Lotus Twin-Cam Mini
Discussion
kremlingazette said:
I knew someone with a Lotus TC Mini, it had a straight cut Colotti gearbox.
the old 3 sync colotti boxes have a terrible reputation, they where tiny motorbike sized gears and dogs (so it all fitted in the space where the four speed went), they broke easily and struggled to cope with the power a normal mini made.i bet your mate stuggled with the power a lotus engine would make!
Tangent Police said:
Unless it was the Jack Knight vintage 5 speeder that is often confused with Colotti's box. They look very very similar.
they where still pretty weak, as they (and the coletti) where designed mainly for the 850/1000cc market, before any on the s's really appered.both had to be driven with great care, as one rushed downshift or forgetting the gate pattern (handily both had different gates, one was back to front!) would result in damage, particually to the coletties reverse gear which was very fine toothed. both types where dog engagment so rev matching and double declutching was a must - a ham fisfted (or foooted) driver would be able to wreck one very quickly
the jkd five speed that appeared in the 4 sync case was a lot better
PJR said:
Shoot Blair said:
Need to be registered there just to see the picts unfortunately 
Please dont ask me for details, it was too long ago. But as a teenager, i bought a conversion kit for ford kent to minibox along with a photocopy of handtyped instructions to fit. The kit came with basically an aluminium block to mate the back of the engine to the clutch housing and a template to drill out the engine block to line up a few of the other gearbox bolts as most where a straight fit ( if memory serves me right) and an adapter of some sort for the crank. after fitting the kent engine, i heard a rumour that the twinky top end could be used on the kent engine, so after several weeks rummaging in the Knackers yards around Swanley, we found enough parts to build our own twincam mini. The project was a complete success and looked awesome with four trumpets sticking out of the front of the bonnet on twin 45's. Alas, the project came to a sticky end as some of you have come to realise, the gearbox became mashed potato and the engine ended up 50 yards away. A mate kindly returned all the parts back to the scrappy for me and the car had the original cooper S lump back in it until the car ended a up in the same scrappy.
If Only i knew then what i know now.
Sadly I cannot remember where the kit came from but it was definitely advertised in a glossy magazine and cost more than my cooper did. and even more pitiful, I had no photos cos cameras in those days where way too expensive.
If Only i knew then what i know now.
Sadly I cannot remember where the kit came from but it was definitely advertised in a glossy magazine and cost more than my cooper did. and even more pitiful, I had no photos cos cameras in those days where way too expensive.
I went to a local autojumble in about 2003 and saw an 8 port TC lotus engine for £300. £300!!!! £300 for a ratty old engine, you have to be smoking crack!
Of course, it was bargain of the decade.
I worked with a chap who noted my mini and said "I was into escorts, I had 3 with BDA engines which were a hassle and so I just used to put the 2L lumps in, I had the BDA engines which had just sat in the shed for years and took 'em to the scrap yard about 18 months ago".
He really thought the BDA's were just crap compared to the pintos.
I expect the scrap man scrapped them as well. Old ford engines....
Of course, it was bargain of the decade.
I worked with a chap who noted my mini and said "I was into escorts, I had 3 with BDA engines which were a hassle and so I just used to put the 2L lumps in, I had the BDA engines which had just sat in the shed for years and took 'em to the scrap yard about 18 months ago".
He really thought the BDA's were just crap compared to the pintos.
I expect the scrap man scrapped them as well. Old ford engines....
I couldn't believe it when I saw this in the mag the other day - I thought I'd be the only one mad enough to try and do a retro project of this nature !!
I've got 2 of these kits,the first the bolt on tail type :-
My feeling is a modified 1700 crossflow with twin 40DCOES is quite enough to severely
challenge even a very tough mini gearbox. And anyhow,it's pretty straightforward to
extract 130-140 bhp out of a Kent lump without going to all the expense of a Twink
let along a BDA (Have you got 10 grand + to spend on an engine ?!!)
I also have this Billet crank (apologies for pants photo) and another case. This crank
came with the special Primary gear(s),lightweight flywheel and clutch. This is the one
I hope to pursue when I have finished my other 4 mini's !! The idea was to buy an early
clubman/1275Gt for it as I trial fitted everything into a Mk1 but wasn't convinced it
would look any good with the bonnet mods that would be needed.And then you have to deal
with the 'why did you do that to a Mk1 brigade' at shows.
This was the car that started it all : -
I could be convinced to part with some of it if the offer was right.
Andy_Harlandyouknowwhat yahoo something com
I've got 2 of these kits,the first the bolt on tail type :-
My feeling is a modified 1700 crossflow with twin 40DCOES is quite enough to severely
challenge even a very tough mini gearbox. And anyhow,it's pretty straightforward to
extract 130-140 bhp out of a Kent lump without going to all the expense of a Twink
let along a BDA (Have you got 10 grand + to spend on an engine ?!!)
