Dean Graham's 1293 Turbo Classic Mini
Read the full write-up at My Turbo Classic Mini Project (1293 Turbo) ↗
Photo: My Turbo Classic Mini Project (1293 Turbo)A 998cc Classic Mini rebuilt into a 1293cc Metro Turbo powered project
Dean Graham documents converting his teenage 998cc Mini into a turbocharged 1293cc build using a Metro Turbo engine, Garrett T3 turbo and carbon fibre body panels. The blog covers the bulkhead modification needed to fit the turbo, the engine build, a weight-saving body strip, and the cylinder head and cooling work, written as a personal project log rather than a finished showcase.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- 1275cc block bored to 1293cc, Metro Turbo block, +.020" Omega 1015 pistons with 10cc dish, balanced conrods, lightened and balanced crank, Kent duplex timing chain
- Cylinder head
- Metro Turbo head reworked by Turbo Phil, enlarged combustion chambers for lower compression, larger rimflow valves, brass guides, double valve springs
- Cam
- Avonbar Phase 2 turbo cam
- Turbo
- Reconditioned Garrett T3 on Metro/Mini manifold
- Fuel system
- HIF44 turbo carburettor with standard plenum chamber, modified inlet
- Ignition
- Megajolt Lite Jr programmable ignition ECU with Ford EDIS4 unit and coil pack
- Clutch
- Grey race clutch
- Intercooler
- Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 2WD intercooler on fabricated bracket
- Cooling
- Secondary radiator plumbed into heater feed for extra cooling, plus an oil cooler
- Pushrods
- Uprated pushrods from Mini Sport
- Body
- Carbon fibre doors, one-piece flip front, bonnet/arches (Miglia style), fibreglass boot lid, Zeemax body kit removed
- Wheels
- 13 inch superlight alloys (original fitment)
- Dash
- Carbon fibre dashboard
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 9
- Metro Turbo engine block, bored to 1293cc
Donor block rebuilt as the project's new engine
In the shops
Cylinder Head Gasket (Cooper 1300 & Metro Turbo) ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $35.75 USD - Omega 1015 pistons, +.020" with 10cc dishOmega
Fitted for the 1293cc overbore
In the shops
Omega 80mm 1.6L XE High Compression Pistons (Set of 4) ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £639.00 GBP
Omega Piston Rings for 88mm Slipper 2.0XE Vauxhall (Set of 4) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £194.00 GBP
Omega 88mm 2.0L XE High Compression Slipper Pistons (Set of 4) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £718.90 GBP - Balanced conrods
Fitted as part of the engine rebuild
- Lightened and balanced crankshaft
Fitted as part of the engine rebuild
- Kent duplex timing chainKent
Fitted to the rebuilt engine
In the shops
Timing Chain, Duplex ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $9.25 USDDuplex Timing Chain Kit, Cast ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $69.95 USDDuplex Timing Chain Kit, Steel Lightened ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $159.95 USD - Avonbar Phase 2 turbo camAvonbar
Swapped for an unsuitable Swiftune cam, fitted for turbo use
In the shops
Renault 5 GT Turbo Inner Roll Bar Bush (Phase 1) ↗Rally Design· £6.39 GBP
Automec Brake Pipe Set - Renault 5 GT Turbo Phase 2 ↗
Renault 5 GT Turbo Inner Roll Bar Phase 1 PolyRace Bush ↗ - Metro Turbo cylinder headTurbo Phil / turbo-mini.com
Reworked with enlarged combustion chambers, larger rimflow valves, brass guides and double valve springs by Turbo Phil
In the shopsCylinder Head Gasket (Cooper 1300 & Metro Turbo) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $35.75 USD
Alloy Cylinder Head, Bare ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,524.50 USDMini Clutch Master Cylinder Pushrod ↗
Mini Spares· £12.00 GBP - Uprated pushrodsMini Sport
