1275's - where to buy 'em?
 

I'm looking at a really nice li'l Mini for a very reasonable price - but it's a 998...

... where can I find a 1275 drivetrain? Who sells them? I don't need a freshly-rebuilt one --- just a reasonable used one that I can freshen and install.

Thanks!

check with Dion at djminis.com he usually has something sitting around.....he might only have A series 1275 thus the A+ series are getting hard to come by....good luck.....998 are good engine's, where abouts are you located?

Thanks for the reply!

This Mini is an '80 with a 998 A+ --- I am in SC.

Is there much of a difference between the 1275 A's and A+'s?

i don know the exact spec differance but im sure someone will chime in (MINIMAD WHERE ARE YOU :lol: ).......i'm suppost to get a surplus of mini parts including engines, if your not in a hurry i should be able to go through and see what i have in about 3wks, when the guy clears his warehouse of parts and brings it by to me

Well, I have to decide whether or not I'm going to buy this Mini I'm looking at --- having a 1275 lined up ahead of time for a reasonable price would make the decision much easier, know what I mean?

If it's going to be expensive, then I'm really not doing myself any favors by buying a lower-priced car if I have to fork out tons of cash to get a 1275 afterwards.

Also - it doesn't appear that an engine swap on these cars is especially complicated, right? Not too much hardware differences between 998's and 1275's?

pm sent :thumbsup:

Got it, thanks - sent you one in return - we'll talk that way instead.

Mini Mania builds 1275 and 1380cc complete power-units and will be offering a FREE SHIPPING special for all orders placed next week.
http://www.minimania.com/web/Display...s/ArticleV.cfm

1. Drive a 998 first. There's nothing wrong with a 998 and with a few mods they are almost as quick as a 1275 in normal driving conditions. I drive a 1098, and love it. It costs significanlty less in $$ and time to mod a 998 than swap a 1275.

2. Here's a rebuilt 1275 in Miami for $2,500
http://www.minimania.com/web/id/7968...ale_Detail.cfm

3.A used rebuildable motor is $995 plus $250+ shipping - I bought one from Minimania rebuilt it into a 1380 in a previous Mini
http://www.minimania.com/web/Item/U%.../InvDetail.cfm

4. A used, tested ready to install (except ancillaries and other fittings) is also available. Last I saw them they were at least $1,295 plus shipping.

5. You may find a motor for less, but rebuilds will cost you a couple grand to do it correctly.

drive the 998, you may love it. if the mini that you are looking at is in great shape other than the size of the motor than i would still consider getting it.
1) if you end up buying/building a 1275 - you'll build the motor the way you want it
2) you still enjoy driving it with the 998 until your ready to swap.
3) if the rest of the mini is in great shape than the motor is just a minor change (compared to body/interior)

Well, here's what I'm lookin' at - I am trying to decide between a couple different Mini's:

- Really nice almost-showroom RHD with a 998, at the very top of my price range

- Nice RHD with a 998, very reasonable price, cheapest of the three I am looking at

- Very reasonable-to-nice LHD with a low-mileage rebuilt 1275 from an MG Metro, new chassis wiring harness, etc - almost as much as the really nice RHD 998

I am most concerned with having a low-rust solid body shell. These three are all very solid.

After that, I would really like a 1275 and a RHD car. If I get the LHD, I will do an RHD swap. If I get a 998 car, I will do the 1275 swap.

Looks like the LHD-to-RHD swap is cheaper and easier than the 998-to-1275 swap, right...?

What do you think?

Yes, of course.

Buy the best body shell you can afford. You will never regret it. Body work is the pits. THOROUGHLY check for rust in all the little corners in, out and under the car. The motor is secondary. You can always replace it when you become familiar with Minis and what it is you that really want for the way you drive it.

Watch modifying a 1275. The more you do to it, the more "issues" occur. Also, he harder you run it, the shorter it will last. More mods make you push it harder. Some mods make the Mini an absolute PITA in traffic.

Thanks for the help, Minimad!

What is it about 1275's that make them less reliable than 998's?

Surely modding the smaller capacity motor for power, and driving it hard, would shorten its life and reduce reliability more so than with the bigger 1275?

As for mods, I won't be doing anything extreme - only swapping in a little more edgy cam that is still strong in the midrange and street-friendly, a slightly lighter flywheel, and the standard filter / exhaust setup.

I am not questioning your expertise - just asking to learn. Thanks again for the help.

:thumbsup: