This is the first of my TWO project cars....

1963 Morris Mini 850.
Nürburg White.
Owned since December 2002.
Current cost to date - AUS$12,000 approx.

Was originally this... (Dec 2002)
Became this... (November 2004)
Is now this... (June 2006)

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BLOCK
-1275cc A-series casting, re-bored +.040, now 1310cc.
-Redrilled to suit 11 head studs.
-Mahle +.040 Pistons.
-AEG521 Cooper S con-rods, balanced.
-ARP Rod bolts and nuts.
-12G1288 crankshaft, lightened and balanced.
-Vernier adjustable duplex timing chain kit.
-Modified Kent Turbo cam.
-Centre main bearing strap.
-Central oil pickup.
-Flowed/chamfered water pump mount face for better cooling efficiency.

HEAD (Rally / Stage 4 specifications)
-12G940 Metro Turbo casting.
-Redrilled to suit 11 studs.
-Chambers de-shrouded, CC'd and polished.
-Hardened valve seats (unleaded conversion).
-Oversized inlet valves (35.5mm).
-Inlet ports flowed to maximum diameter.
-Exhaust ports flowed to maximum diameter, polished.
-Valve guide bosses removed.
-Custom rockers using modified Toyota KE30 arms, 1.48:1 ratio.
-Lightened and balanced pushrods.
-ARP head studs and nuts.
-Metro turbo head gasket.

FUELLING
-Toyota 4A-GZE Supercharger (SC12) @ 7 pounds boost. (see page 7 for details)
-Custom fabricated inlet manifolds.
-HS6 SU carb, draw-thru setup.
-Custom fabricated ram with eliptical flare.
-Remote K&N filter.
-Wildcat LCB extractors (modified to allow room for supercharger setup).
-RC40 stainless steel exhaust (1+3/4 inch bore).

TRANSMISSION
-Lightened and balanced Cooper S flywheel.
-Lightened and balanced Cooper S pressure plate.
-"Orange dot" rally/race clutch diaphragm.
-4 speed, close ratio gears.
-Rover 3.1:1 diff and pot joints.

COOLING
-Competition hi-flow 3 core radiator.
-Custom secondary 2 core radiator.
-13 row oil cooler.
-Rover Mini Thermo-electric fans and switching.

ENGINE ANCILLARIES
-Holden Gemini starter motor, modified to suit.
-Nissan N13 Pulsar 75amp alternator, modified to suit.
-Nissan N13 Pulsar electronic ignition, modified to suit.
-KAD short shift kit.
-Wood and Pickett Alloy rocker cover with T handles.

WHEELS AND SUSPENSION
-Performance Superlite 13x7 alloy wheels.
-Pirelli P6000 175/50/13 tyres.
-MG Metro Turbo vented and slotted disc brakes.
-MG Metro Turbo 4 pot brake calipers.
-MiniFin alloy rear drums (stepped).
-SPAX 14 point adjustable shock absorbers.
-Adjustable rear camber brackets.
-Adjustable Hi-Lo suspension (Billet alloy).
-Adjustable tie bars.
-Rover Mini steering rack and steering column.
-Rover Mini front and rear subframes.
-Rover Mini handbrake upgrade.

OTHER ACCESSORIES
-Rover Mini wiring loom and dash switches.
-MOMO steering wheel and boss kit.
-H4 headlight conversion.
-Rover mini laminated front windscreen.
-Rover Sportspack arches

NOW, HERE IS THE PHOTO HISTORY OF THE CAR, STARTING WITH THE DAY I BOUGHT IT

KEEP SCOLLING DOWN THE PAGE FOR NEWEST UPDATES

Here is when i first bought it

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Photos from pre-December 2004

Pre-2005 SPECIFICATIONS - (NO LONGER VALID) SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES

