Has anyone done a Capri/Minor conversion?

[dunketh]

It seems to make good sense to me, you can pick up an old 1600 mk3 capri for free or next to nothing these days.

Surely you could take the engine and box out, slap on the capri rear axle and just get the shaft shortened and balanced.
That would be it.
Engine mounts would be easy to make up, the only slight problem would be the gear change but surely that could easily be overcome with a grinder and minimal floor welding?

Any ideas?
Is the asle the right width?
Would the bellhousing fit wihtout serious cutting?
Has it been done - I can't find mention of it online anywhere... it just seems like such an obvious conversion to do - the capri being on of the more common RWD scrapyard finds these days. (mk1 and mk2 escorts you've got two hopes.. ...)

[salty_monk]

The Capri stuff is the same as Sierra stuff... A Type 9 box has been fitted to various Moggies & I've seen V8 conversions using the Type 9 too. The Rover V8 is slightly bigger than the Pinto although not much & the weight is the same. Be heavier than the A series so you'd have to uprate suspension etc & BRAKES!!

Engine will probably be too powerful for the rear diff & half shafts although you may get away with it with a 1.6 if you don't drive it too brutally, you probably do want the live axle off a Mk2 Escort or similar to cope really (& then you could fit a 2L...)

[Wal]

Hi,
I think the lack of information of people doing this indicates how easy it is. Just sticking a bigger engine, gearbox and axle in any car is never just that. Firstly you need to think, is the Capri engine suitable or is it just a heavyweight lump with marginal power increase that'll nosedive a Moggy for marginal gain? Is the car structually solid to start with otherwise bits will break off if you stick more power down it. Then it's not just the engine mounts but also the mounts for the gearbox and the location points for the axle that need sorting. So get the measuring rule out before you start to see where everything ends up when it's all connected up. Does the gearstick end up in the back seat? Then there's the suspension, brakes, exhaust and cooling all need to be checked, modified or uprated accordingly. Lastly there are the small things like speedo and handbrake cables etc that need to be considered.

There are probably other things as well.

Anything is possible if you really want to but it isn't simple and will take a minimum of twice the time you think and probably more.

Sorry to sound so negative but it's easy to start and give up part way when things don't seem to work as you thought.

Regards,
Wal

[6thdude]

Hi,
I agree with the above, a capri conversion would be a real &^&££$! the Pinto engine is too big for the Minors engine bay so major bulkhead mods required. Plus as Wal said the 1.6 version is hardly going to light the tarmac! 1275 A-series with decent carb/exhaust will give better a power to wieght.
I think the Capri axle is wider than the Minor's but you could fit oversized rear wings or flare the arches.
For a little extra wellie I'd go for the 1275 A series or for muchus wellie-us; Fiat 2L twin cam or K-series. K series being more expensive but at least you can get parts for it easily and cheaply, unlike the Fiat!!! Both are much smaller and lighter and have better power to wieght ratios than the Pinto and they are tried and tested conversions.
I don't think there is such a thing as a cheap conversion, outside of ScrapHeap Challenge. Buying something someone has already done the work on but not finished can save pennies, but not always!
There's a mog on ebay at the minute fitted with the twin cam Fiat that requires finishing, £500.

If you are dead set on the Capri atleast use the v6, it weighs as much as the moon but sounds spot on.

jim

[bmcecosse]

Suspension and brakes will be limiting factor here - and the nose weight. Far better - as already said - to go for a K series which is light and powerful. And several have been done already. But if you just want lots more power, easily - consider the old fashioned way of adding a supercharger or the turbo from the MG Metro Turbo !

[dunketh]

Good replies, its just something I'd wandered about since having the minor. The capri is very basic mechanicaly so should be easy to work on and people are already using Ford axles and similar boxes from escorts & sierras.
Personaly I'd rather just slot in a 1300 A series but as I said, this is something I'd wandered about.
From reading up on the JLH conversion it looks like the K series would be just too much work from a home-mechanic point of view - even if you ditched the injection bumph and ran it on carbs.

[jonathon]

dunketh,

No it isn't really,especially on carbs. We could supply you a brand new motor fitted up with bell housing /all mods done/ clutch and gear box on its mounts, all you need to do then is to modify the front X member and notch the bulkhead X member , weld in the g/box and engine mounts, and hey presto its in. You could then bring it up to us and we can wire/plum and rolling road it for you to drive away.
We are currently in a position to offer brand new fully dressed motors from 1.4 upto the 1.8 turbo for an extreamly good price. PM for details.

[dunketh]

Wow.. a 'K-Series Kit'.
I really wish I was in a position to do this financially - I guess its always the same old story. If I had the money there'd be no limits to my Minor toying.

I'm planning, and paying for, my wedding at the moment - gone are the days of rich inlaws. Hopefully in a years time I'll be beating down the JLH workshop door with a few notes and a big smile.

[Cam]

Hopefully in a years time I'll be beating down the JLH workshop door with a few notes and a big smile.

...and I'm sure Jonathon (JLH) will have an EVEN BIGGER smile!

[g_land]

I'm planning, and paying for, my wedding at the moment - gone are the days of rich inlaws.

Just finished doing that myself, i could have had 2 minors with K-series for the price of it!!!

I did buy a nice set of minilite from Jonathon as a wedding present for myself. Has to be done!!!

[plastic_orange]

Just wait till you have kids!! Pocket won't know what hit it.

[rayofleamington]

Back to the original question - yes it has been done. I saw an article in a car mag about 20 years ago, however the guy had done an extreme amount of work!
He basically cut and shut the capri floorpan to suit the Minor dimensions and mated the 2 together

[plastic_orange]

Yes, I remember this - it was a V6 - a tidy job too.