18 replies to this topic

[Wil_h]

Work to prepare the car for Le Mans 2013 starts today.

I bought this car a few years ago and used it for one summer. Fundamentally I could drive it to Le Mans tomorrow, but there are a few thing that I want to sort out:

1) move the steering wheel to make it central to the seating position
2) Modify the throttle pedal for a better position
3) Make a cowel for the intercooler to make it useful
4) Make covers for the headlights (the ones in the photo are cardboard!
5) extend the sill line to the wheel arches
6) Fit boost control
7) Fit mapped ignition
8) make a decent engine steady

The basic car spec is a full GRP shell with mini rear subframe, suspension, engine etc and Viva front suspension. The engine is a metro turbo, totally standard.

[Artful Dodger]

that is so awsome!!

looks exellent! i bet that will be good fun to drive to le mans! is it front wheel drive? bit of a stupid question.. :)

going to be doing any power gaining modifications? or you going for economy / reliability?

[Wil_h]

Err, no the engine is in the back and it drives the rear wheels.

It will be getting more boost, maybe 120 to 130 bhp.

[Shifty]

Strange looking thing, kinda reminds me of a ginetta?

Did you have that xr3 looky likey mini based kit car as well(or am i getting confused??)!!

[Artful Dodger]

If its rear wheel drive how does it use the mini subframe? Modded radius arms?

[Ethel]

If it's the same as the other rwd mini kits it'll have 2 front frames with simple tie bars in place of the steering rack on the rear one.

[cliche]

My boss when I was stacking shelves had one in the early 90's. Everyone laughed at it, but I always liked it. Now I know what it was called thanks to this thread

[Wil_h]

If its rear wheel drive how does it use the mini subframe? Modded radius arms?

My stupid writing. It has a mini FRONT subframe at the rear.

If it's the same as the other rwd mini kits it'll have 2 front frames with simple tie bars in place of the steering rack on the rear one.

No, it has Viva front suspension.

[charie t]

Need some more pictures. Looks like a tidy kit
How many have opened a new window, searching ebay for one?

[Wil_h]

Need some more pictures. Looks like a tidy kit
How many have opened a new window, searching ebay for one?

I'll get some more as I go along. They are a rare beast, only twenty shells were ever made. Keep your eyes on ebay, I have a rolling shell that will be up for sale soon. (when I say rolling, it has front an rear suspension fitted, but it's been outside for 20 years and needs taking apart and and starting again). Would only be after a few hundred quid.

Did you have that xr3 looky likey mini based kit car as well(or am i getting confused??)!!

Yes that's me. Just out of shot, but still used daily for commuting.

[charie t]

Would only be after a few hundred quid.

That sounds rather interesting if it were going up in the new year?

[Wil_h]

So progress made. First thing to do was to move the steering wheel. The guy who built it put the steering wheel off centre, so a couple of new brackets and some fettling with the hole where the column comes in and it's in pretty much the right place.



Next I moved the wing mirrors. They were on the main part of the door and not much use and looked odd. Now moved up onto the window frames. These may vibrate a bit more, but I'll deal with that if it's problem.


Now it's onto the intercooler. There is no real airflow to the IC. Ideally I'd like to fit an charge cooler, but I don't have the time inclination or money. So my plan is to make a fiberglass cowel to get the air from the side intakes through the IC.

Looks like this now


This is my basic shape in foam. a bit of sanding and smoothing and the addition of an inlet or two to go.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Awesome little car mate, love it to bits.

I hope to be at Le Mans next year too. Hopefully to see Toyota take the P1 victory

[Wil_h]

A bit more progress.

First make a mould using high density foam.


Then lay it all up and remove the mould


Jobs a good one. Needs tidying and painting of course. Should make the IC of some use though.

[charie t]

looks very neat so far will
Any news on the other for sale yet?
Could you pm details if so?