rover v8 in mini clubman

[roger mcnab]

hi all
i am doing a 1974 clubman which will have a 3.5 rover engine and austin 1800 gear box with 2.7 diff 12 inch alloys weber 38/ 38 carb bit of cam and roller rockers this is an interesting project as the sub has a lot of alterations to be done but all is going well can get it reg after engineer passes it
needs to have collapsible steering column out of kb laser which i had spare no pics as i do not know how to post them from the phone
cheers from roger mcnab in oz

[2311Jethro]

Wow, what a very casual post about a total MONSTER! Can't wait to see the pics. I'm just considering engine options, that is NOT one of them.

[Tim]

Funnily enough as I read your message, I thought to myself, "you could only get away with that in the UK, they'd never allow it in Australia"... then I read your last word!

I'll be really interested to see how you go. I've always fantasized about something similar bit was always put off by the restrictive requirements.

I'm in the process of helping my brother-in-law register his restored Mini K. One welded patch in the floor and he's getting the full run-around - he's visited 4 different specialists so far, just for two bits of paper. For a V8, I'd imagine you'll be getting very cosy with an automotive engineer.

I'm sure you've looked it up, but I well remember Spag's 'Doris' aka 'The Roughest V8Mini Deathtrap In The World' from the old Mini List days.

Tim

[JC T ONE]

Something like this one ? viewtopic.php?t=8957

Dont forget pictures

[mk1]

A very casual post for a great project. I do hope you share some images with us.

[roger mcnab]

hi all
great to have a chat about our hobbies before i saw vikas mini i was doing several yamaha two strokes up a rz 750 4 cyl and rd 500 4 air cooled but ran into problems getting some body to make the rz crank and gearbox shaft and at 73 if i fell of one off these it would hurt so i felt amini would be great once owning a 1960 mini 850 eons ago i know their faults and their virtues
well the rover seemed the way to go several engineers later i found this one nearby who does hot rods and he said it had to tick 4 boxes 1 collapsable steering column 2 a pcv valve 3 no more than 10 % more weight than the original power plant 4 100 mm ground clearance
new engine and gearbox is lighter even though it is bigger i can lift the bare block easier than the old mini one all together it will weigh about 200 kilos
will try to get son to post pics when i can get them on camera so bear with me
it is important when repairing rust holes etc that it is flush not tacked on top that is when they get all funny also when i get this finished the engineer might have died or retired
cheers roger mcnab

[roger mcnab]

hi all
still no pics yet i need a crash course in using my camera so i can get some to post my biggest hurdle is the sub frame which needs a lot of surgery to get the gear box to fit i had all the mounts welded in put the sub in car fitted the gear box and no room for steering rack
so out with gearbox then cut all mounts off and move them 20 mm forward that then gives the room for steering rack
bought a new steering rack and when i tried to fit it on it would not go any where near the mounts check with old and find its a lh drive why would it be in australia i have no idea and the supplier dosnt know either
but keep at it long enough and all will be aok
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi all
well the +20 10 to 1 pistons and larger exhaust valves and springs arrived so some work can be done on the heads like opening the exhaust ports out to the gasket still need new standard crank bearings which is amazing considering the 400k on the speedo and the manky oil like slime that was in the sump no oil change in its life?
still to clean the roasted muck off the valve gear might use roller rockers also new cam as the other had hardly no lift worn out
also looking at new diff ratio s/c gears cheaper to have made also make a rod system for the gearbox
still a long way to go i need to win the lotto
cheers roger

[mk1]

Thanks for the update. I would love to see some pics of this

[roger mcnab]

hi guys
i have been having a slack attack with the pics but will try to get something on soon my son will have to get them onto the site will dry assemble what i can so you will see there is a long road ahead
but i have now got some progress on the diff gears getting them out was fun i was told the pinion nut was r/h but after a lot of struggle with large rattle gun in desperation we tried it for l/h and it was off before we could blink
so over the week end i will put some together so i can get some shots
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi guys
no pics yet house and yard needs some t l c so while i am waiting for some welding to be done on sandwich plate to relocate starter to clear the block then move the starter cover cone on the bell housing now to get it welded
arranged for blanks to be turned up for new diff ratio also finding the aussie burst proof door locks is like finding hens teeth no locks no rego
the engine is a breeze to fit up as it sits on the gear box and lines up with the shaft will weld 2 strips along the outer edges to hold it on and extend the gear box accordingly
but rome was not built in a day but i hope to have some pics soon as i can get some thing together
cheers for now roger

