FE kitcar with classic mini subframes.

[NickelB NL]

i.ve been thinking about a FE kitcar for a long time. it's to bad i dont have the time, but i want some feedback from you guys, and your ideas.

i been reading and looking on the site, and looking at cars like the zing and that tadpole trikes, i've been thinking, those trikes do have some issues with bodyrole stability. but what when you have a cheap and easy base vehicle to set your car up with 4 weels. like taking te classic mini subframes, you have a narrow easy to work on base. put a tubular frame in between for tandem seats. a low vehicle hight, narrow upper cabin. plus there are a lot of honda v-tec conversions availible for the subframe. also alot of ford conversions. but what if you put that lean burn engine in a car that doesnt have to weight more than 1200lbs (600kg). and a nice small Aero shell. will i stay in leanburn if you drive normally?

i would like to hear comments and tips. i'm putting autocat back on my laptop en play around with the dimensoins of the frame en space needed.

[Ryland]

So you want to take a high priced, rare old car that has a cult like fallowing and rip it apart so you can turn it in to a kit car???
If you told someone selling a Mini what you had planned, I don't think they would sell it to you.

You can however get whole front ends, adapters and wiring to put a Honda V-tec engine in a Mini, so with the V-tec-E, you might be able to get 60mpg or better with normal driving.

[NickelB NL]

Originally Posted by Ryland

So you want to take a high priced, rare old car that has a cult like fallowing and rip it apart so you can turn it in to a kit car???
If you told someone selling a Mini what you had planned, I don't think they would sell it to you.

You can however get whole front ends, adapters and wiring to put a Honda V-tec engine in a Mini, so with the V-tec-E, you might be able to get 60mpg or better with normal driving.

Here in eu (netherlands) you can buy 850/1000 cc minis for under 500€. With beatup bodys. Zo you have the subframes to use.plus the gearbox steering setup and padals.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Ryland

So you want to take a high priced, rare old car that has a cult like fallowing and rip it apart so you can turn it in to a kit car??

Loads of classic minis around here (Europe - who knew ?) and all of them will have rust as this was fitted by the factory from new - this is an excellent idea.

The problem is that the Mini has been out of production for a while so new kits are hard to come by. You would be better looking for a built classic mini kit. Personally I think you want a mid-engined GTM Coupe which uses a Mini subframe at both ends - the rear one has the engine, gearbox and steering (locked), the front one has the steering. Both ends have the suspension.



An alternative would be a Mini Marcos (or Gem) which retain the FWD and have kudos for competing at Le Mans.



There was also a Mini bodyshell made here which was in fibreglass with a seperate frame but was also lowered by about an inch or so in the pillars - used a lot by autotesters, sorry - I can't remember the name.

If you like later Rover stuff (K-series) then maybe a GTM Libre too.



One of these with a 1.1 converted to 16v maybe ? Or better still a 1.8 VVC ?

[NickelB NL]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Loads of classic minis around here (Europe - who knew ?) and all of them will have rust as this was fitted by the factory from new - this is an excellent idea.

The problem is that the Mini has been out of production for a while so new kits are hard to come by. You would be better looking for a built classic mini kit. Personally I think you want a mid-engined GTM Coupe which uses a Mini subframe at both ends - the rear one has the engine, gearbox and steering (locked), the front one has the steering. Both ends have the suspension.



An alternative would be a Mini Marcos (or Gem) which retain the FWD and have kudos for competing at Le Mans.



There was also a Mini bodyshell made here which was in fibreglass with a seperate frame but was also lowered by about an inch or so in the pillars - used a lot by autotesters, sorry - I can't remember the name.

If you like later Rover stuff (K-series) then maybe a GTM Libre too.



One of these with a 1.1 converted to 16v maybe ? Or better still a 1.8 VVC ?

I know of these kits. But i want to go further then this. A little like de vw car. In tandem en very small front surface. With a top like those single seat cross buggys.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

There was also a Mini bodyshell made here which was in fibreglass with a seperate frame but was also lowered by about an inch or so in the pillars - used a lot by autotesters, sorry - I can't remember the name.

I knew about a fiberglass-bodied version of the Mini made in Venezuela, but that one didn't have a lowered roof. Anyway, instead of getting old Mini subframes (altough I like its suspension concept) I'd rather get one of those modern upgraded designs which are also more suitable to fit modern engines. Well, the engine and transmission of a Honda Jazz/Fit into a Mini-sized car might provide a great performance while still delivering some outstanding mileage figures.

[Arragonis]

Might want to avoid the Jazz (aka Fit), Mk1 at least - it has a manual gearbox made out of very expensive chocolate...