Classic Mini race car

[CIW]

Something a bit different - this is my 1380 mini racer, out in the Classic Thunder saloons championship this year.

It started life as a minicross racer but one test session and many tales of rolled cars later we decided to go sprinting instead. A couple of seasons after that it was time to go racing.

It has a carbon kevlar front end and now weighs a whisker under 600kg, runs on Dunlop mini miglia slicks and has KAD 4 pots up front (the rear brakes are standard callipers as they don't do anything). The 1380 engine revs to well over 8k and produces ~140bhp. This is put through a Swiftune dog box and TransX LSD.

Last year I was running low 55's around Brands Hatch Indy, this year with the addition of electronic ignition it would be good to break into the 54's.

And here it is chasing Cossies at Pembrey:

 

[172CupAdam]

That is awesome, got a real soft spot for mini racers, you not considered the KAD twin cam head??

 

[hughesclio]

just awesome .... end of

 

[Tony Hunter]

I like that.

 

[Alex H]

Nice! Who's minicross car was it?

 

[Jay Payne]

Last year I was running low 55's around Brands Hatch Indy, this year with the addition of electronic ignition it would be good to break into the 54's.

By Fook, thats quick!

 

[Jewson172]

awsome full stop (.)

 

[Mr Burns]

I bet it goes like the clappers, love it!

 

[Dweeb]

55's is pacey!

 

[CIW]

That is awesome, got a real soft spot for mini racers, you not considered the KAD twin cam head??

Not seriously, it would move us up a class in most of the series we've competed in, cost a small fortune (£10k for an engine iirc) and probably overheat the front tyres over the course of a race anyway. You could switch to 13" wheels as the more powerful cars do which would allow us to run more rubber but affects the handling and it doesn't appeal to the purist in me - they should run A series and 10" wheels imho.

150bhp seems to be about the sweet spot, it's the cars lousy aerodynamics and lack of fifth gear that kill it at higher speeds (currently tops out at 115mph) so you probably wouldn't be gaining that much ultimate pace anyway.

Nice! Who's minicross car was it?

Can't remember but they built a pair of them with the same livery so our sister car might still be out pounding round the rallycross circuit somewhere. To be honest, apart from the shell and rubbish bolt in cage, there's nothing left of the original car, the next big upgrade we could make would be a new shell with proper miglia spec cage.

 

[CIW]

Thanks - just checked on your build, car sounds great!

 

[Ian_182]

Great little cars.Bet yours shifts.

I had a mini cooper when they did the re=launch of the cooper back in 1991.The reg was J935 ELG.I fookin loved that car and it handled way better than a lot of more modern hatches at the time...

 

[MATT BLACK]

Is that flywheel hp or wheel hp ?

The car is outstanding mate !!

 

[CIW]

Is that flywheel hp or wheel hp ?

Flywheel unfortunately!

Why can't I edit the **** ups in my previous posts?!? Previous reply was meant for hughesclio with his VTEC mini.

 

[Alex H]

Can't remember but they built a pair of them with the same livery so our sister car might still be out pounding round the rallycross circuit somewhere. To be honest, apart from the shell and rubbish bolt in cage, there's nothing left of the original car, the next big upgrade we could make would be a new shell with proper miglia spec cage.

I had a go in one a few years ago. Great cheap fun!

 

[hughesclio]

Flywheel unfortunately!

Why can't I edit the **** ups in my previous posts?!? Previous reply was meant for hughesclio with his VTEC mini.

cheers mate, im pretty much the same as you though in that a mini should be an a series and run 10" wheels but i thoght i would try something different with the vtec,
my dad hates me for doing what i have done to mine, he says "its not a mini its a mini shell " i wind him up saying i have removed the weakest link and refit some 20th century perfecrtion just to tease him a little more lol.

 

[maynard]

That's ace! I've just finished changing a steering rack on a mini automatic, such a joy to work on

 

[dalla]

Awesome, just awesome. Iam toying with the idea of building a car for the Danish hill climb series. Thinking about a Mini Marcos.

What kind of wheels are you running? Any pics?

 

[CIW]

Awesome, just awesome. Iam toying with the idea of building a car for the Danish hill climb series. Thinking about a Mini Marcos.

What kind of wheels are you running? Any pics?

Mini's do very well in the up to 1400cc classes as they're so light. A Marcos would probably be even quicker though I imagine it's real advantage would be on faster tracks/hills where the better aerodynamics would be an advantage.

