over £1500 with the VAT.

Then you need to source an engine and gearbox, with wiring loom and ECU etc. I paid fairly big money for mine from the 16V Mini Shop, but its a known runner and in good nick. There's a C16SE engine on eBay at the moment for a buy it now of £55, but you have to remove it yourself (it will come with all ancillaries though!). So you could obviously get one quite cheaply, and gearboxes aren't expensive. You need to make sure you get the right ratio gearbox (an F15 TD gearbox is good).

Then its stuff like radiator, fuel tank, fuel lines, brake pipes etc. My radiator is from a Mk2 Astra 1300, and cost just over £40. The fuel tank is SPi and I got it for nothing (but expect to pay around £20 for one). You need a Vauxhall Bosch in-tank pump if you're using the SPi/MPi tank, this will set you back around £35 for a second hand one. Fuel lines aren't expensive (just get 8mm copper pipe), and neither are brake pipes and a flaring kit (budget £50 for the lot).

You need to make sure your brakes and suspension are up to the job of coping with the extra torque, so budget for upgrades if you're not sure of their capability.

Then it's a case of all the little things, finishing off bits like hoses, clips, nuts and bolts etc. The Mini gauges can be used with the Vauxhall wiring but it would be worth fitting some auxillary gauges too.

Hope that helps!

Tom

[Purple Tom]

Got loads more done today. The fuel and brake pipes are all on and complete. The rear subframe is back on and the new shocks fitted. The fuel pump is in the tank and the fuel tank is fitted, along with the wiring all sorted out.

Not gonna get my hopes up but I reckon the engine could be in by this weekend

[Alburglar]

Good work tom, I reckon you'll be the only one of us who won't need to do a mad rush to get you car finished a week before the ring run.

[supermotolee]

thanks for the top reply tom i'm more function over form man loving your project and it's making me think alot about getting rid of the 1380 already

thanks lee

[marc]

TOM! Let me know when its running please, i need some motivation at the minute! Well done with all the progress, its going well.

[Purple Tom]

Will do matey!

Well I was right not to get my hopes up, the engine is still sat waiting to go in the car! However I've managed to finish off the rear end of the car, in that the rear screen and side windows are back in, speaker wires and fuel pump wiring has been run through the roof to the front of the car, and the new battery cable is in place and the distribution box on the front bulkhead is fitted, along with the right end on the battery cable. Oh, and the new shortened handbrake cable is fitted, and the handbrake is adjusted, all working fine

Gonna try to persuade the brakes to bleed tomorrow morning if possible, then over the next week I'll rebuild the engine with the new parts and aim to get it in and plumbed up as much as possible by next weekend. Here's hoping anyway!

[Purple Tom]

Brakes bled!

[Purple Tom]

Got a bit more done tonight, the engine now looks like this:





So not much more until that's ready to go in (the gearbox is all sorted ready to bolt to the engine).

The fuel tank and fuel pipes etc are all in and sorted:



And the rear subframe/shocks etc back on:



Today my birthday present from Jenny arrived, a nice shiny Alpine MP3 headunit, for plenty of choons when going to Germany, and just a few more things to do before I drop the engine in.

About another 2 weeks I reckon!

[Dom]

Wow, great work tom

[Sam]

Looks like its all going to plan Tom, top work mate..

[TimS]

I love the fact you have kept the same paint scheme on the engine tom! Nice touch. Luckily Iv managerd to get a work placement job in sheff so can still pop down at the weekends if you ever want a hand or just a good catch up?

[Purple Tom]

That'd be cool dude, will try to get some free time before BH2N so you can see the Mini before I destroy it or something!!

Anyway, this weekend I was quite busy, I don't know what fitting a 2L 16V engine is like, because a 1.6 8V is bad enough!:











Its certainly a squeeze, but it went in

Since then I've fitted the radiator, and now I'm just waiting on hoses and pipework for the plumbing. Then I've got to do wiring and sort out the gear linkage, but its getting there now. Oh yeah and the exhaust manifold and system is fully on, the 1-7/8" Maniflow system that I had went on with no modifications needed at all, which was nice

Not long now, MOT on the 19th I reckon.

[16vmini]

exhaust went on ok then .. thats cool ... looking very nice ... 16xe would look nice in there

Matt

[Purple Tom]

Needed some modifying where the flange fouls on the engine number at the top of the block, and it also sits so its actually touching the block when its fully tightened up, but nothing a bit of heat didn't sort out Thanks for supplying it, the downpipe and flexi joint is a work of art

16XE next thing to do once I've saved up enough money for TB's and I've had my fun with this one!! 100 ft/lb and 100bhp should keep me happy for a while!!