Mini Sport 10" Disc Conversion Kit
Discussion
Mini Sport are listing a disk brake conversion kit to go down from 12's to 10's, which includes disks, calipers, drive flanges, pads and fittings, for £350.
Anyone bought one of these? Not sure whether they come with 4-pot calipers or not.
Always been put off going down to 10's on cost grounds (don't want to go back to drums!) but this is a bit closer to being affordable.
Anyone bought one of these? Not sure whether they come with 4-pot calipers or not.
Always been put off going down to 10's on cost grounds (don't want to go back to drums!) but this is a bit closer to being affordable.
You can get to 10" wheels without all that expense. If you machine a bit off the standard disc calipers used on the 8.4" discs you can just get a 10" wheel to fit. Have a look and you'll see where to mill the caliper down. Then you just fit the smaller wheels. You need to use as a pattern a wheel identical to the ones you intend to fit to ensure clearance.
Don't try to fit the balance weights on the inside of the rim, though!
I've never done this, but I know a man who has. If you like I can get the machining info (I think).
However, there is no reason to buy the full kit if you want to do it properly.
All you need is a pair of Cooper 'S' calipers and a pair of 7.5" discs. The later hubs and drive shafts and uprights are all compatible. So, you buy 2 calipers at £90 each and two 7.5" discs at c.£20 each and that's all you actually need, plus some decent pads, of course. The kits at over £350 are just a rip-off!
Don't try to fit the balance weights on the inside of the rim, though!
I've never done this, but I know a man who has. If you like I can get the machining info (I think).
However, there is no reason to buy the full kit if you want to do it properly.
All you need is a pair of Cooper 'S' calipers and a pair of 7.5" discs. The later hubs and drive shafts and uprights are all compatible. So, you buy 2 calipers at £90 each and two 7.5" discs at c.£20 each and that's all you actually need, plus some decent pads, of course. The kits at over £350 are just a rip-off!
miniman said:
Plotloss - I was thinking exactly that. The KAD kit is lovely jubbly but I can't find a supplier anywhere on the web - any ideas???
Cooperman - any ideas where I can get a set of calipers? The disks seem readily available new.
Try the Mini Shop (0208 805 8085) or Mini Spares (01707 607700). They are available new. If you can get some old ones, they are very easy to re-build with new stainless steel pistons and new seals. Sorry, but I don't have any spare. Actually I have 3 of one hand and none of the other - a lot of use that is!
I am surprised that 4-pot calipers and vented discs are needed on a Mini. The weight of the car is low and the braking with a 7.5" disk has always seemed excellent, so long as the right pads and brake fluid are used. I've had my 7.5" discs almost red-hot, but with carbon-metallic pads and AP600 fluid it still stops very well. I think I'd spend that cash in other areas of performance improvement, but that's just me.
Peter, you seem to be the only person who i have spoken to that thinks the old 7.5 brakes are any good, anyway brakes only slow you down.....
The info re fitting 10 inch wheels over 8.4 brakes would be handy if i ever find that old clubbie under the growing pile of rust and grindings....
Not posting much nowerdays as the cuts and scapes on my hands hurt on the keyboard....
Thread hijack. I note you have done away with the fresh air trunking to your heater 'cos of RAC/FIA regs. Presumably this is 'cos they create a break in the firewall but thats only to the wheelarch. Does the front plastic trunking through the wing to the front grill cause a problem. Surely you could seal that. Do you also do away with the fresh air "eyeballs", Does the car steam up more?
Does your chewing gum lose its flavour etc
Thanks for the support.
The info re fitting 10 inch wheels over 8.4 brakes would be handy if i ever find that old clubbie under the growing pile of rust and grindings....
Not posting much nowerdays as the cuts and scapes on my hands hurt on the keyboard....
Thread hijack. I note you have done away with the fresh air trunking to your heater 'cos of RAC/FIA regs. Presumably this is 'cos they create a break in the firewall but thats only to the wheelarch. Does the front plastic trunking through the wing to the front grill cause a problem. Surely you could seal that. Do you also do away with the fresh air "eyeballs", Does the car steam up more?
Does your chewing gum lose its flavour etc
Thanks for the support.
