Minker by Turbo Technics

[Dave]

Geoff will be very happy with that.

Some great Minker info in that write up to.

What alot of people don't realise is the Minker was designed first.
All the TT 2.9 kits are detuned versions that came out first as the Minker was still being tested.

Also the Minker test engine was one of the first 2.9's made as Geoff had to drive to the factory to pick it up off the production line in a Granada Estate.

[scud]

My misses just came back from the shop with a copy looking very pleased with herself "Look" she said "its not full of cosworths , this is an xr is'nt it ?"
Im very proud
its a good article too :O)

[Count]

I envy you..  My girlfriend can hardly tell a scorpio from a sierra..

[ford sword]

Has anyone got any info on the tt280? in particular the 2.8 version??

[Dave]

A 2.8 280!


Firstly I would love to see some pictures of it  

That was a mega rare kit mate very little info on them.

I think it used the 2.9 turbo's.

It has the fordged pistons & a fair bit of head work too.

[ford sword]

A 2.8 280!


Firstly I would love to see some pictures of it  

That was a mega rare kit mate very little info on them.

I think it used the 2.9 turbo's.

It has the fordged pistons & a fair bit of head work too.

The turbos are T2s and mine have consecutive serial numbers too so im guessing they are original and over 20 years old now and they are still going strong, notice the rs 500 intercooler and 13 row oil cooler (i think its 13), The brochure for the 2.8s had all the performance spec for all the other tt kits apart from the tt280 which only stated...Watch this space.
I would be very interested in any info anyone else has on this conversion... It still goes like stink  

[Dave]

There is some info here http://www.fordpower.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=586]http://www.fordpower.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=586

Is the intercooler STD TT then as thats bigger than any other TT one I have seen.

Also can you take a picture of the the turbo's, are they the early T2's with a water pipe conecting at the top?

Very very rare car that!

[ford sword]

There is some info here http://www.fordpower.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=586]http://www.fordpower.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=586

Is the intercooler STD TT then as thats bigger than any other TT one I have seen.

Also can you take a picture of the the turbo's, are they the early T2's with a water pipe conecting at the top?

Very very rare car that!

Yes they have the water pipes at the top,the cooler looks as old as the rest of the stuff thats fitted and painted black like the ali boost pipes, i will get a few pics tommo'the car has no numbers next to the drivers seat,they are stamped into the strut top under the bonnet,im not sure this engine started life in this car tho' the front diff is stamped..13842 but the rear seems to be standard 3.62, and the engine number is an 1988 number? it also had the v small & slightly dodgy steering wheel, the front springs are blue too which  i think was the TT uprated stuff, it also had the minker spec discs which had to be replaced after one developed a huge crack  I only get out in it about once a week and it still scares me now and then, its not done 80k mile yet too  

[ford sword]

pisc of both turbos and the dcu

[turboshed]

don't look like t2's to me,and there are no waterfeeds to them,those are oil feed and return lines.whats the serial number on the little plates on the turbo cores?

[ford sword]

I think from memory they are 089 and 090

[Dave]

Defo not water cooled.

Not seen T2's like that before, the oil cooled versions have like fins on the main housings I they don't.

Either very early examples or not T2's!


Very nice rare example!


Do you have a picture of the TT plate for my collection please!

[ford sword]

MMM? i presumed they were t2s as thats whats listed on the tt280 spec sheet??heres a few more pics, the serial numbers are the same but the part numbers are different,No tt plate im affraid,I asked a few qs bout the car when i bought it nearly 2 years ago and someone on here knew the car and said the fusebox lid had been knicked, the car has only done 9k miles in the last 10 years too, it also was on a different reg, D450YLE and WBU11 around 1988/89,Let me know what you think the turbos are  

[Dave]

I will find out what turbo's they are for you.

[fordrwd4ever]

This is the first time i ever have seen a Dutch vin plate on a Sierra.
Really wierd  

If anyone wants the translation:

"zonder aanbouwdelen" means Without Ancellaries
And "afzetten zonder primer" should mean Shutoff after primer(probably has something to do with the paint

[cossiemk2]

Sierra's were also built in Belgium.

Mate of mine has a Saph Cossie with dutch VIN plate on it.

