So. My recently acquired project car seems to be dying pretty nicely

I've got an oil pressure reading between about 5 and 40 PSI at any given time, I'm blowing blue smoke sporadically, and one cylinder isn't firing properly... I'm thinking it's new engine time, but I haven't entirely figured out what I'm doing with the car just yet.

I gots a '64 850; I have extrememly limited car knowledge, but my Dad was a mini fanatic before I was born, and he's keen to help me out/teach me.

Dad's a bit of a purist, he'd like to see me try and restore it, I think. Me, I'm mainly doing this as a daily driver/learning dealy, but the more I see of what others do with their cars, the more I think I'd like to do something neat with either this mini or a future mini at some point in the future.

The way I see it, I have two choices:

I can buy a new(ish) engine, and get a mechanic to drop it in for me, or I can try and find an older engine (closer to original specs), recondition it with Dad, and stick that in.

Dad is trying to convince me the old engine is the way to go (he would!- his reasoning is that it would be cheaper. I suspect it would be the other way around, it would take much longer/more hassle to get done, I may not be able to find an engine, and I'm not entirely convinced it would be worth it in the long run. On the other hand it would be a good learning experience, and if I did manage to do the whole restoration thing properly that would be pretty cool...

Thoughts, anyone?

First you have to decide what you want from it. Keep it to restore or go non original.
Whats the rest of it like? If its all original maybe go that path, only you can decide.

Then the options are clear

You will be able to find parts... depends what you need.
You dont need to find an old motor, you can reco yours.... I would guess that buying a 'newish' motor and getting a mech to pop it in would cost more.

What do you mean by 'newish' ?

Peter.

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

or you could make it look orrigimal but give it a nice little 998 to give a little more 'useability'

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...

The problem I see with buying any 'good' secondhand engine is that you don't know how long it will last and if it's been done properly, unless you buy it off somebody reputable and they can guarantee it.

Rebuilding it yourself is probably the way to go as it's the labour that kills you and you do have your Dads experience to help.

I was in a similar situation to you, I thought I'd just freshen up the engine as I just had the gearbox rebuilt. But once I had it apart you realise it is false economy to skimp on anything. So I renewed everything inside, I didn't want to go through it again for a long time.

Good luck with it.

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do you want a racecar or a classic. I would consider a engine transplant from a modern EFI car considering how much smoother reliable and simple it would be once it was installed ( I would consider theis racecar)

OTHERWISE, the Idea your Dad likes is to keep it the way Alex Issigonis Designed the first mini, their's still heaps of parts for the a-series. I would but a 1100 and re-build it if you had the money.

both options would not be cheap, the engine conversion will be more expencive but the benifits are greater power more reliably, But I am assuming your old man would prefer you restored it to it's former glory, and will help you more if that's the case.

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-doing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering,
and a few conversions:
13B Extend in a 1600
4EFTE in a mini ute (all slowly)

My car's got an 1100 in it anyway - the engine isn't original. Some dingus who had it before me messed things up a bit, but didn't really do much, and he's hammered the gears- my gearbox needs some attention too.

On the other hand he totally ignored the bodywork, so it's in pretty good condition - the only thing that's been done to it is speakers have been added and taken out at the back, and there's minimal, mainly surface rust- though some EEEDIOT dented one of my tail lights in in a carpark the other day... Who accidentally dings a mini! Imagine if I had a full-sized car!

It's got winding windows too; theoretically I know those aren't original, but a couple of people have told me later model 850s had them?

I was discussing it with my mechanic, he said he could get a new/recent 1275 in, but he wasn't terribly sold on the idea of rebuilding an old one - in fact he was pretty condescending about it - I guess he's afraid he'll get lumped with the job

I was thinking I could do it up like an original 850 that had been modded for racing (larger/bored out engine and such and such). I'm not keeping the colour original either; it was apparently white. *snore*

I guess until I make my mind up one way or another I can just work on getting it running sympathetically (keeping the mods to a minimum and such). Or I could just work on it as I please and see where it takes me.

yeah it will be much cheaper to buy one thats good.
but if you like the idea of doing it yourself and saving some money on labour then thats cool..

i like to drive em more than i wanna be fixing em!