Mini with K series engine. (Phoenix)

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section but there didn't seem a place for members cars as before.....

After visiting various events last year and seeing quite a few Mini's with the K series engine fitted this seemed a brilliant idea.

Advantages of the conversion, more power, better fuel economy, 5 speed gearbox, a lighter Mini (20kg less than standard), better brakes and all the parts used are off the shelf items.

Disadvantages are mainly the difficulty of the conversion, wiring (although I have tried this before so quite hopeful in this area), having to use 14" wheels.

So I've done my research. I've talked the talk to the guys at Watson Rally who will supply the conversion kit. They make it sound easy so I'll report any drama that takes place during the fitting.

I needed to find an engine and gearbox from a Rover or MG. It could be any of their range but I have bought this.



It's a Rover 200 Vi with the 1.8 VVC engine fitted. It has got a receipt with it to show the cylinder head has had valves, guides and uprated head gasket fitted. Once this lot has been removed the rest will be sold to try to recover some of the money back! I bought the car for £250 with MOT and tax until April! I drove it home and it's quick!

I need to find a Mini shell ASAP now as a donor for the project. Anyone with info please pm me.

sounding pretty interesting ..... classic mini bits on thornton road seem to have a lot of minis stood doing nowt

slim wrote:

sounding pretty interesting ..... classic mini bits on thornton road seem to have a lot of minis stood doing nowt

I've rung them. They have a few round nose Mini's for sale at the moment. All of them have a sunroof and it's one of my dislikes as they leak. They had a Clubman last week but they had sold it the day before I rung. Grrrr.

I Have a body shell going free if you want it - no v5 tho so u'd need to be re-shelling a rusty project (well rustier than this one lol).
It has had the front end removed and also one inner wing removed, so would be easier to fit a clubman innner wing to, just the other side to replace or modify...

It also needs attention on both sills and rear valance (&small hole in boot) - rest of shell is sound...

Pics are here....

https://s1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee467/minishell98/

(the first pic shows the inner wing on the car but it is not welded in place...)

Well thank you very much! I can't turn that down.

Let the fabrication begin....

pm sent.

AGoaty wrote:

Well thank you very much! I can't turn that down.

Let the fabrication begin....

pm sent.

i could feel it in my waters round nose conversion

If I am to get the extended front end for my Mini what do our members think I should get?

Clubman or extended round nose. Steel or fiberglass. So much choice!

Kyle says Clubman.

Luke says round nose.

how would you like it to look ........

Clubman can hide all underneath ...

Fibreglass ....... itchy stuff ...... but light .... and durable


round nose extended panels ... a lot of thought in fabrications

mini pimlico conversion with the engine coming coming through the bonnet now thats radical ....

or even one for the hardy out there

http://www.muddybuggies.com/freestyle-kit-car-build-manual.html

The engine is almost ready to be remove now. All ancilleries have been removed drive shafts out wiring plugs off. I've borrowed an engine lifter for this job.

There's always a nut that won't come off causing time and effort. This one was the exhaust manifold to front pipe nut. Someone has rounded the nut before we got there so will have to drill it out when out of the car.

Kyle has removed the dash and we can now hopefully get the entire wiring loom out. This does look interesting as there's tons of it! Not like a Mini.....

Still waiting for a reply from Dale....

Hi Andy Dale works nights / shifts so might be 3 on / 3 off ...... ill send a pm on fabmoc as well ....

rgds slim

Was with Dale yesterday and he mentioned this Andy

I think he's off Tuesday as he was working last night. probably will be on line this afternoon when he gets up.

To be honest I'm not rushing to get the shell as removing the parts required from the Rover may take a week or two. Ideally I want to get rid of that shell then get the Mini....

As long as he's still interested in giving it away thats great for me....

I've been to see the shell that Dale has offered me and it's a deal!

It does need quite a bit of welding work done to it but as it's a bargain I can't turn it down.

Hopefully I can get the engine painted this weekend.

