Well, this project has slowly been coming back to life! I'm in negotiations with an engine provider - and it will be an EcoBoost after all.....only they can't find me a three cylinder, so we're going with the engine out of a Focus ST - 4 cyl turbocharged with 252 HP and 195 torques, in a turn key package with the transmission (a 6 speed) and the ECU already modified to remove all the crap I don't need, so it will just be the stock engine management system - however, if I can find a tuner I can bump that up to 300 hp easily. Don't know that I'll need or even want to do that, but it's nice to know it's in there! Cost will be close to or about what I would pay for a stock engine and trans from Mini Mania.....yes of course I can build one for less than they charge, but I'm just using them for comparison of what you get for what you spend. This company delivers a crated engine on a pallet, ready to run. Hook up gas and a battery and turn the key and it will run on the pallet....radiator, air cleaner, intercooler etc all there and plumbed in. Of course then the real fun begins, getting it into the back of the Mini, but I figure if MiniTec can do it with a V6 Honda motor and trans, I can do this too. I'll let you all know what I got once negotiations are complete. Delivery could take up to 6 months as they are really backlogged with work, but that's OK. I have plenty to do to get ready before they ship the motor to me. They provide the vin of the car that the motor came from so you can look it up and prove mileage etc. They even provide pics of the car it came out of.
This is awesome! I can not wait to watch this project. Will everything run from the ECU? For instance gas gage, Speedo, ect?
On the Lotus everything is controlled by the ECU. But on you 67 Mini I was thinking this would not be the case. So I was just wondering what would be analog and what would be digital.
It's actually a 94 SPi shell, so it has the later Nikei instruments, so they should take info from the ECU - at least the tach would - but even then the speedo, temp and fuel gauges were all analog - the speedo driven by a cable off the transmichigan rather than via a VSS and the temp gauge from a sender in the head. So, if I can get the original instruments, at least the tach, water temp and speedo should get their signals from the ECU. Fuel gauge will be some sort of aftermarket tank, pump and sender. Shifter will be "interesting" too..... At least it has a hydraulic clutch, so that will be fairly straightforward.... Gearing will be a challenge as they came with 18" wheels and it will have 13's now......based on standard tire circumference the RPM difference will be about 1.6, that's a lot. First and maybe 2nd gears might be throwaway gears. I might be able to find a taller diff out of a diesel gearbox, but those were never sold here so I'll be looking in either England or Germany, or have to buy a custom one somewhere/somehow. I've changed them in Honda gearboxes on Vtec conversions in classic Minis, it makes a huge difference in drivability to have the right diff ratio.
I sent another email to my engine supplier as he's gone radio and email silent over the last 10 days or more. In the threads of guys who have used them they also said communication was not easy or regular with these guys, but as they seem to be the only one doing the Ecoboost conversions, so they put up with it and in the end got the exact package they wanted Worth the wait if the end results work out I guess. Dan picked up my Fortech flares from my sister's place in Denver - his only comment "they're huge!" I got them from a guy in the Rocky Mtn region Mini club, I guess he bought them for a project he was doing and went another way. As they're unobtanium now I was happy to score them for my project. Mania sold them for $900 a set last time they had them, which looks to be a while ago. 7Ent had them for less but neither has had stock for over a year.
Just looked up the flares and they do look to be big. Will you start work on some of the body mods now or wait until you have the engine/transmission on site ??
I don't even have the car at my shop yet.....once it's here I anticipate getting the engine/trans mounted first, then see about the body - I'll be figuring out how to get air into the engine, probably have some vents cut in the front edges of the rear flares. Working out if I can have a rear diffuser too....whether to use a rear mounted wing, close off the bottom of the front under the subframe giving a flat floor - all that sort of stuff.
Hopefully the reason they have gone noncom is because they are working hard on filling orders. I am trying to be optimistic Is there anything to do to prepare the car for when it does finally come?
Well, the powerplant is ordered and a deposit paid, delivery isn't expected for 6 months due to their backlog of work. That will give me time to get the shop cleaned out and final projects done. I have one more engine I could build and sell just to get it out of the shop and build up a little more cash but I don't know if I'll do it....we'll see. I have a Sprite differential to rebuild and some work to do on my green Mini, then I can sell off all my extra "stuff" and clear the decks. I think it will take all of those 6 months to get ready to start the project!
Just spoke to the engine guys and they say I should have it in two weeks! Of course, that's really only the beginning of a long project but............progress!!! I finished up and delivered the last engine/gearbox build and delivered it last week, I'm in the process of inventorying all my engine/gearbox/misc parts so I can sell them. I have a metric ton of extra parts, mostly small, internal engine bits but I need to make room. I have a local Mini enthusiast who says he wants to buy it all which would be the perfect thing as then I don't have to ship anything, he can just bring his van over and load it all up
Hi Dave!, Can’t wait to see the progress on this build. Having some one buy all your parts at one time is great.