Mini Sports Sedans - Where are they Now

[lisian_1275]

Hi AMCO72,
Engine wise in Sports Sedans they could have been anything from 1293 - almost 1600cc, standard modified internals to the most extravagent available at the time. In iron headed form to 8 Port Crossflow as Steve said above. 3 or 4 syncro SCCR gearsets although some now are running dog boxes, and preference would be a LSD.
HP will obviously vary from I guess 100 - 170ish depending on who you talk to, whose dyno etc etc. at the engine.
But saying that, Torque is I think very important in a Mini engine, unless of course you like to wring its neck.
Now I believe a little birdy I was talking to recently was telling me about a Crossflow engine with 120lbft of torque as this engine may belong to yourself? The figures I was told I think would make this a dynamite car to drive, very tractable and fast.
Probably rambling a bit.

Thanks

Ian

[AMCO72]

Ian, I cant imagine who this 'little birdy' was that you were talking to, but he seems to have got the figures right. From the 1360cc, horse-power at the flywheel was 153+, but what was more impressive was the 120ft/lbs of torque. We didn't really know how this whole thing would turn out, but were very pleasantly pleased at the outcome. As you say torque is all important in a race Mini, well any race-car for that matter, as it is all very well having something that works at high revs, but this thing really does pull like the proverbial train. We have a few issues to be sorted out, as I mentioned in another thread, but nothing thats insurmountable. Unlike the Mini Sports sedans, we have to contain all the mechanicals within the standard Mini Cooper body and bonnet......no bulges anywhere!! As for the driving, well yes, it can certainly more than 'pull the skin off a rice pudding', and for hopeless drivers like me, makes good lap times achievable. All credit for the build however must go to Angus, as I am just the occasional unpaid driver!

[lisian_1275]

AMCO72,
I was wondering if your Crossflow head was one of the original Arden heads or is it the new casting that has just been released?

Thanks

Ian

[AMCO72]

lisian......the cross-flow head on the car is the ORIGINAL Arden head that was on the car in 1972. After a lot of Sherlock Holmes type investigating Angus managed to trace the head AND the carburetors and buy them. The head was in very poor condition, and he and Lyn Rogers have spend hours & hours getting it back to usable condition again. We are of course also dealing with OLD aluminium here, which makes the job a whole lot harder...pun...because old aluminium tends to go soft. These original Arden heads had a few issues in their day especially in the water passages, with some fairly uneven cooling. I dont know exactly what the boys have done, but Angus says that the completed job cost as much as 2 brand-new heads for the racing Falcon!!!!! Work that out. The dellorto carburetors were in reasonable condition. They had been sitting since being removed in 1972 and just needed a refresh with new gaskets etc. The super sprint cam is also an original item. When the car finished the 1972 season Collingwood sold it to Warren Reid and he re engined it as a 1293 and went to the NZ Shell-Sport series. Among the guest drivers he employed was Rex Hart from NZ and Lacis Manticus from Australia.......now a land agent in Sydney [I think] So after our first outing at the BMW festival we had a few things to sort out.....a new radiator for one as the old Cooper S item wasn't up to all the extra HP, and the rocker-pedistals were biting into the head, so a plate has been made that fits under them all, thus spreading the load more evenly.When these heads were fitted to the 970 S engines in the old days they were pretty reliable, the issues only seem to arise when fitted to the larger capacity motors.

[lisian_1275]

Wow, now that would have taken some pain staking tracking down. I'm having trouble just finding a second hand one for sale.
Yes it was Lynn Rogers I was talking to, we were talking crossflows when he mentioned the results of ,as it turns out, yours.
I was thinking of buying a 7 Port Crossflow and was told to give Lynn a call as he had done one for Bernie Hines.
Have you got any pics of your car at all that you can share?