I also have this Billet crank (apologies for pants photo) and another case. This crank
came with the special Primary gear(s),lightweight flywheel and clutch. This is the one
I hope to pursue when I have finished my other 4 mini's !! The idea was to buy an early
clubman/1275Gt for it as I trial fitted everything into a Mk1 but wasn't convinced it
would look any good with the bonnet mods that would be needed.And then you have to deal
with the 'why did you do that to a Mk1 brigade' at shows.
This was the car that started it all : -
I could be convinced to part with some of it if the offer was right.
Andy_Harlandyouknowwhat yahoo something com
Why are people f*cking around with this old garbage.
The crossflow block is best used as boat anchor - it really is very heavy. The A-series isn't a featherweight in itself but why put more weight on the front end of the car?
Torque (big amounts of it) are the biggest single headache for the Gearbox - a crossflow or BDA lump will put huge demands on the box - cracks on the centre part of the casing aren't uncommon on 1380's. It would demand straight cut internals as minimum and as road going proposition.
Couple all this to fact that unless you use a clubman - the carbs stick through the front like a pair of elephants ears. Sorry girls - but even done as sympathetically as possible it all looks ridicolous and hardly gives you the opportunity for a stealthy Mini (which is the fun bit right?).
The BMW bike head conversion will fit under a standard front end (even a Mk1 for all the purists out there
) - weighs less - produce good drivable power without enormous torque lowdown and is still an engineering challenge and will run modern day management with the Bike injection system.
This retro fest is only suitable for popping the bonnet at shows and for people that indulge in self abuse at the sight of such. As a died in the wool Mini enthusiast I find myself shocked at having uttered such heresy
The crossflow block is best used as boat anchor - it really is very heavy. The A-series isn't a featherweight in itself but why put more weight on the front end of the car?
Torque (big amounts of it) are the biggest single headache for the Gearbox - a crossflow or BDA lump will put huge demands on the box - cracks on the centre part of the casing aren't uncommon on 1380's. It would demand straight cut internals as minimum and as road going proposition.
Couple all this to fact that unless you use a clubman - the carbs stick through the front like a pair of elephants ears. Sorry girls - but even done as sympathetically as possible it all looks ridicolous and hardly gives you the opportunity for a stealthy Mini (which is the fun bit right?).
The BMW bike head conversion will fit under a standard front end (even a Mk1 for all the purists out there
) - weighs less - produce good drivable power without enormous torque lowdown and is still an engineering challenge and will run modern day management with the Bike injection system. This retro fest is only suitable for popping the bonnet at shows and for people that indulge in self abuse at the sight of such. As a died in the wool Mini enthusiast I find myself shocked at having uttered such heresy
There was an all alloy IMP conversion.
Bear in mind that the whole point of a mini is that it's been the basis for just about every sort of modification.
I think Ford do an alloy blocked 16v engine. A bit like a light BDA, without the hassles.
I like period oddities and I'd have no qualms about hacking a hole in my bonnet for some TJ mechanical injection on a weslake 8 port.
Realistically, it's a mini. If you're going to go that silly, you might as well get something else and tune the hell out of it.
I have a 1430 mk1 with a 320 cam in it, salisbury diff, etc. That IS enough.
Bear in mind that the whole point of a mini is that it's been the basis for just about every sort of modification.
I think Ford do an alloy blocked 16v engine. A bit like a light BDA, without the hassles.
I like period oddities and I'd have no qualms about hacking a hole in my bonnet for some TJ mechanical injection on a weslake 8 port.
Realistically, it's a mini. If you're going to go that silly, you might as well get something else and tune the hell out of it.
I have a 1430 mk1 with a 320 cam in it, salisbury diff, etc. That IS enough.
What I can't quite understand is why use the four speed box from a mini when the same principle should apply to the later E-series gearbox which is designed for more power and torque and of course is 5 speed.
ETA: An Allegro club member I was emailing about this very subject seemed to think that he remembered a Lotus with an E-series box or maybe a lotus engined car with an E-series box???
ETA: An Allegro club member I was emailing about this very subject seemed to think that he remembered a Lotus with an E-series box or maybe a lotus engined car with an E-series box???