EXTERIOR
- 1963 Morris Mini 850
- 1997 Rover Sports Pack arches
- H4 halogen headlight conversion
- 13x6 ROH superlites with Pirelli P5000's
- Moke 8.4 inch discs and 1 inch stepped drums with Leyland master cylinders
- Hi-Lo adjustable suspension
- Morris Cooper grille

2003 ENGINE (abandoned December 2004)
- Rebuilt 850cc block
- Upgraded "magic wand" gearbox + selector
- 12G295 head (modified)
- 731 cam
- High lift rockers
- AISIN Supercharger (off a Subaru Pleo) @ 12lbs boost
- 1.5 inch SU carby (relocated)
- RAM FLO air filter
- LYNX MINI alloy inlet manifold (port matched)
***850 MOTOR PROJECT SCRAPPED AFTER MANY PROBLEMS***

2004 ENGINE - REPLACES THE 2003 850cc
- 1275 rebored to 1310cc
- "649" full race cam
- Lightened flywheel assembly
- 12G940 head; port, polish, deshroud, large valves, 11 stud, etc
- 45mm Weber, 4 inch manifold
- WILDCAT LCB extractors
- RC40 exhaust
- 13 row oil cooler
- Nissan Pulsar 70 amp alternator
- Holden Gemini starter motor
- Holden Commodore fuel pump
- Long range fuel tank
**TOYOTA 4A-GZE Supercharger setup under construction***

INTERIOR
- Full rollcage (polished)
- OBX Daytona bucket seats
- OMP 5 point harnesses
- MOMO wheel
- Lowered steering column
- PRICOL gauges (they match the original speedo, and are $25 each)
- Interior retimmed to match seats
- Modified electrical system to suit racing (internal fuse box, master cut off switch, etc)

PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED ON THIS CAR

-Replace front passenger floor
-Exterior bodywork and paint (currently 3 shades of white)
-Supercharger inlet pipes to be modified slightly
-Supercharger drive belt tensioner to be designed and fabricated
-Electrical regulator box to be rewired
-Rear of cabin to be retrimmed
-Sliding window felts to be replaced

Here is the supercharger when i was trial fitting it

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2 PHOTOS FROM DECEMBER 25, 2004

I have decided to abandon the supercharged 850 engine project. I am now in posession of a 1310 that is unusually faster than others i have driven, so I am now fitting it to this car. I still have plans to supercharge it, at a later date.

Earlier that same day I trial fitted my split 45 weber setup.
Not sure if i am going to temporarily use these on the 1310 motor, or a single 45 on a short manifold.

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3 PHOTOS FROM FEBRUARY 13, 2005

Now that the motor is out, i've decided to refurbish the whole bottom end. Subframe/brakes/steering rack have been taken out - ready for disassembly, degreasing, reconditioning, painting and rebuilding.

Some other small modifications are planned aswell.

Once the subframe is ready, I will build the engine up on it, before it all goes back into the car.

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3 PHOTOS FROM MARCH 8, 2005

Now that the car is off its subframes, it needs to be both stable and movable, while having it at a good height for working on. This is where the trolley comes in handy. Took me a day to weld up, a quick coat of paint,and hey presto!

This stand gives me the ability to roll the car to wherever I want it, and roll it sideways if needed. Very handy. Much easier to replace the floors at that height too.

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3 PHOTOS FROM MARCH 20, 2005

Take 1x drill, 1x jigsaw, add a steel cutting blade, and simmer over 240 volts for a few minutes.... and HEY PRESTO - you have a rust free floor!!

Cancer removal started today. It was VERY soft - the jigsaw went thru it like butter. All I gotta do now is weld in the new floor panel.

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UPDATE FROM MAY 27, 2005

A few new items have been added to the parts cupboard.....

-New set of 13x7" Performance Superlite charcoal-centered alloys. New tyres came also, but theyre not pictured.

-Complete supercharger kit for fitment of an SC12 supercharger, to be taken from a Toyota 4AGZE motor. Full details are available on page 7.

