Morris Minor Owners Club

Has anyone at home or on a budget done the maestro 1300 conversion. maybe with type9/mt75 or toyota g/box?
I could go marina/ital etc, but variety is the spice of life, and they are becoming rarer.

If so, i want all the info you have. What machining/lathe work is required..dimensions if possible please or what should it compare to? What other parts, are required and off what vehicle? Does the crank have to be removed from the engine for machining?
Is there a bolt on solution rather than machining? as i dont mind looking around breakers yards.
Would there be any body/bulk head/battery box mods needed?

What axle is the preferred option? or can be used..ie:ford, fiat, marina, lada? and can it be modified easily to allow me to keep the standard minor wheels.
I'm sure there are a few others that would be interested in the same mods.
Or does someone know of a website that shows the build process.

hopefully it will go into a 1958 2door saloon in the next few years, or it may stay as a 948cc.
hope someone can help with all these questions.
Thankyou[/code]

It's apparently possible - a Midlands Minor specialist offers a converted engine - but I've never actually seen one in situ. Said specialist will know all the answers, but I can't imagine he's about to give a 'how to' on the subject, sorry

Same as Andrew I'm afraid, I have never seen one fitted.

IIRC, the Maestro crank has no hole for a spigot bearing and the flywheel is a 'metric' VW one so you'll need a one-off or modded flywheel.

I had one of these engines - and decided it was just too difficult to do - but yes JLH will sell you a kit if you are determined to go this route. I sold my maestro engine (it was virtually brand new) on - at a small profit, to a very grateful Maestro owner! Honestly - there are plenty of Marina/Ital/Spridget 1275 engines out there (not so many in ecosseland!) and that is SO much easier to use. 5 speed box is an expensive mod - easier to fit a 3.7 diff - or use a Marina/Ital rear axle with high ratio diff already installed. That will suit nicely if using Marina discs/hubs up front - then you can use MGF wheels all round.

one bonus of the maestro engine though is that the head has the best ports of all standard 1275 heads. they flow a bit better due to being larger, if my memory serves me.

I have one on my supercharged engine.

Well - the head on mine was bog standard 12g940 with the smaller inlet valves - but it was 'unleaded'! I kept it - and sold it on later. They 'may' at one time have had the 'MG Metro' head with the larger inlets - but then it is not 'unleaded'.

The idea of the Maestro use is to alleviate the problem of the rear crank seal. The Maestro has a proper seal ideally suited to high comp motors or forced induction, it also benefits from the additional breather plate on the back of the motor. The parts and machining costs are set at just under the cost of a full engine rebuild, so no its not cheap but does result in a very smooth engine (as they are fully balanced) and one which will not leave pools of oil on your drive.
Quite easy to convert the Mini engines this way too.
Good 1275's are not that easy to find today as most will require sleeving or major rebuilds.

Have been told that you can match up an 'O' series maestro with a sherpa gearbox, quite easily. Also i remember there was a 2litre turbo!
I've not seen this setup in a minor. so maybe its not a good match.
Keep the info coming ladies and gents.. more the merrier.

The T series matches the Sherpa box, so will allow the fitting of the 2.0L Turbo with 200bhp. The Marina TC I have posted pics of on the other site had the turbo motor in that before it was removed for a Zetec.
The T series is big and heavy though, however over 500bhp can be had from it if you are keen.

Up to 500bhp in a Marina

That does it, I'm off back to bed, I need a lie down

That does it, I'm off back to bed, I need a lie down

OI ! get outside and finish that car!

JB wrote:Have been told that you can match up an 'O' series maestro with a sherpa gearbox, quite easily.

I bought a Maestro diesel (O Series based Perkins Prima) and used it for a LDV Cityvan with a knackered engine.
I had to swop over numerous parts, it wasn't a straight forward transplant although to be fair everything fitted straight on after being removed from the LDV lump and nothing needed any modifications
Cann't remember what I did to rear of engine but I did end up having to buy an expensive Perkins gasket set to do something in that area and used parts off the donor LDV engine.

Paul Humphries

Apart from JLH its looking like no one has ever done the maestro 1300 engine rwd conversion.
C'mon ladies and gents, surely not !

maybe i'll stick to the 948 if no one can help.
anyone know of some easy tuning info for the 948 ?

Himley hall car show has been cancelled..its a little damp.

anyone know of some easy tuning info for the 948 ?

Yes
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tuning-the-A-Seri ... 286.c0.m14

Easiest 'tune' for a 948 is to fit the camshaft and cylinder head from the later 1098 engine. The cylinder head (12G202) needs skimming by 60 thou to lift the comp ratio. If you can find a 12G295 head (MG1100) all the better - it will need 80 thou off the face, but check it hasn't already been skimmed - many have. Then - a larger 1.5" SU on a good alloy inlet manifold, and the car will go very much better.

Sounds like a lot of work to end up with a 948 at the end. I didn't realise how gutless my tunned 1098 was until I fitted a proper engine.

A maestro 1275 has got to be do-able DIY at home. Can't be that hard. If I had the same interest in moggies I once did I would have a go.

Not sure what expensive gasket set you bought for the diesel paul humphries but I didn't need one on mine. Unless it was the back plate, in which case I made one.

"A maestro 1275 has got to be do-able DIY at home."
Not unless you have a spare marina crank.. or a good turner/miller

I have a Maestro engine and an unused Marina/Ital crank at home, but I still don't think it's "do-able DIY at home"

Robins wrote:Not sure what expensive gasket set you bought for the diesel paul humphries but I didn't need one on mine. Unless it was the back plate, in which case I made one.

The swop from Maestro to LDV needed a numerous parts changing over and after pricing up individual gaskets a bottom set worked out cheaper.

Paul Humphries