GR wrote:
Hi Low n blown
Ok so we go out and buy a 1275 or you bring your 1275 to me to re build, pistons same price bore the block dearer to bore the small bore to 68mm I have to take 3 cuts for each bore because of the offset and the amount of metal to be removed I charge $220 to bore the 68mm but if I have to off set the 1275 to get it out to a 1380 type bore I charge $200, but my bore and hone are not like most reco shops, my motors don't breath that's why I only use a 1/2 ins breather on my race engines.
grind the cam same price for any grind to plug the block and head $50 each to deck the block and head for either motor $50 no matter how much you want to take off.
Cylinder head most people want to fit Cooper S valves to their 940 head so valves are much the same cutting the seats same price you still have to buy a carbie of some sort same price, exhaust same price, how we lookin so far

.
Iv'e built quite a few 1100's and if you prep the crank right they go for ever, well I have not had one brake yet, but iv'e had a few 1275 crack.
So when it's all boiled down there is not much in it.
Oh I nearly for got my little panel van has only go drum brakes and i'll put it up against you cooper s brakes any time they may fade after about 3 high speed stops (110ks) but they have plenty of stoping power round town, and yes they do take a little more up keep than the discs, but that's the fun of owing a mini.
Graham Russell
All interesting Graham but not sure why the block needs to be taken out to 1380 to produce the similar horsepower because we are talking like for like horsepower. The small bore rods also have there inherent problems at the little end which yes may be overcome by swapping to 1275 rods or modifying the little end, again costing money. So now we have 1275 head, 1275 rods (or more modified rods) so this 1100 engine is starting to add up in cost, and yes there are shortcomings of the small bore crank as you say. Any engine builder will say there is no substitute for cubic inches. Added to which there is still more potential left in the 1275 to obtain further power increases.
So as you say there is little difference in cost between the 2 so again I ask why would anyone want to choose a highly modified 1100 engine over a less modified 1275 to produce the same result for similar money and to still retain an inferior product. If we are chasing a performance product why did the factory opt to upgrade to a 1275 rather than stick with the 1098, or even more relevant why develop the 1071 as a performance option.
Then we take into account the potential re-sale value of the car. A car with a 1275 is a more marketable commodity than one with an 1100 period.
Just out of interest what is one of these high horsepower 1100 engines going to cost the consumer? Is it a cost effective modification for us to consider?