Ok, so slightly off topic but I keep looking at my Zetec & Type 9 box sitting on the garage floor and wondered if anyone had any experience of fitting one into a Minor. I would go and measure up but my Minors down in Derbyshire and the engines up here in Scotland. Any info appreciated because its really bugging me that I cant get the 2 together yet to measure up!!!!

Rich

I work with someone who is fitting a rover v8 into a minor. I don't know if he had to mod the shell at all. I could ask if it would help.

Anything is possible and the Lancia twin cam was a common upgrade a few years ago and Rover V8's were popular also!. A Zetec would be interesting!!!!


indy

I did consider the Fiat conversion a few years ago but never got round to it. The Zetec would make an interesting mod. I dont mind trimming the bulkhead back a touch and modding the crossmember but thats as far as it goes. The cars only ever had 2 plates weld to it since 1958 and Im reluctant to chop it about to much. From memory the bigest issue may be steering rack location but without having it here I cant check. I think a trip down to Derbyshire may be in order to bring it back.

To get the Fiat motor in the trick was to cut a slot in the bellhousing for the steering rack, zetec should be similar. I've also gone the V8 route, but I built my own chassis.

Sure one of the classic mags a while ago had a feature on a Ford-powered Moggie...

There is a company out there who make a kit to convert the moggie with a zetec engine...cant remeber the name of the company but it was something we looked into before we sold the moggy to make room for the kit car

quote:

---

Originally posted by tegwin
There is a company out there who make a kit to convert the moggie with a zetec engine...cant remeber the name of the company but it was something we looked into before we sold the moggy to make room for the kit car

---

Alec Issigonis originally designed the Minor to take a flat 4 engine, so something like a Sud.

John Beardmore is the man you need to speak to, he posts on here as JB and has a very nice Fiat Twin Cam engined moggie, and a good website:

http://www.beardmorebros.co.uk/

Conversion is straightforward enough - IIRC the Fiat/Lancia conversion required the bulkhead needed relieving to clear the top of the bellhousing (w/Mirafiori g/box)

Yep Issigonis intended a flat four; he also intended it to be FWD - but it was considered to be too outrageous by the powers that be at the time.

If you're going down the Minor route make sure you get shot of the lever arm dampers and torsion bar front springs; neither are easily upgradeable (or very effective)

+ don't call 'em moggies, that name belongs to Morgans.

A mate of mine has put a Zetec into an MG Midget.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kissy
+ don't call 'em moggies, that name belongs to Morgans.

---

in my youth i had a rag top with a 3ltr v6
and "s" type jag rear

20yrs or so ago (showing my age) I put a 3 ltr V6 in it. Then i decided to put it back to standard and ended up replacing the bulkhead and getting the shell back to how it left the factory. Hence the reason for not wanting to chop it about to much again.

The big problem when putting different engines in the Minor is the length of the engine bay, its short. The bulkhead crossmember was even cut back by the factory to get the A Series in, when it replaced the flat head.

The reason the Fiat engine was so popular was that it actually fitted and you could still get a radiator in.

The big problem is the steering rack that runs across the top of the bellhousing / clutch. The Fiat gearbox was cut to clear the rack, even the A Series box has a cut out.

Moving the rack is a serious business and to be honest fitting new suspension would be the better bet. You can fit any engine if you are prepared to cut the bulkhead, fit new suspension and do some chassis work. If you want to keep the suspension and steering rack you are limited.

Weight is also the big problem, when the old B series was fitted the rear wheels used to lift when braking and understeer was a problem.

So you really do need to measure up the engine bay or compare the length of the engine to a Fiat or k Series. My first thought is the engine is too long.

Unfortunately I do not know the length of either or the length of the engine bay.

John

Crush it bloody awful cars to drive, built of crap, even the Marina was more reliable.

quote:

---

Originally posted by britishtrident
Crush it bloody awful cars to drive, built of crap, even the Marina was more reliable.

---

District nurses all over the country will be turning in their graves at the thought

[Edited on 4/1/07 by ayoungman]