dear TMF members i am 17 and looking for a mini project to take on, i am in the process of purchasing a mini 30 that has been fully restored but i am also looking for a project to take on so that i can modify it to my taste.
i am thinking about purchasing a shell and going from there. i was also thinking about running a VTEC instead of standard. but i dont know whether it is worth it and what modifications you would have to make to the shell to fit it in the engine bay.
if i didnt put a VTEC in what engine size and modifications would get the mini shifting off the spot??
i have already been warned then i am young and that my insurance will go through the roof if i was to drive it on the road, put that is why i am buying a mini 30 which is 998cc.
if you could answer these questions i would be greatful:
which should i buy a clubman or mini??
what modifications should i make as i dont have an endless supply of money but enough to make it rapid off the spot??
i have seen de-seamed shells are they worth it or worth de-seaming the shell??
i am asking these questions to you experienced members as you have previous experience as i dont as of yet.
being only 17 and being sensible and getting a 998, i like your idea of getting a shell and doing whatever the hell you like with it. a nice long project to get the mini you want that you created and by the time its finished youll be able to insure it too.
as far as vtec’s go, very good, but if you fit it to a round nose you’ll have to lengthen the nose. otherwise i think you could get a round nose shell (as theyre much more plentiful) and cut off the front and do some fiddling and fit a clubby flip front giving you the room needed. but vtecs are now very expensive and you need a custom subby for it which is very expensive too. basically the whole lot is very very expensive. take a look in the projects sections and 16vminiclub.
for cheaper alternatives theres a swift gti or rover k-series conversion if you really want an engine conversion. or i think a new thing coming in at the moment, so still relatively cheap but with less experience, is a volvo turbo conversion. there was a thread in mini chat not long ago about it. do a search. or you could stick with a-series and spend some money doing some serious upgrading of it or supercharge it. you dont need to bore them out to within an inch of their life. just get some very very nice little toys for them and youll get some nice power, especially in something the weight of a mini. or you could do a 16valve head conversion onto an a-series. theres the KAD 16v, BMW k-series head (i think) and i think some heads off other engines that fit, but someone else will have to jump in with info on that. again check out 16vminiclub.
as for deseamed mini’s, theyre probably quite easy to bodge and mess up so do some good looking and make sure you’ve got a gooden. but dont really know much about this as its not my taste. just that your only supposed to do it a few inches at a time or something otherwise the panels misalign.
as a disclaimer, im not experienced in any engine conversion or de-seaming. so im sure there are many gaps and mistakes that will need filling in by people with more experience. but it should give you a rough idea and give you a few things to do googles searches and some homework on
i am 17, i have a standard 1000 engine in my mini i wanted a v tec 2 but didnt because of money… and the car is standard apart from sports pack arches and grey superlites and a 4 spotlights i have also put a white roof and bonnet stripes havent done 2 much hopefully it wont be high on insurance i think i have spent about £1500 on it so far that inc… the front end panels boot floor door skins arches and more mainly body work the car isnt finished yet so dont no about the insurance for it
