Classic mini 16V turbo A series, 6 speed seqential

[Matty...]

The gear shifter. Machined from billet it took a while on a manual Mill.

[Matty...]

big_rob_sydney said:

Would like to know actual performance metrics. Quarter mile would be good to know. Also very interested in stopping distances and lateral g. Should be a smartphone app somewhere that will do this for free.

The last time I took it out, I ran a 13.2 @ 115mph terminal. I was having issues with boost spikes and it kept cutting the ecu so I was limited on running on 15psi. It's mapped for 30psi and pulls well at that boost, just getting traction mid track is the problem, which is where the boost spikes happen. I have a 4 bar map sensor now, external wastegate and a mappable boost controller so I hope to be able to fine tune it all to work.

The above was all on the standard 4 speed sycro box, and ive knocked 86kgs out of it since then so it should be good for much quicker times...hopefully!

[Matty...]

zefal said:

This is Epic. Awesome skills. Subscribed and will watch closely just like "Project Binky"

Had a 1530cc proper mini years ago but was just unreliable (due to me getting different person to fit engine instead of builder).

I gave up on fast minis, sold up and got a EVO 9 instead.

This makes me want another mini again.. so so much, but it's got to be charged (like yours), couldn't go back to an NA car no matter what it is.... one day I will get another mini especially now I have garage.

They are good fun when turbo'd even on a standard 5 port engine. 150bhp is good usuable power, 200bhp + you need both sides of the road to put your foot down.

[Matty...]

j90gta said:

What top speed/acceleration figures are you hoping to achieve?

It has done a 13.2 on the 1/4 115mph terminal, but that was on half the boost its on now, so should be good for mid 12s. Top speed I am not too sure I have had 135mph out of it but it starts getting a bit unstable, it was still pulling strong so it will more than likely be the Rev limiter setting limiting it or my bottle.

[Matty...]

Dr G said:

When it's on the road do you think you'll be able to make it to one of the Sunday Service meets? I'd love to see this in the metal/carbon/ally

The plan is to have it on the road next summer, it's been built to be street legal...I used to drive it down to Newquay and other shows regularly over the country regularly.

[Matty...]

This is the new exhaust manifold, the collector on this one is much better flowing than my original one, and has an external wastegate for better boost control.





The whole system has been changed from 2" to 2 1/4" this was about the limit without heavily modifying the front subframe for more clearance.

The plan for the back, is to make a rear diffuser to help keep the back end more stable and high speeds. The silencer will be sat above the diffuser with an outlet hole poking through between the fins. The tunnel is also going to be plated over to smooth the bottom of the car some more.

[Matty...]

turboslippers said:

Are you the same guy that had the metallic blue turbo a-series mini that used to go santa pod and various Essex cruises? Sure that was a Matty...

Haha no not the same Matt, I know who you mean though it's Matt Woods your probably thinking of, he still has his mini over 300bhp now. He is still regularly at Santa pod but mainly photo shoots these days I think.

[Matty...]

chuntington101 said:

What a stunning bit of home brewed engineering! I think you should sell that gearbox to others. Might be a few people
Out there willing to buy one!

On the diffuser, will it take up the room of the spare wheel well? If so that should give you tons of room to make an ice long diffuser.

Also what's the dimameter of the pipes on the manifold? Looks a lovely bit of fabrication. Also what material is it made from?

I think to make it a viable mass produced item it would need a new gearbox casting and transfer housing too. The original design doesn't lend itself too well to this gear set, and lots of bespoke tooling had to be made to get in there to machine it. It would be nice to design the casing around the original bike bearings and shaft to cut costs.

Yeah the diffuser bolts to the heel board (already have captive nuts welded inside for it) then it should extend about 6" past the bumper, I think it's about 1200mm long roughly. I don't know much about aero but I have read that 8 degrees is optimal angle for reducing drag, could be wrong though?

The manifold is 1.5" OD 304 stainless.

Edited by Matty... on Saturday 19th November 21:32

[Matty...]

Altrezia said:

Still need a ride in this Matt.

Must catch up again soon, you may have to do some bits on the race car (again).

a

Haha yeah it's changed quite a bit since then! Must be nearly10 years ago since you last went out in it...feel old now!

