Well, I just got back from NSW last night. I had to go to drop off a falcon bottom end but on the way back I dropped by twincammini's place to pick up the new powerplant that is going in the mini!!

Its a CB70 turbo DOHC EFI daihatsu engine. 105hp standard. Ive got it sitting next to the original A series and its pretty similar in sizing. Its a little bit shorter, The head is a bit deeper but no wider than the block of an A series.

It should fit in pretty well I think.

Ive already started plugging the factory ECU in to make sure Ive got all the wiring I need, its pretty easy as the loom has all the plugs on it. Its like a big puzzle where you just need to find where everything fits.

Once I get my other car back from the mechanic ( who managed to clear my haltech so its undriveable ATM ) Ill get an engine crane to start working on how Im going to fit it all in the engine bay.

Hopefully getting the engine in and running doesnt take more than a few months. Then I can start on the rest of the restoration.

-Also thanks for the ride in your mini Chris, that thing felt so fast. I loved it! Its an awesome car! I cant wait till mine goes that well!

That sounds cool mate!! I might have to get some info from you...

For my next trick...I am seriously thinking about a Hybrid roundy as another long term project.

Many years ago I saw a mini with a CB70 in it...went like dogs balls and handled on rails. Was owned by a guy that my sisters bf at the time knew.

Sadly I only saw the car once and don't know what has happened to it since...

I remember it being all over the ass of a WRX, neither could shake each other

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Good Luck

and keep us posted.
Will you actually save some weight with that Honda motor/g'box ?

Mike

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Honda??

It feels a bit lighter to lift and move around without the gearbox but I havent properly weighed them both yet.

I cant wait to get it all in and running. Hopefully it doesnt become a long term project.

Honda??

Ooops - It's just that every time I hear CB I think Honda motorbikes

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Too many cars, and too little time.

BTW you can use those cheap bathroom scales to weigh the motor & even the axle weights. It's quite accurate.
If the rotary dial spins right around & past zero, just add the two numbers:
e.g. 140kg (typical max.) + 45kg = 185kg

A couple of tips:
- put a bit of ply or similar on top of the scales to spread the load
- put bricks or wood to "ramp" a tyre onto the scale if taking axle mass

I only put bricks on one side of the scale when weighing my trailer, and broke the scale when I rolled it off the other side.
Oh well, it was scungy anyway.
Bought a new one for $10 at Kmart.

Mike

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Sounds like an interesting conversion. Good luck with it. Have you got any photos of the comparison between the mini engine and gearbox and the daihatsu engine and gearbox?

nope not yet, I went out with a camera just before to take pics but I couldnt be bothered moving them next to each other.

A while back I went to have a look at an unfinished project roundnose that had a CB60 (SOHC version, same thing). The guy said that link automotive had built the subframe for him, and cost him less than $2k I think he said. Maybe you should go have a talk to them?

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