27 replies to this topic

[woody78]

Hi all, been a long time since I've posted on here. But it's been an even longer time since I've done any work on my mini!

The conversion is complete and it drives under its own power...... but that was pretty much as far as I got with it in 2009 after changing jobs and loosing my workshop.

So now I'm settled into my new workshop and have loads of space I want to get cracking on her and FINALLY get her to the high standard I want :)

Here's a link to the old thread I had from the first load of work I did on her:
http://www.theminifo...fast-road-mini/

A bit of history on the old girl....

I bought my Mini Advantage in 2006 with a stage 1 kit fitted and having apparently been "restored" over the previous 2 years. Being 16 at the time and excited about getting my 1st car I didn't have much of a look round it as it looked pretty enough :s
It had been painted with spray cans and had some Hammerite in the boot but I think that was about it. So in 2008 I bought a 1275 metro and began building a 1293 with all the extras, which made just under 100bhp thanks to the beautiful Catcam I had in it.
I repaired the floors, put on a new front end, rear valance and debumpered it. Painted her in BMW dolphin grey with a black roof, black sportspack arches and satin black ultralites. (All of which can be seen in the link up there ^^^)
In my haste to get it ready for the 2010 L2B I rushed to get it all back together and was never really happy with all of it. Then..... a week before the L2B the gearbox blew on the 1293 as the idles gear bearing gave up and threw teeth between every other gear in the box so I threw in a 998 I had for the L2B to which the head gasket went as I arrived in crystal palace. Grrrrrr
So with my new found hatred of A series engines I tightened the head bolts as much as I could and thrashed the hell out of it the next morning heading towards Brighton doing my best to destroy the engine.
.........I succeeded and the AA picked me up near the Gatwick turning on the a23 :)

So after that I hid the mini away for a while in a dark barn. Then I needed a final year engineering project so started looking into engine conversions. Working at an automotive engineers I'd see a vast range of engines and cylinder heads come through the door. The Fiat Punto 16v 1.2 caught my eye as although it's only a 1.2 they are 80bhp standard and just over 110lb-ft of torque, they're also tiny so would fit under a standard front end, hydraulic clutch and cable gear linkage. Oh and 5 gears.
Yeh I know they've got their problems these engines and I'm sure someone will have to say "why even bother, it's a 1.2" or something about them being Italian and made of chocolate. Don't bother, I've heard it and I don't care. If u want to go put a 1000bhp engine into your mini then you crack on :) I wanted a fairly pokey daily drive.

I carried out the conversion and was in, running and driving. However when I changed jobs I couldn't keep it there anymore and no longer had my workshop. Unfortunately the only place I could store it was up my friends yard, outside where it sat for just under a year!

Heres a link to a few of the photos I put up on the 16v mini club of the conversion. There's not a massive amount there but I'll add some more detailed ones to this post at some point. http://www.16vminicl...?t=22201&page=2

Anyway, I've been in my workshop a few months now but haven't had a chance to work on the mini as I'm trying to save for a mortgage so been turning round a few other cars. Now I'm ready to crack on and have loads of new ideas for the old girl. Power steering and electric seats to name a few.

So here's how it's been sitting for the last 8 months, a mattress on the roof, half my girlfriends clothes in sacks inside it along with a double duvet, two picture frames, a suitcase and a double bed (in bits)

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Last night I was up the workshop and moved her into the larger of the two bays I've got and had a good sort out and clean up. This is where she's sitting now.

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I'll keep posting pictures as I go. Mainly to keep myself inspired and it's always handy to have the input of a load of people with some things :)

Oh and I'm also going to look at fitting this bad boy

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And will be purchasing a steering column from a Vauxhall Corsa soon for the EPS conversion.

So anyway, next update will be next week I expect once I've been up the workshop and started stripping it down!

[Ben_O]

You won't hear any grumbles from me about the engine. I'm all for different ideas as apposed to normal run of the mill conversions. Its nice to see something different.

 

Good luck with it.

 

Ben

[Tamworthbay]

Looks a great project.

[mini13]

good lump for turboing!

[vx220]

Is there a 1.4 or 1.6 that shares the block?

In for a penny, as they say!!!

(Or it might even make for a cheap trackday Cinque - sacrilege, I know!)

[gimenofl]

How are the gear ratios on this engine. At the end of the day, the box is half of the conversion...

[vx220]

How are the gear ratios on this engine. At the end of the day, the box is half of the conversion...

