The block itself is identical....the only difference is the rear main cap, which is easily modified. The upper part of the rear main seal holder on the Sprite block is bolted on, you simply remove it and then machine off the extra material that holds the seal on the bottom cap....you could do this in your garage on the grinder. In our case, if we wind up line boring the Sprite block we'll just use the Mini block rear main cap. The Sprite block has additional holes drilled and tapped to bolt the plate on the back that holds the transmission but those don't present any issues, and of course you have to use a Mini crank - except that now you can buy an adaptor to use with a Sprite crank if so inclined. we're going to use my crank of course. Other than that - identical. The fellow I bought it from is an old guy like me and we have lots of acquaintances in British cars in common - he says he's done a number of these swaps over the years with no issues. I'll post some pics of both side by side next time I go down to the machine shop.
Minidave, We have not always seen eye to eye on a lot of things in the past but I just wanted to say this project is coming along great and I am enjoying the pictures and reading your progress. Great work, keep the updates coming.
Glad there is a work around to use that block. It has been a long time since I was told about the differences & well you know stuff gets forgotten & mis-remembered . Can't ask my good friend Brit car mechanic anymore. He's twisting wrenches on Saint Peter's Mini these days.
I know it's cliché, but I like my lipstick red Mini calipers! The camera didn't catch the color very well, and I've only got one coat on so far, but I think they'll look cool. Someone already commented on another site that Minis never had silver suspension pieces either but I don't care. I just want clean and painted. Of course they'll get new hoses and bleeders too....
Block news today.... The Sprite block has been deemed "viable" so they'll start on it today. It will be bored and honed, line bored, new cam bearings installed and plugs, the crank will be turned on both the mains and rods, and the assembly balanced. If everything goes well I'll see it by the weekend, then I can take some pics to show the differences between the two blocks and get started with the paint work. Since my parts are still a ways out that will give time for the paint to cure before I start to reassemble, and I'll have time to finish cleaning and painting all the bits that go on it too. More as it happens.... PS: My calipers turned out great!
More Buzzwork..... The block is done and came out great, however the crank won't be done till next week. In the meantime another issue has raised it's ugly head, I can't find rings to fit the 1275GT pistons that are in the car and that I intended to reuse. I may wind up buying pistons/rings after all. So I decided to tear into the transmission to change out the diff gears and to do a general clean up. It's been strongly suggested that I go to a center pickup for the oil, but to do that I have to remove the layshaft so I can get the old one out. That pretty much means a total teardown of the transmission.....so on to it. First the side covers come off where the stub axles fit in.... Then knock down some locktabs and wind off a few nuts and out she comes.... In this pic you can see the pick up tube is loose, but the screen it's attached to is under the layshaft and won't come out of there till I take the gears out first. You can also see the pinion gear for the diff, that will be changed too and the casing around it will need to be modified to clear the larger gear. ...it's not hard, just a little grinding here and there.....yes, now would be a good time to add a limited slip, but there's no way I'll have the budget for that! I won't take the diff apart till the new gears get here in a couple of weeks, till then once cleaned everything goes into giant tubs (think large Tupperware) to keep things corralled and the dirt/dust from getting into them. As this is a rod change trans it's a bit different than the last one I was into, back in the mid-70's!
Man Dave, what a great job of it you are doing. Thanks for taking the time to photograph & write up your progress.
Thanks Chuck, it seems like all I'm doing is taking things apart, it will be nice to start putting something back together again - but that's still a ways away till some pieces parts start arriving....
Dave I know it is a lot of work, but it will sure be worth it. It won't be long before you are enjoying Buzz once again.
Alrighty then, I managed to get the oil pump feed pipe and strainer out of the sump at last. all I had to do was remove the pinion gear retainer so I could release the inner shaft from the laygear. Once that was out I carefully maneuvered the laygear out of the box, then I had room to knock back the lock tabs on the strainer bracket, and once the bracket was off I wrangled the strainer out of there too. Then it was just a matter of putting it all back. It was good to see the laygear shaft and bearings were in really good shape so I won't have to do anything to the gearbox innards. The new pipe goes into the left section in this pic, so I won't have to go thru any of these gymnastics to install it.
Today was a day for more cleaning and painting of the pieces parts, today it was the left axle, rotor and hub.....the right will have to wait till I get another opportunity to use the bead blaster at school - I can't use it during class time as the students are using it. Out of the bead blaster and into the paint booth, which is a stool out in the back yard with a tarp draped over it. It's a challenge painting today as we've had some t-storms roll thru and it's a bit breezy - I just wait till the wind dies for a minute and hit it quick! I'm using a brand new can of paint I found in the basement, only trouble is I bought that can when I was doing the rustoration on my old Jag - 20 years ago! - it still works perfectly tho! Rotor came out nice too.....but no comments about my tape job, it's a brake rotor, the paint probably won't last more than a couple of months anyway!
Hopefully, anyway. I have an event in Milwaukee this 4th of July, and I'm trying to see if I can make the event at Mid O the weekend before so I need to crack on so I can not only finish the job but get some miles on it too before setting off cross country again. Today's setback - I can't find rings to fit these pistons. You wouldn't think these would be a completely odd size, but apparently they are. It's no problem to buy new piston sets with rings in the right size of course - it's just mo money, mo money, mo money.....instead of a $50 set of rings, it's a $300 set of pistons.... :crazy:
Is it the size of the ring lands on the pistons causing the problem? Could you re-cut them to accept the available rings? Just thinking out loud here.
I've sent an inquiry out to a supplier in the UK to see if there's anything that will work economically, otherwise I'm just going to bite the bullet and order the pistons.
I hope the piston supplier can help you. At this point that is what I'd do also. It hurts to spend money on something you shouldn't have to. At least you will have 4 really cool piston ashtrays.
Success! I found one of those arcane, backwoods tiny little suppliers that the UK seems to be full of and they have my rings ins stock, for a very reasonable $$$$ Now all I have to do is figure out how to process the order, I think their website is as old as the company! Anyway, if you ever need engine parts for something weird, old and British, these seem to be "the guys" Home - FW Thornton Wellington - Vintage Engine Parts A brief history... FWT was established in 1922 in Wellington, Shropshire (UK). The company originally traded in a varied array of motor factor components including axle shafts, wheels, pinions, pulley blocks and road springs. In 1939 FWT moved to the Wyle Cop premises in Shrewsbury where we remained until December 2012. After the War, FWT diversified into engine components. John Thornton joined the business in 1948 and remains with the company today. Please check out our new specialist website for motorcycle pistons from the early 1900's up to the 1980's. Brands we sell include Hepolite, Glacier, Vandervell, AE, Payen, Wellworthy, ACL, KS, Mahle, TRW, JP, PHC and FP Diesels The most popular vehicles we supply parts for include Austin, Morris, Triumph, MG, Ford, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley, Lister, Petter, AEC, Bedford, Gardner, Renault and Fiat. Now that I have the rings sourced, I can go ahead with the orders for all the other bits and bobs and gears and such that I need. The ol bank balance is going to take a major hit.