Interesting build indeed. Once finished, make sure not to crash it, since I wouldn't like to know what happens to you/the driver if that engine moves, say, 5 feet into the cockpit. Or alternatively, make some sort of a construction, which won't allow it to do so. On the other hand, a harder frontal crash with an old Mini is probably lethal anyway, regardless of the engine...
Cool project, gonna be a handful and snappy to drift. There's a guy with a big V8 in a RWD Mini in the UK, goes well and runs 9's on the strip. Ian.
One thing I have seen regarding the steering issues inside.... it was in a Duton 2 seater, and they had the hight adjustable steering columb from another car, but mounted it at 90 degrees from where it normaly goes, this allows the steering wheel to be moved sideways allowing access to the cockpit, would solve you're problems getting in and out and if you get an MR2 steering columb you have a telescopic adjustment aswell which will make it even easyer Jono
i have just bought a classic mini and there is fuck all room inside it let alone with a straight 6 and a fuck off big gearbox in it too, im guna watch this, i look forward to seeing the results
Maybe one of the very few minis that I might actually like lol. I hate everything about minis normally but with some fabrication an awesome engine it'll be class. If only just to do doughnuts in the carpark lol. Looks like a clean shell too.
Iv been thinking about wheel size for my car, as an earlier reply said the 13s may struggle with power, so taking this into consideration I had to see what 15s look like under the car. So looked around the house and found a 15 alloy. This is what it looks like! The 15s that I would be using would be these, they are 15x8! So what does everyone think? Are they too big or what? Please let me know what ye think!
personally I would have gone for the 3sgte from the mr2/celica, its an easily tunable engine and half the work is done for you; as in it already came in a mid engine set-up. and you'd get a lot more traction then a big 6cyl up front (plus a mini with an engine in the rear is awesome). but anyway you are crazy to attempt this!! you have my respect.
That's my mate Nathans Mini, it's fucking stupid fast. I'f you want a chat with him I can pass on his number. Awesome project dude liking this alot.
The only thing with big power mid engine mini's....... front end grip and the lift under acceleration, I know Z-Cars had to lengthen the wheel base of their turbo Hyabusa mini as the thing would pop wheelies off a standing start due to rear grip! My opinion is, if your doing a mini, 13" is max on the wheels, any bigger and they look odd!! also makes people stop and think..... somethings going on there, instead of...... oh look, it's a mini with a silly exhaust out the back...... HOLLY SHIT, where's it gone!!
Ya I think I'm going to keep the 13s on it, anything bigger does look abit wrong!:S LOL I like that, hopefully that will happen! Especially where I live the only rwd cars are altezza's and the occasional civic with McDonald's trays under the back tyres!:L
zcars are rear engine though aren't they? the set you offered up look good but 15's on a mini would look start looking like 20's on a R5, and thats just daft lol
It's not the diameter of the wheel that will be the problem. A 13" wheel will take loads of power as long as you have decent width. You just run lower pressures to increase the contact patch. I've also seen 15s on a mini loads of times and with the correct arches it looks good. may be a cheaper metho due to the amount of 15s available. I don't think this will wheelie due to the weight of the engine but I really hope it does lol.
The prices seem to be roughly the same, the widest 15s I can find are only 15x8 but the 13s come in 13x9 and 13x10! So ya I would prefer the 13s, espically when I want the to look as stock as possible! This is a mini with 15s, it doesn't look too bad but it's not what I want the car to look like.^^^^^ And I think this has 17s, it looks horrible!:S I thought I'd put it up to show you!
