supercharger

[eastona]

Evening Ladies and Gents.

While idley looking around the internet (always a bad idea) I came across loads of minis, spridgets etc. with superchargers. I know a few people have tried it with a minor? How cool would that be

How easy is it?

How expensive is it?

I'd expect to need brake upgrades and at the very least a taller diff to make use of better torque and cruise at higher speed.

It sounds like a good "period" mod (superchargers have always appealed to me more than turbos).

Andrew

[bmcecosse]

Yes - it used to be a standard modification when the biggest engine was 948cc - lots of room to install such a thing in the Minor. There are many new MINI Cooper S superchargers on ebay - these can be squeezed onto a Mini engine - still under the bonnet - so would easily go on a Minor. However these days 1275 engines are available (except in écosse land) and can be easily and cheaply teased to give a bit more poke - and this is the way it's done now - without the cost of the supercharger. Mg Metro turbochargers are also cheap and cheerful and give a useful boost (!) to performance.

[eastona]

mmm, good point with the 1275. what about a 1275 AND supercharger

Andrew

[Onne]

the sound of a supercharger is magnificent though!

[eastona]

so, a supercharger for ~£100, build a megasquirt, and you've a fuel injected, supercharged minor

Sounds so easy

Sounds like a good project.

[Cam]

Nah, a supercharger is much more of a period tuning mod which I much prefer the sound of. I love the squeal of the Bentley blowers when floored. It would be a very interesting addition under the bonnet of a 948cc Minor!

[Onne]

yes, what would be needed, apart from a supercharger? Can the standard carb cope? And the exhasut system?
I don't think they altered it on the MM, when using the shorrock

[bmcecosse]

Bigger carb and exhaust are required to get the best from it. Also exhaust valves and pistons will take a beating - the MG Turbo Metro head has sodium filled exhaust valves because of this. I don't think the (ex MINI) Eaton s/charger makes much noise. The most efficient s/chargers around were made in Glasgow by Sprintex - these had intermeshing spiral rotors and were v compact and efficient. Sadly no longer in business. The volumetric compression ratio of the engine needs to be reduced - to prevent detonation when running on boost - and so fuel consumption can suffer. Because the compressor heats the incoming charge - an intercooler is also required for best results - and often water injection too. It all starts to get quite expensive. Someone had a 200+ BHP 1275 Mini for a while - but it didn't last long!

[Onne]

I'd like one just for a tad more oomph, but keeping the holy of holiest, the fart in the exhaust, the sole reason for me for changing back to the small bore and HS2!

[GAS]

I am at the moment building an A+ 1300cc Ital engine with a supercharger
from the new BMW mini .
This engine has low compression pistons,fast road cam and a modified cylinder head
the company has promised me about 140to150 horses.
I'm just about to fit it into the car in time for the scottish annual rally in Peebles,
let's hope I make it without lanching the block into orbit....

GAS.

[eastona]

presumably you're upgrading the brakes aswell!!

Good god, 150 would be trully impressive. How much is that little lot costing?

Can the original drivetrain cope with that? flat out must loom very quickly unless a higher diff or gearbox is fitted.

Sounds like fun though

Andrew

[Onne]

I am sure there would be som modifications needed. I don't think the standard axle and diff could appriciate 150 horses jumping around

[bmcecosse]

Looking forward to seeing this beast at Peebles !

[Onne]

And I would love to see some pictures of the engine, and how hard it was to build, which problems occurred.

And how much the conversion costs, apart from the brakes upgrade

I'm still Dutch, so I want to know the price

[GAS]

The bottom half of the engine is mostly stock,I could have fitted main bearing cap straps and lightened parts eyc. but I'm not building a street racer,like Onne I just want more bottom end grunt to make the car more flexable to drive.Don't get me wrong the more the better.
The kit of parts I got from"vmaxscart.co.uk" included
A modified cylinder head,
The blower with inlet manifold
rejeted 1,3/4 HIF SU carb.
Hi pressure fuel pump with regulator.
Fast road cam.
Plus various bolts,studs,belts and plugs

I have fitted low compression turbo pistons,
New cam and followers,
adjustable timing gears witha duplex chain,
stock oil pump (the blower is a sealed unit and does not require an oil feed)
all inside an A+ ITAL block which has been bored and honed to 20thou oversize.

As for problems fitting this in my traveller,
the only prob. so far is the mounting or the carb,
As this kit was intended for minis the company could onlt fabricate a
manifold from the photos that i sent him.

My traveller is running on an ital rear axle,ford 5 speed box,coilover front springs, Ital/MGB front disks and a split circut servo
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[Onne]

how will the waterpump be driven? By another pulley?

[GAS]

The crank pulley is a new part made from one piece of alluminium which turns the origional fan belt and also turns the blower belt which is adout an inch deep its about the same size as a crankdamper pulley.

[Onne]

Ow, excellent! No problems with clearance fan/radiator/belts?

[GAS]

No probs yet.
Fitting the engine this week,some replumbing required
Also fitting a kenlow fan infront of the rad,facet fuel pump and regulator.
I will also have to cut the bonnet support to clear the carb.

Soon we will reap what we sow.

[GAS]

It fits.
and the dam thing runs!!!

Just need to tune it up a bit for Sunday at Peebles

(hope it will get me their and maybe home again..)



GAS..