Hi Guys,

I have recently purchased my first mini!

I picked up a 1978 1275 LS and could not be happier.

Obviously there is always a few little things that i would like to do, and was thinking of starting with the engine bay.

I was thinking of starting with a twin carby set up and a stainless exhaust. I got quoted roughly 2.5k for that.

Really im just chasing any advice on cost effective ways to make the most out of my purchase!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers Shaun (Sydney)

Hi Shaun . Welcome .
The LS was fun as is . Why not drive it a bit and see where you would like improvements .
Is it original? What colour ? Pictures ?

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Simonw
Brisbane QLD
1st car - 1964 Mini Panelvan 850
Previous - 1978 Leyland LS 1275 Gold
- 1969 Mini K

The stainless gear is much more expensive than the regular stuff.
E.g. this manifold is 60 pounds
http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... TR816.aspx
Stainless version is 170 pounds
http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... R816S.aspx

I bought a whole kit like this for my car, and it's only 165 pounds ($345 plus shipping). It includes the full exhaust, intake manifold etc. You could keep the existing carb and air filter housing and maintain a near stock look to the engine bay. It is quoted to give around a 20% increase in power. If you want more than that you'd have to start modifying the head and cam.
http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... STN18.aspx

There is a page here with some good info on the 1275LS too
http://classicregister.com/content/how- ... ni-1275-ls

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Cheers guys,

hopefully the picture uploads...

Yeah i did have a look at those stage 1 kits but thought as i live near the beach (Bondi) would it be worth going the stainless option? (rust prevention)

The only reason i was thinking about upgrading a few things was i am planning on getting the engine bay up to scratch and thought i may as well do a few small mods while im in there!



cheers Shaun

This is what i would like to end up like !!

Few hours and dollars away from that though!!!

I painted my exhaust with high temp exhaust paint to keep it in reasonable shape. I'd be more worried about the car dissolving than the exhaust

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I wouldn't worry about the stainless steel...go the mild and I lived in Sydney at wooloomoolloo and put the exhaust on in 2003...I am now refitting it to the same car and was put back on about a month ago...the surface rust is just that...and never been painted. Save yourself the coin and stick with the mild. Paint it by all means...but the exhaust will outlast the car.

Hooroo

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Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!

Nice clean little jigger. Good advise from Simon, leave as is for a while and drive around enjoying your little toy. It would be a shame to mess with it. Get a few dents first then you have a genuine excuse to play around with it.

Thats a nice looking LS.

Cheers Brad

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During the day I work on English designed cars & on my own time I work on English designed cars....

Rather than buy an overpriced S/S LCB (which has other problems) I would Jet Hot coat a steel one. Looks better, runs cooler and it lasts too.

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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.

Hi Doc!
What are the issues with ss lcb? (Interesting thread comments on different types of material for exhausts.
Zulu

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Zulu...

1967 mini Cooper S

2 possible problems (apart from cost) for a road car:
1. Coefficient of heat expansion for SS is 50% or more higher than mild steel. This flexes the welds and the whole LCB assembly.
2. SS has poorer fatigue resistance. In combination with [1] above, welds can crack with repeated heating/cooling cycles. Most likely on the Y joint of cylinders 1 & 4.

SS exhausts also have a different sound, some people reckon they sound crap.

Jet hot coated MS ones look better than used SS, too.

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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.

Are the SS welds harder? Do you use a different material as your welding medium?

I think SS sounds a bit tinnier.

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Zulu...

1967 mini Cooper S

The welds are not much harder than the tube; 300 series SS tube on LCBs would usually be welded using 309L or 316L MIG wire.
It's the change in section that creates stress there, and the fact the 2 ends are restrained at the manifold flange.
I have seen Maniflow Cooper steel freeflow manifolds crack there too. Running rodchange boxes without the bottom zorst bracket bolted on doesn't help either.

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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.

And is it reduced with the mild steel option?

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Zulu...

1967 mini Cooper S