13 replies to this topic

[mic]

just started lookin into this so apolgies if ive missed any Q's already answered, would you say this conversion would be ok for daily usage? like a few other people who have posted in here, im inbetween minds on which way to go so am tryin to compile me list of pros and cons

cheers

mic

[Jammy]

A fair people say that you can use them as daily drives, but if you've got that in mind I'd pay for the reverse box, and I wouldn't say they are particularly practical, with no boot or under bonnet space. Also, it seems, and I'm not sure why, but they seem to be about as reliable as a normal mini?

[ed4ran]

I think it largly depends on you and your personal requirements,
Do you have another car that you can go shopping in? (food shopping)
Can you put up with the noise? (or install sound deadening)
etc etc.

[mic]

good thinking yea the wife has the family car, this is my toy
id want it loud anyway, rather hear a nice engine than cd/radio.

is it posible to pick up 2nd hand frames?

[Jammy]

Theres sometimes uncompleted projects for sale, never seen just a frame for sale though. I don't think theres any cheap way of building a ZCar.

[mic]

doesnt look like theres a cheap way of doin any conversion from what ive seen so unless i chuck the tired 998cc back in im gonna have to spend out either way, im down to a bare shell at the mo so open for options

[Jammy]

The cheapest way of doing any conversion is to built the frame yourself. Other than that, if your not set on a RWD bike conversion, you can get a front subframe from 16V Mini Shop with no engine mounts that you can put which ever engine you want in to?

[z cars chris]

The cheapest way of doing any conversion is to built the frame yourself. Other than that, if your not set on a RWD bike conversion, you can get a front subframe from 16V Mini Shop with no engine mounts that you can put which ever engine you want in to?

just to put my two pence worth into this scince we built the honda civic type R version ive been using it loads more than the bike engined demo cars mainly because there are more people out there that are used to a car engine and have no pre conceived ideas on what a bike engine can do
its fair to say that the honda is a lovely thing to drive its a little quicker than the bike due to the larger engine size and just sheer grunt its got you could easily use iteveryday with confidance in the hondas reliability,its economical at 35 mpg and goes as fast as most mortals would want
the bike engines are more full on and suit customers who want the sweet music of a high revving slick gearshifting adrenalin machine,they wont suit everyone and are probably more suited to being a second car
when we start racing next year they will be ideal fot the track and easy to drive at balls out speeds
the problem we have created now istoo much choice and im about to throwanother spanner in the works,in an effort to produce a cheaper daily driver version im looking at the smaller simpler honda v tec engines to fit say a late 1.6 with just v tec and not variable v tec, this will be cheaper both in the cost of the engine and gearbox and in the ecu required to run it
this would be a nice road car with about 160 bhp on tap and reliable modern power plant
what do you all think
chris

[Jammy]

I think using the cheaper B16 engines is a good idea, but will they still be RWD?

[Willie]

It sounds great Chris......I'm sure it would be appealing to some people but the cost might have to come down a bit......I think most of us with Zcars just love the wickedness of it all...Just to hear the eng's screaming like a F1 and feeling the awesome power and torque.of theses LIL Monsters is what we are after and plus it's all in a Mini Cooper shell....The worlds greats car....Ya know Chris the money this build is costing me I could have went out there and bought a different kind of high preforamce car...But I just love the Mini's....How cool is it pulling up to some of these expensive high end cars and just blowing the doors off um in a Mini ?????? Ahahahahhaha!!!....Now thats Good Stuff !!!....I'm sure all of us have a daily driver but we all wanted something realy cool and super fast....And I think you nailed it on the head with the Lil Monsters you have created allready....I think you should stick to building Fast Arse LIL Monsters...I know thats what your great at....Maybee you should leave the grocery getters to someone else.and focus on Super fast Mini's with good handling .....I know thats why I'm building one..........

Just my 2 cents.........( Big Smile ) Willieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........

[z cars chris]

i was thinking of using something later than a b16 just so low mileage late engines could be found easily im only looking at present and trying to get a feel for it all
i take on board what willie says we do like performance but ive an eye on the younger lads out there to try give them a nice different sort of car than a corsa or saxo that will have a good it of performance and be a bit easier to insure
they will be rwd im afraid i cant get too excited about fwd
chris

[Monte Busa]

Hi Chris

What about a R1 front engined subframe conversion? We had chatted about that a while back - if you could get the drivetrain to work as you mentioned at the time I think you'd have a real neat (and still very quick) way to get good cost and a simple build-up for the younger lads. Thoughts?

Aric

i was thinking of using something later than a b16 just so low mileage late engines could be found easily im only looking at present and trying to get a feel for it all
i take on board what willie says we do like performance but ive an eye on the younger lads out there to try give them a nice different sort of car than a corsa or saxo that will have a good it of performance and be a bit easier to insure
they will be rwd im afraid i cant get too excited about fwd
chris

[R1minimagic]

Seems to be the conversion everyone is waiting for..

[Monte Busa]

The R1 would deffo fit in the newer "hoop" shaped tubular frame Chris does now, which in his newest build video is shown with an A Series at the very end. Willie bought one (which I had in my garage for a few days as it happened to come in the same shipment as some goodies I had coming from Chris including my new / old 1380 MED 8 Port!) for his Hayabusa conversion and it looks great as well typical well engineered Z Cars style...

What do you think Chris? I might be intersted in funding the prototype.

Cheers,

Aric

Seems to be the conversion everyone is waiting for..

Edited by Monte Busa, 12 November 2006 - 05:50 PM.