Ive enjoyed reading about others projects so I thought I'd share mine. A few years ago I felt the need for speed, so I decided Id like a classic that I could use on track days and drive on nice sunny days as Ive always preferred the more raw driving experience of classics, why go for a comfortable modern car that starts on the button? I didnt want a project, but thats exactly what I ended up with. Took the rose tinted glasses with me to look at a modified 66 Anglia, fell in love and trailered it back home. I knew it was abit rough but I thought a rolling restoration would be do able, two years later most of the bottom quarter has been replaced and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, still a fair amount to go.
A year ago I felt I needed to keep the ethusiasm going and Ive always loved minis, my dream toy is a hayabusa z cars mini, one day, maybe when the anglias done. This mini came up for sale just down the road, seemed like the perfect spec to have a little fun with without taking restoration time and money away from the anglia. First problem was it didnt have an engine in but it came with a well specced 1293cc
After taking it for a test drive up the road it was awful, rock hard with the competition cones and the engine didnt want to know below 4000rpm, but once it came on song the staright cut gears and induction roar from the weber 45 made up for it. First modification was a mechanical extinguisher system, better safe than sorry
Before the first track day at brands hatch I wanted to make sure the engine was in good health so it had a session on the rollers. The seller had told me the engine was good for 100bhp+ so I was abit disappointed when it made 90.2. It felt good though so off I went to my first track evening.
I had never driven hard, on road or track, I drive like a ******* on road but I dont think I embarrassed myself too badly. I absolutely loved it though.
I took my personal photographer with me but he was quickly sacked
Fortunately the MSV phptographer was better
Little video
I then took part in the london to brighton run but vowed to never drive the mini on the road again. Track cars dont make good road cars. I did another evening at Brands, sessioned which I didnt enjoy it as much as the open pitlane.
The next track day I booked was the retro cars evening, a week before I was talking to someone about how great twin webbers sound, then by coincidence a 7 port MED head came up for sale with twin 40s, just my luck. Not sure entirely sure if the MED offset roller rockers were needed but they look nice.
The installation was fairly straightforward, drilling the block for the dry deck would have been easier out the car but do able. This was carried out in a mad rush before the track evening, the day before I just about had it running. The morning of the event I re torqued the head and took it to the rollers. Dreaming of big numbers, expecting 110bhp+ I was gutted when it made 102. You could really feel the difference though, pulled harder. The sound with the windows down at full chat is incredible. With a set of higher compression pistons I think it would make better numbers.
Another video
I fancied having a go at sprinting but a few modifications would be required to meet the regs. It was a good idea anyway so spreader plates were put under the rollcage, added door bars, and remounted the drivers seat to msa spec.
I then booked into FDMC Eelmoor sprint. The format was 2 practise runs, 4 timed. The lack of interior and fiberglass bonnet meant I was in class 9. The first practise run got off to a terrible start, didnt keep it on cam so kangarood off into the distance, getting way to over excited the first corner then came up abit too fast for my liking, locked up and slid off into a cone, no damage though, didnt have the camera on typically. I then took it alot more easily but each run I improved a little, felt I could have gone quicker but its always the way, came last in class, 50th out of around 70. Great fun though and looking forward to doing more next year.
