Hi all,
Its been quite a few years since my last mini exerience. Wish I still had that little road rocket 1275 californian. Couldn't seem to get it to handle the h/p, Sheered two axles but other than that what a car. Mini S proir to that and "K" prior to that and I have great memories as a boy in our little runabout car a "Red 850".

Have my eye on a beautiful 850 at the moment. All seems very tight and true. My question here, which I now finally get to, is what can be done to the 850 to make it a better daily driver given most driving will be suburban motorway type.

Hi Matt,
You can do absolutely anything you like.
If it's still running the 850 engine perhaps consider moving up to an 1100 engine
or so (or 1275, if you find one), will help it keep up with the traffic a bit better.
You may want to fiddle round with the suspension too.

For a daily driver, I would consider getting disc brakes, alternator, and electronic ignition.

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One should never skimp on the zip ties.

What he said^^^
Plus a 3.44 diff (or better if you have a 1275) for freeway driving.

^^^
Are you mad?! I seriously have no idea what I'm talking about.

Is anybody going to suggest a cup holder?

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One should never skimp on the zip ties.

If you are thinking of having it as a daily driver, I would get cup holders.

If its just for around Sydney with no big trips just add a water and oil temp gauge and change the oil every 3000 miles and it will last for ever.

If you buy it flush block and radiator or service it, get a new water pump do front and rear brakes shoes, plugs, points and condensor.

If it hasn't been driven for ages expect the master clinders to pack up in the first six months and the head gasket to go a week or two after you take it on a big trip and push the little thing.

If you choose not to buy it and its fairly original PM me

Steve

Thank you folks, appreciate the input.

Cup holders (and a picnic set) for that cross town trip is (are) probably a very good idea. Aswell as lodging a SARTIME for arrival so people know when to commence the search, but seriously, I think its the idea of it being an 850 that is getting my attention.
Just how much can you get out of one of these things. This one is bolt stock and is delivering 29 h.p. on the "dyno".
Surely a few little things like exhaust, carburettion, ignition could find it in the mid 30's.
I dont know if this is the case but this was more to my line of thinking rather than changing the engine. Althought I have located a rebuilt 1100 twin SU for $700.00 which would be fairly easy to drop in but then it wouldn't be an 850.
Anyway, so would the simple bolt ons work to give a little more oomph or would I be waisting my time.

Thanks in advance
Matt

3 cheers for wanting to stay with the 850 and make it go a bit better - I'd like to do the same one day, I have a set of 1 1/8 carbs on the shelf in my garage waiting for a little motor to go on

850's respond really well to the usual basic mods of a set of twins, some head work, better cam - they get 80-90hp out of them in the UK.

A popular thing to do is use one side of a 45mm weber!

Vizard's big yellow book "tuning BL's A series engine" has plenty of details on modifying them for performance

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I had one back in the mid 60s with twin SUs, Waggott 23/60 cam, worked head, etc etc. It ran like a train, until I broke the crank...

Later motors supposedly had stronger crank tails but mine broke at the front...

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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.

Larger carbie and extractors will give you a bit more but if you want power do what ever you like your car.

You want zip its simple. cc's

If your a purist don't mess with the car and go small block links head twins extractors mild lift cam and get about 55hp but don't expect longevity if its a daily driver.

Enjoy putting around

If it needs to do express ways day in and day out forget an 850.

I have two in great nick and wouldn't hammer them down the highway everyday but they a great around the burbs

steve

I'm with Steve on this one... at the end of the day you have to remember that its an 850 which is the baby of all Mini engines. You need to think about what driving you will be doing ultimately and then choose what you want to do from that. At the end of the day though, remember that an engine swap (if you know how) only takes a couple of days going slow so why not just pull out the 850, drive with the 1100, keep the 850 in perfect condition and then if you ever sell the poor thing, swap the engines back over.

That way you keep the originality PLUS dont hurt the resale value in the long term PLUS you get the great performance and longevity in the short term.

Having said that, I have a 998 thats pumping out a whopping 25.4hp (dyno'd to prove it) and that keeps up with traffic fine...

I'm thinking along the same lines as Matt on this one... I have a standard 998 and am just looking for that "little bit extra" - not race performance. Basically just a little more zip.

So is it worth doing "bolt on" mods like, extractors (LCB or 3 to 1?), twin carbs etc ... or is it really just a waste of toime.

I'm gonna change my exhaust anyway so is worth just going with the extrators while I'm at it. BTW - apart from the obvious, what's the diff between LCB and 3 into 1) performance wise??

Cheers,
BC.

PS - welcome and good luck with your purchase matt. All here would be keen to hear what you decide.

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I'm thinking along the same lines as Matt on this one... I have a standard 998 and am just looking for that "little bit extra" - not race performance. Basically just a little more zip.

So is it worth doing "bolt on" mods like, extractors (LCB or 3 to 1?), twin carbs etc ... or is it really just a waste of toime....NO, you are going to change your zorst anyway so why not get a performance boost at the same toime

I'm gonna change my exhaust anyway so is worth just going with the extrators while I'm at it. YES

BTW - apart from the obvious, what's the diff between LCB and 3 into 1) performance wise?? Hard to say...they would be similar if the 3 into 1 part happend down low near the gearbox. LCB is just that, a long centre branch (thats three long branches altogether ) instead of making a short length join up high below the carby.

Cheers,
BC.

PS - welcome and good luck with your purchase matt. All here would be keen to hear what you decide.

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"Show me the Mini!"

my experience with the 850 in the mini minor was that it was a huge improvement just putting the 3-1 extractors on, using the single 1.25"SU especially on the long trip from sydney to narooma every couple of weeks.

But then when i put a stock - newly rebuilt though - 998 in using the same carb and exhaust it was really out of this world.

if you want more go, i'd say stick the 1100 in it and hang on to the 850 like marcello said

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
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It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates