mini engine help

[HarryWeekes]

what should i do to my mini 998 1979 to increase proformance and motorway cruising, also what bhp will could i acheive for around £550 on modifications?

[Cooperman]

The things which limit the performance of a standard 998 are: poor head chamber design, very 'soft' cam, poor inlet & exhaust manifolds, poor exhaust pipe, too low a compression ratio and too small valves, too small a carburettor.
How far you can go to improve the above is determined by how much you want to spend, but first off, there is no point in modifying the engine unless it is in top mechanical condition to start with, particularly piston/bore condition, oil pressure/bearing/oil pump condition, etc. To increase the output of a poor condition engine will just lead to a need for a rebuild at quite a high cost.
It's probably best to wait until you can afford a gas-flowed head, better cam, better manifolds and exhaust system, then do it all at once. If you do it bit-by-bit you'll need a rolling-road set up after each mod at a cost of c. £150 to £175 each time if you are to get the best results.

[HarryWeekes]

Thanks for your help I was thinking about a stage one kit and then a new cam kit what do u think about that ? And also what carbarettor would u recommed ?

[-Pete-]

Look at David Vizard's book "How to modify your Mini" for about £15, he's the guru of mini engine tuning...