Ive already searched and not finding anything. I am looking for a writeup on a project mini with a W11 conversion. Does anyone know of any with photo's and/or digital video of the classic mini's after the conversion?

 

Taking a first gen W11 engine and popping it into a classic? Did you see this done already somewhere?

I'd have to measure my spare engine again, but I think it's quite a bit taller than a classic's.

Here's another thread on NAM:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ssic-mini.html

 

a VTEC swap would be MUCH MUCH easier . . . there are kits . . .

 

Yup...and cheaper too...
Modern MINI parts are $$$...Honda stuff is pretty cheap and reliable in comparison...
A few Classic mini sites have some pretty amazing kits for classic mini's if you just want to use a bored standard block...prebuilt and pretty stout from reading the stats....
Have debated selling my r53, and buying a beater car and a classic project car to toy with...

 

I just did something similar: gave up my R61 last week... Got a Wagen for family (2014 JETTA) and now I'm on the hunt for classic... Last time I had one, it was 1988...

 

I just wanted to do something different. I have thought about using one of the kits to go AWD using the parts from the Honda CRV. But I still would like to use the W11 because I absolutely love that engine. I mean thats pretty much how many of these kits get on the market if you think about it. Someone wanted to do something different even at the expensive of listening to purists rant and being told it isn't mechanically or cost effectively probable. lol


Over the years Ive read and seen photo's of two conversions into a Mini Classic. One using the VW L4 1.9 TDI and the other using I think either the VW L3 1.2 or 1.4TDI. It could have been the Audi L3 but being Audi is owned by VW since the early 1960's its still a VW engine just usually with better power band.

I think stripping the W11 down to a long block and manufacturing my own parts it would maybe fit. Clocking the engine to a difference degree might help too.