Morris Minor Owners Club

I have been for a while contemplating a second modded minor to go with the charged one.

I thought about mgf subframes, jap engines, all sorts. but got no further than thinking untill now.

My wifes daily driver about 6 years ago was a Metro GTI multipoint that went so well. It had a decat pipe, kn and apart from that was standard. It used to hit the rev limiter in 5th at just a tiny tad under 130mph(indicated).

It was a total peach of an engine. We sold it to a mate as his daily and he ran it till about a year ago when tinworm beat it into submission.

We went out for a meal a couple of days ago and it turns out he still has the car in a corner of his drive. I ended up buying it back complete for £50. Nothing wrong with it except tinworm.

Well thats how my next project has crept up on me, I am going to rwd the engine myself without buying expensive bits and stuff it into a minor .Project on!

Just got to find the minor now. I am thinking period wide arches, racer look with screaming modern under bonnet mounted a long way back for balance. watch this space, cos having bought the engine now I will do it.

Got to mention as well that this little engine was so good, a few years ago I had borrowed it (car not engine) and was behind a mate in his redtop astra and he was most definitely in the way in a straight line.

We have all had at some time an engine that we considered was sweeter than it should have been and this was definitely one of them!

Assuming it's a K Series then a Reliant Scimitar SS (the small two seater and not the original GTE) could provide a RWD gearbox that will fit.
http://www.sporting-reliants.com/Scimitar%20Sabre.htm

Paul H

did they ever fit the k series I thought the 1400 ss was a cvh?

superchargedfool wrote:did they ever fit the k series I thought the 1400 ss was a cvh?

The late "base" models used the 1400cc K Series.
Might be worth checking out further as it could save a DIY adaptation ?

Paul H.

There is already a fitting kit available specifically designed for the Minor Paul!
Good luck if you go your own way SCF

I get more pleasure out of going my own route than buying bits and bolting together.

I am not against buying bits that work, far from it. But for me the sweet feeling of home engineering that works is priceless.

I bolt new bits on at work most days on customers and sales cars. My own silly projects with a bit of down to basics engineering stop me getting bored.

I can appreciate your approach, and I'm not pitching for a sale. But there are many awkward problems with the K conversion that have been resolved and are available off the shelf.
No great need to shift the weight too far back (unless your building a serious racer) as the K is 16 kilos lighter than the A series.

I knew it was lighter but interesting to hear its 16kg lighter.

I wonder what the weight diff is between type 9 and moggy box? I wil have to find out. My guess is its a bity heavier?

balance must be better with eng back by 100 to 200mm, no?

I love your solutions jonathon and if money was no object..........

But I love doing what is cheap and diy for pleasure reasons.

This is all we decided to remove from the bulkhead X member, otherwise you are into replacing the rack etc. We have replicated this on several full race hill climb/ trackday Minors <br><br>

K motor, bellhousing and type 9

<br><br>

i just don't like the idea of wiring up the ECU etc! can you carb it??

The engine loom is a seperate item from the main car loom. It is simplicity itself, as each plug is designated a role and all you need to do is connect them all drill a 35mm hole in the bulkhead feed through the loom, give the ECU a 12v feed attatch the loom to the ECU and Bob's your aunty, broom broom, no mucking about with ancient technology, just plug and play, you will not need to touch it ever again.
If you really do insist you can carb them ,twin 45's will give a 1.4K about 130bhp with a fast road cam and partial management

Home engeneering is most definatly sweet! Loved the build thread of the other minor. When can we expect one for this?

Home engeneering is most definatly sweet! Loved the build thread of the other minor. When can we expect one for this?

cheers chap.

Well I gett the metro this weekend and it will be stripped and gone within a few days.

I have to find a type 9 or car with one in local and cheap. and the big one is going to be finding a car to put it in. It took me a year to find the one that got charged. I will be looking for a project car rather than a good one. trouble is I am not easily pleased it will need to be cheap, not too bad and localish.

I will make this the build thread and update as it gets going.

I am now the proud owner of a very sad metro gti mpi with more holes than structure. Engine is still a total peach, I drove it very briefly and it pulls really sweetly to the red line.

Heres my thinking.

Chop moggy front end off at bulkhead. Make new chassis rails which have mounting points for the metro top and bottom arms mimmicking the way the metro had them. Swap the n/s and o/s hubs for each other so the steering arms are at the front not behind the wheel line.

Mount the metro rack and place engine behind rack. Would mean engine going back quite a way. chop and remake bulkhead. I am guessing at the mo it would bring the engine back about 250 to 300mm.

The metro top arms are the same as the mgtf so the shock mounting is capable of becoming a coilover mounting.

Removable front panels, no inner wings just a strengthening frame that would pick up the coilover tops.

This has been going around in my head for a while now and I can't get it out, I think I am going to have to have a go.

The metro front track is the same as the moggy's, so steering and suspension should work as an mgtf which aren't too bad.

Thoughts?????? :

DO IT! Not the deepest thought in the world, but hey...

well, I have just received a type 9 I bought off retro rides forum and should hopefully start stripping the metro in the next few days.

If you dont mind me asking, if you are planning on modifying the front end so much and setting the motor back by 200-300 mm, what is stopping you from putting a more powerful engine in? The Beams 3sge would be a good motor, or even the KA24DE. The Beams blacktop claims 210 hp N/A, and its only 2 liters.