Alloy Blocks & Unicorns

[Hipwell]

Now they are reverse engineering the K series cylinder heads.
Makes the "experts" look rather silly doesn't it.

Who do you mean by experts? people on here or A-series engine specialists?

Think about the 16v KAD head, been around for ever, fully proven, make well over 100bhp per litre and will cost far less than this and a DIY build.

Not talking about this project but there is somebody else on the net doing similar, making his own cranks on a fancy multi axis CNC, I turn up at a crank specialist the other day and there they all are, all scrap because they didn't know what they were doing and needed saving somehow. ..and the cost was more than a brand new Arrow crank. These new experts need to walk before they try running.

Love all the posts on oil fed thrusts, any A-series block can be converted with nothing more than a hand drill and 1mm drill bit.

[jay weinstein]

Projects like this are very impressive but kind of like landing on Mars...
What do you do with it when you get there ?

[850man]

Now they are reverse engineering the K series cylinder heads.
Makes the "experts" look rather silly doesn't it.

Who do you mean by experts? people on here or A-series engine specialists?

I was referring to the comments made at the start of this tread regarding "look at me, look at me"

https://instagram.com/ascaso_engineerin ... axi67isxl8
Ascaso Engineering are not toying around with some project on there little Chinese lathe at home in the shed.
They have put in the R&D and are making something that is beyond most A series engine builders have ever dreamed of doing. Clearly they know what they are doing, and are not all talk and no action like everyone else.
As for the KAD head, the BMW K series cast, factory made motorbike head IMO is far better than the KAD head, hence its recent popularity. Any aftermarket cylinder head that requires you to bend a head stud to fit the head doesn't get my vote, and yes I have worked on, and rebuilt the KAD "fastest mini in the world" engine that was sent to AUS in the 90s.
If Ascaso are successful in reproducing the K series head, and I see no reason why they wouldn't be, then it gives another excellent resource for A series engine builders in the future.
As for the costs, well he with the biggest wallet seems to win the most races these days. Quality is not cheap.

[Exminiman]

Now they are reverse engineering the K series cylinder heads.
Makes the "experts" look rather silly doesn't it.

Who do you mean by experts? people on here or A-series engine specialists?

I was referring to the comments made at the start of this tread regarding "look at me, look at me"

https://instagram.com/ascaso_engineerin ... axi67isxl8
Ascaso Engineering are not toying around with some project on there little Chinese lathe at home innthe shed.
They are put in the R&D and are making something that is beyond most A series engine builders have ever dreamed of doing. Clearly they know what they are doing, and are not all talk and no action like everyone else.
As for the KAD head, the BMW K series cast, factory made motorbike head IMO is far better than the KAD head, hence its recent popularity. Any aftermarket cylinder head that requires you to bend a headstud to fit the head doesn't get my vote, and yes I have worked on, and rebuilt the KAD "fastest mini in the world" engine that was sent to AUS in the 90s.
If Ascaso are successful in reproducing the K series head, and I see no reason why they wouldn't be, then it gives another excellent resource for A series engine builders in the future.
As for the costs, well he with the biggest wallet seems to win the most races thses days. Quality is not cheap.

I dont know what the history is, but please can we move away from the thinly veiled insults - you obviously have a lot of experience, which is fascinating to read, but the other comments just detract.

[Spider]

Love all the posts on oil fed thrusts, any A-series block can be converted with nothing more than a hand drill and 1mm drill bit.

That in fact was my suggestion to him, if you go back to some of his early posts. He also had it in mind to Chrome Plate and Polish the nose on the Damper (I think he said he's doing a custom one ?), however a few of us at that time pointed out to him that won't seal running on such a surface.

[InnoCooperExport]

Projects like this are very impressive but kind of like landing on Mars...
What do you do with it when you get there ?

Swear this isn't a humblebrag, but having worked on Mars projects I cannot help but chime in on this. I suppose you can say both are nothing more than high flying engineering exercises, but we do learn a lot from Mars missions as I'm sure these guys are learning a great deal building these engines and blocks. However as I've said before, I don't see a market for these engines beyond the tuning crowd because there's no way they'd be legal for any racing series. At least missions to Mars help our (i.e. humanity's) fundamental understanding of life and the universe.

[Richspec]

IIRC the stated end market was some single seat racers, the mini racing community, road use - (I guess if your pockets are deep enough) and above all to showcase the skills and capabilities of the company and its partners.
Certainly doing a good job on the latter part of that.

I think the gearbox revamp will be of most interest as plenty people can make enough power to shred a mini gearbox as is.

[Hipwell]

Now they are reverse engineering the K series cylinder heads.
Makes the "experts" look rather silly doesn't it.

Who do you mean by experts? people on here or A-series engine specialists?

I was referring to the comments made at the start of this tread regarding "look at me, look at me"

https://instagram.com/ascaso_engineerin ... axi67isxl8
Ascaso Engineering are not toying around with some project on there little Chinese lathe at home in the shed.
They have put in the R&D and are making something that is beyond most A series engine builders have ever dreamed of doing. Clearly they know what they are doing, and are not all talk and no action...

Thing is, people bodging crap with hacksaws and Chinese lathes on YouTube seem to have far more of a following, arguably more skill than pressing the green button on the machining centre.

There has been no development, it’s not run yet and they are firing out 25 blocks. Some of the things they are doing like nitrided con rods and no bushes will need some serious testing before going to customers surely?

I don’t think any of the well known A-Series builders will be loosing sleep, in the UK the money is in Historic racing/parts sales.

[mk1]

It was me who made the original "Look at me, look at me" comment. I think at the time I made it, it was perfectly justified. Since then, they have appeared to have made some pretty good headway & I don't doubt that they will get to the end of the project, manufacturing a number of these most impressive engines.

I do, as I have always done, doubt the financial sense of this project & doubt that it will ever turn a profit.

I am happy to be proven wrong, but won't be loosing any sleep at night worrying about it.

Oh & while I'm on the subject, some pretty amazing innovations have been made by single blokes in their sheds with not much more than a cheap lathe & a good idea!

[Lomond26]

Not Minis or even cars but have a look at Alan Millyard on tube to see what a guy in his shed with a good idea and a lathe gets up to. I sold him 2 Honda SS50's about 15 years ago when he was converting them into V twins. Fair to say he has upped his game since then!

[Mini-geek]

Allen Millyard is a genius

[InnoCooperExport]

Minispares just posted this on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CPIxkonDjWx ... _copy_link

Their alloy 1275 block running on one of Swiftune's engine dynos. Good to see some progress on this.

[Exminiman]

Think this is on KADS Dyno - oddly with a BMW head

https://www.facebook.com/11187466730827 ... 9224447354

[colinmac1330]

It was designed from the ground up to run the BMW bike head as far as I am aware.

[Mini-geek]

It would be odd not to have a BMW head on...

I was surprised to see KAD involved as it competes directly with the KAD 16v head...

Good to see it running proved me wrong for sure, still sceptical of a few things though and no mention of price...

[mk1]

I say what Mini-Geek says too

[Exminiman]

I was surprised to see KAD involved as it competes directly with the KAD 16v head...

That was point i was trying to make…

[timmy201]

It was designed from the ground up to run the BMW bike head as far as I am aware.

He’s also designed a “normal” version for 5 port heads. I don’t think any have been made yet

[Richspec]

It was designed from the ground up to run the BMW bike head as far as I am aware.

He’s also designed a “normal” version for 5 port heads. I don’t think any have been made yet

Correct, last pictured being machined on the 5 axis.

[mab01uk]

Brands Hatch Mini Festival yesterday
See 4h:30:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x0ai21loZo