I’ve seen some cars with machined metro vented discs and 4 pots in a 10” minilight so it must be possible, I’d worry about machining callipers though.
I was considering going the other way, finding out if I could space the calliper out and fit bigger discs that would squeeze under the 13” wheels, might as well make use of the empty space.
I was considering going the other way, finding out if I could space the calliper out and fit bigger discs that would squeeze under the 13” wheels, might as well make use of the empty space.
[quote=sagalout]Peter, you seem to be the only person who i have spoken to that thinks the old 7.5 brakes are any good, anyway brakes only slow you down.....
As I am only allowed original Cooper 'S' brakes I am stuck with 7.5" anyway.
However, I must confess that I have had problems, but those have been due to poor pads and low spec brake fluid. The last 'conventional' pads which I could get to work adequately were the old Mintex M171, now no longer available. I tried Mintex M1155 and M1166, but didn't get on well with them under rally conditions. I tried the F3000, but they were mega-expensive and only lasted about one event (at £70 a set). My buddy Peter Horsburgh, (the Flying Scotsman), who owns a '64 'S' similar spec to mine recommended the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. What super pads. Good from quite cool, progressive pedal and great at really high temps. I can stop on a tarmac stages repeatedly from speeds of over 90 mph with absolutely no fade or grab. Totally recommend this set-up when used with AP600 racing brake fluid.
On the subject of fresh air heater piping, remember on the Mk 1 'S' the fresh-air pipe went through the engine compartment and into the car via a hole in the bulkhead. This is what must be plated over on a rally car. I need to look at the air hose on my 1991 Cooper 1275, but I suspect I'll remove it and plate over the hole. I may just duct the hot air into the eyeball vents, if this is possible, to keep the side windows de-misted. For fresh air I'll just have to open the window a little, like I do on my Mk. 1. Remember, I shall have a heated front and rear screen, so they won't mist up on an event.
Come on, chaps, anyone else for this Formula 1400 Enduro Rallying in a later standard 1990's Mini Cooper 1275. We need a Pistonheads Team of 3.
As I am only allowed original Cooper 'S' brakes I am stuck with 7.5" anyway.
However, I must confess that I have had problems, but those have been due to poor pads and low spec brake fluid. The last 'conventional' pads which I could get to work adequately were the old Mintex M171, now no longer available. I tried Mintex M1155 and M1166, but didn't get on well with them under rally conditions. I tried the F3000, but they were mega-expensive and only lasted about one event (at £70 a set). My buddy Peter Horsburgh, (the Flying Scotsman), who owns a '64 'S' similar spec to mine recommended the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. What super pads. Good from quite cool, progressive pedal and great at really high temps. I can stop on a tarmac stages repeatedly from speeds of over 90 mph with absolutely no fade or grab. Totally recommend this set-up when used with AP600 racing brake fluid.
On the subject of fresh air heater piping, remember on the Mk 1 'S' the fresh-air pipe went through the engine compartment and into the car via a hole in the bulkhead. This is what must be plated over on a rally car. I need to look at the air hose on my 1991 Cooper 1275, but I suspect I'll remove it and plate over the hole. I may just duct the hot air into the eyeball vents, if this is possible, to keep the side windows de-misted. For fresh air I'll just have to open the window a little, like I do on my Mk. 1. Remember, I shall have a heated front and rear screen, so they won't mist up on an event.
Come on, chaps, anyone else for this Formula 1400 Enduro Rallying in a later standard 1990's Mini Cooper 1275. We need a Pistonheads Team of 3.
Cooperman said:
Come on, chaps, anyone else for this Formula 1400 Enduro Rallying in a later standard 1990's Mini Cooper 1275. We need a Pistonheads Team of 3.
If only I had the money and the time! In fact, if I had enough time to devote to it, I'd find the money. Ahh well, maybe next year...
miniman said:
Come on, chaps, anyone else for this Formula 1400 Enduro Rallying in a later standard 1990's Mini Cooper 1275. We need a Pistonheads Team of 3.
If only I had the money and the time! In fact, if I had enough time to devote to it, I'd find the money. Ahh well, maybe next year...
As I prepare my car I'll keep you posted on the costs. I reckon it's the cheapest way to go rallying these days.
Take my car. It's a 1991 Cooper 1275 Carb model(black/white roof). I paid £1200 for it and it needs just a bit of bodywork, say about £400. Then I'll take it to my workshop at my home and strip out the engine and box. The engine I'll re-build and 'blueprint' myself, just paying for the machining and new bits. I reckon about £500 for all that, including new valves, pistons, bearings, etc. The gearbox will need a re-build, say £250 plus £135 for a cross-pin diff.
A basic rear roll cage wil be about £200, new seats at £100 each and full harness belts at about £100 per side.
Most of the rest of the prep is just labour, although I shall overhaul the braking system and, of course, fit carbon-metallic pads and AP600 fluid.
Run all the lines inside the car, make up a battery box guard, fit new rear linings and a fly-off handbrake. A decent pair of second-hand spotlights (I just got 4 Cibie Super Oscars - 8" dia - for £35) - and you're on the start line.
I reckon the entire car will cost my son and me around £3500, and that's with everything done and finished. He and I are going half each. He's Cooperman Junior, by the way.
Come on, I need some team support.
Why not come and watch an event or two, but be warned, you'll catch the bug. I think it's great to be in an old Mini having a real go at the latest cars.
It really pisses them off when you catch them up in the lanes, especially when you are a grey haired old b****r like me!
Next event for my 1964 Historic car is the Gremlin on the last weekend of Feb. I couldn't do it last year as i had just haad an op on my hand, but the year before Mike (my son and ace nav.) and I got first historic and second overall against all the moderns, inc 2.0 Escorts, Golf GTI's, Pug 205GTi's, etc.
It starts and finishes in Brecon and uses all the private army roads and the forests in that area. They need some marshalls as well.
Anyone up for that?
Cooperman
miniman said:
Mini Sport are listing a disk brake conversion kit to go down from 12's to 10's, which includes disks, calipers, drive flanges, pads and fittings, for £350.
Anyone bought one of these? Not sure whether they come with 4-pot calipers or not.
Always been put off going down to 10's on cost grounds (don't want to go back to drums!) but this is a bit closer to being affordable.
I'd be extremely skeptical about it fitting correctly - IME Mini Sport don't check their kits (in general) fit more than 1 type of mini, so you could well end up with a kit that simply isn't right, and they will charge you a re-stocking fee - despite assuring you when you buy it that it'll fit fine, and contains everything you need.
Cooperman1 said:
... make up a battery box guard,
Can't you just move the battery to inside the boot? (i.e. the bottom of the battery level with the floor of the boot - just remove the battery box, weld in a piece of plate steel to cover the hole, then weld the battery box onto that) Or is that against the regs?
Cooperman1 said:
It starts and finishes in Brecon and uses all the private army roads and the forests in that area. They need some marshalls as well.
Anyone up for that?
Cooperman
I'd love to, but it's a bit of a trek for me (and a bit of a swim too...
Cooperman1 said:
Come on, I need some team support.
Why not come and watch an event or two, but be warned, you'll catch the bug. I think it's great to be in an old Mini having a real go at the latest cars.
Yeah, why not, I'm up for that. Let me know some dates, and I'll organise a trip.
That's great, I'll email you privately as to locations and time. If you want to marshal as well, in which case you'll get easy access to the army ranges of Eppynt and/or the forests, I'll give you the name and number of the person to contact.
Look forward to meeting you and your friends at last.
Peter
Look forward to meeting you and your friends at last.
Peter
Fatboy said:
[quote=Cooperman1]
... make up a battery box guard,
Can't you just move the battery to inside the boot? (i.e. the bottom of the battery level with the floor of the boot - just remove the battery box, weld in a piece of plate steel to cover the hole, then weld the battery box onto that) Or is that against the regs?
With 2 spare wheels, a small toolkit, kack, tow rope and some oil in the boot it gets a bit small, so i just make up a batt box guard out of 1/8" aluminium with a rivetted on aluminium extrusion on the inner edge. It works just fine and keeps the C of G as low as possible. If I raised it up I should have to make an enclosed battery box. Of course, on the 1964 Cooper 'S' I have twin tanks, so the battery can't be raised up. Batt guard has prevented damage, even on really rough bits, so far.
Miniman, I'll let you ahve the rally details on Friday. It'll be great to see you there.
Peter
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