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Author Topic: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!  (Read 9836 times)

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Offline Graham in Aus

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A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« on: August 24, 2011, 01:37:53 AM »
These guys have an ambitious project!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5499652/Old-Mini-destined-to-go-flat-out-in-Utah

Mini's are not at all 'aero' !  :-P

I think Mini Mania ran an old style Mini a few years back, well funded project, but from memory, it ran into the aero "wall" at about 124mph?

Good luck to the Kiwis and their 'Brick'  :lol:
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Offline kiwi belly tank

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2011, 09:20:55 PM »
 Kiwi's have had a long affliction with Bricks & it doesn't surprise me it's still going on today. I did my automotive apprenticeship at the "Brick" dealership Armaghdown Motors in Palmerston North, many years ago. We used to take new ones out behind the airport & thrash the crap out of them. It wasn't unusual to find four or five mechanics "road testing" at the same time. The thinking back then by BMC (British Motor Corp) was they needed to be broke in before the customer took delivery. Oh we broke them in alright!!
A new Cooper 'S', appropriately loosened up by 17 year old apprentice  :evil: would run 105mph-ish. A little more if you spent the time setting up the SU carbs & setting the valves a little close, which I always did. Wide open on airport road, veer right on to the grass & pull on the hand brake would get you more than half a dozen spins before it stopped. This went on for about three years until someone wadded one up in a ball. Then the company chose a designated tester, guess who that was?  :roll:
I look forward to seeing the guys & their Brick next year.
  Sid.
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Offline Kiwi Paul

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2011, 01:17:45 AM »
Holy Crap! I know those guys! They are from my home town. Have known Guy for a while, and he is a sharp one. Talleys Fisheries is New Zealands largest, and those two have built a number of cars for Peter Talley, the main man. I suppose I`d better make sure they have their you-know-what together, eh!
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Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2012, 07:28:55 PM »
Looks like the kiwi flying brick is on it's way!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/7066325/Mini-in-race-for-maximum-speed

Looks like a really nice build, stickered up as I/BGCC and dyno'd 282 HP !

http://www.facebook.com/ProjectSixtyFour



Destination Speedweek according to their facebook page.

Good Luck guys!
« Last Edit: June 09, 2012, 07:43:30 PM by Graham in Aus »
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2012, 08:05:37 PM »
Interesting.  I've seen the BMW head conversion on other cars - turboed, it should be a goer.

Looks like an A+ block, still using the standard oil pump (?!) - That surprises me a bit, but there's probably not a lot of room to hang a dry sump off to the side.

Let's just hope that three main bearings are enough, and that they can keep the head clamped down - not a lot of space between the #2 and #3 cylinders..

Go get 'em!
« Last Edit: June 09, 2012, 08:08:13 PM by Milwaukee Midget »
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Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2012, 10:19:46 PM »
The guys have had some issues, but seem now sorted....



IN IMPOUND!!

Quote:

Hi all, just a very quick message to let you know we have just qualified for a record run after averaging 142.103mph on mile 2 of course 3. We're now in the impound. In the morning after 7am we'll have another run. If we break the record again on the same section of track and pass another tech inspection we will be the new record holders. The previous record is around 131mph and is held by "The Hudson Boys" who are parked in the impound next to us (they're running in another class this year). The car is looking good with no signs of the reliability issues we were dealing with now the motor's plumbing has been redesigned and rebuilt.
 
Thanks, Mike Wilson - Project 64

 :cheers: :cheers:
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2012, 10:36:07 PM »
Graham,

I was talking with Fordboy yesterday about this set-up.  Seems he knows one of the folks who pioneered this head conversion.

Of course, it's hardly an "off the shelf" set-up, but man, that's a stunning speed for a 1 litre, 3 main block of this antiquity.

« Last Edit: August 15, 2012, 10:38:39 PM by Milwaukee Midget »
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"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2012, 10:58:57 PM »
Chris, I just read your earlier post further up the thread, you commented about the standard oil pump!

It seems the problems they had were oil flow related! Good prediction!

Not sure of the details, I'm fairly sure the head oil return is external to the block? Or at least some of the conversions of this type I've seen have been.

Not sure if the oil was collecting up top or what, but they seem to have fixed the issue and are happy with the motor now....

Let's hope they can back it up!

Go Guys!!  :evil:
« Last Edit: August 15, 2012, 11:22:27 PM by Graham in Aus »
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Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #8 on: August 15, 2012, 11:21:37 PM »
A wee bit premature, but they do state 'unofficial'

http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/7468386/Unofficial-world-speed-record-for-Nelson-Mini

Could just be the Journo's getting excited!

Graham
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2012, 11:30:29 PM »
The splashy stuff always makes the front page.

The retraction is always buried on the 5th page below the fold next the funeral home advertising.

Either way, it's really pretty remarkable - kudos to the Kiwis.

 :cheers:
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"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline Anvil*

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2012, 02:45:41 AM »
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Offline MAYOMAN

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #11 on: August 16, 2012, 11:04:24 AM »
Very impressive achievement. Love to see the small displacements going remarkably fast.
However. The FIA is very specific about the term "World Land Speed Record".
This is the definition on their website.

WORLD RECORDS
There are many World Records for different categories but the most famous is the World Land Speed Record - this is the outright fastest speed achieved by a land vehicle.

Unfortunately, the term is abused by many very fast vehicles.
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The road is long - Life is short - Drive fast

Offline Graham in Aus

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #12 on: August 16, 2012, 11:13:34 AM »
According to their Facebook page, they've backed up with a 151 !!!  :cheers: :cheers:

Astounding!!  :-o
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2012, 12:23:59 PM »
Quote from: MAYOMAN on August 16, 2012, 11:04:24 AM

WORLD RECORDS
There are many World Records for different categories but the most famous is the World Land Speed Record - this is the outright fastest speed achieved by a land vehicle. 

Unfortunately, the term is abused by many very fast vehicles.

Quote from: Milwaukee Midget on August 15, 2012, 11:30:29 PM

The retraction is always buried on the 5th page below the fold next the funeral home advertising.


For the class they're running, under the auspices of BNI, they have achieved a record, but yes, FIA would be considered the "World Record".  There are a number of classes in FIA.  Carroll Shelby still shares 8 such records, all of them in an Austin Healey on the salt. 

Another $100,000.00 would probably be enough to get the FIA officials out to the salt to certify such an attempt.

For now, I'll let them bask in the headline - a 151 backup run in a car with an 80" wheelbase is scary fast.

Here's to the Kiwis!  :cheers:  :cheers:  :cheers:

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"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline t russell

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Re: A couple of Kiwi's and a flying Brick!
« Reply #14 on: August 16, 2012, 12:38:14 PM »
great job with that brick :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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