FYI - 2.,95 FD in 1.3 HLE Metros
Turbo Mini Forums

Dear all

This information may be market-dependent, so to speak, but in Spain at least the only way to get 2,95 FD is in 1.3 HLE Metros (the one with an "e" instead of the "4" in the gearchange knob).

I have no idea whether this FD is also fitted to 1.0 HLE Metros as well.

Surely the internal ratios of these gearboxes are also different from the usual A+ ones in order to compensate for the longish final drive plus the big Metro wheels- 1st gear is shorter, and 2nd may be shorter too. (A friend of mine who has disassembled several has checked that they are not the same). Unfortunately I have never been able to find any technical information on these gear ratios. Any ideas?

My Mini will have a standard remote gearchange, 2,95 FD, 10" wheels, cross-pin diff, MG Metro turbo engine (std pistons), Mirage -rebuilt T2 and manifold. Still undecided whether to ditch the ECU or not. What I want is maximum tractability and reliability, a long-legged car that can overtake road users easily other and overcomes gradients with ease. I have almost all the important bits already, but the shell is still being at the bodyshop (after being sandblasted and repaired) and the gearbox needs some bearings, a new layshaft... etc so that it lasts.

I forgot to say, it's going to be a Hydrolastic car with auxiliary dampers and MGB rear bumpstops - maximum refinement was also on the agenda! The inspiration to build such a peculiar beast came from Dr Alex Moulton's three-seater Mini (but that one has modified lower suspension arms plus Hydragas displacers...)

Cheers

Hydrolastic? I have a mate who is an air con engineer, we rigged a vacuum vessel to the valve and evacuated it, charged it with nitrogen and a ethanol/water mix with a bit of orthophosphoric acid. It still handled like a sack of shit and so I swapped to dry. Hydrolastic is probably a great thing for rally stages but mine was set up properly and was HORRIBLE around corners. Also, it was set up as a rally car when I got it. Dry suspension is the way to go. If you are in the SW, I can point you in the direction of cheap dry subframes (pre 64 type). Trust me, hydro was shit with 998cc, if you blow it, it will handle like a whoopee cushion. Seriously, dry suspension it.

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

I appreciate your comments, Hedgemonkey, but at least I would like to give it a try. As a matter of fact the car, a Mk3 Mini 850, was dry-suspended before, and it has taken me a while to find all the proper parts (this is Spain, remember) and even longer to renovate the lot. I see it is a sort of experiment, and if I don't like the hydro setup I can always re-use it in 1969 Authi Mini 1275 C I am slowly restoring.

My idea for a "wet", rather powerful Mini came after a night-long 375-mile trip from Madrid to the NW of Spain in a hydrolastic 1275 car (the one mentioned above). After some truly bone-jarring rides in "dry" Minis over quite long distances that was a revelation (our roads are not exactly the smooth type).

Perhaps I didn't maket it clear that I wanted a "long-distance" motorway cruising Mini, rather than a B-road racer.

I am very interested in your experience in general and in the mix you used in your hydrolastic car in particular. Why the nitrogen? What is the idea behind the orthophosphoric acid - an anti-corrosion agent perhaps?

We pulled it down to about 4 torr with a vac pump, which was as low as it could go. Sucked in Antifreeze with a dash of Orthophosphoric Acid (can use Jenolite) blasted the mofo up to the right height with a nitrogen cylinder with a regulator on it.

One of his pressure guages was shagged and we had the back jacked up, he was turning the gas up and the needle stayed in the same place. Then there was a MASSIVE explosion and one of the displacers exploded!!!! :)

The Nitrogen was our inert gas and that's what we had a cylinder of which wasn't argon. The Phosphoric acid was the additional antioxidant and probably served very little purpose.

Edited by Hedgemonkey on 1st Nov, 2004.

Bugger off, I'm getting there.

With a bit of time and the Minispares upgrade kit they used to do (with rear anti roll bar) wet cars can be made to handle very well - a mate at work had one.

On 5th Sep, 2011 Vegard said:
I stand corrected. You should know

I like the way my car handles with a wet setup and a set of comp bump stops.

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

wow! thats impressive! for the sake of a single comment after four years of rest

haha quality!

its that search button thing I think they should remove it :)

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

My Dads S was fitted with Hydro Supsension and it wasnt too bad, its defo better with dry but still it handled pretty decent.

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

i thought the HLE engine was the same as the metro turbo minus the turbo setup? same CR and gearbox i thought

Drives
-Ford S-max Mk2 Ecoboost
-Rover 100 VVC #2 - track project

Searching is all you need on TurboMinis

nah HLE is nothing like the turbo engine.

may have the same cr but thats it.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

Think Benross had one of these engines at some point and he said it was as much use as a wet fart!

1/4 Mile 14.3secs 96Mph Terminal 10psi of boost.


Fibreglass Parts? - http://www.tdkracing.co.uk/
Split Rims? - http://www.force-racing.co.uk/