Richie's Mk1 Restoration

[RichardT10829]

my only concerns with this method in this case is the amount of heat i would need to put into the metal to make it work may cause issues with the casting.

I am going to pop up to a local engineering firm where i used to get my race stuff done so i am sure they can remove it for me before honing and cleaning the block

i was gobsmacked that the engine only has 3 mains !!!! my mini had three mains and the crank was half the length of the V8... under load the engines were prone to crank flex which funnily enough used to blow out the center and furthest main away from the clutch !!! and i even had an end cap let go on the rolling road... we used to fix this issue by milling the center main and putting a strap and ARP bolts on. although overkill i may do this with this engine too. i have seen the strap mods for the V8's before and when it comes to these things i am a bit of a belt and braces kinda geek.

[Ron Pier]

What about 'Spark Erosion' to remove the stud? There must be someone up norf! Ron

[RichardT10829]

Originally Posted by Ron Pier

What about 'Spark Erosion' to remove the stud? There must be someone up norf! Ron

Smiles, Rosalind Rebores, British engines, to name but a few... the block has to go in for honing and steam clean anyways so will get them to drill out the stud

[The Bedford Boys]

A turbo twinky mini engine can get over 250bhp richie (yes I'm a fellow mini nut ).... Lets see what you can get out of this bad boy

[ajmac]

Richie,
Are you fitting new pistons during the rebuild? If so what type are you using...I have to buy a set for mine, it's a 3.9L rather than the eariler spec 3.6L Flathead so requires the 3 3/16th pistons. I've spoken to a company in the US who do new sets with rings, just saving up to by them now!
Are you going to fit electronic ignition? I've got a little kit I built to use the points to drive a transister so that they never wear out, made quite a difference on a TR6, Spitfire and 3.5RV8 I tried it on. The plus side being that you don't have to damage any of the original parts and by just moving one wire can return the points to there original operation....I am going to have to solder up a new one as I just remembered that I lent it to a mate and he left it on his Series 3 when he sold it :-)

[RichardT10829]

using stock pistons i have got new rings for them iam thinking about elec ignition... i vernier'd my crank and pots and found the following

mains: 2.481

B/ends: 2.134

Bores: 3.210

the data plate shows it to be 010 on the mains and b/ends and 030 on the pistons so what that means in old money i dont know hahahaha i think its an early ford unit.

i will be putting ARP head studs in for sure having sheared another two today.... luckily my pals easy outs seem to have done the trick but make no bones about it the head studs in mine are like toffee !!!! further enforces in my mind why they should be changed or upgraded when building an engine....

[RichardT10829]

Originally Posted by The Bedford Boys

A turbo twinky mini engine can get over 250bhp richie (yes I'm a fellow mini nut ).... Lets see what you can get out of this bad boy

ahh yes the K series twinky heads are good... Tom Fenton got excelent results with his.....that said Benross got some massive BHP out of the A series setup i beleive circa 240 was the count on the rollers running 28cc heads, phase 2 cam and a truck load of boost (circa 20psi)


great fun !

[Lynn Eades]

Your motor is 3 3/16 (Merc 3 3/16 = 3.1875") and about .030" os. You can get os pistons out to about .080" os. state side. apparently they will normally go out to about this oversize.

[RichardT10829]

cheers so with this being an early one (with the drain holes in the base where it bolts to the sump) does that mean its the 100hp unit ?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by RichardT10829

my only concerns with this method in this case is the amount of heat i would need to put into the metal to make it work may cause issues with the casting

The amount of heat from arc welding a nut on the stud is unlikely to harm the block, but will be enough to release the stud.

[hrpearce]

Where there is swing room like you have I drill a length of flat and weld it onto the stud, it's easier to get a good weld, then use a light hammer to tap the strap this also helps gently break the hold after the heat has done it's part.