90 replies to this topic

[Howzter]

No progress as yet, ive put the feelers out for a newish block.........thinking of going 4.6 (just to be a bit different) was gonna run it on carbs but i spoke to a bloke that reckons i may have troubles with the emitions?? any thoughts? Gonna get an EFI whatever, because its a stronger block, just didnt really want to be tied up in all the electrics for a start, but its probably gonna have to be done. I wa s going to crack on with the rear end (get it back on a roller) but i cant do this until i have the box mounted to the block and all offered in. So i think its on hold til i get me engine..................but i will do a bit to front end and a bit more bodywork. Cant lay up the doors yet because im worried about the whole shell moving when i weld to the spaceframe...........im looking for a nice 3-4mm gap all the way round the doors

[Dom]

Also, this is what happens to a mini when you roll it 3 times!!



Pictorial on youtube

Minicross at Lydden Hill, the cage held out well........but you wouldnt have thought it looking at the welding!! Then on the restart of the race another mini shed its wheel and the wheel came flying towards the crowd, hit a fence post square on snapping the post, went about 20ft in the air, bounced twice in the crowd missing everyone and came to rest on a car windscreen!! i was about 10ft away but the people right in its path must have needed new pants!

I remember seeing his helmet come out the car from the other side of the track!

Also saw the tyre go off and heard about it going into the crowd

[Howzter]

Right then...........after a couple of months of looking ive finally found and got a new power source!

In the shape of a 305 small block chevy V8...........Holley 600 cfm double pumper carb, Holley competitor inlet manifold and some nice Holley covers! (which will be polished until the suns reflection blinds you)


 305_small_block.jpg   773.37K   59 downloads
 Covers.jpg   782.82K   30 downloads

Going to get it running on a stand first, needs running in, plus i can get the box mated to it and ******* out any problems before it goes into the car. Looks like its going to be a nice tight little package, just hope the box will withstand the torque..............Oh and the guesstimated output is about 280 bhp.

Ive taken about 100 steps backwards with this new route, but im really glad ive done it. Minis up on tressels now, had to fill in bodywork at the rear windows where i cut out for the top of the Mcfearson struts.........but this time in going for rear trailing arms.

 15102007162.jpg   711.83K   104 downloads

So...... Its time to crack on, but ive got no heating in me shed, gonna have to suffer it out. Check back soon, gonna put some footage on youtube of the first start of the V8!

[Badger McLetcher]

Right then...........after a couple of months of looking ive finally found and got a new power source!

In the shape of a 305 small block chevy V8...........Holley 600 cfm double pumper carb, Holley competitor inlet manifold and some nice Holley covers! (which will be polished until the suns reflection blinds you)


 305_small_block.jpg   773.37K   59 downloads
 Covers.jpg   782.82K   30 downloads

Going to get it running on a stand first, needs running in, plus i can get the box mated to it and ******* out any problems before it goes into the car. Looks like its going to be a nice tight little package, just hope the box will withstand the torque..............Oh and the guesstimated output is about 280 bhp.

Ive taken about 100 steps backwards with this new route, but im really glad ive done it. Minis up on tressels now, had to fill in bodywork at the rear windows where i cut out for the top of the Mcfearson struts.........but this time in going for rear trailing arms.

 15102007162.jpg   711.83K   104 downloads

So...... Its time to crack on, but ive got no heating in me shed, gonna have to suffer it out. Check back soon, gonna put some footage on youtube of the first start of the V8!

Love it. I want to do one of these now lol!

[funkylizard]

Looks like it'll be a fun and interesting build.

[Dirk130]

No more updates

[Howzter]

Been working nights for the last couple of months, Energy and enthusiasm have been at a low. And then i got all set up to fire the engine for the first time today and the melonsin oil filter never showed! thanks to a certain ebay seller, the big day fell flat on its face. Still, ive had a good tidy up in the shop, me TIG welders fixed and ive had a good look at mounting the gearbox, its all very tight! Think im gonna have to mod the bellhousing, headers and find a way to mount the starter.....because the flywheel diameter of the ford is so much smaller than the chevy flywheel, all possible mounting points for the starter are too far away. Maybe a starter running in reverse mounted on the gearbox side may be in order? Hopefully the answer will show itself when the box is in position.

Sadly nomore interesting pics, just the engine on the stand waiting to fired and mini (still) on tressels.

Stripped all the nasty pulleys of the front aswell, looks like it will be a nice little package when done.

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•  24032008245.jpg   629.88K   30 downloads
•  24032008241.jpg   686.61K   47 downloads

Edited by Howzter, 23 February 2008 - 08:34 PM.

[Ro8bieg]

Love this project! its a monster! are you hoping to have it done by next year for the minis 50th at silverstone?

Robbie

[Howzter]

Love this project! its a monster! are you hoping to have it done by next year for the minis 50th at silverstone?

Robbie

Would be nice, i need a goal..............i need a kick up the arse more! Life is on hold until this is done now, its now or never!

[Ro8bieg]

good good, that is myt deadline! to have mine on the road by then! I'm gonna be so mad if i havent but I will! I have an extra long summer holiday wen I will be doing mine because its GCSE year and I finish a few weeks early woop

[billicp]

omg that thing is going to be a beast it looks well nice i want one :-p hehe what size wheels have you put on it because im looking at fitting 15 or 16's on mine thank

billi

[Howzter]

Ive got 17" TSW's on ford hubs........looks like a rollerskate! but it will help the wheelspin factor, well.....thats the theory anyway!

[billicp]

yeah same reason why i want bigger wheels on mine because bigger they are the slower the acceleration because if there small when you floor it will just be spinning and well that dont get you any were lmao how hard was it chopping and welding up the rain channels on the front and back because i want that on mine but my mate is just taking ages to come and do it because if i start cutting them off the car will just fall apart lol

[Howzter]

Dont go cutting or grinding anything off without a welder present!! Its a slow process, but you have to do it this way.............grind about 50mm of seam off, leaving a couple of mm of sill showing, if you go too far with the grinder you will be welding paper! (as in , RIZLAS!) so leave a bit of meat on the sill, the welder will penetrate, even if its at a poor 60 amp setting. Patients is the key! If you rush it, you will be putting more filler in than weld! Goodluck

[Howzter]

Well..............ive finally managed to get round to starting the engine, Heres a link to the tube for a short vid......

http://uk.youtube.co...h?v=D212iBpUFbk

Obviously its not running nice, but its running! Thats all i wanted to know. Next step is to mount the gearbox, need to replace the chevy flexplate with the focus dualmass flywheel, make me adapter plate and also need to mod the bellhousing for the starter.............easy (cough).

If you've seen the vid, dont worry, i wont need a lorry to jumpstart it everytime! the starter motor is failing a bit, that coupled with the highlift cam and lack of exhausts etc etc........all makes it a bit too much for a 12v supply.......thats why we bit the bullet and shoved 24v on it, the starter got pretty warm, but it survived!