Morris Minor Owners Club

This is very pie in the sky at the moment as I'm still running std brakes and suspension but...

Could I run the metro turbo gubbins at low boost on a standard 1275 midget engine?

I'm assuming that the MG engine runs lower compression pistons and maybe a better cam but I'm also aware that Turbo Technics were slapping turbos on anything with 4 wheels not so long back without any engine mods.

Provided I don't over-rev, under fuel or crank the pressure up whats to go wrong?

as you said, upgrade the brakes and suspension first. What axle/diff are you using? I don't know if the standard axle would like the extra torque and power.
But I'd love to see how this all works out. Maybe you could contact Iain (turbominor) on this board. He has experience with turbo's. He hasn't been on much though
Onne

Seconded - Iain can give more advice on the axle, but I'd be very cautious of running a standard one.

can metro turbos still be found - i thought they are very rare

i did the 1275 a+ with the complete metro turbo kit on through a midget 1275 box and clutch and standard axle and never broke anything..

an i have to say i tend to drive at 110% everywhere..

but i have broken 1089 half shaft on a standard 1098 engine so i think it is more down to the conditon of the individual halfshafts than actual axle/half shaft in general..

Best combination is a 3.7:1 diff and stronger half shafts from one of the moggie dealers.. that will get you to well over 100mph on 14" 165 tyres.. ( over 110 on the gps without the turbo)


I turbo'ed my 1098 engine, but it got too hot and to behonest by the time the turbo was pushing hard enough the 1098 was reving so hard it kept knocking.. also with enough boost to make it work the effort you got pinking.. injecting water did help.. you need dished pistons and a center bearing strap, also unleaded convertion to help with exhaust valve heat.. a found running two head gaskets helped with compression problems and lowered pinking... did some experiments with grinding head chamber out to lower compression but moved to 1275 before i did much testing


problem you will have is the metro uses a garett air T3 turbo (same as a sierra cosworth so although the aspect ratio was changed to suit the 1275 is was far too lagy.. you could use a turbo of a 1l diahatsu charage or similar with an adaptorp plate but is is all too much work for the little power you get. torque was up but not as much as you would expect.

go supercharged route or dont bother just tune a 1275 gently..

my old (much missed moggie) emily was faster without the turbo and much much more fun to drive.. only thing turbo really did was give extra power over 4500/5000 revs that you cannot use and make the engine bay painfully hot.... and you get most of the heat into the car..



not been on much recently, been very porley with my knee and then probs with my back due to too much time on crutches.. but back on my feet, walking fairly well... can drive a light clutched manual for 1/2 hour max!

hope fully getting devorced soon... so all single under 30 lady moggie owners pm please ;)

Interesting reading.
I've always wandered why the metro used a T3.
I was planning on using a T2 from a Fiesta Mk3 Turbo and all the inlet/exhaust/plenum/carb stuff from the metro.

I was hoping for a 'miracle' performance boost but reading what you've said has kind of killed that dream.

I've been looking at the 3:7 (wolseley?) diff and stronger shafts anyway, its just the money thats the problem.
Its so frustrating when you know you can do something so simple but can't afford to do it. Is everyone as impatient as me?

turbo idea was good but leyland realy messed it up!

i would say go and see Andrew in leamington and get a 1.1 or 1.4 k series conversion if you want to go fast!

if not rebuild a 1275 engine to 1293 and enjoy it!! the 1275 has all the revs you want and will sit at 5000rpm on the motorway for hours.. trust me i did nearly 20.000 mile in a year when i used emily as a company car

turbominor wrote: i would say go and see Andrew in leamington and get a 1.1 or 1.4 k series conversion if you want to go fast!

Andrew? D'you mean Jonathon?

bigginger wrote:

turbominor wrote: i would say go and see Andrew in leamington and get a 1.1 or 1.4 k series conversion if you want to go fast!

Andrew? D'you mean Jonathon?

My thoughts exactly Andrew and a very warm welcome back Iain

Supercharger from BMW MINI is probably a better bet - quite cheap on ebay - and Vmaxscart do a conversion package. Popular on Minis.

ah yes jonathan... what a year with out a moggie does to you!

Talking of mileage, I've put more miles on mine in the year I've had it than its had during the period of several MOTs prior to me owning it.


Poor thing can't retire like many of his mates in the loving hands of a 'fair weather' collector... oh no.. he's a daily workhorse.

Frankly I'm amazed at how good a car the Minor is for everyday use. So far I've not found any 'negatives' to using him everyday, besides the lack of a hatchback - but you can't have/chop everything.

Traveller is a kind of hatch-back!

I'd say more of an estate rather than a hatch back (at the risk of being pedantic).

The saloon does have the useful hatch back type feature of fold down/removable rear seat back.

The easily removed back seat makes the saloon very handy, i even fitted a large marquee in the rear of mine (obviously not erected).

minor_hickup wrote:obviously not erected

I had a very amusing image in my head till I read that bit

Yes - it's an estate - which is a 'kind of hatchback' - with folding seats which can be removed - but not that easily!