Hi all,
I have recently got hold of a 66 morris mini van shell with smooth roof and a bare 1100s block.
This is my first foray into the mini world and would love some help with what parts I need for the engine...eg cylinder head type, gearbox type etc part numbers would be particularly helpful as I get lost in the language a lot!
Thanks for your time and any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks Nathan

well the first question is "does the 1100s block have main caps with it?"

if the answer is "no", then you might as well ditch it and buy a running 1100 or 998

edit: main caps are the bits that hold the crankshaft into the block, they're matched to the block and if they're not there, then getting another set matched is very expensive

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

No main caps..

Yeah forget it, keep it but better to look for a whole engine to start with. All the little things will add up and in the end you'll end up spending more money than just buying it whole.

The list you are asking for is EXTENSIVE

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Ok no probs, glad I asked!
What engine should I go for? Have no idea of the positives/negatives of any type...

An 1098 is a good street engine!!
Parts are a bit cheaper and easier to get than a 1275
Put a nice carby on it with some extractors and a nice mild Cam and you will have a good engine!!

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2000 Holden Rodeo TD - The Daily
1998 JDM Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V -The Weekender
1977 Leyland Mini 998cc, 1293cc in the works - The project
1977 Leyland Mini Van - Sold
1966 Morris Mini Deluxe - Sold
2004 MINI Cooper S Chilli - Sold

it will make the basis for a great coffee table now serious

& buy a complete running engine (preferably a 1275cc)
but at least something you can hear running, even get a compression test & an oil pressure test on it
stuff that into the car & away you go

have fun man

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

The van sounds like an excellent starting point.
Building an engine from parts is expensive.
Block rods crank gearbox etc individually add up to more than a complete motor would.
1100 or 1275 (1100s is actually a 1275 from morris 1100s) engines come up for sale complete with gearboxes all the time.
998 engines came be stroked to 1100 with a crank and piston change.
Cheers Rob.

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82 BJ42 just completed resto
64 850 Modified(about to start rebuild)

Thank you guys. A complete engine it is!

Agree, I've been in many excellent 1098's. But yeah 1275 the edge. Basically you spend approx same amount of money rebuilding a 1098 as a 1275. In the end you end up with a excellent street engine (1098) or a fire breathing monster (1275). You choose.

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

if u got a 1275 (1100S ) block i would buy http://www.med-engineering.co.uk/catalo ... -cap-set-2
then stroker crank and rods and ur on ur way
depends on what u want but why waste a good block

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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but a true friend will be sitting next to you saying "Damn...that was fun!"

Quick question, what's the engine number on the block? Early in the piece I used to get confused between an 1100 and an 1100s. The two are very different.

And a rough measurement of the bores? If the bores are good and indeed it is an 1100s I'd keep it and and purchase a new set of caps. Going through a similar exercise at the moment. It's going to cost me $400 to line bore my block. Caps - if your going to line bore it you could reuse any caps off the same size engine. A crank would be the hardest bit.

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Oops what am i doing here?

Block is 12ydtah14299

Late Morris 1100S, 1275cc, had big journal crank & rods when built.

Yes you can buy new STEEL mains caps from aptfast.com in USA but by the time you line bore it, it's much cheaper to find another block WITH caps.

A problem with line boring is it moves the crank up in the block, this makes the timing chain looser when new. Yes you can get a funny duplex chain and sprocket set to help this, but still...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Go 1275 if possible, and if you want a real flyer go bigger stroke and/or bore too. My 1360 Mini Van uses a 1100S block which I originally got from a '66 Delux that I bought just for the motor. Cost me $1200 for the whole car back in 1988, kept some stuff (mainly panels) and dumped the rest.

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Slide
1965 Mini Van (1360)
1970 Mk2 Cooper S (1310)
1978 Rover SD1 V8 (4.6)
1996 Land Rover Discovery V8 (4.0)