Morris Minor Owners Club

As long as you dont end up with a pipe that looks like an off cut from the iraqy super gun.....

So you have to sit behind Novas in traffic jams as well as me

If you want to keep the carb and inlet manifold that you already have, then maybe the lcb is a sensible option.
However for relatively low cost I think a marina/Ital cast manifold and 1 3/4" carb should be another easy option - And it does look a bit less like a boy racer job when people peer under the bonnet.
When I ran the 1275 with a minor manifold carb and exhaust it was only a temporary measure, and I didn't upgrade the brakes or suspension. Realistically this is not a good idea, so if you go for a 1275 that isn't strangled, I'd expect that the bare minimum would be disk brakes.

However for relatively low cost I think a marina/Ital cast manifold and 1 3/4" carb should be another easy option

But the standard exhaust note would be gone would it not

Yes, that's what I don't like about mine now............

But the standard exhaust note would be gone would it not

You would only get the standard Marina Engine note which isn't bad but not exactly the same.... but you do get to fly past people on steep hills at 80mph

I've only had the exhaust 'rasberry' on over-run when using completely standard Minor. The 12G940 'big-valve' head on an otherwise standard Minor just wouldn't make the raspy over-run noise!

That's partly the reason I've left everything standard on mine at the moment - It's fun to roll down hills at 43mph with the exhaust 'rasberry' echoing off the scenery.

Cam - surely that was a sacrifice worth paying for your performance !?!

Well, yes it was but I want all the advantages of a performance Minor and all the advantages of a standard one! The only way I can see to acheive this is to have 2 cars!

The problem with performance Minors is that they are usually more hassle to drive than standard ones. I like to pootle as well as blast!

to have 2 cars!

so if you have a tuned minor and a standard traveller, which way will the MM go??

You would only get the standard Marina Engine note which isn't bad but not exactly the same.... but you do get to fly past people on steep hills at 80mph

But I wonder what note you would get if you kept the standard exhaust system ?
Which is why I might try the Mini exhaust manifold as the standard minor exhaust would fit.
I realise I would lose some performance but with the 1275 it will still (should) have quite a bit more go in it.

But I wonder what note you would get if you kept the standard exhaust system ?

My 12G295/1.5" SU/948cc combo with a normal bore stainless exhaust made an absolutely fantastic over-run fart when you got enthusiastic.
Incidentally that car would do 0-60 in 18 seconds as opposed to the standard 30 seconds. It would also hold 70mph uphill without my foot being on the floor.
I would love to see what a 1098 with equivilent mods would do.

I ran a 1275 Midget engine but with the Minor 1098 manifold, carb and exhaust.

I just couldn't get the exhaust rasberries with that combo
I hope you get better luck!

so if you have a tuned minor and a standard traveller, which way will the MM go??

V8!! - Only kidding!! The MM would / will be a weekend / show car, back to original spec - only to be driven when there's not much on the road!

It's interesting to note that ALL the Minors produce the rasp (918, 803, 948 & 1098) so I always thought that it was the exhaust system (single box and specific bore and length) that produced the rasp, but you say that it does not happen with the 1275! Must be more to it then.

you say that it does not happen with the 1275

I might just have been unlucky... I had previously used the same 12G940 head on the 1098 engine, and hardly had any rasp. (I used to get rather jealous of other Minors exhaust notes )

I used to get rather jealous of other Minors exhaust notes

Yes, I know what you mean..... Driving Jane's car recently has got me hankering after originality again............

Yes, I know what you mean..... Driving Jane's car recently has got me hankering after originality again............

I'll do you a swap !
Hell, I can handle a 120bhp mog. I've had mine sideways with only 34bhp.
Lift-off oversteer? Pah, childs play! Try recovering from a bit of front wheel drive, neutral understeer. Blah blah blah.
[SLAP]

Sorry, got a bit carried away there. I'm OK now. (gibber, dribble)

To be honest, I'm one of those people who is never happy with what he's got! That's why I think I need modified and standard cars, so I can chop and change according to mood.

With regard to the sideways issue, mine goes sideways for fun, but it is nice and controlable because of my suspension / radius arm set up. To be honest, I don't feel as safe anymore pushing a front wheel drive beyond it's limits because of it's un-natural behaviour, you know where you are in a RWD.

Having said that, I tried pushing Jane's car around a certain bend in our university car park to get it sideways and it was all over the place!!! I can usually hold mine in a powerslide for at least 20-30 car lengths before I run out of car park!!

So, it just goes to show, if you want to have fun then suspension needs at least the same consideration as power.

to get it sideways and it was all over the place

it takes practice! a slightly greasy road helps..
And then it takes practice not to go to the limit... (There's all kinds of fun)

I can usually hold mine in a powerslide for at least 20-30 car lengths before I run out of car park!!

We dont have that much room in our car parks, if fact finding a single space one of 2 things is needed either GPS or a recovery truck to create the space

You can think of a lambda sensor as like a battery that works on oxygen. One side sits in air (internal on the Bosch sensor), the other in the exhaust. When the engine runs lean, there is oxygen both sides so no volts. When the engine runs rich, there's oxygen on the air side but none in the exhaust so the cell works and you get just under a volt out (850mV). To read this you just need a voltmeter, but I use a heated sensor (4 wires) because it starts much sooner when poked up the tailpipe. Basically a rich/lean indicator, but much better than colourtune cos you can drive around and watch it. email for details r49961@email.mot.com

Above is replying to page 1 on sensors BTW. On exhaust note, I thought this was due to siamesed exhaust port cyls 2/3, at least my minis always sounded like minis regardless of manifold/exhaust.

It might not alter the exhaust note much on a mini Mike, but with the Minor if you change the exhaust mainifold and system you always loose the rasping sound from the exhaust (no other "A" series car has it) its probably due to the fact that they are bigger than the standard system, what I am hoping to try out is a basic mini manifold with the standard system as this is the same size but more efficient than the minor manifold I have been told that this is quite succesful, but will have to wait and see, if it does not keep the note I may then go down the other route.
I am also wondering if I should try an 1 1/2" carb first off as I dont wont to over carb the set up with the mini manifold & minor exhaust system, any thoughts anyone.