I have been keeping an eye on your race car updates, have you decided on which route to go down yet engine wise?

[Matty...]

Super Slo Mo said:

Vfr gears look stronger than the originals if you ask me.

Out of interest, which VFR are they from? 800 or 1200?

Fantastic job by the way.

The teeth are wider than standard mini gears.

This gearset if the VFR800 which I believe is very similar to the blackbird set but a different ratio. The problem with the blackbird set is 1st gear is very large on the output shaft and touched the rod bolt on no.4

[Matty...]

PhillipM said:

I read this, then showed it my Dad, as he's had dozns of Mini's, although he sold them when we were kids.
Now he's on ebay and it's your fault.

Haha then my work is done!

[Matty...]

smilo996 said:

That must be quite a ride. Nice manifold work. The interior could use a professional touch.

What a great idea

Yeah the interior has been some what neglected. I have plans to get the dash board flocked, but this will probably wait until after the shakedown drive now.

[Matty...]

Ruaraidh_Gamma said:

Spectacular.

Do you have more details of the K series head build onto the A series block?

Yeah I have some pictures somewhere, will try and find them. I did the bike head conversion about 8-9 years ago now.

I used Honda Integra pulleys for the belt drive conversion, and machined up cam shaft adaptors to fix then onto the head cams and originals camshaft in the block.

[Matty...]

So it's been a while since the last update!

I have pulled my finger out and finally got stuck into this again, I have been plodding along since Christmas.

Lots has gone on since the last update.

Interior all finished
New gear linkage made up (gone back to 4 sync to box for now)
Rear diffuser fabricated
rear wing fabricated
Front splitter/undertray in progress
Front end/air dam modifications
Intercooler modifications
New inlet plenum
6 pot vented brakes
And probably lots that I have forgotten about!

Edited by Matty... on Wednesday 24th July 21:43

[Matty...]

Edited by Matty... on Wednesday 24th July 21:49

[Matty...]

New intercooler duct, undertray and air dam in progress...

Edited by Matty... on Wednesday 24th July 21:51

[Matty...]

M4CK 1 said:

Nice update, keep them coming nevermind how small.
What's the story on your gearbox??

Ah basically after being stood for a couple of years I noticed the engine had dropped on the passenger side, and the engine mount (comes off the gearbox) has distorted so it needs strengthening. I should imagine the material has annealed after welding it, and not as strong as it once was. This meant removing the gearbox to sort out. I also had a few blanking bungs to make.

I decided that I would rather use it this year than spend another year messing about with the gearbox. It is also one less thing to worry about on the shakedown run, as I have a fresh engine build, loom, suspension, wiring all to test at the same time.

The box will get revisted once everything else is sorted.

[Matty...]

Yazza54 said:

Awesome work can't wait to see some vids of it going through the gears in anger. I read in your earlier post you have been told the VFR box can handle 400hp in a bike so I just hope it holds up for you given it's weight and grip that kills boxes as much as power and torque. I'm sure there's plenty that could be developed like billet gears etc but hopefully not necessary!!

Thanks, yeah I have read they are very strong gearsets and usually the casing lets go first, which shouldn't be so much of an issue with this. I have now swapped it for a standard box for now, as I need to do some more work on the sequential before testing it.

[Matty...]

duds100 said:

I've been following your updates closely on instagram Matty. The build is really coming together and it's going to be an animal once done! Looking forward to seeing it fly up the strip.

Are you sticking to 1/4 miles or do you intend taking it round a circuit too?

Was FD ratio are you using & what is peak HP rpm at?

Yeah it is really starting to get somewhere now, I spent several weeks working out where I had got to, and realised I stopped at all the awkward points on most jobs! So it was a struggle to get motivated on it.

The front end shoukd be going for paint in 2 weeks, in the mean time I can finish tinkering with the rest of it.

To be honest I have forgotten where the power curve is, I think peak torque is around 5500rpm and limiter set to 8500rpm.

The plan is hill climbs and circuit use, the queues just seem to be longer at 1/4 mile events.

I'm running a 3.1:1 final drive on this.

[Matty...]

A bit more progress on the front end. All ready for some fresh paint.