old modification/bodge

[nick@dunsdale]

I was speaking with one of my mates the other night and we remembered a mod or bodge it may be regarded as these day's lol.

This was back in the early 80's trying to carry out mod's on a apprentice's wage of around £25.00 a week.

to fit an LCB manifold. and retain your single 1.5 S.U. carb

We used to take the cast original combined inlet and exhaust manifold, and separate them, this involved putting the manifold in the vice get your hack saw out and cut through between inlet and exhaust sections. thus leaving you with two usable sections albiet it separated.

This worked both ways you could leave you original exhaust on and the fit a twin carb set up of an 1300 gt etc

Or you could have an lcb exhaust manifold and utilise your original s.u., and usually a peco back box, pre rc40 days lol.

Did anybody else ever do this or was this an local to me modification only, my boss was the local mini guru back in those days.

[cheleker]

Cutting a single carb, cast iron manifold far pre-dates the 80s! The 80s were modern times for Minis with the majority of them already having run down the assembly line.

[nick@dunsdale]

Cutting a single carb, cast iron manifold far pre-dates the 80s! The 80s were modern times for Minis with the majority of them already having run down the assembly line.

yep that is just when i did it.

It was a modification that my old boss showed me, he probably carried it out in the 60's when he was an apprentice.

[mk1]

Yup, I have done a few of those too.

I have never managed to separate the two bits though, always going through one or the other.

On my 850 YVJ the inlet in a Downton steel jobby & the exhaust manifold is the standard item that has been hacksawed off in this fashion. The exhaust used is a NK1 Sprite one.

[Smiffy]

RC40 as well I had one of these back in the early eighties, went over to leeds for it, anyone remember 'Leeds Minispares'.

[mk1]

I remember John @ Leeds Mini Spares very well indeed. He originally worked for Lookers in Bradford, then briefly worked for Steve Moss at Yorkshire Mini Supplies, when the Tax man caught up with Steve John set up on his own.

He was a cracking bloke with a great knowledge of part numbers, but having such a small shop he was always struggling to compete with the big boys.

He closed the shop down shortly after I put my Mini of that time into storage & decided to dedicate my life to getting pi55ed & chasing girls. I have always wondered if the two things were some how related

[davidnutland]

Oh yes for insurance costs, 1 1/2'' on chopped cast manifold with adapted 1300gt exhaust manifold and the cross over rear box on my 1100 cc MG engined Riley Elf, it was super cool, it went well and sounded fantasic.

david

[RS6]

...anyone remember 'Leeds Minispares'.

Certainly do - I always found them good to deal with. They bought my car - anyone know where it is now...?

[nick@dunsdale]

RC40 as well I had one of these back in the early eighties, went over to leeds for it, anyone remember 'Leeds Minispares'.

Yep i bought my first RC40 around 85 couldn't afford it before that, i am sure from memory it was around £45.00 back then.
I remember i really wanted a maniflow manifold but the budget would not stretch at the time

[AndyB72]

I remember Leeds Minispares too, just behind YTV? I bought a K&N filter from John, he convinced me to buy the grey plastic box one.

[nick rogers]

I used to supply John with SS caliper pistons. He bought huge quantities. Then one day i was chatting with Tim at Minimail who mentioned he bought these from John. So i started to supply Tim directly. John called me a dogs breakfast.

[mk1]

RS6,

If John bought your car I can almost guarantee that he will have broken it for bits. I can only think of 1 car he ever had that was sold as a lump.

[RS6]

RS6,

If John bought your car I can almost guarantee that he will have broken it for bits. I can only think of 1 car he ever had that was sold as a lump.

Many thanks Mark...I thought as much. It's still registered on the DVLA site as 'unlicensed' - most likely a logbook in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. It had a superb Bryan Slark engine in it when I had the car (mid 80's). When it went on the rollers at GRV it took Harry's pipe out of his mouth when the Kenlowe fan kicked in!

[cheleker]

Back to an earlier comment, I don't think it is possible to separate the manifold into two pieces without sacrificing either the intake or exhaust side.

[tadge44]

80.s ??

I remember doing the split manifold dodge on BMC A series in the 60,s

It was considered worth doing to split them so as to do away with the hotspotting of the inlet, never mind changing either of the parts !

[nick@dunsdale]

80.s ??

I remember doing the split manifold dodge on BMC A series in the 60,s

!

lol i was only 3 come 1970 could not hold the hacksaw properly

think i was around 15 the first time i split one witch was the early 80's for me

[greyghost]

i'd have to say that i'm also guilty of this mod/bodge

and mine would have been in the 80's as well (too young/non existentin the 60's)
mine was performed because of the cost benefit ratio.
even looked at doing it again, lately but it will not clear the maniflow extractors.

[Tim]

Thats what ball pein hammers are for.

Tim

[mk1]

Prof,

You have just reminded me how much FUN minis were before I became obsessed with originality & part numbers.

Oh, for those happy days again

[RS6]

...how much FUN minis were before I became obsessed with originality & part numbers....oh, for those happy days again

Couldn't agree more Mark. Happy days indeed!