Morris Minor Owners Club

I was wondering if anyone knows of a classic car that is really easy and relatively cheap to do an engine transplant on. I was looking at Morris Minor traveller but the price I would need to spend looks like £3000! I also want to do it myself or as much by myself as I can.

Hope you can help!

What do you want to do? In other words, WHY do you want to do an engine transplant? Which engine? Will you be using it for motorway, commuting, fun, or tearing up the drag-strip??

What sort of engine transplant do you want to do why, what are you trying to achieve.
Snap again Cam

There's no such thing as an easy engine transplant! And what engine have you got?

Well I really want to put an engine in a classic car so that it is able to handle modern speeds! Also I say 'easy' because I looked into putting a Rover K-series in a Morris Traveller but the costs are way to high http://www.jlhmorrisminors.co.uk/pages/price.html and I want to do most of it myself and not have to do a lot of tricky stuff like welding because I will have to get a pro to do that because I can't.

Hope this helps and thanks for the replies,

Hello Moque,
a simple engine swap is to fit a TR 6 engine into a Triumph 2000 saloon car, a good 2000 is a lot cheaper to buy than an equivelant condition Minor and will easily handle modern speeds. Look for a pre 73 model, for tax reasons and also they handle better than the later models.

Alec

Well I really want to put an engine in a classic car so that it is able to handle modern speeds!

Speed limit's 70, my minor does ~90 flat out, and when I'm in the mood I can outpace the boy-racers at the lights (mostly becuase the large majority of them think that going fast is just a case of putting your foot flat on the floor, and couldn't manage a decent takeoff in a concorde).

Don't see the need to upgrade my engine *grins*

Mind you, it is possible that at some point in the past someone's breathed on my car's engine.

The only trouble is that the Moggy runs out of steam a bit at 70+ and is very noisy, but if you fit a 5-speed gearbox from a Sierra it solves the problem! If you fit a 1275 engine out of a Midget, Marina or Ital then it would have a lot more torque and be easier to drive as well.

How much speed or acceleration do you need? When you say modern car speeds are you talking about a 1.0 Micra or a Subaru Impreza?

Hello Kate,

~90, that's some kiss of life

Mind you, it is possible that at some point in the past someone's breathed on my car's engine.

Alec

Thanks for the replies!

How much speed or acceleration do you need? When you say modern car speeds are you talking about a 1.0 Micra or a Subaru Impreza?

I have a 90bhp VW golf at the moment so I was wondering if I could make a classic that would have the equivalent power.

Triumph 2000 saloon car, a good 2000 is a lot cheaper to buy than an equivelant condition Minor

I already have a minor traveller in good condition but I was just put of having to do alot of work to strengthen the body due to the more powerful engine. Would I have to do alot of work strengthing a Triumph 2000 saloon with a T R 6 engine.


Again thanks for all the replies,

Mogue

alec wrote:~90, that's some kiss of life

kate wrote:Mind you, it is possible that at some point in the past someone's breathed on my car's engine

Well, from the outside it looks like a standard 1098cc engine. I can't really see anything odd about it. But it quite definately does 90 flat out (I wouldn't like to try and maintain that speed for too long, but I uh, theoretically have maintained it for about 30 minutes). It maintains 80 reasonably comfortably (it's noisy, but it'll do it), and if I start up a hill at 75 then it'll stay at 75 all the way up (if I'm on my own). Struggles a bit more 4 up, but it's done I think a theoretical 80 all the way into London with 4 people in 'er.

Pyoor_Kate wrote:

alec wrote:~90, that's some kiss of life

kate wrote:Mind you, it is possible that at some point in the past someone's breathed on my car's engine

Well, from the outside it looks like a standard 1098cc engine. I can't really see anything odd about it. But it quite definately does 90 flat out (I wouldn't like to try and maintain that speed for too long, but I uh, theoretically have maintained it for about 30 minutes). It maintains 80 reasonably comfortably (it's noisy, but it'll do it), and if I start up a hill at 75 then it'll stay at 75 all the way up (if I'm on my own). Struggles a bit more 4 up, but it's done I think a theoretical 80 all the way into London with 4 people in 'er.

See, I've been in a brand new Vauxhall Corsa trying to keep up with Kate in 'er car..
If Hebe is going flat out uphill, and Kate wants to overtake me, she has no problem overtaking, and still accelerating in Rebecca...

Rebecca is a *very* unique minor

Hello Mogue,
You won't need to do any strengthening at all, the saloon is stronger and better handling than a TR6. Just make sure you get an injection engine, rated at 150BHP, saloon weight overall about 23 cwt. Nice Q car.

Alec

I would recommend an unmodified Triumph 2500 or Rover P6 2200TC.
Both are classy, sexy looking 70 saloons with motorway legs.

If you buy a Rover 3.5 p6 you have a classic car that will not be in need of a transplant, which will suit your desire for ease!

my half brother had a series 1 landrover with a tr6 engine so i bet that was fun!!!
when you say the golf is 90 ponies you have to rember that it also is substantially heavier. i used to have a mk3 golf and now own a mk5 polo and also with being a vw speciallist i can say that vw do not use slim fast when designing their cars.

why not go for a 1275 conversion and maybe a 5 speed trannie. if your wanting to go fast then a big engine isnt allways the best way, sure, you get a great 0-60 time but if you need to drop to 5mph for every corner then theres no point. first mod on the list should almost certainly be look at your suspension and braking options and get them sorted first, after all you wouldnt get a boobjob to 36ff without buying a bra (wierd analagy eh?)

I already have a minor traveller in good condition but I was just put of having to do alot of work to strengthen the body due to the more powerful engine.

As suggested if you go down the 1275cc route you wont need any body strengthning just suspension & brake upgrades.

go for the best suspension you can afford too
for oem looking wheels mine are off an a40 which are 13 (lower the Centre Of Gravity 1/2") and the tyres are cheeper with more options because there a little wider and 13" of course

The only drawback with the A40 rims is that the Marina and Sierra disc brake conversions wont fit, although I am not sure about the Spridget one which is not very well thought of.

Steel/alloy wheel spridgets use a 4" PCD, so you could use a 13" steel sprite wheel on hubs converted for minor wheels.... (same width rim tho)