Advice for a engine build

[towners]

Hi

Have'nt built a lump for years and have had a old 850 miglia engine sat in shed so son/we decided we should rebuild it - as cheaply as poss - budget screamer is the idea.

Basically (im told) it was built for miglia racing when they ran 850s then they changed the spec to 998 so it was never used. The Block has been pocketed and 11 stud holes added it also looks like the rods have been lightened. The coreplug have had strange plates screwed across them to hold them in? the pistons are flat top and it looks like they have been cut down.

We plan to build it with a tuned 1275 (the midget head i had one here)
Questions:
We have (we think) a old S cam aeg 148 - would this be better or equal to a mg metro cam
We have a A+ gearbox would a old Block fit the A+ gearbox?
Do you think a Hif 1.3/4 or a old 1.5 su would be better (didnt want to over fuel it with the hif?)

Its going into this for the time being:

All help/advice will be happily recieved - will get some pics on here of engine when i can

Towners

[Vegard]

We plan to build it with a tuned 1275 (the midget head i had one here)
Questions:
1. We have (we think) a old S cam aeg 148 - would this be better or equal to a mg metro cam
2. We have a A+ gearbox would a old Block fit the A+ gearbox?
3. Do you think a Hif 1.3/4 or a old 1.5 su would be better (didnt want to over fuel it with the hif?)

1. No, the S cam is sooo tame. Fit a Mg Metro (much better)
2. Yes, as long as you source the correct drop gears.
3. Hs6/Hif44 fits everything 1300.

[guru_1071]

efa

3. Hs6/Hif44 fits everything 1300.

unless its in a mini sprint

[mk1]

Can't add much to what vegard has said above.

When using a 940 head on a small bore block, make sure you check the waterways match up.

[graham in aus]

I've built a few of those old 850 engines, they were for Mini se7en, not Miglia. Seven went from 850 to 998 due to lack of decent 850 cranks, and short life of a decent one at 9000rpm! The Miglia class was 1000cc, then went to 1300.

The motor you have should have 649 cam in it, also, chances are the pistons are +040 sprite (948) hepolite pistons, or Karl Schmidts? The block may have had a heap decked off it, the water pump will need to be modified to get the 940 head on.

Measure and check the compression ratio, if you have a standard head, you should be OK, otherwise the race heads were 12.5 to 1 plus!

The straps were to prevent the convex 850 core plugs popping out, and look a bit racy!

Should be a great little project, I might be tempted to pull the crank and get it crack tested? Does it have S Rods?

Cheers...... Graham

[towners]

cheers for all the comments/help, the rods are lightened 850, pistons are strange Flat top, short skirt and markings of Sp 0.04 T5C on top? (will get a pic), going with standard 12g940 off a gt.

Question on the cam front have choice of Kent 731 or mg metro what do you think would be better?

Cheers

[towners]

engineering friend just confirmed pistons are schmidt hopefully rings arent to expensive other wise we are going to use stock pistons (17 year old son is building on a budget with all the clutter i have -prior to going in raf in september).

paul

[guru_1071]

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