Engine transplants - Ancillary parts

Engine mountings are a whizz to fit as the Mini ones fit straight onto any of the other units. Just remove the Metro/AA/1300GT ones and swop the mounts over from the Mini unit. If they’re split, fit new ones, they’re cheap.

Terminology -
BBU - Big Bore Unit
SBU - Small Bore Unit

NOTE: This information covers transplanting large-bore engine units into small-bore engined Minis. For further information for exact differences between pre-A+ and A+ units, see relevant separate article.

Engine mountings and steady bars.
Engine mountings are a whizz to fit as the Mini ones fit straight onto any of the other units. Just remove the Metro/AA/1300GT ones and swop the mounts over from the Mini unit. If they’re split, fit new ones, they’re cheap. If using the AA/1300GT unit - it's advisable to cut off the 'wings' on the front plate that carried the engine mounts on the radiator end.

Engine transplants - gearbox information

A subject worthy of an entire book to explain the whys and wherefores, and also causes much consternation on the part of the transplanter. Terminology - BBU - Big Bore Unit SBU - Small Bore Unit FD - Final Drive (diff ratio) A subject worthy of an entire book to explain the whys and wherefores, and also causes much consternation on the part of the transplanter. Much confusion’s spread over which gearbox has the best ratios, is best to use, and with which FD. For a detailed account on this and covering all gearboxes fitted as standard to the Mini, see the relevant separate articles 'Gearbox - Standard production gearbox types'. Fortunately, when selecting a complete engine and gearbox unit from a Metro, the gearbox will pretty much suit the engine and be easily transplantable whole into the Mini. It shares exactly the same rod-change linkage as the Mini. Difficulties only arise when fitting a rod-change gearbox into a pre-1973 Mini that has the old remote-type gear-change mechan

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Good Vibrations

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Good Vibrations

This year saw the re-introduction of the damper ring originally fitted to the Cooper ‘S’ engines and used extensively by a multitude of racers – until its demise instigated by the cessation of production by BL some 10 or so years ago.  Very unfortunate as this was broadly recognised as being THE crank damper to use on any performance of rally/race engine to deal with odd-ball harmonics produced by the 3 main bearing ‘A’ series engine.  Midget and Sprite racers mourned the loss more than Mini owners, as the current “thick” damper causes clearance problems – the damper hits the cross member under hard braking/severe engine braking.

Other problems caused by using the only available damper (as used on...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Good Vibrations

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Good Vibrations

This year saw the re-introduction of the damper ring originally fitted to the Cooper ‘S’ engines and used extensively by a multitude of racers – until its demise instigated by the cessation of production by BL some 10 or so years ago.  Very unfortunate as this was broadly recognised as being THE crank damper to use on any performance of rally/race engine to deal with odd-ball harmonics produced by the 3 main bearing ‘A’ series engine.  Midget and Sprite racers mourned the loss more than Mini owners, as the current “thick” damper causes clearance problems – the damper hits the cross member under hard braking/severe engine braking.

Other problems caused by using the only available damper (as used on...