[roger mcnab]

hi again
was looking on the net last night and saw this site which was talking about beam axles and coil over shocks instead of the usual suspension in the back of minis
so looking at price i thought that is the way to go but looking at building it my self
so out came the trusty angle grinder and in no time the sides of rear sub frame were gone then the radius arms got he lugs for the cone and strut bits was also cut of and cleaned up should work fine all that needs to be done is the pin on stub axle to get cut off and drilled and taped 3/8 unf to hold the coil over shock and new pivot pins etc so progress is slow as is the pics but soon
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi all
well it is almost christmas and we now have the 40 c plus weather by it self not to bad but throw in the humidity and thats a new ball game
well after a lot of changes the gearbox is mounted propely and the engine sits up there nicely
have to remove the inner guards to clear the oil pump why it was put there who knows but a remote oil filter will help also a 2 inch extension in the guards will allow a better radiator pics soon as i can get the son to put them up
cheers roger

[winabbey]

Not a Mini Clubman but still in the BMC/Leyland family is this V8 powered Moke on display at the annual Grand Day Out held in suburban Melbourne, Australia last Sunday. Roger Bektash's unique Californian Moke is complete with V8 engine under the bonnet and massive sound system at the back. He fired up the engine a few times and turned heads as it sounded nothing like the raspy note of an A Series donk that people would've expected to hear at this event.

Grand Day Out 2017 17.jpg

Grand Day Out 2017 16.jpg

Grand Day Out 2017 15.jpg

[roger mcnab]

that is a tight squeeze and only for back seat drivers but well put together
will have to get the boy to put some pics up
cheersroger

[spraybeateer]

hi again
was looking on the net last night and saw this site which was talking about beam axles and coil over shocks instead of the usual suspension in the back of minis
so looking at price i thought that is the way to go but looking at building it my self
so out came the trusty angle grinder and in no time the sides of rear sub frame were gone then the radius arms got he lugs for the cone and strut bits was also cut of and cleaned up should work fine all that needs to be done is the pin on stub axle to get cut off and drilled and taped 3/8 unf to hold the coil over shock and new pivot pins etc so progress is slow as is the pics but soon
cheers roger

I just came on this when reading through your story, back in 1973 I spannered for a mate with a autocross Mini which he built,
it had a self built rear beam axle with 6 point location and coil overs.
We won the both 1974 Scottish autocross Championships with this set up, have got some photos of it, if you are interested I will
post them up when I get back to my home computer.

[roger mcnab]

hi spraybeater
that would be interesting hope to have some pics of my set up soon
cheers roger

[timmy201]

hi spraybeater
that would be interesting hope to have some pics of my set up soon
cheers roger

Hi Rodger, if you need a hand with the photos I can send you my contact details and I can put them up for you?

[roger mcnab]

hi timmy 201
thats a kind offer but i can get the son to post them he is an i/t worker and i will have to annoy him a bit
the other day i put the steering rack in place and then the sub frame to see how the gearbox would fit and needed to relieve the diff housing some and now need to have it patched lucky i have a good welder guy handy does good work
are you still in the woollongong area timmy as you had a lot of pics of there i still have a long way to go but will get there in the end
cheers for now roger

[spraybeateer]

hi spraybeater
that would be interesting hope to have some pics of my set up soon
cheers roger

I seem to have misread your post on this, most likely age related!!or something to
do with a Saturday morning hangover, HaHa,
although we did run a beam axle at one time and quite a few of our competitors certainly
did, here for the interest is the axle we ran which is more of a live axle idea,



and a view of the inside,



cheers Frank, (The Count)