Turbo Mini Van
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi guys.

Bit slow at doing this but the van is now finished and has been on the road for a few weeks so I thought I'd post up some pics (might be a few posts as there are a about 16 pics).

Also, many thanks to those on TM that have given me help and assistance with my MS installation particularly when I had misfire problems (sorted in the main by fitting a 20 micro Farad capacitor on the live feed to the coil pack).

As for spec:

Modified MT Garret T3 Turbo, 360 degree job, currently running 16 psi with water injection and knock retard on a Megasquirt 1 v3 ECU with 21 psi MAP sensor.

AP2 cam, belt drive, MED wedged, bladed crank, straight cut Tran X box and Tran X 4 pin diff, MT verto flywheel (with a mod I did myself to increase spring stiffness), centre main strap.

Omega pistons with 8.1 static CR, new MPi head (beak removed), reshaped chambers, tunnel ports, 6 mm 36 x 31 valves (cut by the now defunct Honeycrock Racing), Avonbar 1.5 Forged rockers, 10 mm ignition leads, Ford Wasted Spark coilpack, 36-1 VR crank sensor, MPi/SPi Air and Coolant sensors, self made plenum (using Meastro/Montego N/A as basis), dump valve, 37 mm carb throat restrictor, solid jet holder, modified needle.

Ford Series 1 RS Turbo intercooler, self made stainless intercooler pipes, MT Aux water rad and NMocal 10 row oil cooler, water injection tank below alternator.

To ensure engine health I've fitted: a GReddy Profec 2 Boost Controller, AEM Wide Band AFR, analogue boost gauge, oil press/water temp gauges, oil temp gauge, tacho, intercooler delivery temp gauge. All housed with relays and fuses in LH and RH glove boxes.

Just need a bit of fettling with spark and fuel and she'll be ready for her second visit to the dyno.

I've heard good things about Stuart Gurr at VMax. I live near Bath, what do you guys recommend ?

Cheers guys.

Richard.

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Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

Will be in Mini Mag this month apparently.

Cheers.

Richard.

Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

looks very stealth. nice

very clean indeed, i take it with the painted underside it won't be seeing much of the british weather?

"Cars are a lifetime of pain"

Fuck me !!

That has had some time spent on it!

Show winning quality!

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Very impressive!

Jesus! thats crazy attention to detail is amazing and must have the power to boot.

Will it be seen on the 1/4 and circuits?

looks nice,
a little to shiny for me tho....lol

Holy crap batman! That is immaculate - kudos to you!

i just see this in miniworld....nice

why do you have rear coilovers but std setup at the front?

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

Searching is all you need on TurboMinis

really nice work, looks great

just hope you get some use out of it and dont just 'show' it..

Fantastic looking car, given me a few ideas for the BOC.

Looks Grand mate :) Top stuff..

Shit Happen's

Stunning.

Wow, that is the ultimate sleeper. I like it a lot:)

Cheers for all the supporting comments guys.

And yes, it does get used, doin a 60 mile round trip goin to work and back at least twice a week since puttin it on the road in June, although I won't be takin it on the strip just yet till the wasted spark and fuel is well fettled. Got a good map which I'll post up next week - I need your advice on where I could run more advance.

I've built, modified, painted sorted all this through my own efforts over 10 1/2 years. Combine with the TM forum, I've learnt so much in that time, it never ceases to amaze me what can be done and how much new technology can be used on the venerable A series.

To answer a few Q's, the plenum is indeed a modified NA Maestro or Montego job, which I cut n shut after stumbling on it in a scrap yard one day. It has the HIF44 bolt pattern but I've drilled the extra hole for the float chamber and changed the inlet position so it clears my Metro clutch master cyl.

As for why no coilovers on the front, I thought the progressive nature of rubber would be better suited with the weight of the engine rather than fixed metal spring stiffness, plus I couldn't justify the extra expenditure when Hi Lo's and donuts were in the garage.

Only been on the road since 5th June - but believe me it's gettin used - it's not just a show car - I am, however, havin my opportunity to 'showcase' rather than pick up silverware. That said, I did Beaulieu 2 days after going on the road and it took a modified class win and best in show. Just come back from Stanford Hall where it won Variants Class, Best Engine and one point from Best in Show - elated and gutted at the same time.

It'll be in Mini Mag next week and I'll see some of you guys at Combe next Saturday 27th. I'll be on the Six-Ex Club Stand.

Come on over for a chat.

Cheers.

Richard.

Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

nice one pleased it's getting used, just so clean i can't see how you keep it so well!

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

that looks very nice i saw it at stanford hall last week end and i was amazed very nice.

never underestimate a mini!

Mini Mag just dropped through the letter box.

This car is the lead feature. Good write up and photos.

We also got a couple of mentions which is nice.

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."

nice one , good work on your feature.

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

Cheers Paul , Matt.

Was a great day and bright as hell.

Really pleased with the result.

As I said in the article, I've learnt loads but there's alot to be said for the advice and articles on TM. Couldn't have done without it - especially in resolving fuelling and Megasquirt issues.

See some of you on Saturday at Combe I hope.

Richard.

Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

didn't this win at cooper day? was chatting to you for about 10 mins really nice car :)

Some good news results at long last ...........

Following on from a successful day on Tuesday having the suspension and steering fully set up and 4 wheel laser aligned, I took the van back to Stuart Gurr at VMax yesterday for what I hoped to be a much more productive day on his Rolling Road after the trouble I had with the fuelling during the first visit at the end of last year.

Yesterday's visit was the culmination of a great deal of advice and recent success sorting the damn fuelling which had plagued me for about a year until a month ago. But thanks to Rob H for loan of his 'Nic R plenum' and to Robert for advice on boost signal connection to the FPR, I finally sorted it.

The RR results are very encouraging and we only had to use 10 psi to achieve the desired results.

We tried a higher boost setting but my T3 setup with AP2 cam and tunnel ported 36x31 head didn't seem to produce much more power over what we achieved at 10 psi so we stuck with that.

2000 rpm 50.78 nanas
3000 rpm 68.4
4000 rpm 125.4
5000 rpm 138.8
5500 rpm 151.2 peak.

Peak torque was 167.2 curly wurlies around 4000 rpm, can't recall the exact figure.

All figures are flywheel corrected, no loss.

The benefits of getting the car properly setup really showed their worth as Stuart managed to find about 25 extra nanas and on the way home, my fuel economy had risen from 22 to 36 mpg just proving that optimal power doesn't have to come from the expense of extra fuel.

Rundown from 60 to 30 mph in top on the rollers was about 35 seconds with its SCCR box, 3.2 FD and modded Metro 4 pots. This means my setup suffers about 14% transmission losses.

So, thats 130 nanas and 145 curly wurlies at the wheels.

It's mental to drive, especially between 3000-4000 rpm where power is nearly doubled. Well chuffed.

Just in time to blast it up the M5 to the IMM.

Happy days are here again ........

Richard.

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Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

well done richard ,take it to the track at mitp?

Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM