mini-cooper stretch

[sidcharles]

on my journey turning a Heller Renault 4cv into a ute, it became apparent the bed would not hold much more than a frog's hernia if the engine under remained.

so the Muse decided it should be front engined & drived. what to use?

the Hasegawa 1977 mini-cooper was available, and the wheelbase is only a scale few inches short.

Q:  [1:1 theory] since the mechanicals are up front, and only exhaust and brake lines continue to the rear, is there any reason the body pan cannot be cut and stretched?

i'm sure the 1:1 vehicle would have sensors & wiring, too, but i am hoping not to have overlooked anything obvious in my enthusiasm.

since the Renault is a '55 (from the instruction sheet) and the Mini a '97 (from the box art) i will attempt to backdate the Mini components with paint color & steampunkery. 

at least camouflaged so it doesn't look too contemporary.

if this sort of works, i'm going to try a AMT '49 Ford club coupe next.*

*next year, that is. stuff is piling up faster than i can cut + glue.

 

thx

[stitchdup]

the mini might be too wide for the renault, i'd look for something with an inline engine just to make it easier on yourself. even just the mini engine is wider than the renault hood and thats without the gearbox, rad or suspension. you might find it better to just flip the renault pan front to back and adapt the front suspension to the engine end

[johnyrotten]

Coach builders that build  limousines have to figure for the added weight and the structural integrity of the vehicle when stretching it. Frames are reinforced, and in the case of a unibody,a frame section may be designed to tie everything together.  I've stretched many motorcycles wheelbase, steering geometry(rake and trail) comes into play in order to have the motorcycle turn properly. A bit different than a car in that regard. This is all in a 1:1 sense. 

Edited June 17 by johnyrotten

[NOBLNG]

It’s a model…you can do anything you like to it.🙂

[Bainford]

No problem stretching a Mini floor pan. It is as basic and straightforward as you imagine to be.

[sidcharles]

i'm going with #3 for now.

 

thanks for the additional considerations (seriously).

will let youse know how i make on with the project.

[Skip]

We have a “Full Sized” ‘71 Morris Mini Mk II, sitting in our garage for the last 25 years or so, it’s all hot rodded up with a furl injected John Cooper Works engine as well as the Sport Pack wheel arches from a JCW Cooper S and much wider Minlite Wheels. Fun little “Hot Rod” that we’ve put a ton of fun trouble free miles on, gives you that permanent, goofy grin! So, I sort of know my way around the first generation 1959 - 2000 Mini’s, and can hopefully answer your questions with some degree of accuracy.

There should be no problem stretching a Mini, bear in mind the front is wider than the rear, so depending on length of stretch you may have some minor fit up issues. The Mini rides on front and rear subframes which bolt to the unibody which has most of its structural rigidity through the rocker panel and the roof sections. The Mini used the same long block as the Austin Healey Sprite and MG Midget, it’s just turned sideways on a transaxle versus an oil pan and transmission to the rear of the block. A common variation on the stretched Mini theme is to weld the donor Mini back together after harvesting the center body section for a really short Mini! I’ve seen one or two at West Coast Mini Meets, I’m told they handle horribly!

[TransAmMike]

8 minutes ago, Skip said:

We have a “Full Sized” ‘71 Morris Mini Mk II, sitting in our garage for the last 25 years or so, it’s all hot rodded up with a furl injected John Cooper Works engine as well as the Sport Pack wheel arches from a JCW Cooper S and much wider Minlite Wheels. Fun little “Hot Rod” that we’ve put a ton of fun trouble free miles on, gives you that permanent, goofy grin! So, I sort of know my way around the first generation 1959 - 2000 Mini’s, and can hopefully answer your questions with some degree of accuracy.

There should be no problem stretching a Mini, bear in mind the front is wider than the rear, so depending on length of stretch you may have some minor fit up issues. The Mini rides on front and rear subframes which bolt to the unibody which has most of its structural rigidity through the rocker panel and the roof sections. The Mini used the same long block as the Austin Healey Sprite and MG Midget, it’s just turned sideways on a transaxle versus an oil pan and transmission to the rear of the block. A common variation on the stretched Mini theme is to weld the donor Mini back together after harvesting the center body section for a really short Mini! I’ve seen one or two at West Coast Mini Meets, I’m told they handle horribly!

Got a picture we can see Skip?

[sidcharles]

8 hours ago, Skip said:

. . . can hopefully answer your questions with some degree of accuracy. ....

thanks for the offer. i'mma gonna hold you to it.

sid