Fitted to the reworked head
In the shopsMini Clutch Master Cylinder Pushrod ↗Mini Spares· £12.00 GBP - Steel rocker cover
Fitted after head assembly for initial look/fit check
Fuel & Ignition 6
- Garrett T3 turbo
Reconditioned unit on Metro/Mini manifold, central to the turbo conversion
- HIF44 turbo carburettor
Fitted with standard plenum as the turbo induction setup
In the shops
Carburettor HIF44 ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,296.25 USD
Austin Mini HIF44 Carburettor Downpipe ↗Betaset (France)· €138.00 EUR
Exhaust Downpipe - Austin Mini 1275 Carburettor HIF44 ↗ - Standard plenum chamber
Modified to connect the intercooler and block the stock dump valve
In the shopsHeater Box to Plenum Chamber Foam Seal (Spitfire) ↗ANG Classic Car Parts· £4.88 GBP
Breather Hose (Long, Flame Trap to Plenum Chamber) ↗
TRGB· £6.55 GBP - Megajolt Lite Jr ignition ECUMegajolt
Replaced distributor and coil, fitted to the dash
- Ford EDIS4 ignition unitFord
Mounted on a trial bracket on the bulkhead for the ignition system
In the shops
123 Ignition Electronic Igniter - Ford Kent ↗
123 Ignition Electronic Distributor - Ford Kent ↗ - Coil pack, HT leads and spark plugs
Salvaged from a friend's scrapped car for the Megajolt install
In the shops
Resistor Spark Plug (Lead Free) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $4.75 USDCoil Pack ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
NGK Spark Plugs ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $7.50 USD
Cooling 3
- Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 2WD intercooler
Mounted on a fabricated bracket for charge cooling
In the shops
Sierra Cosworth 2wd & 4wd Rear Pads ↗
Sierra Cosworth 2WD Coolant Hose Kit ↗
Ford Sierra Cosworth 2WD Bearing Kit ↗Classic Parts Shack· £36.99 GBP - Secondary radiator
Plumbed into heater feed circuit to provide extra cooling when needed
- Oil cooler
Fitted into the fabricated cooling frame alongside the intercooler
Gearbox & Drivetrain 1
- Grey race clutch
Obtained in the SMMC parts swap for use in the build
In the shops
Clutch Cover, Rally/Race ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $158.00 USD
Body & Trim 7
- Carbon fibre doors
Replaced rusting original doors, bought from a friend
In the shops3+3 GAUGE LHD DASHBOARD CARBON FIBRE MINI MPI ↗Motaclan Limited· £206.70 GBP
Mini Miglia Race Wheel Arch Kit - Carbon Fibre ↗
Mini Sport· £177.29 GBPRevel GT Dry Carbon Inner Door Trim Cover - 23 Nissan Z ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $346.75 USD - Carbon fibre flip front (one-piece)
Replaced the cut-down original front end for weight saving
In the shops
Mounting Bush, One Piece ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $7.50 USDCarbon Fibre Dash Panel, 3 Central Clocks, No Chrome Rings, 1-Piece ↗
MGOC Spares· £249.95
Viton Valve Seal, One Piece ↗
Good Parts· $2.00 USD - Fibreglass boot lid
Replaced heavier steel boot lid, already finished in black
In the shops
Boot Lid ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $566.99 USD
Boot Lid ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $657.99 USD
Boot Lid Seal ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $23.99 USD - Carbon fibre exposed weave Miglia style arches
Fitted to the exterior as part of the body rebuild
In the shopsMini Miglia Race Wheel Arch Kit - Carbon Fibre ↗Mini Sport· £177.29 GBP
Mini Miglia Wheel Arches ↗Mini Spares· £112.50 GBP3+3 GAUGE LHD DASHBOARD CARBON FIBRE MINI MPI ↗ - Carbon fibre panel
Used to cover a hole previously cut for a front mounted fan
In the shopsCarbon Fibre Dash Panel, 3 Clocks, With Chrome Rings, RHD ↗MGOC Spares· £249.95Carbon Fibre Dash Panel, 3 Clocks + 3 Aux, No Chrome Rings, RHD ↗MGOC Spares· £279.95Carbon Fibre Dash Panel, 3 Clocks + 1 Aux, No Chrome Rings, LHD ↗MGOC Spares· £279.95 - Black door handles