Edited by Ben Magoo on Wednesday 31st March 19:11
ben
the e series box is very tall, so you would need a huge bump in the bonnet (if you where trying to get a crossflow on top) + all the flanges where different (to a mini box) . thats before you start to struggle with the ratios, final drive, getting the drive from the crank to the box - its a whole load more problems.
ive seen people fit the complete maxi engine into a (road going) mini, but the extra grunt / strength of the box / 5 gears was utterly removed by the huge weight and understeering issues that it resulted in! - in fact it was very similar to the modern vauxhaull engine - great top end at the expense of just about everying else!!!
dont forget that many of these hybrid engine on mini gearboxes where designed for motorsport - not road use, where the rules of the day usually stated:- original gearcase must be used......
the e series box is very tall, so you would need a huge bump in the bonnet (if you where trying to get a crossflow on top) + all the flanges where different (to a mini box) . thats before you start to struggle with the ratios, final drive, getting the drive from the crank to the box - its a whole load more problems.
ive seen people fit the complete maxi engine into a (road going) mini, but the extra grunt / strength of the box / 5 gears was utterly removed by the huge weight and understeering issues that it resulted in! - in fact it was very similar to the modern vauxhaull engine - great top end at the expense of just about everying else!!!
dont forget that many of these hybrid engine on mini gearboxes where designed for motorsport - not road use, where the rules of the day usually stated:- original gearcase must be used......
ALSO, you have to remember, unless you are going for a KAD 5 speeder, you are limited gearwise.
You either pull a 2.76 FD and smoke up the clutch as you would be running SCCR gears. Or you pull the final drive down and end up with "even more first gears". I suppose the solution would be to either get a special gearset cut, or run an A+ box and run the risk of it turning to swarf.
Either way, the turbominis boys have proven that you can put silly power through a very carefully specced and built mini box. Well over 200hp.
There is merit in the idea. If you want to build a 150hp mini engine (because you are daft), it's going to get rather expensive. It's also probably going to wear out pretty fast.
I personally think these "big" FWD conversions in minis now are utterly stupid. I recall an article in a magazine where some idiot had bunged a red top into a mini. 1 driveshaft was about 60cm and the other was about 5cm. Needless to say, it needed to almost have totally asymmetric suspension. Idiocy.
If you're going to track race a mini, the Lotus TC on mini box is probably a great idea. I wouldn't want to stick one up a hillclimb though.
If I had a few more £, I would be BMW heading my 1430, for sure. 100%
You either pull a 2.76 FD and smoke up the clutch as you would be running SCCR gears. Or you pull the final drive down and end up with "even more first gears". I suppose the solution would be to either get a special gearset cut, or run an A+ box and run the risk of it turning to swarf.
Either way, the turbominis boys have proven that you can put silly power through a very carefully specced and built mini box. Well over 200hp.
There is merit in the idea. If you want to build a 150hp mini engine (because you are daft), it's going to get rather expensive. It's also probably going to wear out pretty fast.
I personally think these "big" FWD conversions in minis now are utterly stupid. I recall an article in a magazine where some idiot had bunged a red top into a mini. 1 driveshaft was about 60cm and the other was about 5cm. Needless to say, it needed to almost have totally asymmetric suspension. Idiocy.
If you're going to track race a mini, the Lotus TC on mini box is probably a great idea. I wouldn't want to stick one up a hillclimb though.
If I had a few more £, I would be BMW heading my 1430, for sure. 100%
tangent police said:
I personally think these "big" FWD conversions in minis now are utterly stupid. I recall an article in a magazine where some idiot had bunged a red top into a mini. 1 driveshaft was about 60cm and the other was about 5cm. Needless to say, it needed to almost have totally asymmetric suspension. Idiocy.
Idiot Here. I'm one of the above mentioned stupid people as can be seen in 160vvc mini build thread in the same forum section as this.I have my own reasons for going this route which being 160bhp and a 5 speed box For £500 (cost of a decent modified A series head) plus a home made subframe frame to mount it which cost a total of £34. Then you have the bits that where required like front mounted rad and adjustable suspention but those would most probably have been required on a tuned a series aswell.
I chose the k series because its lighter than the original engine aswell and will fit within the standard lenth round nose. I can also get a final drive to suit 10" wheels and there the option of tuning the engine futher aswell.
p3sk3tt said:
And i also have stuiply uneven drive shaft lenths which has been proved in other 16v minis Not to cause a problem. With a well setup suspention geometry you can have little or no tourqe steer so i can't see a problem
I disagree with you and in due course you will also. "well setup suspension" is not a term I'd use. Some of the settings/adjustments/parts you will have to use are most certainly not "well set up" unless you plan on driving on a perfectly flat track.
You can adapt to a shocking handful of a car quite well, to say the settings are fine is just plain delusional.
It's like saying you can make a car with a Salisbury LSD drive like it hasn't got one is equally barking mad.
My road car is a handful in lots of ways and I've been poncing about with the settings/kit/adjustments/wheel offsets and other nonsense and it still is a huge compromise. If I adjusted it so it was ok on the rough stuff (and not damage the shell) it would be even worse on the road.
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