I may also try to remove some of the excess wiring from the loom.

All this work is getting in the the way of the runs!

Nice one glad Dale was on hand to help.

Will you popping down to the Magpies meet on the 6th March?

la rossa wrote:

Nice one glad Dale was on hand to help.

Will you popping down to the Magpies meet on the 6th March?

I'm sorry but as I work nights I haven't been able to get to any of the meetings! I do try to get onto the runs though.

The engine is out.





All wiring is out too but needs excess wires removing.

I said that I would report any drama in doing this job and I've had some already. I dropped the engine onto my finger. When I stopped crying I took a photo. It has got a lovely shade of black since this was taken, and the photo of the engine has my blood all over it!



I had a few parts on ebay that the rest of the car had left on but not had a lot of interest. Only thing that has sold is the headlights which I got £30 for. I also sent back the tax so hopefully will get 2 months back from that. The alloys are the same as Sammy's MG so she can have them. The rest will go to scrap this week.

I'm hoping to get my transport sorted for next weekend to collect the shell from Dale.

OUCCCCCCH

OMG and thought it was just minis that bite like that. it must run in the Rover family

Hope the fingers on the mend X

The finger isn't looking too good if truth be told but it hasn't done any long term damage so it will get better about October I reckon.



Anyway I have now scrapped the Rover. I got £100 for it.

Glad its on the mend.

Good call on the scrap

Right an overdue update.

I got the shell from Dale last week and brought it home. I also got from him some doors, repair panels and glass.

During the weekend I kept looking at the amount of work needed on this shell. I had a mate who welds to look. We came to the decision that there was too much work. Also he said that the shells from the MPi Mini's are made from thinner metal and they will always rust faster than an older one. So I'm sorry Dale but I have scrapped it.

Since then I have found a much better shell from a round nose Mini which has had an accident at the front. Ideal to cut it off and fit a clubman one onto. I have bought this as a full car.

Things move fast in your household .... this one looks on the whole more useable .... keep us posted ....

The Mini is taking shape.

I have stripped out the front and rear subframes. The front one dispite the crash, was in decent condition. I got the 850 engine running and then sold the lot on ebay.

The speedo was the old type with the two gauges on the edges. I sold them to the guy who bought the 1971 Mini!

The Mini has got black vinyl seats. I have sold them to Lee along with the rear subframe which I thought was poor. He's doing the welding work for me.

Basically the car now is very cheap.

I now have to start putting new panels onto it. I have got new front floor pans, both outer sills, both door steps, A panels, boot repair panel, rear valence, battery box and boot hinge repair panel. These have cost £108. I still need to decide about steel or fiberglass front.

As anyone knows when starting these things, when you get back to a shell you find more work to do, Hence the long list of panels.

Lee has offered to do the welding for a price. He's highly qualified and very good. He's looking for work at the moment so if anyone want s anything doing let me know.

taking shape...

I have been and collected the subframe kit from Watsons. It comprises the adapted subframe from a Rover Metro to fit the K series engine and PG1 gearbox which my VVC engine has. It has turrets welded to it to hold the coil springs with adjustable ride height. Gaz adjustable shocks. 80mm wide spacers for the rear wheels to allow the track of the Mini to be the same front and rear. All these parts are new.

Also supplied are the top and bottom arms and driveshafts with 9.25" discs and calipers from the Metro. The steering rack from a Metro is used as it fits to the subframe rather than fixing to the bulkhead like a Mini. These parts are used items.

It also comes with a DVD of how to fit it.

I am looking into the possibility of fitting the Rover Vi brake setup onto here as it has 10" vented discs. I'm struggling to fit the brake servo, so have decided to try it without but fit big brakes instead. The rear brakes are a simple upgrade, by fitting the wider shoes from a front drum braked Mini, into the back. These are 1/4" wider and give better stopping power.

The welding is almost done now to the body. Thanks to Lee. He's spent about a week here now working whilst I was asleep! I have removed the union jack stickers (6 hours ) Next step will be painting.