Hello
My name is Ali and I’m from canterbury in Kent.
I am desperately trying to find somewhere that sells 13x7 Starmag Alloys new, or maybe a member has a 2nd hand set for sale?
I have a half complete 1983 custom mini city. It has an Yamaha YZF R1 engine in it and it is rear wheel drive. Have also modified carbs and fitted a quick shift solenoid (so no clutch at all!). Have also Re-furbished some MG metro turbo hubs (not fitted yet though) and got a fibreglass dash and console to fit along with Cobra buckets and harnesses.
As you can tell it will be an awesome road car when complete (hopefully by Summer), but just need to find those elusive starmag alloy wheels, because i love 'em!
Cheers Alastair.
I will post photo’s at a later date.
If you don’t have a clutch how are you going to start off, I realise that you don’t need a clutch to change gears when moving.
And what are you doing for a handbrake, because NON of the RWD bike engined cars I have seen are actually road legal?
Siggy
hhhmmmm..
anyways i think it sound great,
did you do the conversion your self,?
was it very hard?
how exactly did you do it, look foward to seeing those pic’s
I have left a clutch arrangement on it at the mo, but I imagine it will be fine with a few revs and then just engage 1st (or 1 up 1 down on the bike box). If not then the clutch is still there anway, just incase i ever take the quick shifter off.
Take a look at:
http://www.zcars.org.uk/mini/mini\_main.htm
I am doing everything myself as it is 6k for the full kit or about 12k to get them to do it. Plus engine brakes, wheels and R1 clocks. Plus you going to want to know how to fix it if it goes wrong.
it’s not that hard, but you need an angle grinder and descent tool kit. Plus my garage is full up so I’m doing on my driveway - so I can only do it on sunny days
hanbrake issue is solved by two sets of in-board brakes - one pair for foot brake and one for handbrake.
Still haven’t solved reverse yet!!! But a small price to pay in a pushable car!
Am thinking of using a starter motor to make it reverse, if a little slowly.
You will never engage gear without a clutch, or you might but the gearbox will not last and you cannot control the car at low speeds/
The only ones I have seen have used hydrolic handbrakes, even Z cars demo and this is Illegal
Siggy
Not true at all Siggy!
I have been in two road legal Z-cars conversions. One was the prototype the other was a 400bhp turbo hyabusa engine. Both have handbrake cables that use a slight mod that basically converts your mini cable into two cables that work 1 pair of the rear in-board brakes.
And I think your mis-understanding what I mean by no clutch.
A hybrid R1/Quafe component clutch mechanism is still present and in full working order, for use in traffic and stuff.
When I referred to no clutch at the start of this thread i was referring to the fact that moving up the gears on performance bike’s like R1’s CBR’s etc. requires no clutching when your caning it . And a quick shifter consists of a solenoid, that is triggered by movement of the gear stick, which disengages and re-engages the gear faster than you could with the clutch pedal. Hence no clutch - meaning you don’t have to use the clutch pedal not only on the way up but also on the way down.
Basically, the solenoid controls the clutch and not your foot moving the pedal.
The last Z cars demo I saw at Stanford hall last year had a hydrolic handbrake. operating the second caliper and no cable.
You actually said
> and fitted a quick shift solenoid (so no clutch at all!).
I know about quickshifts, as used on superbikes, ie full throttle gearchanges
Siggy
Al, that sounds like a monster project!
Please make sure to take pics for the forum and the site, as we’re all very interested in how your car develops!
Alburglar:
I remember a bike engined mini being in Mini World or Mini Mag and i think it used a winch motor for reverse.
Not 100% sure but someone else might remember.
Good luck with the project!
> .
Basically, the solenoid controls the clutch and not your foot moving the pedal.
Sorry I a bit confused ??
Does not the Solenoid control the gear leaver ?
Am doing a Zcars Mini mayself, where do you get the Solenoid conversion from ?
PS Any pics, just add them to your next post with the Browse button…
> The last Z cars demo I saw at Stanford hall last year had a hydrolic handbrake. operating the second caliper and no cable.
You actually said
> and fitted a quick shift solenoid (so no clutch at all!).
I know about quickshifts, as used on superbikes, ie full throttle gearchanges
Siggy
ermmmmm, end it or i will end it,
it doesnt matter, hes not going to make it up is he,
maybe your not right this time, who no’s, just dont turn this into a argument please
Thank you.
yeah ive seen that back end pic ages ago, didnt relise that was your project.
nice work
Could ihave some pics of ur project so we could use them on the new site?
Here is the smurf mobile.
When the engine comes out on my day off next week (providing weather is ok) I’ll take a couple of pics. I’ll do the same when I cut the floor out. And at various other stages.
Is there any way I can retrieve that pic? I want to mask the numbers on the plate.
> Does not the Solenoid control the gear leaver ?
Am doing a Zcars Mini mayself, where do you get the Solenoid conversion from ?
The solenoid quick shifter is one you can get from most bike shops. Just go in and ask. It’s nothing to do with the kit. Plus it might be a nightmare to sort out, as I haven’t figured out how to change from the existing button control gear change that comes with quick shifter- to getting it to sense movement on gear lever. Haven’t installed engine yet, as I’m still waiting for delivery on rear kit and sorting front brakes out. Here is a pic anyway.
the aluminium bar attached to solenoid should move left(when going up the gears or right (when moving down the gears). At the moment, Solenoid makes it move when you push up or down buttons. Ijust need to replace buttons with electrical sensors triggered by moving gear lever. Or, just use button controls.
Here are the smurf’s insides. Horrible at the mo, but I’ve got a fibreglass dash/console. R1 clocks and cobra buckets + the kits roll cage.
Wallop! Plus I’m spraying all remaining patches of orange and yellow paint.
Bring on Sunny Days off, I’m itching to do the two big jobs:
Taking out and Getting rid of 998cc A-series (thats done 95k if anyone wants it)
Then Chopping floor and arches out! (sounds extreme, but worth it!)
Plus my immaculate 12inch minilite replicas and tyres will be going cheap!
Actually the more i think about it the I realise that it maybe isn’t half finnished.
Guys both of you that are doing conversions, how serious are you about posting progress and info?
If you really want to help the site out and all the other people that look for this information, please let us know, and I think it would be a very good idea for creating a new forum on the site such as “Non A-series Engine Conversions” since both of you are in the process of bike conversions, and rich (bluemini) is looking at Vauxhall units etc.
It would be a very valuable resource to many people on the net, especially the bike conversions (since I haven’t seen many sites about them!)
If you guys do post progress diaries and information, I think it’s safe to say that you can easily both receive automatic gold stars (if my other Team members let me do that), since this is very valuable to us!
Thank you
