118 replies to this topic

[luke6040]

Awesome looking build, cant wait too see it evolve!

[Sean12]

luke, cheers for your comments. just wish i could get more time on it to move it along faster, being 100 miles away at uni slows it down just a tad lol

latest updates, inner wheel arch covers removed and rear end cut out tidy'd. also started playing with some 1" copper pipe bending and soldering it to mimic the frame as a sort of practice run before the steel. The steel has arrived and hydraulic bender is ready and waiting i also have some steel plate in the event of gussets needed.

[Sean12]

hey guys, few updates.

the rear end of the mini is pretty well cut out now, just needs the edges tidying etc and to cut the floor back more accurately when the dimensions are finally worked out.

the frame has been started and so far have most of what would be a four point frame. lots left to do but this is how it is going so far. and before anyone starts, the welds are just tacks in place.

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you may notice at the back of the mini i have took a bar straight across with no indent like the typical zcars frame, this is to keep maximum strength and does not need to be there. My mate is making a custom manifold for me so that i dont need to take the conventional exhaust route and can have it running wherever i want. He also has some nice ideas of manifold layouts to maximise performance which should be very interesting.

i have just brought some brakes off ebay, some mk3 golf gti rear brakes, going to get hold of some mk2 disks and mk3 handbrake cables and modify etc etc etc.

working on a chain adjuster setup to, which instead of rocking the modified diff setup back an forth off the engine like zcars method, it will act more like a chain adjuster bar pushin in or out against the chain to the required tension as i feel this will work better and wont require so many components to move, similar principle to this....

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lots going on at the mo and slowly coming together

p.s does anyone know of anyone selling any cheap bucket seats, preferably black or red or both lol ?

Cheers guys

[cptkirk]

Update?

[Sean12]

will be writing an update soon mate, struggling with 3rd year dissertation hand in and exams at the moment at uni (Fun Times ).

Edited by Sean12, 16 May 2010 - 08:37 AM.

[cptkirk]

Surely your all broken up from Uni and cracking on with the project - so the question is: Any updates?

[Sean12]

Ha Ha Ha, yeah i have finished now, and started work. the time flew by and didnt get as much time as i would have liked down at the garage. but will deffinately get more time down there now that i am back into a rutine.

Have done a bit more work though so will put up a small update, now that i am back at work i will have some more money to throw at the project which will be nice. Also took my self out a loan in the aim of buying myself a (new shape) Mini Cooper S with JCW kit , with just enough left over to get it remapped so should have that in a few days...cant wait.

So anyway the update, basically just been doing more work on creating the space frame and fitting two new floor pans. as you can see from my last update i had started work on the uprights and the general shape of the frame within the shell. from here we created the brackets to bolt the space frame to the mini monocoque. i opted to create plates for inside and outside the shell for extra strength. once these brackets were created, they were just tacked in place to the space frame to hold each side in place. They appeared to be very strong even only being tacked. The reason for the wierd bolt arrangement was to ensure that the floor bar would meet nicely to the upright and you would not have an akward, if not impossible, job of trying to bolt it in place when welded. once the brackets had been made and tacked onto the frame, the floor bar was then adjusted to suit and the cut and coped to ensure it joined the upright smoothly, ensuring that the centrelines of the tubes intersected as best as possible. From here i went about making a roof bar in a similar manor, and eventually cutting and coping this to suit. It doesnt look like a fat load of work but some of it is a bugger to work out and make, spesh for a first timer and not a professional fabricator.

I am please with how it is looking at the moment an hopefully it will start to move along a little quicker now, well ive been temporarily distracted fitting webbers to my brothers at the mo to so will juggle them both as mine is my main concern...naturally lol

brought some other goodies to... Bucket Seats, Dash (Thanks to jason at Mini show Cannonhill), hubs, disks.....

i have also attached a quick little 3d model i was playing around with and the type of concept i was tryin to create.

next steps for the project.... Finish the cockpit area of the frame, level up the mini and create frame to support engine. Get the mini sand/media/soda blasted. Keep buying parts and steel tubing lol

pics to follow, and sorry for the lengthy time inbetween updates but cheers for still showing interest !!!

[miniblade81]

sounds good get some work done wish i could waiting for diff housing to be finished so i can crack on making me subframe and sort drive out so is your engine in front or rear of mini cus thought you was using sierra diff

[Sean12]

yeah will be in the rear bud, yeah i am using the sierra diff mate, the diff can be used for either ! just means it needs to fabricated in different ways.

how are you doing your diff housing? are you doing it or getting it made ? get a thread going an get some pics up !!

[miniblade81]

i am putting engine in front with a uprated mini diff like the manx r1 mini but with a twist cus im using a drop gear like the promotive because the final drive was no good will sort some pics asap as im still waiting for a friend to make it not far of now though thank god want to get building what mods was you gonna do to engine if any

[Sean12]

sweet sounds good, look forward to seeing some build pics.

well to be honest not a fat lot at first, just concentrating on getting the thing in first. I will probably invest in a barnett clutch, and once mini is running and road worthy (passed IVA) i have plans to turbo it so we will see what happens

[Sean12]

anyone know of any decent suspension at resonable prices ? i have seen some gaz coilovers at rally design for a good price, just wondering if anyone knew of any other places to look at/experienced ?!?!

Edited by Sean12, 02 August 2010 - 11:25 PM.

[basher]

anyone know of any decent suspension at resonable prices ? i have seen some gaz coilovers at rally design for a good price, just wondering if anyone knew of any other places to look at/experienced ?!?!

one of the lads whos done a zcars build for hill climbing has changed to bike shocks, might be worth looking into and talking to him about his experiences and why he done it.

[Sean12]

basher, cheers for the advice, sounds interesting i will have to have a look into this and way up the options, cheers mate.

[miniturbo79]

its looking good mate. it will be good to see the out come. as im starting one soon