33 replies to this topic

[YoungUn]

I dont know which engine i want... i want something different with ALOT of power... yet i dont want to have to go for the clubman front end.

i was thinking about a 1.4 a series with ALOT of mods, like a jacknight or KaD 16v head conversion. and turbo/supercharger and intercooler.

i may have to raise the bonnet height alot ... and lenghten the front, but not by much, as to keep it mini reckognizable.

[Purple Tom]

if you're looking at a ladder chassis with traditional rails, and rear wheel drive then nothing could be better than a nice lazy 3.5 V8

How about the flat four engine from a porsche 924? My friend has a Type 2 VW crew cab pick-up with this engine in, running on twin dellorto carbs, makes nearly 200bhp and runs 15 sec quarters. Imagine that engine in a mini?!

[P91MER]

first things first, whats your budget?

A KAD head you are looking at £2K just for the head! Then alot of bottom end engine work is also required like gearbox, diff, crank, driveshafts, rods, pistons all to be able to cope with the extreme power. plus alot more cooling is required, oil cooler, radiator, fan etc.

The basic KAD kit is about £9K

the dogs boll*x KAD kit is £12K and i am not sure if that includes gearbox.

Or you could go for a 8-port head which is also in the £2k price region, but also needs all the bottom end work also..

So basically what is normally done is you name a price, then build the engine to your budget!

[P91MER]

Oh, and 1 big thing,,,,, insurance... nuff said.

[YoungUn]

hehe Insurance :fear: lol.

well what about, if i was going TOTALLY custom... a bmw 320i engine running to the back wheels

i feel v8's and v6's being too "muscle car" like and big n bulky. i think i'd like something sporty and revvy, thats lightweight, like a Hyabusa engine thats been bored out to 1.6l

otherwise a 2.0l Honda prelude engine on a 4wheel drive subframe. to give it that "Nissan skyline" like drive train similarities

[Jordie]

some serious modifications to car to make it 4 wheel drive mate.

[Dan]

This is all going to cost you a big heap of cash, and you simply won't get insurance for those kind of modifications as a new driver. They just won't quote you.

[P91MER]

Well minis have very very light back ends, if you were to fit a engine in the front, and power the back wheels there won't be enough grip for anything really. The engine would be almost too powerful for the car.

If a highly modifed front engine vetec etc will cost £6k that has already been fabricated, then how much do you rekon a custom fabrication is going to cost, £10k, maybe £20k? How much spare change do you have laying round?

Then insurance, i think a BMW 320i is about group 17 insurance???? a standard mini is group 3 insurance, and most 17/19 yr olds are paying in excess £1500 with no mods!

Rich

[YoungUn]

money isnt really a problem for the actual project, its just the insurance part...any ways of getting actual quotes for this? As ANY quote whatso ever will be an accomplishment... lol

As for the light back ends, i will make sure that the weight distribution is sorted, as i will have a big petrol tanks atthe rear and the front seats will be moved twards the rear as the engine will take up some of the cabin space lol

[Rob]

I take it your only 15? I would wait until you have passed your test and driven a standard car for a couple of years first. A 17 year old would pay nearly a grand if not more (depends on individual circumstances) on insurance and thats for a 998cc!!!!!

[YoungUn]

my mate has to pay 800 quid for his own insurance on a standard mini hes 19 i think this is really good

so im looking at about 10k for insurance?

[Madmax]

i think they'll start rolling around the office when you tell them how old you are and what you want to drive...

[The Roadie]

For the reengineering involved, you may as well put a bike engine in the back on a spaceframe.
Saying that, how the hell are you going to get £30K to spend on a car, plus about another £15K for insurance when your 14!!!???!! Your gonna have to do soem serious paperounds!
Also for the money, why don't you just get a TVR or something?

[BlAck0ut]

£27,000 will buy you the new Land Rover Discovery.

190bhp

[TimS]

basically its not worth it, not that uv probably got the technical knowlege anyway. then even if you can build it and insure it then the chances are u will put it into a ditch or hedge within the first week of driving. For instance, madmax passed his test at 18 with around 70 lessons and still with a fairly std 1275 managed to spin the car 180 degrees off the road and managed to stop an inch from a headge and this was just in his fiest 24 hours of driving!

id keep thinking these ideas but leave them for a few years!