Fitted in place of original chrome handles for a small weight reduction
In the shopsDoor Pull Handle ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USDDoor Handle Boss ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $14.65 USDDoor Handle Screw ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $2.95 USD - Subframe brace bars
Fitted to triangulate and stiffen the front end after the flip front modification
In the shops
Rear Subframe-Sill Support/Brace Bar Mk3 ↗
MX5 City· $56.31 USD
Rear Subframe-Brace Sill Support Bolt ↗MX5 City· $3.33 USD
Interior 1
- Carbon fibre dashboard
Fitted with the centre pod section cut away
In the shops3+3 GAUGE LHD DASHBOARD CARBON FIBRE MINI MPI ↗Mini Miglia Race Wheel Arch Kit - Carbon Fibre ↗Mini Sport· £177.29 GBPCarbon Fibre Dash Panel, 3 Clocks, With Chrome Rings, RHD ↗MGOC Spares· £249.95
Other 1
- Bulkhead box (turbo clearance box)Minispares
Welded into the bulkhead to clear the turbo, obtained in a parts swap
In the shops
Turbo Kit Air Box (NB) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $79.99 USD
Turbo Kit Air Box (NA, no AFM) ↗Flyin' Miata· $79.99 USDTurbo Air Box for NB Turbo Kits ↗Flyin' Miata· $79.99 USD
Photos
40 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from My Turbo Classic Mini Project (1293 Turbo). A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Starting condition
Dean bought the 998cc Mini at 17, fitted with a Zeemax body kit and 13 inch alloys, but found it slow. The front bumper kept cracking from kerbs and speed bumps, and the car then sat in storage for several years before he brought it home and it continued gathering dust.
Getting the turbo
After years of wanting to fit a Metro Turbo engine, Dean found a reconditioned Garrett T3 turbo on a Metro/Mini manifold on eBay for £60, which restarted the project. Research showed a bulkhead box modification was needed to clear the turbo, so the bulkhead was cut and a box welded in, obtained in a parts swap.
Engine build
He sourced a Metro Turbo engine block and had it bored to 1293cc with dished pistons, balanced conrods, a balanced crank and a duplex timing chain. A cam swap at Southam Mini Metro Centre (SMMC) secured a turbo-specific cam, a clutch and other parts. SMMC bored, built and timed the engine block.
Body repairs and weight reduction
Rusting original doors were replaced with carbon fibre ones, prompting a wider weight-saving effort: the Zeemax kit was removed, a carbon fibre flip front and fibreglass boot lid fitted, and the heavy bitumen underseal (16kg) stripped from the floor, which was found rust-free underneath and repainted.
Chassis and interior work
Subframe brace bars were added to stiffen the front end once the body kit was removed. A carbon fibre dash was fitted with the centre pod trimmed off, and the distributor and coil were replaced with a Megajolt Lite Jr ignition ECU.
Cylinder head and induction
A Metro Turbo head was sourced and reworked by Turbo Phil of turbo-mini.com, who enlarged the combustion chambers to lower compression for boost, fitted larger valves, brass guides and double springs. The plenum chamber inlet was modified to allow intercooler plumbing and to block the standard dump valve.
Cooling and progress so far
A Sierra Sapphire Cosworth intercooler and an oil cooler were mounted on a fabricated bracket, along with a second radiator plumbed into the heater circuit for extra cooling when needed. At the point described, the engine was in the car and wiring/plumbing were still being completed, with paint and finishing still planned.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at My Turbo Classic Mini Project (1293 Turbo) ↗