[ford sword]

It says DAVENTRY on it, so i doubt its dutch??????
Without ancillarys?? i wonder if the shell was bought without an engine new from ford? that may explain why the chassis number is not stamped in the floor next to drivers seat?
Also....... the car spent quite a few years in Saffron walden, any locals know owt bout it?

[cossiemk2]

Most likely the shell was built in Belgium and then shipped to the UK.

The plate says: without ancillaries, ship after primer.

[gazfromoldham]

Hi there
I once heard talk of a minker in a scrap yard that had been smashed up?
can anybody shed any light on this one?

gazfromoldham
(minker 007)

[Dave]

No idea Gaz.

The TT280 2.8 turbo's are T2's.
They are bigger than Minker spec.
60 trim with .63 exhaust housings.
With that cooler you have I am not surprized it goes well!

You kit number is F27

TT reckon about 6 where built.

2 of which are known to be dead.

[littlegems4x4]

Mmmmm super rare, I want it

[ford sword]

  Thanks for that Dave, excellent info! How many 2.9 280s did they make or did they only make 6 tt280s full stop?

[Dave]

Thanks for that Dave, excellent info! How many 2.9 280s did they make or did they only make 6 tt280s full stop?

Yeah about 6 2.8 TT 280's Twin Turbo's.
Both MFI's & EFI's.
They only did them just before the 2.9 was born hence so rare!
Was 1 single turbo 280 done as a special!

280 2.9's where common in comparison.
Over 50 of them.

Look after it as it might be the last one!

[sprintman]

Hi, I've just remembered that a mate of mine had a turbo'ed Sierra XR 4 x 4 for sale about 15 years or so ago.  Don't know how he came by it and he didn't know anything about the spec.  I Don't know if it was a Minker, but I'm pretty sure it was a Turbo Technics conversion.  Was pretty rapid and I would have bought it if I'd had the cash at the time.  From memory it may have been a 2.8, think it was a single turbo and had the intake plenum reversed.  Don't remember seeing an oil cooler or intercooler on it though.  At the time I didn't know that there were such things as 'Minkers', and assumed it was just a Turbo Tecnics modified black Sierra XR 4 x 4 !

[Dave]

Never was a 2.8 Minker.

The Turbo Technics XR4i that did that Skier on the roof promo thing sometimes got called one but only made 230BHP!

There was a MK2 with the full K1 body kit with a 2.8 single turbo engine.
That was just to test the body kit & was not a Minker.

[Dave]

Look what I found!



It's only Minker 005!

Turns out Simon the last owner for 10 years has kept a low profile on purpose.
The car is one of his pride & joys.

Anyway I heard that he may sell it to the right person so we jumped in mine & headed down south!

Sure enough it's the real deal, a full 323 conversion by TT from new with the optional 3.14 diffs.

Also has the flocked dash, Minker pedals & steering wheel.

"It is as I bought it from Reading 10 years ago" says Simon, exactly the same.

The only bits not right I can see is the air filters are missing & it has an adjustable fuel regulator.



We disscussed a deal & I happy to say the car will be in my shed very soon

Looking forward to looking through the huge folder of history with the car in detail, always interesting.


The car is not perfect, machanically it seems all O.K but rust wise the sills have gone & the arches need some work too.

So it's a summer project car for me.

I could bodge it up & M.O.T it but the car deserves better, so I will find some time to cut all the rust out of it!





I like the fact the RS kit makes it look different to mine.

Thanks to Simon for letting it go cause he really didn't want too!



THIS MEANS THERE IS ONLY ONE LAST MINKER TO FIND TO COMPLETE THE PUZZLE!

Hmmm I wonder where it is?

[fordrwd4ever]

Wow, that is a rare find.
You can be proud of it

Are you keeping it stock or is it going to be tuned like your other one?

[Matt]

Bloody hell dave

A pair of minkers both in black, your work shop will be getting crowded now lol

Matt

[littlegems4x4]

Damn damn damn............ I want it, I want it

How does it run Dave? Also I think I spot the aircon on there, is that on all of them......... yours hasn't got it has it???

I'm going to stop eyeballing it now before I'm sick

Nice find

[capri v8 driver]

Very cool find and project.