Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi I have been wondering about not going down the usual 1275 route and going for a diesel engine has anybody else looked into this ....i found a site where a guy had put the ford orion 1.6d ....i have a 1.7d corsa van and like its engine...can this engine be made rwd...the montego prima perkins engine goes in landrovers but may be over heavy?? ..
I would also like to run a ford 5 sp g/box ...

thanks in advance

Well - mostly they are very heavy and will load up the steering and front suspension - the A series engine is really quite light - and mounted very low down and far back in the car - all of which gives the car the very reasonable handling for which it was fetted when new. If you are using a Ford gearbox - better stick with a matching engine ! If it's economy you want - just convert the A series to LPG - it's only 40p/litre!! It will be way cheaper to run than any diesel conversion.

Yes i do want economy but i also want to use the car for fairly high mileage (eventually) and good 1275 engines are like rocking horse droppings in our area (central scotland) i did get one a marina job but i was well warned it was removed as it was a heavy breather....i have never had an engine in bits so the thought of doing piston rings and btm end bearings fills me with dread...

but back to my original question the isuzu 1.7 d from a corsa van can it be turned inline for rwd...

thanks

I would have thought that it would only be suitable for FWD, as Vauxhall havn't had a RWD drive model in years

I'd have thought that would be a heck of a project (but then I can't really talk...)

I would assume that a ford route would be easier as BMC has said. At least ford did make RWD Desiel engines for a while in the 80s

N

Go for a Prima out of a Montego, 2 litre turbo, good for about 45+ to the gallon, and cheap to buy, you can get the whole car for about £150 or less.

I'm sure i read in my VW handbook, not to use Biodiesel

how about a BMW 4 cylinder diesel? those are all ally

and expensive!

I also think BMC's suggestion is the best- get a LPG conversion.

Come on now - if he wants Diesel he can have Diesel

and upset the balance of the car! (diesels=heavy lumps)

yes i would like diesel especially the 1.7 d from a vauxhall corsa ...

i wondered if the opel manta gearbox would fit as it does to the redtop petrols .

another idea to run in your minds and of course its an idea only is that there are reports on various net forum of this 1.7d engine being a good engine to run on 100% bio fuel ..not bio diesel ....bio fuel at 40p/litre ....

and of course 27p/litre for gordon brown ...perhaps

but i have to see if i can fit it yet

If you were put off by the idea of rebuilding a Marina engine , I would forget all about diesel conversions if I were you . Its going to involve a lot of fabricating and reworking, its never going to be as simple as a marina engine rebuild/replacement. It's going to be front heavy , very noisy and rough, as you won't have the expertise to deaden the sound /vibration.

BMW aren't that expensive on scrapyards. LPG conversion isn't for free either!

And these beamers have around 90/100 horses in 318td form

There are some very good 3 cylinder diesel motor from Japan, but these I presume would cost a fortune to create bespoke bell housings to a suitably geared gearbox. Why not look into 4x4 diesel powered cars/trucks etc and simple drop the fwd element, this is whats happening in the USA by folk who wish to have a rwd version of the Honda Type R petrol engines.

If you have the Isuzu engine, then have you looked in to the Bedford midi van gearbox, I believe these are rear wheel drive and use an Isuzu engine. You may even be able to use the rear axle if it measures up. Just a thought.
You go for the Diesel conversion mate, it's the way forward, nothing like the sound of a good diesel. LPG might keep things looking original to an extent but wheres the fun in that. Diesel will be more reliable with less maintenance, not saying the rest of the car won't need the same very regular maintenance especially if you plan on high mileage.
Get in touch if you decide to go ahead with it, I'd like to know how it goes.
cheers, Daniel

I've been thinking about the 1.4 / 1.5 Peugeot unit used in the Metro.
Very cheap to buy a complete running vehicle.
Gearbox would take some adapting but not a problem for me as I like a challenge.
BTW I've read FWD Vauxhall units are easy to convert to RWD - use Manta gearbox / flywheel as the bellhousing pattern is the same.

Paul Humphries.

But when did you last see a Manta?

You could consider fitting the complete Metro front subframe into the Minor - and going front wheel drive - with disc brakes too. The Mini shell was a development from the Minor - and the Metro from the Mini - so it 'could' be done.

paulk wrote:But when did you last see a Manta?

This morning One of my neighbours has 2