Straight cut boxes and drops, your advise and experience please.
Turbo Mini Forums

With christmas now out of the way, Im in the fortunate position where I can now start looking at building my engine for my minus a little more seriously.
I would like the advise of all you chaps as to whom to purchase a s/c box and drops off, I have looked at minispeed, mini sport, and morspeed prices (morspeeed being a lot less around £200 for a box) and am unsure what Im getting fo my money, I dont want to outlay lots of cash on a "naff" box.
So what are you guys running, from who, how much, and do you recomend it?
Any time spent answering the above is GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks
Shane.

i would recommend that you speak to turbo hogster, he will be able to sort a decent box for you.

““A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”” - Jeremy Clarkson

Would be interested to know this too as i think im going to buy a built box for my engine. Rather than spend ages building one up to save pittance!

Was going to give avonbar a buzz about it as they are pretty close to me but wouldnt mind hearing some oppinions!

Morspeed prices look similar to everybody elses to me.

A normal Mini box reconed is around £300 ....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Been looking on a few sites, prices do vary alot, due to varying spec and also the jan sales. Just a little confused.
Shane.

This is where I have been looking.
http://www.minispeed.co.uk/classic/index.c...roduct&id=gbox3
http://www.minisport.com/classic-mini-shop...ox-product.html
https://www.speedgenie.co.uk/avonbar/mainFrameset.html
http://morspeed.co.uk/minigearboxes.htm
Shane

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

I stripped, cleaned and built up a box with all new bearings in less than eight hours.[/quote]

How much work is involved?
shane

Get an 80s Haynes manual, it's all detailed in there.

Personally, I think that building a box is easier than building the engine, but people tend to be unwilling to have a go.

Read the manual at least three times, take your time and you will be OK. You need some circlip pliers, some brass drifts and a 1.5 inch socket for the final drive pinion nut.

However, if we are talking over, say, 150hp, then it would probably be best to get a professional to do it for you if you have not built a box before.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Dave Yardy (icklemini on the forums) built mine and keans and they're still going strong, good service and build and a decent price too.

i second bud, got mine off dave great service really nice bloke and good price

"Can I legally marry people now that I am ordained in the Church of the SubGenius?" aka i know jack sh"t

i also make things

i love coming home to chrome

Forget Minispeed and Minisport.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Ive done it several times before and its been nothing but hassle for me! It semes you can stick it together in a few hours but i allways seme to spend hours checking clearences and stuff. Then you get it built and it wont turn freely so you mess about for ages looking for a problem that isnt there, its just crap bits! Not to mention buying those 'rebuild kits' which come with only half the bits you attulay need and they allways manage to send the wrong one.

But i see your point, i just want to be lazy and build the car with my wallet for once!

Wil_h, why forget minispeed and sport? I purchased a close ratio box from them in '04, and am happy wit that, but it is only on my 65hp 998.

Im a little apprehencive to have a go my self, as I've only ever changed the diff and pinion wheel for final drive ratio.
I dont want things to go "tits up" and keep havin to take the engine out, I've learnt by my mistakes!
Shane.

I've not had mich joy with Minispeed or Sport products in the past. Ther are many other companies/people with much better track records that I would always use first.

My box was built by Morspeed. It has been fine. My only criticism of Morspeed is that he takes on too much work, which means that things can take a long time to get done.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Well, I spent a bit of time at lunch today ringing around finding out prices, as follows,

Mini speed
S/c C/r box £700
+Xpin diff £840
+S/c drops £1030

MED
S/c C/r box £749
+Xpin diff £914
+S/c drops £1149

Morspeed
S/c C/r box £650
+Xpin diff £800
+S/c drops £1000

Minisport
S/c C/r box £770
+Xpin diff £900
+S/c drops £1114

All inc vat. I would like like the whole shooting match, S/C C/R with drops, but do I actually need a Xpin diff?
I'm thinking of going for the MED unit with a std diff with a hardened pin.
Anyone else usin the above companies and products, to what result?
Thanks
Shane.

It is generally accepted that the standard diff is the weakest link and the X-pin is a necessity rather than an option.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Absolutely .... blown many a diff with NA motors ... never atempted to use one in a turbo build!!!!!!

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

My hardened diff pin shat itself n a spectacularly short time. Now I am sure that I am going to find my cross pin has done the same as it "clonks" will have it to bits soon.........what was that about good oil?

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

i can build you both boxes shane and slater and i live in stowmarket.

the only thing i ask is you buy the bits from the shopping list ill give you from minispares and il build you a box, pm me if you are interested.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

Hogster, PM sent
Shane.

i think most of the people that build them like to use minispares parts (evolution)
minispares doesnt sell a buiklt box do they?

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

no minispares dont sell built boxes just the bits as far as im aware.

clubman gear is vry good for the money although the trans x gear kit is very good although a bit more cash.

also from what ive seen the minispares 4 pin diff is the best what money can buy in the standard diff range.

avoid the minisport ones as apparently they are crap.

miniwilliams has used and abused a minipsares one for years and is still has all the original parts so that is testerment to them , although i cant vouch for it in ralleying and hill climbing and racing conditions only for road and drag use.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

I bought my gear kit, drops and 4 pin diff (now changed to Salisbury) from Minispares. Id never built a box before so done exactly what Haynes manual said with no problems whatsoever. I believe anyone cam do it, just pay attention to shimming the mainshaft and diff.
Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Yes hoggy, you have done a top job for me over the years........ can i book in this year rebuld please.

Best 1/4 mile 13.2 seconds @116 mph
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on a carb?
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on Injection?

http://www.mattwoodsphotography.com