Tuning Guides: Austin Mini

From Classic Car Life

The Austin Mini is one of the most iconic British cars in the world and although it was originally intended as a good, cheap family car but people soon started to realise, especially John Cooper, that Mini tuning could prove very successful on the world motorsport stage and the Austin Mini, in mini cooper form, soon went on to be successful in a wide variety of motorsport in the 1960s and 1970s. Mini tuning is still very popular with this old car, read on to find out more.

Austin Mini Tuning

• The A-Series engine in the Austin Mini has proved to be a good basis for Mini tuning over the years and there are now hundreds of classic car parts available with the intention of producing more power from the Austin Mini.

• Austin Mini tuning is often split into stages. Stage one tuning kits are very popular mini tuning kits and consists of a high-flow air filter, new carburettor needle, improved inlet manifold and full performance exhaust system (usually an RC40 exhaust). This type of Mini tuning costs between £150 and £200 and produces a small but noticeable performance increase and when set up on a rolling road, often results in better fuel economy.

• Stage 2 Austin Mini tuning includes all of the aspects of the stage one kit but with other added classic car parts including improved cam shafts and rocker kits. Both of these aspects of Austin Mini tuning work to keep the cylinder head valves open longer, thus increasing power.

• Stage three tuning kits for this old car move on to replacing cylinder heads and this is often where big power increases can be achieved; consequently, it is one of the most popular aspects of Mini tuning. There is a wide range of cylinder heads available for the Austin Mini, most of which are reclaimed and modified classic car parts. The range of possibilities with this aspect of classic Mini tuning is huge ranging from simple gas flowing to work enlarging the inlets and exhausts as well as extensive combustion chamber work. Prices can range from £200 to anywhere up to £1500. 7 and 8 port cylinder heads are also becoming more and more common and these offer huge power gains over the standard 5 port Austin Mini cylinder head but require large amounts of work to fit.

• Many people bore out the original Austin Mini engine and this has been common in Mini tuning for decades. The standard 1275cc block can be bored out to 1380cc (or 1430cc with crank work) and these engines can produce very good amounts of power. This old car also has a wide range of carburettors available including a wide range of SU carbs, Weber/Dellorto carbs or even motorbike carbs.

• Turbo-charging and super-charging are also becoming more common Austin Mini tuning methods and although expensive, large power gains can be had from forced induction. The number of classic car parts available for the Mini runs into the tens of thousands so you should be able to find Mini tuning parts that are suitable for you.