brake and wheel arches

[tintin]

hi iam new `to mini world so can anyone tell me what crack about 13inch rims does it leave car more soild or whats draw back sorry my other question is has anyone change there front drum to brake caliper i see some kit price from 200euro to 600euro what bits do u need need for kit

[MiniMpi]

13" wheels look great But....they are Not great on the road. You get a lot of tramlining and bump steer. It's not that enjoyable to drive. The idea is 10" wheels but disc brake conversion is very expensive to fit under them. The best compromise is 12" wheels because it looks well but handles well too and you can use any 1984 on Mini front disc brake setup with them.

[irlmin]

Totally agree with Fergal on this , I have spent half of My life trying to convince people NOT to fit 13" wheels to minis , the mini suspension was NOT designed to work with that amount of 'unsprung ' weight . You will have to cut the front wings and modify your front panel mounts etc . We have of late converted some 13" and 12" wheeled minis to 10" wheels and the result is spectacular especially now as decent brake kits are available inc 4 pot alloy caliper options that fit under 10" wheels . as Fergal said if you want a good compromise and don't have the budget for 4 pots etc go with the 12" option .
G

[AdyP]

I had 5x12 minilite style wheels on my old Classic and they felt great in terms of ride quality, despite fitting Hil-Los as well. Braking power with standard 84-on brakes was fine but not the same as a modern car due to lack of servo etc. I was tempted by the idea of Metro Turbo calipers and brakes but they are mean to be pretty heavy, so you end up fighting yourself a bit.
If I was going for best braking and handling then I guess I personally would go for 10s along with 4-pot alloy calipers and 7.9in vented discs.
This month's MiniWorld Mag has a guide on fitting these types of kits including what you need do do it.

Cheers
Adrian