project inspiration

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sachilles
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Re: project inspiration

Post by sachilles »

It was Morris. He was a 1961 Morris Mini. 1380 motor, straight cut gears, an exhaust pulse that could knock over a small child. What remains is currently in the hands of Charlie. I had hopes of dropping a Honda B16 into it, but lacked the skill and $$ to make it happen.
While it was a great autocrosser, I never really got to see if it would be a good hillclimber, as it seemed to always break something at the hill. I think I entered 3 hillclimbs with it and it completed 2 fam runs and one complete timed run. I then dropped a valve. Decided to get married, buy a house and become a dad, so Morris got back burner'd while time marched on and Morris stayed broken.

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Re: project inspiration

Post by Rabbit Farmer »

I don't think I was ever at an SLMP where we had corner signs.... or I just flat out forgot it.
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Re: project inspiration

Post by jkale »

Holy crap Seth! I honestly had no idea that morris ever actually competed...That thing looks awesome..
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Re: project inspiration

Post by Chief Geek »

Wow, flashback.

Many years ago I drove a late '70s Mini around England & Wales (on the wrong side of the road). It was totally stock except for some "Cooper" rims & tires that rubbed the fenders whenever you weren't driving perfectly straight ahead. It did handle really wall but s...l...o...w...w...w. It made a 1st gen Miata feel like a top fuel rail. Don't know what it's 0-60 time was, but I think it could actually do 60.

During the trip I got to help replace the clutch, rebuild it's SU carb, replace the throttle cable, and replace the front drums (shoes last forever but the drums were consumable). I was traveling with the guy that owned the car and he explained to me that my driving had nothing to do with the maintenance work, it was just that anything B-L built in the 70s averaged at least 1 replacement part per week and he'd had good luck lately.

Weird car. The front drums the size of margerine containers. Pascal's Saab has it's engine in backwards, but this thing had a clutch/flywheel assembly was inside out. Bizzare.

My favorite feature was that the transmission oil was automatically replaced when you changed the engine oil. My friend maintained that the Rover A-series engine was one of the finest small tractor enignes the world has ever made. This was true so long as "finest" means perpetually out of adjustment with a flakey ignition system and a carburator designed by someone doing meth and mushrooms at the same time.

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sachilles
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Re: project inspiration

Post by sachilles »

Morris was pretty quick. The clutch was a sore point for me. I think I did the clutch four times, in the span of two years. The clutch or clutch related stuff caused two of the hillclimb dnf's. Killed another clutch at Thunder road doing their spectator races. Third dnf was a belt for the water pump broke causing an overheat. Car dropped a valve at an autocross shortly after. I suspect the overheat contributed to it. I think with the honda motor he'd be a quick hillclimber. Question was whether to make him mid engine rear drive or stay front drive. Extremely fun car, but not the right car for the mechanical ability I had then. The biggest production engine was a 1275, and he was a 1380cc. Pretty sure he weighed around 1200lbs. When I took him apart I found that the original cage was not done particularly well...so I was glad I didn't find out the hard way. I bought him in Ontario. Absolutely an awesome car, but the a-series motor has some drawbacks. That is why the honda motor swap is popular. The big problem with a more powerful motor is making the chassis stiff enough to handle it if you put it in the front, otherwise tourque steer will kill you.

Anyways, back to the subject at hand.......get any car in good working condition and get on the hill. Get the silly grin on your face, get addicted. Figure out the perfect car after you have a few events under your belt and your wallet will thank you.
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Re: project inspiration

Post by Challenger392 »

I've always thought classic coopers were awesome, but I can see how the reliability would be a problem. I've always wanted one with a super bike engine.
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Re: project inspiration

Post by Mopar 151w2 »

Original series Mini's have to be in the top 5 "Most Beloved Cars on the Planet". My experience was driving my friend Budd's '61 850 (ex Burke Bros., ex-Morse) RHD, non-synchro, brakes lagely illusory..... It was LOL FUN to drive, once you got the hang of shifting left-handed with a sketchy clutch master. Budd has a NICE RHD Mini now - perfect weekend car for a guy who delivers roof trusses and prefab buildings all week.
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Re: project inspiration

Post by Challenger392 »

sachilles wrote:It was Morris. He was a 1961 Morris Mini. 1380 motor, straight cut gears, an exhaust pulse that could knock over a small child. What remains is currently in the hands of Charlie. I had hopes of dropping a Honda B16 into it, but lacked the skill and $$ to make it happen.
While it was a great autocrosser, I never really got to see if it would be a good hillclimber, as it seemed to always break something at the hill. I think I entered 3 hillclimbs with it and it completed 2 fam runs and one complete timed run. I then dropped a valve. Decided to get married, buy a house and become a dad, so Morris got back burner'd while time marched on and Morris stayed broken.

From the looks of the video Morris really rocked when he was in good running condition. Too bad he had reliabilty issues
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sachilles
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Re: project inspiration

Post by sachilles »

He was fun to drive, and pretty quick.
I can't blame him for reliability. I've self taught myself how to work on cars. That was really the first car I ever did any work on. I'm still a horrible mechanic, but better than I was then. :lol: If I knew then, what I know now, it likely wouldn't have been problematic.
That car had the misfortune of being my learning aid.
My first time changing oil was on that car.
First time touching brakes were on that car.
First time encountering a carberateur was with that car.
First time changing a tire.
First time changing a clutch, and second, third and forth.
It taught me many things, but the thing that really sunk in is that I'd rather spend my time driving, rather than wrenching.
I'd own one again in a heartbeat, but maybe after my son is off to college.
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Re: project inspiration

Post by KevinGale »

sachilles wrote:First time changing a clutch, and second, third and forth.
Lol!
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