Lotus Twin-Cam Mini

[Mike_Cerb99]

Hi everyone,

This may be a long shot but worth an ask.....I recently read a report on Himley Hall Mini Show 2009, where there was a lotus twin cam powered mini. The engine was mounted transverse, front engined, front wheel drive (see below). I am considering a similar project but have only come across gearboxes etc set up for an inline engine mounting / rwd......does anyone know what bell housing / gearbox I need to be able to mount the engine transverse, over the driving wheels?

Alternatively, if that mini was yours, please get in touch - it'd be great to talk about / compare projects.

Thanks,
Mike

[Mike_Cerb99]

Thanks for all of your replies / hints / tips / ebay contact etc....the project is still in it's early days so fingers crossed the bits come up at the right price - if anyone knows anyone that has any of the adaptor plates, please give us a shout. Thanks again, Mike

[Mike_Cerb99]

530dTPhil said:

A word of caution against cutting corners on this type of engineering project.

I used to race in the Special Saloons at Castle Combe. Around 1990/91 a good friend (Alan Woodridge) joined the series with a BDA engined Mini; he bought the car after it had been professionally converted. Unbeknown to him, the engine builder had used a flywheel assembly machined from a standard cast Mini unit rather than a new one that had been machined from solid.
During one of the races, the flywheel exploded as he changed down for Quarry Corner; shrapnel went everywhere, including into Alan's legs. He died about three weeks later from an embolism resulting from his injuries.
A sobering thought.

Edited by 530dTPhil on Tuesday 20th October 05:41

a sobering thought indeed....thanks for the warning....The ford-mini conversion seems a feasible route providing it's doe properly.....I'm still sligtly surprised that no other gearbox (other than a Hewland) will fit with the Lotus Twin-Cam...any other non-mini gearbox suggestions???