If you do that "just for fun" then what you do seriously must be awesome.
Looks amazing. Can't wait to hear about the results when used in anger.
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| Aussie 8 Port https://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=99606 |
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| Author: | Dave P [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 9:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Aussie 8 Port |
So about 18 months ago I started to do some design work on an 8 port, just for fun, well things gained momentum and now I have this to put on my Mini: |
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| Author: | winabbey [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 9:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
If you do that "just for fun" then what you do seriously must be awesome. Looks amazing. Can't wait to hear about the results when used in anger. |
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| Author: | timmy201 [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Tell us more! |
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| Author: | Dave P [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 3:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
timmy201 wrote: Tell us more! How much more? I could go on all day! |
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| Author: | winabbey [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 3:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Dave P wrote: How much more? I could go on all day! I think we would like to know what got you started on this project and how you got to this stage. Casting a cylinder head and machining to the point you now have is a lot of work. Did you use 3D printing or some other technique to make the pattern? How are the galleries formed? Basically tell us as much as you can about your design work and then the manufacture. |
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| Author: | Dave P [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 4:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
OK I will tell more soon, but in the mean time the "dry build" continues: Images are in reverse order... |
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| Author: | Goldbrocade_62 [ Sat Jan 18, 2020 8:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Looks awesome keep us updated |
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| Author: | 9YaTaH [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Fabulous...hope it goes as good as it looks 
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| Author: | Morris 1100 [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Fan's on backwards. |
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| Author: | Dave P [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Morris 1100 wrote: Fan's on backwards. OK that made me laugh! I hadn't noticed... Thanks I will make sure it gets turned around... |
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| Author: | Fallingbrick [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Plan on making more? |
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| Author: | Dave P [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
You asked for it! Chapter 1 “For why Keats? For Why?” So, a little background which may help you understand decisions made later: I got my first Mini in 1987 when I was 17! Wrote if off a year later and built a new one from a new Rover shell. So, I cut my teeth on Mini’s during the Mini renaissance of the late 80’s early 90’s seeing KAD and Jack Knight doing their funky stuff the ERA appears and the return of the Cooper I always dreamed of having an “exotic” cylinder head on my Min, but of course could never afford one… Fast Forward 30 odd years to 2018 My mini has been off the road for 20 years (for a 6 month rebuild!) and due to major health issues (Blood cancer! Not curable but treatable) we are down sizing and I decide the Mini has to go… Friends, Family and Colleagues at work manage to persuade me not to, for which I am eternally grateful. If I am keeping the Mini I am going to build it as I always dreamed of. So that meant a fancy cylinder head. An engine swap was out of the question as that’s not Mini enough! Likewise a twin cam was out (Too expensive!) and not Mini enough, plus I wanted something that fits and doesn’t look squeezed in. I am not bagging the twin cam conversions they are awesome, but the induction system is a very tight fit behind the slam panel. That left an Arden or a Weslake… Both very expensive and not a straight bolt on. The Arden also has the inlet issue as the ports are so low in the head and the Weslake which looked like it was going to be reproduced disappeared! There was nothing out there that fitted the bill!!! Perhaps now’s the time to say I am an Automotive Design Engineer! I have spent the last 25 years designing cars!!! For me there was another option: to make what I wanted! I did a lot of research, considered a lot of options, including: Attachment: bmcA_OHC[1].jpg Attachment: aseries2.jpg I considered making a head with the exhaust forward (as did KAD with their original twin cam!) as it would give you lots of room for the induction system but I realised that the exhaust would not fit under or around the gearbox. May months or research and evaluation and I came up with a design brief: 1) Had to fit under a standard round nose mini with no body modifications 2) Had to look “production” i.e. I wanted something that could have been designed by Rover; if they had had lots on money for the MPi and decided to go out with a bang! 3) Would be Iron! One of my more controversial decisions, there are many reasons for this choice over alloy, best summarised by saying it would be a lot more robust. Remember I am making this for myself so I don’t have the funds to do a huge amount of R&D, ideally I wanted the first head to be usable. 4) It would have down draft ports, both inlet and exhaust if possible. 5) It would use standard parts as much as possible, valves guides push rods etc.. 6) Casting would have open ends and a remote thermostat housing. The open ends of the casting allow a very positive positioning of the water jacket core, allow inspection of the finished casting and without a thermostat housing the casting would be smaller and therefore offset the weight penalty for being Iron a bit. A separate thermostat housing would also allow more flexibility, including fitting it to the back of the head for a front radiator instalment. 7) While I am only planning to make a couple for myself I wanted to keep the option for making more if people wanted them  Would be designed around fuel injection from the start, no consideration would be made for carbies at all! The injector bosses would be included in the head casting, as would knock sensors.9) It would be a tradition push rod configuration (not an OHC) |
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| Author: | TK [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Well done mate. |
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| Author: | slide [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Did you consider buying one of Ken Elder's Aussie 8 ports? |
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| Author: | winabbey [ Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Aussie 8 Port |
Fantastic. That answers a few questions. I love the thorough analysis you have done that resulted in the design brief (effectively a list of Musts, Wants and Must Nots). I can see that helping achieve an outcome that recognises some emotional elements but doesn't end up with a disappointing result because emotion took priority over common sense. But given your profession that approach would no doubt be par for the course anyway. Looking forward to hearing the next chapter in the story. 
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