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A Cheap Bit Of Fun... Hopefully.


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#1 Tomm

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Posted 12 November 2015 - 03:41 PM

Hello TMF. 

 

I haven't posted a build thread on here for ages, so thought maybe i would give it a go. 

 

I bought a mini project off of my good friend, i don't know what it is with them, but i just keep wanting one, then when i have one i want to sell it, and as soon as i have sold it i want another one, vicious circle, anyway here is my latest thing. 

 

Like I say, i bought this from a good friend, he asked me to have a look at it with him earlier in the year and give him the yay or nay on buying it, well it looked top to me so i said "buy it, or i will!" so he bought it. Fast forward about 2 months and he offered it to me at what he paid for it, so i bought it from him. 

 

Minis have changed a lot over the years, as i am sure you have noticed. I remember when i bought my first couple in the early 2000's and they were just a tonne of fun, a right laugh. Since then they've become a bit of a collectors car, demanding good money and people spending a lot of money on restorations and making them look amazing. I love this, i love looking at them but i do not enjoy the stress, agro and worry that comes with concourse cars, i also don't like the price tag! 

 

I have a "67 cooper, and ive dabbled with other things inbetween, bought parts with the intention of installing them, and then sold them later down the line after never using them to fund other things. 

 

With this car i am going to build it up as cheap as i possibly can, parts will be begged, borrowed, repaired, traded or dug out of my storage and be put to good use, anything to keep the costs down. All of the welding, painting, instilation will all be done in house by myself. the outcome is hopefully going to be something that i can just have some fun in, beat around in, take to some events and just have a laugh with. 

 

It's a 1980, or something, nothing special, i didn't pay much attention to it at the time and i don't really care all that much now! 

 

Anyway i will show you some photos hey? 

 

Y2TGhwq.jpg

 

I bought it as a shell, it seems to have come with everything to build a complete car, but i have other plans. 

 

yDWBcdZ.jpg

5949ECCB-E9B2-4A92-8529-CAF2BA1D4B17_zps

0B8CA43B-BCD4-44F5-87DD-89961BAE1B38_zps

 

Around all the junk inside you get a rough idea of what is there. 

 

FD9FE759-3E18-4BF8-951E-F4A9745932DE_zps

11327105-C160-4843-AE62-8C961B30257A_zps

 

The chap who had done all of the work you see planned to put a B16 or B18 in it. Having owned a lot of honda engines they just don't float my boat for a few reasons, not saying they aren't an amazing engine, they sure are and there are some mega Honda builds floating around, but i cannot justify the costs that B16 engines demand, unfortunately. 

 

The mini seems to have had its fate already decided, i would have loved to build a sleeper but the huge cage, lairy dash and tubed arches seems to have detracted from that plan. 

 

Plans are. 

 

Modern engine with a 5 speed box, ideally 100hp+ 

10" wheels 

Buckets and straps 

Basic colour that can be painted by a muppet on a driveway. 

 



#2 Tomm

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Posted 13 November 2015 - 11:18 AM

Didn't have one of these... 

 

ytjJVzZ.jpg

 

So put one on. 

CLlEdCD.jpg

 

I had to do a bit of work on the underside so had to get it up in the air, i despise laying on the floor. So out this come. 

 

29lleyp.jpg 

 

More to come later. 



#3 gadget555

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Posted 15 November 2015 - 03:11 PM

Looking good.



#4 gadget555

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Posted 15 November 2015 - 03:12 PM

What are you planning?



#5 gadget555

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Posted 15 November 2015 - 03:13 PM

Red top, 16v or 8?



#6 gadget555

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Posted 15 November 2015 - 03:13 PM

Or will you go whole hog with a let turbo?



#7 Tomm

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Posted 16 November 2015 - 09:10 PM

I never really paid much attention to the vauxhall conversions to be honest. The only one that ever interested me was the C20XE, but i didn't like the way i would have had to run a clubman front and possibly chop the bulkhead around, and i always expected the small block engines to suck. 

 

That was until I advertised my ST for sale last year, I got an offer about £500 under my asking price. The potential buyer offered me a little corsa to make up for the shortfall in the offer. This one to be exact. 

 

vAw1bX6.jpg

 

I was hesitant, but took it. It was a cracking car, had a C16SE engine, Spax, loads of little bits and pieces. It was surprising and i was very impressed with the engine, it seemed bullet proof! Went super well and just made every one who drove it grin. 

 

So my conversion will be running a E16SE (same as the engine above, but my one in the mini will run a distributor, not a coil like the one in the old Corsa up there). I have hopes of putting a C16XE on bike carbs in there eventually, maybe even a 18. 

 

With this being A vauxhall conversion it needs to have a shift box welded into the lower fire wall area of the bulkhead. 

 

lJAvlvA.jpg

 

Welded up and sealed. 

 

lZwME9D.jpg

 

 

I undersealed the rear end, nothing pretty but it was pretty clean under here, just to throw my rear frame in so I can move the thing about. 

 

jGbXZ2i.jpg



#8 JoshG

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Posted 07 February 2017 - 11:13 PM

Hello, I'm just at the beginning of a Vauxhall conversion and was wondering if there was an exact spec for the 'shift box'. Such as location and height/width? If so any idea where I can find this info?

 

Any help would be much appreciated 

 

Cheers

 

Josh



#9 andrewmini67

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Posted 08 February 2017 - 06:02 PM

Hello Josh, you can buy some conversion plans on ebay, I have them and its very good. My mini has the C1.6SE, its great fun, definately not under powered but not mind blowing power. Cannot take the credit for the conversion as it was done by purple tom. The build thread is on here, look it up as it may help you.



#10 JoshG

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Posted 12 February 2017 - 01:04 AM

Oh ok brilliant thank you. That's interesting, I'm planning on putting a 20xe in mine. I'm only a few weeks into the project, It's a bit of an 'In my spare time' thing. I shall check out that thread, thanks for the info






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