Wide Ratio Gearbox And 1380 Engine Build by AndyMiniMad

11 minute(s) of a 171 minute read

Ok so i know some of you will think im a bit daft but ive put my old exhaust back on.....



This Maniflow system is the dogs dangglies as far as Im told....But it just doesnt rasp and bark like my old 2 inch straight through system....Sooooooo I kept the Maniflow stage 2 freeflow LCB fitted..(Im not totally crazy), and fitted my straight through system to it..



Ive now got my lovely popping......Raspy noises back with no significant loss of power....well maybe a couple of horses had to be put down....

6-28-2011

Well Haggis is going great....Ive done about 1000 miles now without having to wheek the engine out...Its really loosening up now...Never went up to tain yet for a blast down the runway....Maybe next weekend.
I bought some Mk 2 rear light lenses thinking they would be a direct replacement.....WRONG! they are a totally different size. Oh well! looks like more E-bay shopping required.

7-4-2011

Well I went up to Tain on saturday and had a blast down the old runway...raced the buggy against "Haggis"...Mmmmm that buggy is quick,
The 4.2 final drive has made a huge difference to the acceleration. But "Haggis" prevailed in the drag to 60.
The buggy has had it at 69mph when runing the 12 inch wheels and 75 on the 15's. But its such a drift machine. 1275 tuned cooper engine. 78bhp at the back wheels in a buggy that is only 525kg's.
But Haggis is just soooo much quicker once it gets into its stride, Easily putting the buggy in its place.....(2nd) ha ha...Sorry Derek mate, but it looks like you need more power.

8-1-2011

A quick update...The exhaust is blowing at the "Y" piece, and ive refitted the thing three times. I give up. its just a slight blow from the front and isnt that bad, but its a bit annoying.

I also got hold of a couple of Cobra Buckets in the right colour for £80. Much better...



Will have to clean up the half leather ones that came out and get them in the loft...

8-12-2011

Steering column drop bracket fitted today...Much better driving position now. Am off on a treasure hunt this sunday and then on to the Brodie classic car show...Not entered Haggis this year. should be a good day out. Hope the rain stays away.

8-20-2011

Another change of plan! I changed my mind about wheeking the engine out of Haggis, I have aquired a new project, Its a clubman, its white, and its going to be called "Tatties" Im off to the footie in Aberdeen this weekend so Tatties wont be coming home till next weekend, I will get a few pics of her next week, Shes a beauty, totally rust free, and at a price you would not believe!!.

8-22-2011

Its a wide ratio box from a Merto vanden plas! not exactly sure of the ratio's. I never counted the teeth. The final drive is a 3.1. I have been told that if I dont stop plonking Oily mini bits on the kitchen work tops then I will be sleeping on them

8-26-2011

Looks like the deal for the clubman is dead....

9-13-2011

Thanks, yeah I was gutted about the clubman deal falling through...


Well Haggis is MOT'd untill the end of October..At which point he will come off the road for the winter,
A cross pin diff and standard ratio gear set will go in as will a 3.44 final drive.
Ive enjoyed blasting around in Haggis this summer but its time for a bit more acceleration. I know I will lose tho top end speed but how often can you go at 110mph anyway..unless on the runway at Tain its impossible. So out go the wide ratio gears and 3.1 diff and in with the new stuff...I liked the 3.44 in the 1275 mg engine so it should be fun in the 1380.
I reckon maybe 85-90 flat out but a good second off the 0-60....and a lot more useable through the gears as it wont be needing the revs from 2nd to 3rd..although it will prob get them anyway, tee hee..

9-28-2011

So this morning ive been out to the garage and removed the rear window...The roof lining had come away in the corner and was starting to creep accross the window. So with the rubber removed the lining went "flop" and fell down....So I got the double sided tape and stuck it to the window appeture heated the lining with a hair dryer.and stretched it back over the sticky tape. I was unsure if it should also be glued, but the tape is that cloth type megga sticky stuff and seems to be holding ok. So in went the window and job done...Its not as neat as when it came out of the factory, but at least I can see out of the rear window now...
I am just in for some lunch...One job always leads to another...Im clearing out the garage of all the old crap ive collected over the years...off to the dump tomorrow..

10-3-2011

Well some bits have arrived over the weekend thanks to R1minimagic and Miniclubmangt, so the plan is to build a 1310 short motor and sell it on the bay...or on here....Ive got an old 1275 a+ block in the garage that will go off tomorrow along with the pistons and rings to get bored. Ive got new cam, big ends and mains bearings to go in along with a std crank. not sure which head to put on it yet...I suppose it depends on which cam I plump for...its not going to be a wild engine, more just a bit of an upgrade for someones tired 1275 or 998. .But anyway thats the plan for the next couple of weeks untill Haggis comes off the road for the winter.

Ill get some pics up once my camera stops messing about...

10-4-2011

Pics....Woohoo!! not great as they are off my phone, Anyway I tidied out the garage last week and built a new work bench out of some old kitchen work top....horrible colour but solid.. Just about enough space to build an engine..



Errr....said engine...awaiting a trip to the rebore shop...And a big valve, ported head. Not going to use this on the 1310. keeping it for the next project..but its going to the same place for a crack check and to get the guides replaced.





So just waiting to get paid now and its all systems go...

10-23-2011

Got given this the other day and didnt really look at it. Turns out to be a mk3 coopers head...its in a hell of a state though..more work for the wire brush...

There is a big gouge out of the face so its going to need a lot of skimming.

10-24-2011

Shiney bits from Guessworks....

10-31-2011

Hello folks...Tonight ive been building up my new cross pin diff with the 3.44 crown wheel and output shafts from an old diff that was in my Mg Metro..

Old Diff..

All stripped down..



62 divided by 18 = 3.44..



Stripping the cross pin diff, First I removed the short pin by shoving a small screwdriver through the access hole in the other short pin...I had a huge blonde moment with this bit and had to phone John at Guessworks, he was very nice and explained how to remove the short pin...he never laughed at me either...nice bloak..



Once its out you can remove the planet gear it holds in and then push out the long pin.



Once the long pin is out its easy to remove the last short pin which is part of the center section. thats it all stripped..

Rebuilding it is pretty much a reversal of taking it apart, Although you simply plonk in the old output shafts...using the new fibre washers of course..I used an old coffee jar to hold it all.

All done!!



Does any one know how tight it should be? I cant turn the output shafts by hand. but they do move a tiny bit untill the slack gets taken up..is this correct?