The wheels are two piece based on Mini Special wheels. You can pick them up off eBay for not a lot of money and then the rim machined off and a seperate spun rim fitted. A lot cheaper than MB's which is what a lot of the Miglia racers use.

Before:
http://allanbudge.co.uk/carpics/refurbed.JPG

After:

And the Force Racing website where you could spend a fortune on titanium bits and bobs:
http://www.force-racing.co.uk/

One tip I'd give for sprinting/hillclimbing, where you need the softest possible tyres, is get hold of some uncut Dunlop Miglia wet tyres (i.e. the tyre before they cut the tread so still slicks). The wets are the softest compound so warm up the quickest and give the best grip over short runs.

 

[Winston]

Savage Mini.

Those wheels make me moist.

 

[CIW]

Should have been more clear that it's Force Racing who do the wheel conversion:

http://www.force-racing.co.uk/wheels-10/

 

[Brian172]

Lovely stuff. looks brilliant.

 

[CIW]

Bit of in car from the start of a recent race at Mallory, have to let a couple of quicker, out of position cars through but get past the ex-Paul Radisich BTCC Mondeo we race with out of the hairpin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ixE19_VR6w

 

[JackJack]

Thinking of getting one of these for hillclimbing and sprints.

 

[Daniel]

I did a track day with a miglia mini and it didn't brake the whole way round the circuit. I caught up on the straights (in a 172) and then as soon as it came to a corner, it cocked a wheel and absolutely fcuked round it!!

Nice car mate, love it.

 

[Scrooge]

Truely awesome.

 

[Oldskoolbaby]

I did a track day with a miglia mini and it didn't brake the whole way round the circuit. I caught up on the straights (in a 172) and then as soon as it came to a corner, it cocked a wheel and absolutely fcuked round it!!

Nice car mate, love it.

There really isn't much to touch them in the bends. You were doing bloody well to keep up with a full miglia spec car in a 172. Like you pointed out, exit speed is on the silly side. Can't wait to get mine finished

 

[Daniel]

Wo wo wo!! I never said I kept up! lol.

I just caught up a bit on the straights!

 

[Oldskoolbaby]

Yeah wouldnt be suprised given their gearing and aerodynamics lol

 

[Englebert]

They look so cool! Would love to see it with a period paint-job and leather bonnet straps!

 

[CIW]

Finally have a camera setup that can cope with the vibration, some footage from my race at Brands Hatch yesterday, a good start (helped by some spinners at Paddock) making up 6 places by Druids, then end up having a good scrap with some French shopping trolley...

[video=youtube_share;pl7aQaJCYAk]http://youtu.be/pl7aQaJCYAk[/video]

 

[Sam@NP]

Awesome, still running rubber cone suspension? I should put a spec up for our ex-hillclimb and sprint 1275 GT.

 

[Daniel]

Wow!!

I only watched 4 minutes because I don't have a very good attention span...

But that looks like proper hard work! Fair play to you though, you seem to be doing very well!

 

[dannyb]

Nice video

After many years and minis I managed to kick the habbit but seeing posts like this makes me realise how I miss them lol

 

[NoahRobinson07]

Looks awesome .

I'd love to take the 35 on a track but I wouldn't have the balls too, may have to invest in a 'Track ****'

 

[Mr R.]

Love it your racer looks good fun, i went to watch the Miglias at Brands years ago proper close racing.


This was my 1970, 1380cc road car that i had for 8 years, it started life as a Mini 1000 and only one owner from new and had done 13,000 so the shell was good

Curly Carbon boot floor and Miglia arches, Stack dash and lots of KAD bits but sold it to buy the PH1 so i could take the wife and kids out.

 

[CIW]

Love it your racer looks good fun, i went to watch the Miglias at Brands years ago proper close racing.


This was my 1970, 1380cc road car that i had for 8 years, it started life as a Mini 1000 and only one owner from new and had done 13,000 so the shell was good

I raced with the migs this year at the Brands mini festival, great racing. They have a guest class now for cars that aren't to series spec. Even though I have a 1380 and LSD, which should give me an advantage over the spec cars, I was still half a second off the front runners which, in such a close field left me fighting to get into the top ten.

Yours sounds like it had a lot of potential, do you know what happened to it?

 

[Reev]

That is awesome! Can't beat a proper Mini.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Looks good fun to drive.

 

[hughesclio]

looks bloody awesome, if i could get my mini to handle half as good as that id be happy. im really impressed that such a small engine never sounds like its struggling to rev or short of power.
i bet you have ace fun in that car