Larry,
sorry for the late reply, I was gone for the weekend. Drove over some
Eastern Washington passes (yes, with the top down), almost got stuck in
the snow (yes, with the top down) - what a drive, and I thought top down
season was over!
Your project on the 59 sounds like you are doing it right!
Your describtion reminded me of a car that I saw in one of our local LBC
resto places and at first I thought you were talking about the same car.
A customer is having a bugeye done with exactle the same
mods you are talking about except for the big brakes and he is using the
Datsun 210 tranny (that I used too). They are getting everything that
Mini Mania has to offer it seems.
The Minicomp engine with a 5-speed must be a dream to drive. You could
probably even go with a 3.7 rear end if you do a lot of highway driving.
On my trip this weekend I felt my
final drive was still too low with the 5-speed and a 4.22.
If I can afford it I will rebuild my engine this winter to a mild 1380
with emphasis on torque and then probably get a 3.7.
Let us know HOW much fun it is when you have it together!
Ulix
> Neither one is running at the moment. I broke the oil line from the block to
> the gauge on the 60 while trying to get the distributor to clamp down and not
> spin when the engine was revved. and have not got around to fixing it. The
>59
> is undergoing a complete build. That's build not rebuild. I started with a
> rolling tub with no bonnet. Every thing that was not welded on and some
> things that were, besides the suspension had been stripped, wires, brake
> lines, gas lines, everything!. I completed this by removing the entire
> suspension and throwing it away. Took the remaining tub down to bare metal,
> patched the rust holes and the odd holes made by the previous owner (the car
> was a butchers race car in its prior life) and have started buying new parts,
> lots of new parts. I am currently trying to fit a fiberglass bonnet and
>build
> a front hinge for it. Have most of the new suspension parts in hand or on
> back order. I am replacing the lever shocks completely including on the front
> with a fabricated upper A arm. Going to use a "Big Brake" conversion that
>uses
> MGB calipers and Spitfire rotors. Replaced the rear hubs with double bearing
> hubs and will replace the axels with hardened racing axels. Using race
> hardened stub axels on the front in place of the stock ones. Mini Mania
> builds a 1380cc engine with 113bhp (based on the latest "A" series engine)
>and
> I intend to mate this with a Datsun B200 5-Speed and a 3.91 rear end. My
> friends all have Big Healeys and TR6's so the idea here is to build a Bugeye
> that will run with the big dogs but still be basically British. When
> finished, the car should be about 95% new. My target date is the All British
> meet in Palo Alto next September.
>
> Larry Miller
>
Ulix __/__,__
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'67 Sprite
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