by rocketron » Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:49 pm
While I have a passion for engine conversions, drastic or otherwise, I had the pleasure lately of driving a 1275GT mini with a Bill Richards 1293 in it. It had been recently fitted with bike carbs on a Bogg Bros manifold and belt driven cam. All other items were as Bill originally fitted. There was good silencing on exhaust and induction, no straight-cuts etc and overall very quiet: it was a very nice car.
It surprised me that it pulled so strongly from about 1800rpm to over 7200: I'd forgotten how good an A-series could be. So I'm now thinking perhaps a well-built A-series need not be sniffed at! My favourite build for power was a 1430 using Triumph 2.5pi pistons. It was close to being a "grenade": there was only 47thou between bores no2 and 3. Head gaskets did not last very long and A-series block material is soft compared to Ford or Vauxhall, so bore longevity is suspect, in my opinion.
A fellow petrolhead has a Suzuki 1300 twin cam in a mini. This is a 16valve motor and goes really well above 4000, but for sure the Bill Richards engine left it for dead up to about 4700. But this conversion was not expensive, just dropped it in, cut out whatever is in the way and then join the bits up. The different driveshafts were welded together and then sleeved and welded again. Twelve months on and 15000 miles and no failures of any kind.
So, the prob is which one? I'd go for a modern engine, they're all very good nowadays, though I still fancy building another A-series, but this time with liners, doolally compression, RAF cams... Oh God, here I go again!
Seriously, whatever engine you fancy, do it and enjoy your Midas: you don't see many of 'em.
Best regards, Ron