Thanks

Ian

[AMCO72]

Ian.....I have got pictures of the car, but I cant post pictures on here cos I'm useless on a computer. If you like to send me your email address, I will forward some of what I have. If your not happy with that, well I'm sorry you will just have to wonder. I think I'm correct in saying that this engine has given the highest torque and power readings of any Mini engine, using Mini components, ie not twin cam heads etc, on Lynn's dyno. I was there at start-up and both Lynn and Angus had grins from ear to ear!!!!! A 7 port a bit easier to do as you can use your old camshaft. Good luck with your hunt. Angus may have a spare 8 port, or did have. He may have sold it to Barry Philips son who is rebuilding his Fathers old car...Cambridge sponsored. My email.....bentley6@xtra.co.nz
Send me an email to make sure it is working.

[lisian_1275]

Hi AMCO72, thanks again for the photos and info, I will post a few up when I can.
Great to have a chat with someone like yourself and with similar interests.
So, nobody has found any of the lost drivers and contact numbers or their Mini's?
I have talked with a couple of fellows that I managed to track down, but, to the where abouts of the respective cars, thats still in the MIA basket.

Thanks

Ian

[minieleven]

And last ones for now until I can dig out more.







Thanks

Ian

Hi guys this is a very interesting thread i now own the car in the first pic the white one it looks like Edward Gavin is driving it in this photo previous owners are William Stevenson, Nigel Hughan, Luc Botton and Edward Gavin. I am trying to find a bit more info and pictures of this mini if anybody has anything? I am currently restoring this mini and want to keep it as original as i can to when it raced in the day.
Thanks Jack

[lisian_1275]

Hi Jack,
Welcome to the thread. Good to hear that this thread is working.
So how far have you got to go with the car before you get to turn the wheels in anger?
Where abouts are you located if its not a rude question?
I'll have a look to see if I may have more photos of your car, you just never know.

Thanks

Ian

[minieleven]

Hi Ian
I am from Tasmania but currently up in Wodonga studying so i dont get much time to work on the car. It is nearly ready to go i just have to set the suspension up and get some slicks anybody know where i can get some cheap or second hand 13 inch slicks from? and some 10 inch slicks? haha the car also need some bodywork as well but i am hoping to get the car ready for the baskerville historic meeting in october. it would be great to see some more pics of it in action!

[lisian_1275]

All sounds goog.
We have a Motorsport Tyre place up here that sells us used 13" Slicks that have pretty good life left in them for $50 ea fitted. As for the 10" ones, unfortunately you are in the same boat as me, have to buy them new, best I can find is around $200 ea.
You should ask around the Motorsport Tyre places down your way if you have them and see what they can do for you.
Hope this helps.

Thanks

Ian

[Steve Holmes]

Hi guys this is a very interesting thread i now own the car in the first pic the white one it looks like Edward Gavin is driving it in this photo previous owners are William Stevenson, Nigel Hughan, Luc Botton and Edward Gavin. I am trying to find a bit more info and pictures of this mini if anybody has anything? I am currently restoring this mini and want to keep it as original as i can to when it raced in the day.
Thanks Jack

Hi there Jack, what info have you managed to gather so far on your car?

[clyde88]

[clyde88]

[lisian_1275]

Hi Clyde
Thanks very much for sharing those.
Wow, Holy Shit, Wow. That Was a Big Woops.
Now I will have to give you another call and see what other footage you may have stored away.
Thanks again

Ian

[Steve Holmes]

Clyde, great stuff! Thanks heaps for posting those.

[Greg Mackie]

In the under 2 litre section of the 1981 Comalco Sports Sedan Championship series at Amaroo Park, Ross Wittig, Darryl Gretrix, etc. were a bit taken aback at being beaten by a VW Beetle.
http://vimeo.com/50871885

[lisian_1275]

Hi Greg
Neat looking Beetle, looks like it went like stink and handled well also.
Do you still have the car?

Thanks

Ian

[Greg Mackie]

Hi Ian,
Sold it to Adrian Corvisy in 1981. He still has it, and won't sell it back to me.

[TonyG]

A certain VW lurking (From the Mick Riordan Collection)