After a long break, the project is moving forward again! (stalled by relocating, but now have a garage )

i've been researching the option of the BMW head modification - i think i can get it to fit, but the throttle bodies are going to be very close, if not fouling on the bulkhead. the engine is out of the car now, so i can't take measurements easily, so was wondering how far i can get away with tilting the engine, such that i can get a slim airbox running the width of the car on the bulkhead and add side intakes. would be great to get some opinions.

cheers,
steve

Is it a Cox or a coupe?

Reason I'm asking I have seen a KAD head on a Cox, it needed a small amount of modifications to make it fit, but the bulkhead box is that much bigger on a Cox compared to a Coupe.

You could always fabricate a bigger bulkhead box if its a Coupe you have.

Tilting the engine back... Yeah you'll gain some room but not a great deal, but are you using throttle bodies or carbs, as you might need a trick manifold if your using carbs and tilting the engine.

Hi Steve,

Folks have looked at the BMW head before but I don't think anyone's actually built one -- as you say the clearance to the bulkhead is a major issue particularly as the lower edge of the BMW throttle bodies are in line with the spaceframe cross tube. SC might be able to do something with their throttle bodies but the expense is beginning to mount.

Look for a thread called "lady with amazing engine for sale" -- yes really -- and some posts by jaykart1227.

Another way to do this might be to reverse the engine a la Maestro with an end-on gearbox and a Watsons frame but again the costs are becoming prohibitive.

Good luck if you do decide to go ahead -- once you've sorted it I'm sure there are a lot of us who would like to jump on the bandwagon -- my 8v head is still stashed away somewhere in the barn.

Steve

I have seen one fitted into a Mini and it's a fairly tight fit. There is also quite a bit of engineering needed in terms of the cylinder head stud locations and so on.

This is quite a difficult cost balance -- £ per PS -- the cost of the head, SC kit and machining to both the head and the block isn't cheap BUT neither is a stage 4 head plus weber from the likes of Minispares/sport and that will never flow the air that the BMW head will even as an 8V. I spoke to a guy at the Malvern show last year who'd built one and reckoned he had 130PS with high 30mpg economy out of a 1380 motor with smooth throttle response like a modern car. There's a hill climb car reckons its running 160PS with uprated cams. It's something I'd really like to do once we've finished extending the house/converting the barn into a workshop etc Maybe if it won't fit into the Coupe I'll try it in my recently acquired Austin 1100 -- don't ask!

Steve

Nowt wrong with a 1100 Steve, very happy memories of barreling along in our family 1100 as a kid, bouncing around on the back seat!
you should do it. Mmmm, Fast and Floaty.....

Don't want to thread cap here but the boys on the Mk1 Mini site a well into their ADO16s -- might have to join them when I'm ready to work on the car.
Steve