1979 Mini Clubman Estate - Supercharged - UPDATE Page 3...

[Stig]

Well I've been rubbish and not updated this in ages! There have been a few changes and quite a few general things needing updating.

There are a few bits still to do, then I'll post a proper update to bring us back to the present! So this is kinda an ad, for an update to be coming soon!

[bmcnut]

THATS MY OLD MINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its beautiful! Its like what I did to it, but cleaner and better! Credit to you sir! If I see it at RR, keep the keys away from me!


I always thought that selling that car was the biggest mistake Id ever made (actualy, it probably still is) but seeing what youve done to it makes me feel 10 times better, but no less jelous!!!!

[Stig]

Haha! Wasn't sure if you'd remember it! It's been a long road to get it to this point but very worth while.

[bmcnut]

Wouldnt remember it?!?!?!?!?!?! Ive NEVER forgotten it!

I'm just suprised i missed this thread first time around.
I'm a bit short of decent pics of it from when i had it, do you have any of when you first got it?

[Stig]

I've got a few but not as many as I'd like! When I get around to scanning them in I'll put them up here and PM you a link to some higher res ones.

[bmcnut]

Perfect 8)

Ive just started scanning some pics so when I find the few that I have of this car ill put some up here for you, it will add a bit to the cars history for you.

Nice to see that its still got its original front bumper on, and that rear fog/reverse light (ive never seen another like it), and the elf style trim

What happened to the minilights and the minisport rocker cover?

[Stig]

Cool! I'd really like to see what it looked like when you first got it if you have any from back then?

[bmcnut]

It was totaly bog standard when I got it, everything that was done to it was mainly credit to my old man, and me. I can still remember the first road test, those brand new genuine special tuning twin carbs certainly got used well lol

I had things to do tonight. Not aqnymore, I'm going picture hunting

[craig]

Tidy! Like it a lot.

[bmcnut]

Firstly, apologies for the temporary semi-hijacking of this thread.


Both my old Mini estates. This is the closest ive found so far to a picture of it in standard form. At this stage it was still being built as the white one was still on the road



Other earley pics




At a show somewhere, next to my dads (rip) maxi, which is due to go back on the road as my daily driver in the next couple of weeks ;D

The engine bay. I still look at this pic and think 'Om-nom nom.......'

Random allegro, just to complete the hyjacking theme

Secondly, I bloody LOVE this forum! My mojo has recently been at rock bottom, to see this car again looking sooooo sweet gave me a real boost, so much so that ive just been outside in the curse word rain trying to get the Maxi started, and loves every soaking wet second of it. AND it started!

Looking forward to the updates

[Stig]

Ok this is a bit of a rant/cop-out post but I had hoped to be able to post an update showing some changes that we've been doing over the last few months, sadly this isn't that. The reason the car is still off the road is I'm still waiting for a new Eaton blower to be supplied a month after I was told it'd take four days!

VMAX Scart, don't deal with them if at all possible. They've done nothing but disappoint me throughout my dealings with them over the last few years. Sadly I'm a little stuck to them as they were the only people making supercharger kits at the time.

[philsford]

Love the pic with gt wheel trims fitted, looks quite tidy in those pics too?

Jossen any recent pics?

[Stig]

Today is a good day!

With financing now in place, I can start collecting parts of the next evolution of my CE. It strikes me that it's been a little over ten years since I first bought her, and now five since the last major work, it feels right that things are going to start moving again on this...

Some of you may have seen her at the Retro Cars trackday at Brands the other week, which could point you somewhere in the direction this is moving. I'm going to save the details for now as I'd rather post photos of things as the parts start to arrive, but all I'm going to say is how much I've been looking forward to starting this again!

[Stig]

So...



...yesterday was spent pulling the engine from my CE and striping and inspecting what 17-18k miles on a supercharged A-series looks like.

Before we got too into it we couldn't help ourselves but to mock up the Weber on my spare blower and see just how little clearance, and how much space we're going to need to make.



Lots, is clearly the answer!

After playing around for a bit, we got on with the job at hand and pulled the engine out to strip it down.

The good news is that it looks like we caught it just in time. The pistons have a scraping marks where they've got too hot and expanded and a "ring test" on the crank suggests that all is not too well there either.



The block has done very well and will probably get away with just being re-honed.

This had been running a compression ratio of 8.5:1 but I'm reliably informed that the former contents of my engine are suggesting we need to go lower this time!

We're not sure at this stage what the full spec of the new engine will be but getting the CR down is high on the agenda so is going to decide a few things. One interesting possibility at this stage is a custom cam to give alot more valve lift and retain the smooth running of the previous spec.

Oh, and if anyone's interested, I'm going to have a complete VMAX Scart A-series supercharging kit for sale including a -10% pulley for more boost available soon!

[Stig]

Thought I'd just add some more sensible pictures of the "damage". Here's what 20k+ miles on a supercharge A-series looks like...









And here are a couple of mocked up photos...





As you can see, I'm going to need a bonnet bulge of some type to be able to fit the carb in! The glass bonnet arrived just before Christmas so I'll post more once we start putting it together.

[clubbyestate]

love it ! you have to get a vid up of it running with the weber on !

[spekkie]

wow lovely mini love the suppercharged engine !!

[Stig]

Thanks for the kind words and I'm sure they'll be plenty of photos (and maybe the odd video) as we start to put the old girl back together!

[cianha]

This thread is not doing my Mini cravings any good at ALL!

That's a beautiful Clubby, I can only imagine it must sound as good as it looks?

[pickmeup]

very nice clubby estate, i still wish i hadnt sold my clubman