IIRC the Cinque sporting box is set up to use 165/55/13 tyres, so very similar to 175/50/13s

[mini13]

yeah, ratio's are about right, if you wanted somthing shorter for racing then the punto 6 speed box fits and is a bit lower geared in top.

 

 

the 1.4 is a different block, but the heads might be interchangable, I looked into this as the 1.2 head can be grafted onto the mini block, and I had visions of using the fiat 500 arbarth head and bits...

 

the 500 arbarth (which is a 1.4) chucks out about 130hp with factory upgrades to 160 and 200 hp.... apparently you can get them to 250 hp with no internal engine mods!

[woody78]

Cheers for the comments guys.

I'm up the workshop this evening and hope to have most of the front end stripped out as well as what's left of the interior. Still not sure whether to keep the roll cage or not. I love the look through the rear windows but don't want to have to make extra cut outs in the Ka dash to fit round the cage. If anyone's seen photos of one of these dashboards fitted with a cage please send me the pics!!

[woody78]

As promised I'll upload pictures from when the conversion was originally carried out. The order may be a bit out but it was a while ago now!!

So....... 1293 with capooted gearbox out....
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Quick skim through eBay bought be this...
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Engine, gearbox and pretty much everything I needed bar driveshafts and gear linkage for £150. Bargain!!

Then we had a shed load of snow which slowed down working out doors,
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But when it finally cleared I got to offer it up for the first time
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And it clashed here....
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Here...
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Here...
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Oh and here...
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I'll upload some more photos once I've managed to sort through a load from my old memory stick!

[woody78]

So with it not being anywhere near in the hole the plasma cutter came out.......

Started by trimming small bits off the subframe to see if I could keep any of it and strengthen it back after
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And got it to here
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Then though sod it, and cut it off from the turrets forward
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And it still didn't fit...... So a little more trimming and got it to here
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And then managed to hang the engine in the hole roughly where I wanted
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[woody78]

For some reason I can't find the photos of the subframe once it was complete. Any way here's some photos of the first bits of steel I lashed together.

I've just posted in the 'wanted' section as I'm after a front subframe or jig. In my haste I built this one in the car without making a jig first. Really not happy with the tie bar mounts at the front so wanting to cut the front off and jig it up!

 

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Not a clue where the photos are once it was finished(ish) but had triangulated supports both sides and seam welded throughout.

 

The I bought some land rover engine mounts from ebay and made some mounts for this. I've seen the land rover ones used quite a lot as they're nice and simple

 

Only have a piccy of one side though the other bolts to the turret

 

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And this was the evening it was sitting in there with out the help of the crane!

 

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[woody78]

Been cracking on this week, had Monday evening up the workshop with the misses helping me out (she didn't whinge or anything!) and have literally just stepped in the door this evening after having had another good go at the old girl.

Mondays photos:

Rest of the interior out with just a few bits left
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Engine stripped down but couldn't lift it out as I couldn't find my socket for the hubs nuts so couldn't remove the driveshafts
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A quick shot of the boot, yes that is Hammerite, and yes someone has gone round the fuel tank
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And this is how I left her Monday night......
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So this evening......

Engine out
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Front subframe out, need to find another one now to make a jig and rework the front of this!
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Rear subframe out
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It was an absolute pig to get out! Two of the bolts snapped at the heel board and then to top that off the broken bolts that were left it the holes were so corroded to the mounts that my 1mtr level bar wouldn't even part them! In the end I had to get medieval with it so need to repair the heel board

The interiors completely stripped and the wiring looms out, not sure whether to take the pedal box out yet but I'll come to that later....
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And here is the ever growing pile of bits!
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Just the glass to come out now and I think I'll be ready so get it on the spit!

Next update will be this time next week I expect

[woody78]

Ooooh and also I've just bought this....

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Electronic power steering column from a Vauxhall Corsa C, so will be having a play with modifying and combining it with the mini one once it arrives

[woody78]

Didn't get too much done over the Christmas period but it is on the spit and I've been able to see what needs repairing and replacing.

Upon the spit...

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And rolled completely over (scared the crap outta me the first time)

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The rear valance is completely gone at both ends. Really annoying as it was only put on 4 years ago but it's my own fault really as it didn't have a boot seal fitted when it was stored outside so the waters just seeped onto it

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The heel board needs repair sections welding in after having to get medieval to remove the rear subframe!

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So.... Rear valance, heel board, battery box and both sills and the I can get the underside sprayed and protected and then be able to start on the rest of the body