Thesis

[SirAustin]

Hallo Folks,

First of all I have to disepoint you all, I don't have an morris minor yet..
I own a Landrover 1975, Austin Devon A40 '50 and an Austin 10 Cambridge '37
So Why I'm here...
Next year I have to do my thesis in school. (I study Car mechanics)
So today my teachers said thay want to do me a favor and combine "old & new techniques"
So they suggested to build an oldtimer with an Multi point injection and with programmable engine management...
The first cars that jumped in my mind was were Morris Minor, Austin A40, Mini...
Does anyone have experience with converting a A series engine to an Electronic injection?
What about putting an inlet and exhaust manifold from a mini MPI on a Morris minor etc?

The result must be some kind of low budget race/rally car.
What do you folks think? Am I completely crazy, or it can be a fun project?

Kind regards,
Jonathan

[bmcecosse]

Bolting parts from one A series onto another hardly counts as basis for a 'thesis' I suspect, Megasquirt and other systems are already available for us on the A series - again pretty much just a bolt-on kit -perhaps a wee bit of soldering involved - not much more.......hardly challenging!

[charlie_morris_minor]

the conversion is straight forward and was covered in practical classics in Jan & Feb 2008, using parts from the later mini..

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Use the '37 Austin 10 and make an old-school hot rod: Ford Pilot V-8 or Buick engine/running gear, roof chop, front suspension lowered etc.

Much more fun!

[customjob]

As regards your Thesis being based on combining new and old techniques using an A series engine. There is not much that can be done to an A series that hasn't already been done. It was designed by Harry Westlake the desgner of the SS Jaguar engines. It entered service in about 1950 with Austin and remained in service under Rover until early 2000. It started life with points and condesor ignition and carbureter induction. eventualy getting contactless ingition and single point injection to finally ending with electronic ignition and injection and some models fitted with turbo charging. The engine all through it's life was so fuel effeciant that with just minor modifacations it passed the stringent Californinan emissions regulations.
As has been said and not wanting to dampen your spritits i'd look at another engine for your Thesis. Good Luck

[Alex'n'Ane]

A thesis doesn't need to be that revolutionary at all. I think it sounds like an excellent idea, people have already done most of the hard work for you, and you can simply change minute bits if needed. Most thesis's are not done on completely new or groundbreaking ideas. As said above, if you go ahead and do it, you will find a lot of what you need already

[mike.perry]

If you modify an old car you still have to consider whether the suspension and brakes will handle the extra power, preferably without turning it into a hotrod.
Now if you were to see what sort of power you could extract from a Series MM side valve Minor??????????

[bmcecosse]

" A thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. "

It is supposed to be original research - not just a compilation of what has been common knowledge for many many years.......

Are you sure 'thesis' is the correct word for what you are being asked to put together??

[ASL642]

I must admit it sounds more like a coursework project than a thesis to me.

[AntB]

" A thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. "

It is supposed to be original research - not just a compilation of what has been common knowledge for many many years.......

Are you sure 'thesis' is the correct word for what you are being asked to put together??

i don't often agree with Roy, but he didn't just hit the nail on the head, he drove it through the head of the hammer.

thesis> hypothesis> you make a particular argument based on your own empirical process which has led to an assumption and then look to back it up and either prove it or disprove it through further study and empirical experience.

otherwise it's not even a design project, it's just regurgitation of someone else's work.

[les]

It seems to me, in education now, that it doesn't matter where you get information from, just making the effort to collect it is the requirement.

[bmcecosse]

So the project will be - to take the fuel injection system from an A series engine and bolt in on a different A series engine - and see if it will work........... Challenging and innovative it is certainly not........
Now - if the project was to convert the A series to run on superheated steam from a coal fired boiler - that WOULD be challenging and innovative ! And yes - I know there was one such featured on here a while back - but it wasn't coal fired........ or superheated ......... If that was made to work - with all the thermodynamics worked through - that very definitely would be worthy of a 'thesis' !

[charlie_morris_minor]

hi Jonathan

i bet you are glad you asked the question now.. sorry for the responses you have received, i hope it does not put you off morris minors.

[EmmyP]

Challenging and innovative it is certainly not........

I don't think that most responses are exactly encouraging to a young Morris Minor enthusiast. This is somebody still at school don't forget and his proposals sound fairly challenging to me at least! And, if his school call it a thesis, then why not? We don't even know if he is in the UK, which might go some way towards explaining the use of the word.

[AntB]

if his school call it a thesis

that's even more worrying.

"this afternoon children, for your doctorate, please get your wax crayons out and...."

[charlie_morris_minor]

if his school call it a thesis

that's even more worrying.

"this afternoon children, for your doctorate, please get your wax crayons out and...."

Roys quote comes from here..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thesis

no where does it state that the work has to be original, it just has to be supported..

if you look here, http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/thesis you can see it has two meanings

1 A statement supported by arguments.
2 A written essay submitted for a university degree.

so the dissertations I submitted whilst at university were theses, however not all theses are dissertations.

here are some more definitions..
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thesis

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&gs_nf=1& ... 66&bih=667

[bmcecosse]

A University 'thesis' is definitely supposed to be original work - or at least, it was when I was at Uni....... But these days.....

[charlie_morris_minor]

A University 'thesis' is definitely supposed to be original work - or at least, it was when I was at Uni....... But these days.....

but he is not doing a university thesis which will lead to a dissertation, because i read school thesis, please feel free to correct me if i am wrong... and if this prepares the students to question and search for other sources of material other than that spoon feed to them by the teacher it is to be praised.

[leafie]

hi Jonathan

i bet you are glad you asked the question now.. sorry for the responses you have received, i hope it does not put you off morris minors.

Well I would be

[lambrettalad]

Original research would lend itself to a Phd, in reality at school level it's about understanding what has been done,gathering different opinions,comparing and collecting date and supporting tentative conclusions.

Good luck and go get a distinction