mk1-forum.net

Spotted an advert maybe in Historic Racing Technology this month for a casting/prototyping company and thought it was a mini block in their small photo's, must be casting them for 75.

mk1 wrote: Minispares have been working on.

we have the casting boxes made, samples have been cast

we are now just trying to get the machining done for an acceptable cost as the way we want it doing and the standard we are looking for is proving to be difficult and expensive.

once they are done I guess a couple of test motors will be built to have their ears pulled back so any issues can be found out.

we have been on with other stuff, so the blocks got pushed to the wayside for a couple of years.

everyone else who has been claiming to get them done soon finds out that its not easy or cheap to do

I'm no expert, but would imagine that getting all of the machining operations to be done accurately on an as-cast engine block is not a trivial operation. From varoius posts in the past it sounds like even the factory struggled at times to keep within correct tolerances.

And without access to original factory dimensional drawings it would be even more difficult.

anyone fancy building an all alloy s motor?

How's that for another first for the MK1 Forum.

You have now seen the evidence that this is moving ahead.

Not too sure about the pic of Rich though.

mk1 wrote:
Not too sure about the pic of Rich though.

its a holiday photo

That's his inspiration for his beard!

How much for the un-machined casting ?

I could do something with that

fantastic! But is it an experiment? Does it work when it's on the market?

But is it an experiment? Does it work when it's on the market?

The finished item isn't going to be alloy, these were just cast to tst the pattern boxes & start to work out the machining operations. The finished block will be cast iron just like the originals.

Would be interesting to know if an alloy block would be reliable... could save almost 50lbs weight.

I guess where the head and mains studs screw into the block could be weak points.

Did the factory try out alloy A-series blocks at any point?

carbon wrote:
Did the factory try out alloy A-series blocks at any point?

An Experimental Alloy A Series, Made By BMC.
"In the late 1950's BMC realised that their "Workhorse" engine the A series could do with a bit of a face lift. To this end they commissioned The British Aluminium Co. to investigate the possibilities of making an all Alloy A Series. This project was overseen by George Harriman with input from other BMC worthies including Issigonis. By 1963 "BA" had produced a number of these blocks in varying configurations, with blocks actually running in at least 1 Riley Elf and the project looked like it was going to go somewhere."
http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... l_dept.htm

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... report.pdf

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... lock_2.JPG

The eleven prototype overhead cam A-Series engines built by BL in 1975 used aluminium cylinder heads:-
http://www.mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php? ... 9&start=10

Has anybody considered doing a block from billet like a Bugatti? Not original but super cool looking! and with today's 5 access milling machines fairly easy......................... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KLNJ8d8Vqc

Matt Read has started on a couple of Billet Blocks but I don't know where he's at with them. I know they had an 'opps' with the first one.

Dave Rosenthal did go down the road of having alloy blocks cast, remarkably similar to that that Rich posted up, however on top of loosing his house & shed in the fires of 2015, he then also lost interest in the whole Mini scene before receiving the first few back for being cast.