Austin Mini V-Tec rear engine (update 10 Oct)

[geetee66]

  On 8/16/2018 at 8:48 PM, Dann Tier said:

nice engine mount!!

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  On 8/17/2018 at 2:32 PM, 89AKurt said:

My kind of project!  Look forward to seeing this one completed!

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  On 8/17/2018 at 11:36 AM, afx said:

Great project Guy.

 

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Thanks guys 

I just painted the cage. I only meant to do a test on some spoons, but I ended up giving the body a first coat. Paint is Tamiya X-14 Sky blue, thinned 2:1 with Tamiya thinner.

[Dann Tier]

  On 8/17/2018 at 4:02 PM, geetee66 said:

 

 

Thanks guys 

I just painted the cage. I only meant to do a test on some spoons, but I ended up giving the body a first coat. Paint is Tamiya X-14 Sky blue, thinned 2:1 with Tamiya thinner.

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NICE kolor choice!!

[geetee66]

While searching through my parts box, for a steering wheel, I came across some air scoops from the 1:32 Revell Chrysler New Yorker.

 I'm considering adding these to the sides...the engine's gotta breathe! 

[Dann Tier]

  On 8/17/2018 at 4:06 PM, geetee66 said:

While searching through my parts box, for a steering wheel, I came across some air scoops from the 1:32 Revell Chrysler New Yorker.

 I'm considering adding these to the sides...the engine's gotta breathe! 

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That would definitely be unique!!

[Bill B]

I'm with Kurt: My kind of project, and my kind of car.  I'll watch this progress.

[MarcelT4]

I would have made the air intakes through the side windows. That does not bother the harmonic form of the minis so much.

[geetee66]

  On 8/17/2018 at 6:51 PM, MarcelT4 said:

I would have made the air intakes through the side windows. That does not bother the harmonic form of the minis so much.

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Now, that WOULD be good!

I'll have to play around with some acetate and see if I can make something like that.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

very cool project

[Rider]

This is really moving along. Very nice work on the cage. 

[geetee66]

Ok, so things got hung up a bit, with a career change, but this weekend I got a few bits done.

The metal wheels came up nice, with a bit of paint.

[geetee66]

And I also built the resin B18 Honda V-Tech engine. I chucked in some plug leads and gave it a black wash. It went together nicely. The parts were cleanly cast and only needed a quick tidy up.

[geetee66]

You gotta love these Molotow chrome pens. The clock rings are so easy to do, now.

[geetee66]

Also fitted aluminium behind the seats, and a perspex window to the cage.

[fordlover632]

Did you use real aluminum  and I love the build it looks awesome can't what to see It done  

Edited September 9, 2018 by fordlover632

[Skip]

Cool idea!  Love to see an innovative Mini based build, surprised you aren't using a Vauxhall or even a BMW MINI engine for your conversion to keep it all European.

Question, why not turn the engine around so that it sits more in the middle of the car for a nearly equal weight distribution?  Having the engine sit so far back in the car would make for a tail heavy handling car, not unlike an early VW, where the weight of the engine would cause the tail to kick out or the whole car to spin in a tight corner.  Midmounting the engine would make a Mini handle more like the Street Legal Go Kart that it is, especially when you factor the weight loss in the front end from removing the stock 1,300 CC engine.  I've seen a couple Suzuki Hayabusa engine conversions done like this and they are usually set up the engine as near mid mount as possible.  

The Honda VTEC can also be swapped up front in the stock engine location, you would need to fabricate a new front subframe and usually lengthen the front clip by 6 - 8 inches.  I have a couple of friends in the Mini club I belong to who have done this conversion, looks and handles pretty amazing!

BTW - I own a ' 71 Mk II Mini Cooper S spec +, lots of engine work where it's probably just a little tamer than a race spec engine, a few chassis mods, enough so that it regularly embarasses Corvette, Viper, ans a few Porsche owners when we run Autocross with it!  I can put most if not all my power to the ground where they spin their tyres most of the way through the course.  But being from the UK, I don't have to tell you how amazing a Mini handles, do I!

Edited September 9, 2018 by Skip

[Dann Tier]

Its great to see this build again!!…...its looking brilliant!!…..i'd be chuffed!!

