Another Mini Question

[Fatboy]

Sorry to ask another question about Minis, but my brother was told that a Land rover Defender Fuel tank will fit into the spare wheel well in a Mini's boot with no fuss, thus giving both a larger range and a more useable boot space (the spare is going to be bolted to the back seat inside the car). I was wondering if anyone here had any experience of this (if no-one on here does, it's got to be a first on Pistonheads ), and any advice would be most appreciated.

[workshy fopp]

The range of the mini is limited by the size of the screen washer reservoir not the fuel tank. It's feckin tiny.

[castex]

Sounds potentially very dangerous to me...

[NikB]

It's probably easier to get a dual tank setup isn't it???

[xsaravtr]

MMMmmm... why not get an LPG tank to go in the wheel well, increase range and save some cash at the same time...

[apguy]

As a Land Rover Defender owner I can tell you that the fuel tank is 75 litres which would probably fill up your entire mini boot. And on my 1999 model it most certainly isn't wheel well sized, more sort of coffin shaped

On a more positive note, try Demon Tweeks who sell motorsport fuel tanks (both expensive bagtanks and more economical alloy versions) these are available in various wheel well sizes. Either way, not cheap and probably a fruitless exercise.


>> Edited by apguy on Tuesday 23 July 22:43

[smeagol]

Fatboy where are you planning to drive? Although the fuel tank is small I've found the range not to be that much a problem. Mind you I was used to the Lotus which had a bigger tank but about the same range.

Out of interest, what kind of range are you getting? (I should think I getting about 200miles per tank) I'll check over the next week or so if you want. I presume we're talking out Rover Mini Cooper here.

[Paul V]

You’d be better of getting a twin tank, minispares were doing an alloy one at one time, they way you’ll still have a boot. Do you have the later style larger tank? I could get about £35 in my twin tank mini that had the smaller tank on the left hand side so with the bigger tank you should get about £40 in, how much more range could you want?

As someone else mentioned you could also try a race tank for demon tweeks.

[Fatboy]

Thanks for all your replies

I can't remember what the range was, but the main point was to try and liberate a bit more useable boot space (i.e. put it in the spare wheel well and make a false flat floor above it and the battery). It was just something my brother remembered being told (sounds dubious I know, but he has been right before ). It is a rover mini (well Austin actually, a 998cc Mayfair with a dead engine, I'm getting an MG Metro engine put in it this weekend/next week) The range was just a side benefit. It's in bits at the moment, as I'm getting it all welded up then I'm fitting a new rear subframe, new doors, roll cage, possible a straight cut gearbox, bucket seats/harnesses etc, and I was thinking about doing the fuel tank while I was at it (I've already removed it in preparation for the welding).

Oh and smeagol, if you could make a note of what range you're getting it'd be great (let me know whether or not to bother with twin tanks)...

Here's a couple of photo's of it's currrent state (quite big I'm afraid, haven't got round to cutting them down):

www.fotango.com/p/eba00228705f00000002.jpg

www.fotango.com/p/eba00228705f00000003.jpg

>> Edited by Fatboy on Wednesday 24th July 14:06