Hello everyone! Bought this very clean and nice 64 Mk1 to replace my Cooper rally replica car. I had an opportunity to purchase a Cooper S but that deal went south thanks to my broker. (sarcastic)
But anyway, I figured i'd post this here to have a change in mini atmosphere.
The car has a lot of non-period parts and panels. I love it still though as the restoration was done very well. i have grocery bags of receipts dating back in the 80's and a truck bed full of spare parts both used and new. The issue i'm facing now though is the engine. It is a 1275 from an Austin america with a transmission housing from an earlier type without any vents! (i had to make one from the mech fuel pump blanking plate) the head is from a mk2 Cooper S (saw the engraving behind thermostat housing) Gearbox is straight cut and has a Kent 266 Cam. This and with the help of my friend Lance, i also noticed that the distributor is for a 998. I'm still trying to figure out what distributor i wanna buy for it. i also removed the MSD rev limiter box as i fried the coil the other day and it never behaved well after replacing that coil.
But overall it is a very nice and perfect base to start another rally replica project
Currently it doesn't have the MSD box anymore and i replaced and rerouted all wires, hoses and added a few little nice things. It's that OCD in me that wanted to make this bay clean and tidy. But so far yeah i'm looking for an affordable distributor for it and trying to figure out if i still need to replace the timing chain cover with something with a vent as it is still leaving a little leak of oil under that area.
I attached a photo of the car btw...
Quote from: Armycook on April 03, 2017, 08:37:46 AM
But so far yeah i'm looking for an affordable distributor for it ....
How about this? It's brand new, electronic, and definitely affordable at just £48 ($60). I installed the A+ engine version of this distributor last year and I'm very happy with it. I like that it doesn't look any different from a points distributor.
https://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Electrics/12G4180MS.aspx?09&ReturnUrl=/search/classic/12G4180ms.aspx
yeah that is cheap
The MiniSpares 45D is probably mechanical advance which is OK but I would say something totally electronic and adjustable like the 123 distributor would be better. The 123 has 16 selectable pre-programmed advance curves. I believe there are programmable distributors which might be better if you don't mind paying for a session on a dynamometer.
Yes, but the 123 is $500!
yeah i like the 123 but it's expensive
Yeah, the 123 distributor would need to be more than perfect to justify the $440 in additional cost over the one I posted.
My thoughts? Buy the $60 one and if you don't like it, you only spent $60 so no big deal, as opposed to buying the $500 123 distributor and then working hard to convince yourself you needed all the bells and whistles that the extra $440 buys.
2nd on the Minispares diz.
FWIW another option although more $$$ is to have Jeff at Advanced Distributors build a diz suited to your motor (shameless plug). He prefers to build the diz with points which has its pros/cons most notable pros are simplicity and easily maintained. Cost is around $200.00
I had Jeff build a 25D for my car recently after I tried Pertronix and that was a good system however I fried the coil while on the road and was left stranded. Carry extra points and you're good to go.
As Jeff told me what was original and what I had run for years was the Cooper S 23D diz which was set up for the times of high octane leaded fuel and allowed the motor to work best in the higher rev range.
With the "new" 25D Jeff built the motor pulls well from low revs and keeps going to 5500-6000 rpm which is plenty for a streetable A-series. Probably does not start as well as with the Pertronix, so that is one of the con sides and/or having the car in storage over the winter with stale gasoline.
would be nice if he's somewhere southern california and everybody else here is very expensive.
Quote from: Armycook on April 04, 2017, 10:05:19 AM
would be nice if he's somewhere southern california and everybody else here is very expensive.
I think he's in Minnesota, and there is a several month waiting list.
According to his website, current build time is 4-5 weeks and he is in Minnesota.
http://advanceddistributors.com/wordpress1/ (http://advanceddistributors.com/wordpress1/)
We had Jeff do one a while back for the 1098 and then again a few years ago for the 1275.