[Jason Sheer]

Super Cool build Guy, Nice batch of extras your using on this project! Roll cage looks Supurb! Nice blue ! 

[geetee66]

  On 9/9/2018 at 1:31 AM, fordlover632 said:

Did you use real aluminum  and I love the build it looks awesome can't what to see It done  

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Thanks everyone 

yes, I used very thin aluminium sheet for the firewall. I used the tip of a needle file, to simulate rivets and photoetch boltheads, for where it fixes to the cage.

  On 9/9/2018 at 2:10 AM, Skip said:

Cool idea!  Love to see an innovative Mini based build, surprised you aren't using a Vauxhall or even a BMW MINI engine for your conversion to keep it all European.

Question, why not turn the engine around so that it sits more in the middle of the car for a nearly equal weight distribution?  Having the engine sit so far back in the car would make for a tail heavy handling car, not unlike an early VW, where the weight of the engine would cause the tail to kick out or the whole car to spin in a tight corner.  Midmounting the engine would make a Mini handle more like the Street Legal Go Kart that it is, especially when you factor the weight loss in the front end from removing the stock 1,300 CC engine.  I've seen a couple Suzuki Hayabusa engine conversions done like this and they are usually set up the engine as near mid mount as possible.  

The Honda VTEC can also be swapped up front in the stock engine location, you would need to fabricate a new front subframe and usually lengthen the front clip by 6 - 8 inches.  I have a couple of friends in the Mini club I belong to who have done this conversion, looks and handles pretty amazing!

BTW - I own a ' 71 Mk II Mini Cooper S spec +, lots of engine work where it's probably just a little tamer than a race spec engine, a few chassis mods, enough so that it regularly embarasses Corvette, Viper, ans a few Porsche owners when we run Autocross with it!  I can put most if not all my power to the ground where they spin their tyres most of the way through the course.  But being from the UK, I don't have to tell you how amazing a Mini handles, do I!

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I agree, Skip. A Hyabusa engine takes up less room and can be set forward, but I couldn't find a 1:24 resin version. Nor a Vauxhall or BMW lump.

My YouTube research showed a few with V-Tech engines and my 1:1 inspiration had a Volvo 2L turbo wedged in the back in this position.

[geetee66]

Things are starting to come together, now.

made a fuel cell, today. I need to SB a radiator, as the kit's part is too small for this engine 

[Dave Darby]

All I can say is "Wow!" Super nice intricate build. I'm in awe.

[Dann Tier]

WOW!! is right!!!

[geetee66]

Got a bit more done this weekend.

 I made a bigger radiator from the extra one in a Skyline kit. Chopped off the intercoolers and added a brace made from a bit of L shaped rod. I put some PE bolt heads on the support. I also made a fan, but totally forgot to photograph it. I took a disc of styrene and cut triangles out, then gave the blades a twist. Two sizes of rod made the motor and was mounted with a horizontal support.

 I had a turned aluminium expansion tank in my parts box, which found space next to the radiator. 

I made the battery from 4 square styrene rods, glued together and sanded. A PE bracket holds it in place. And I made a screen wash reservoir with a clear rubber hose.

[geetee66]

I've also failed to mention the front hubs.

The kit parts are designed to use the driveshafts from the engine, to articulate and support the hubs. As the engine is missing from the front, I had to drill and pin from the upper shock mount, through the hub and out through the A-arm. A little bit of thin wire holds it all together and allows the steering to function.

 I had forgotten how fiddly PE 5-point harnesses are, to make.

Especially as I spent a while pawing over the carpet, looking for parts which pinged out of my tweezers!

This took about 90 minutes and it's still not done. Then I've got to make another one! ?

[geetee66]

And finally, the exhaust. I cut up a silencer from a parts box set of pipes and bent solder to tuck it up neatly under the engine. The reverse side needed filler.

I'll have to install it last and add a bit of metal tube to the end, to make it look hollow.

I used aluminium tape around the silencer and chrome pens on the ends. I've given it a bit of heat treatment, too.

[Rider]

This is very enjoyable to watch come together, nice work all round.