-An SC12 supercharger. I wet-rubbed the back of this one to see what it would look like. Gonna do the whole thing before it gets fitted.

Full set of SPAX 14 point adjustable shock absorbers. These were sourced from Japan.

Other notes -
The 6-point alloy roll cage has been sold and sent interstate. Decided that I would prefer to have just a rear half cage, but made from steel instead.

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UPDATE FROM JUNE 15, 2005

Body prep work has begun, starting with the engine bay. Here are some before and after pictures.

^^Lower bulkhead and steering rack mount.

^^Upper bulkhead and crossmember.

<--Lower half of inner guard. I havent done the top because I will need to remove......

.... the passenger side front wing. Sanded it back to find BOG BOG and MORE BOG. Under the bog is a nightmare too. All external front panels will now be coming off, to be replaced with a late 90's Rover front.

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UPDATE FROM JULY 5, 2005

My Japanese Rover mini front cut has arrived. It WAS a 1995 mini, but the mechanicals were taken from it to save a friend's old mini. The remaining panels are mine, and will be used to replace the front end of my car.

The front seams were carefully seperated on both sides, as well as the inner guard....

.... then pulled away from the car......

Now all I need to do is prepare the replacement panels, get the car back on its wheels, and start CAREFULLY grafting the new front to the bulkhead.

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UPDATE FROM JULY 24, 2005

The Rover front has been prepared for fitment to my Morris body. The bulkhead was slowly cut away and the seam edges have been cleaned up.

Took about 4 or 5 hours to remove the unwanted sections... but it may need another hour or so clean up the trailing edge of the inner guard.

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UPDATE FROM AUGUST 7, 2005

Just some progress pics of the front panel repairs. It starts off as a close fit, but after checking measurements and shortening some egdes back, it fits a whole lot better.

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UPDATE FROM AUGUST 16, 2005

Newest parts in my collection.... collected today and just waiting to be fitted.

Pair of lightweight Alloy Minifin brake drums for the rear.

Adjustable tie arms (front suspension)

Adjustable vernier timing gear set (duplex)

KAD quickshift kit.

Custom made 1.48:1 rockers using Toyota Corolla KE30 arms, hand made posts, and a mini shaft and springs. (thanks Doc).

Not pictured
- New seam covers.
- Double valve springs.
- New cam followers.
- Trailing arm bush kits (x2).
- ARP rod bolts.
- "Orange dot" Rally/race clutch diaphragm.
- Crank bearings (mains and rods).
- Radiator hoses.
...and I had the crankshaft reground (to be balanced at a later date)

My wallet is definately looking thin.

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UPDATE FROM SEPTEMBER 15, 2005

Another month goes by, and once again I have another shopping spree...

The list of purchases..
-1994 Rover mini rear subframe assembly, arms and all, complete, from Japan.
-1992 Rover mini front subframe assembly, arms and all, complete, from Japan.
-MG Metro Turbo disc brake (vented, 4 pot) assemblies from England.
-New rear beaver panel.
All pics coming soon/eventually.

Started disassembling the gearbox for a full overhaul.

Front of the car still not welded on yet - need to make body alignment jigs first, and then I need to find a perfectly flat floor to set it all up on.

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UPDATE FROM DECEMBER 27, 2005

Been busy with other things lately and havent done much to my supercharged project at all... Only the crank/flywheel/backplate assembly has been completed. It has been quite substantially lightened, and then balanced as a complete assembly. Pics coming.... one day.

Off topic:
Sold my ROADSTER MINI PROJECT CAR due to a lack of funds and time..... also sold MY MAZDA METRO and replaced it with THIS BLACK E36 BMW 4 DOOR.

I have also taken posession of a Rover Mini shell and a 998 engine/gearbox. This car will be prepared for club racing in 2006, in the Mini1000 racing series which is getting revived in March. Pics and details coming soonish.

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Photos from June 2006

The shell is back on subframes temporarily while the old shed makes way for a new shed.