315 replies to this topic

[RossKnight]

Cheers dudes :)

I'm taking the Evo for a rwyb on Sunday so that should give me a target of what the mini needs to beat

At pod? I'm there Sunday for gti fest

[Turbo Nick]

Just off to Avon Park with a bunch of mates in AE86's, way more track time there usually than at Pod.

[Turbo Nick]

Managed to get a few little bits done this week. Started cutting all of the front end out for the grill and lights etc. Will still need some more holes for the radiator but can't decide how I want them just yet.

 

 

 

Had to make a new slam panel so I'd got room to squeeze my intercooler above the radiator.

 

 

Then decided it was plain and boring looking so we spent a few hours on ants lathe and made a rough looking swaging tool that works perectly :)

 

 

 

 

While I'd got the Ali out I figured it was time to make my interior switch panel too. I can't reach the dash when I'm harnessed in, got no room for a centre console and I'm not a huge fan of the big carbon dashes with the centre switch panels.

This was the only place I could put them, made a door card with a flat top that all the switchgear can sit in when it comes to wiring time.

 

 

 

 

Also hoiked the car out the garage the other day to turn it round and bodge taped everything to it to get an idea of how it's going to look.

 

 

 

[Baldspeed Racing]

Look so good mate, love it

[Jared Mk3]

That looks awesome!

[Chris1992]

This is looking so good! Loving that slam panel! Nice idea for the swichgear location too.

[leaky]

Awesome man! This is gonna be a seriously sweet mini when its done. Got mega wheel envy as well haha. 

[Turbo Nick]

Cheers guys :)

Leaky, the wheels are my favourite part. Always loved the 14" mk2's on my mates corollas, waited ages to find them in 10"

[leaky]

They are sweet man and they suit the car down to a T! I'v always quite liked the SSR Mesh wheels. Maybe i'll be lucky and one day someone will give me a set haha .

[Turbo Nick]

There was a lovely set of 10x7 Volk mesh for sale in Japan a while ago, £1200 before shipping and tax though. I wanted them so bad.

[RawlinsGTR]

Switch panel on top face of the door card is a sick idea!

[Turbo Nick]

Bit of an update time, been fannying around with plumbing since the last post.

 

Cooling system is 90% done now, just need to make a hose from the heater tap back into the top hose and drill a hole in the subframe for the bottom hose to pass through.

 

Gone for a slightly different approach as I'm trying to keep the engine bay as uncluttered as I can this time. Fitted a much bigger radiator than before so I'm trying without a header tank, a la original mini setup.

Got one of the DSN blank thermostat housings and a small Jap filler neck/cap, sent them off to Matty with a couple of sharpie marks and a picture and he welded them up a treat for me.

 

Picked up an alternator from Johnny too, need to relieve the block slightly and make a new pulley to get it inline with the crank but should do the job.

 

(ignore the outlets in that pic, I've sapped them since)

 

 

 

 

 

Other big change is the dog **** fibreglass front end has gone. It's been annoying me for months now, I've looked at another manufacturer and theirs was a similar shape so there was only way I could go if I wanted the car to look half decent.

 

Some pictures came from Rob Gavin of a NOS pair of wings and front panel he'd rescued from the seabed. A deal was done and 2 days later they were at my local soda blasters. Picked them up this morning and I'm much happier with how it should look now.

 

I took a couple of pics to try and show the difference between the FG and Steel wings, not an easy thing to photograph but it's really been bugging me.

 

 

 

 

 

That's all for now. Need to figure out how to fit an A-Panel and get this lot lined up for the next update.

[mattmiglia]

Hi Nick what seats do you have in there now? See you've changed them?

[Turbo Nick]

Ah yeah forgot that bit. Picked up a pair of cobra evolutions off eBay cheap with Driftworks branding.
The old seats were for the more ample gentleman and I've lost enough weight now to fit into a normal seat :)

[Turbo Nick]