We have been happy. He did install Pertronix in both and we have always carried points and condenser.
Terry
I had Martin Jay (http://www.distributordoctor.com/) build a dizzy for me; I sent an old unit to him and had a full-length bronze bush installed, fully rebuilt and re-curved. There was about a 6 or 7 week waiting period, so I installed Terry's old Aldon Y (thanks again Terry) which I'm still using.
If I can get funds for and time on a dyno, I'll see which dizzy suits my engine best. So far, though, the Aldon Y fitted with the Luminition Optronic seems to be doing the job.
i'm interested in the 123 Ignition distributor. I'm curious what if this breaks? Is there a part inside that you can replace or should I buy a whole new distributor again? Cause I wouldn't wanna pay for another $400 again after that.
Anybody experienced any issues with it?
Quote from: Armycook on April 05, 2017, 08:00:30 AM
i'm interested in the 123 Ignition distributor. I'm curious what if this breaks? Is there a part inside that you can replace or should I buy a whole new distributor again? Cause I wouldn't wanna pay for another $400 again after that.
Anybody experienced any issues with it?
I don't have any personal experience with it, but I have seen posts out on the Internet of people complaining its circuit boards are not well protected against water intrusion.
I've seen that also, but it seems once they get dried out again they work.....but to answer the OP's question, there are no user serviceable parts in there....just electronic gizmos. My understanding is you can send it back to them to have it checked out or fixed.....
isn't that the issue with most distributors?
yeah cause they're only $369.97 at 7enterprise and i'll have to click that box where it says "I understand this is a non-returnable item" and i'd hate that i will have to go to another company for those parts with question if they'd be under warranty or not.
There are no user serviceable parts in a 123.......but in a regular dizzy there are.
I don't know how they handle their warranty, but I think you have to send it back to the MFR.
However my experience with the 123 is that it's well made and works perfectly once you pick and set the curve that works best with your particular engine.
I hear on the later ones you can change curves without having to take off the cap.
WillieB needs to weigh in here, he has one in his car.
I also have a 123 and so far no problems. I'll dig through my previous owner receipts when I get home to see when it was installed, I'm thinking around 2011 since that's when the motor was done.
Check minispares also, they have several ranging from 210 to 307 (prices in british pounds) Shipping isn't much more that 7ent and only takes 3-4 days.
My 123 let me down when it got soaked and would not fire. After several days drying it worked fine. I just ordered a distributor from CSI to try. All electronic like the 123 but different packaging. It should be here soon. Alex on MM forum has had good things to say about them.
just ordered one at 7. $369.97 not including tax and shipping. let's see friday how this will work
I have a csi for my 1275 build. Just like the 123 but a tad cheaper as I recall. Have a pointless 25d on my 998. It's the only way to go.
Showed just after I posted.
Adjust the setting from the top, they even sent a small screwdriver for this. Looks good so far. Went ahead and got a new coil also.
Total with shipping from Moss Europe was $336.15. Ordered last Friday, delivered Wednesday.
While we're on the topic, here are timing curves for the csi. As an added bonus here is an aldon yellow curve (figures need doubled) for performance reference.
So, do you know which curve you want to use?
I'll look at my notes but 10 or 11 I believe.
Good to know, that looks like a good starting point at least.
That Aldon curve looks slow to me.....but the only real way to know is to put the car on a Dyno.
i ordered the 123 ignition and I still have a 3ohm coil at home so ill just use that. Right now i just need to make a baffle behind the block where mech fuel pump blanking plate as it's spraying oil out of the hose to the small K&N filter i installed.
I know I have seen others available but this is the only one I could readily find:
http://www.minimania.com/part/C-2A265/Austin-Mini-Crankcase-Air-Breather-Kit-Mechanical-Fuel-Pump-Mounting
yeah i tried that. studs won't come off. i did the 2 nut method still not coming off.
A piece of sheet metal with a lot of 1/8" holes in it mounted behind the plate would do the trick.