Making car faster without engine mod ?
Discussion
I've got the twin door bars (got totallly carried away ordering the roll cage - only meant to order a 6 point with a diagonal brace and ended up getting the full multipoint cage from safety devices 
) - certainly wouldn't feel safe without them using GRP doors!
Have you kept the heater? I'm just trying to decide wether or not to ditch it and go with an electrically heated front screen?
) - certainly wouldn't feel safe without them using GRP doors! Have you kept the heater? I'm just trying to decide wether or not to ditch it and go with an electrically heated front screen?
I always keep the heater, even though I've got a heated screen. I did find that with the heated screen on and two headlights and two spotlights even my 47 amp alternator was losing ground. so I've fitted a 65 amp Magneto-Marelli unit and that's fine. I think I could get away without the heater as mine only recirculates the air in the car 'cause i can't run trunking thro'. the engine bay (fire/toxicity hazard).
The heater is only useful for me in very hot weather when even with both fans on, the 6-blade belt driven one and the electric one, it is still getting too hot. It really gets hot inside the car then. WE had to do this on a rally in Belgium a few years ago when the outside air temp was c.100 deg F. We were inside with two layer nomex overalls on as well. It's a good way to lose weight! I lost 9 pounds in two days of rallying.
The heater is only useful for me in very hot weather when even with both fans on, the 6-blade belt driven one and the electric one, it is still getting too hot. It really gets hot inside the car then. WE had to do this on a rally in Belgium a few years ago when the outside air temp was c.100 deg F. We were inside with two layer nomex overalls on as well. It's a good way to lose weight! I lost 9 pounds in two days of rallying.
Bloody hell - you must have had to wring the seats out afterwards
I hadn't thought about needing the heater to help cool down the engine, so best keep it I guess...
Still, a front mounted additional rad might prove OK? (I don't have to contend with the historic regs fortuneately, as mine's just for fun, and hopefully a few trackdays etc.)
I hadn't thought about needing the heater to help cool down the engine, so best keep it I guess...
Still, a front mounted additional rad might prove OK? (I don't have to contend with the historic regs fortuneately, as mine's just for fun, and hopefully a few trackdays etc.)
Hi Fatboy. You can strip the rad out of the heater and mount it just behind the grill still using the heater hose connections. You are right, I am not allowed to do this under 'Histerical' regulations as there was no original fitment like that.
I do find that if you can keep a 1275 reasonably cool it wil stay that way. The problem is that once it gets too hot, like when you are caught in a traffic jam, or in my case a hold up at the start of a special stage or test start, it is difficult to get the excess heat out again as the cooling system is right on its limit.
I do find that if you can keep a 1275 reasonably cool it wil stay that way. The problem is that once it gets too hot, like when you are caught in a traffic jam, or in my case a hold up at the start of a special stage or test start, it is difficult to get the excess heat out again as the cooling system is right on its limit.
Hadn't thought of just using the heater rad behine the grill - was just going to use an MG Metro rad (with a couple of fans - IIRC the MG metro rad was pretty wide from when I removed the engine from the MG Metro), activated by a thermostat. Haven't got round to it as I need to redo my front end - damn GRP front is a terrible fit (I've built a special frame to mount it on, so it opens up over the windscreen for easy engine access, which means there isn't room for a front mounted rad), and I plan on replacing it with a steel flip front with a new hinge design allowing a front mounted rad as soon as I get the time...
Fatboy, if your going steel flip front then I’d recommend using a normal bonnet with standard opening or pins, then have the wings and front panel removable using simple fixings to the a panels and subframe. It will allow easy access to the engine for simple things plus keeping the front removable for bigger jobs.
>> Edited by Paul V on Wednesday 15th October 16:30
>> Edited by Paul V on Wednesday 15th October 16:30
I'd thought about doing it that way, but I've come up with a different way of mounting the flip front so the whole thing raises out of the way easily (on gas lift struts) - did you see me fiddling under the bonnet at pistonfest? That was the MK1 design, MK2 requires a steel front for strength, and it'll actually be lighter than the GRP front end with the neccessary bracing...
This is, or course, assuming I ever get round to finishing it, seeing as how I've not touched the car in a month - bloody work
This is, or course, assuming I ever get round to finishing it, seeing as how I've not touched the car in a month - bloody work
I waxed my car yesterday and was suprised how much smoother the waxed paintwork was in comparison to the unwaxed paintwork, common sense says smoother paint work will cause less drag than rough paintwork with dead flies stuck to it!
I don't think you would ever notice the diffrence but there must be one.
I don't think you would ever notice the diffrence but there must be one.
vrooom said:
I just want to improve my car's accerlation.
how can you make car quicker than doing some work into inside of engine ?
Weight reduction?
lighten flywheel?
lighten wheels ?
any idea ?
Jay
Just inflate your tyres to three times the recommended pressure, so they are ROCK hard...(it used to work on my pushbike when I was a kid)
Never tried it though I'll let you be the guinea pig!!!
I don't have the actual figures, but I believe that during WW2 the US Army Air Force went from a painted matt finish to highly polished natural aluminium on their B17's and B24's and the maximum speed increased by about 8 mph. Saved a bit of weight as well.
The same must apply to any object travelling through air, but since the shape of the Mini is so bad it won't make a heap of difference.A bit like polishing a barn door to make it easier to open in a high wind!
Can't post any more today, just off to Peter Baldwins rolling road to get the 'S' set up for the Illuminations rally next weekend. Wish me luck!
The same must apply to any object travelling through air, but since the shape of the Mini is so bad it won't make a heap of difference.A bit like polishing a barn door to make it easier to open in a high wind!
Can't post any more today, just off to Peter Baldwins rolling road to get the 'S' set up for the Illuminations rally next weekend. Wish me luck!
I was looking for a better mid-range response rather than more top end, so we only concentrated on power up to 5500 rpm. It was reading 101 bhp at 5200 on the last run, but the mid-range response, from 3500 to 5500 is now much better.
We didn't bother with a top-end figure, but as I have a 286 cam which peaks at 6200 I would anticipate around 110 bhp.
For a rally car it's the mid-range response and driveability which really matter, and that's even better now.
The new Falken 165/70x10's are taking a lot to bed them in, so I guess it's another blast around the local lanes this evening - I don't know how I put up with all this Mini driving!
We didn't bother with a top-end figure, but as I have a 286 cam which peaks at 6200 I would anticipate around 110 bhp.
For a rally car it's the mid-range response and driveability which really matter, and that's even better now.
The new Falken 165/70x10's are taking a lot to bed them in, so I guess it's another blast around the local lanes this evening - I don't know how I put up with all this Mini driving!
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