16v Project Progress - Now Back in Business
Turbo Mini Forums

well, having decided my car is far too heavy it has come apart again for a serious diet.

So far I have removed a bucket of sound deadining from the floor. and those bituminous bits stuck to the rear quarters. also the inside roof lip, back seat, drilled a load of holes in the window winders and lots of other things that arn't worth mentioning, but I've lost 35kg and counting. The only weight going in is, a dash bar on the rollcage and a cross across the door apartures, if that makes sense.

I have also replaced all the brakes with some drilled and groved disks up front and some alloy drums at the back. I also made some ally seat mounts from 5mm thick material. they either weigh 700g a pair or 1400g I can't remember which now.

I'm still undecided whether if I turbo it will be any more fun, but my mate is going to lend me his turbo engine to play with to test the water before I get my head opened out and change the cam etc on my current engine.

Heres the progress pictures so far.

I am going to tidy the door up by the way, this was the initial cut.




I also got offered a metro for 50 quid, so it was time for a bit more Dorset style car loading and engine removal.

Edited by minimole23 on 11th Aug, 2021.

why use the tree when you had the tractor??

Thats some good wait saving! And the turbo will definately make it more fun

Any chance you can save me the indicator stalk and some wiring from the metro?

We used the tractor to load it onto the trailer because it was at a farm. then took it home and had everything I needed off it, it never left the trailer before getting weighed in i'm afraid, it was only here for one day.

How much weight did you get out of the door?? Will your windows still work or is the mechanism too heavy?

Pic 3. Hard grinding disks and aluminium dont mix. The alu clogs up the disk then expands with heat, then explodes!
Nice weight saving, keep going

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

I'm keeping the winder mechanisms, they weigh 1.5 kg though I have cut about 250g out of each one. It would be nice weight to loose but I want it to be enjoyable to drive and not boil. plus it will look smart some carbon doorcards i'm going to make. overall I should think only about 1kg will come out of each door.

The big weight loss should come from the glass.

Paul. Thanks for that I wish I'd known that earlier, but luckily nothing exploded. I just used normal metal cutting wheel, then rounded the edges off with the sander attachment as pictured.

Wouldn't Electric Windows be lighter ??

Yes. Electric windows are way lighter than the standard mechanisms.

WWW.TURBO-MINI.COM

what would be a good donar vehicle for mechanisms

Try Wood and Picket for the ellectric window kit

Well, After much notching, trial fitting, swearing, then re-notching I have a fair bit more rollcage in now. I will offset this added weight with a fibreglass roof and rear beam when I have the money.

so overall I am down 25kgs so far, but I am awating the order of polycarbonate to make the windows, so I assume there is 15kg's to come from there. I also need carbon fibre sheet for the parcel shelf and door cards.

I realised a fundimatal floor in my plan for wind up windows in that the winder handle fouls the new rollcage across the doors. I'm just going to add sliding windows.

I also really needed to get on and sort the wiring out, it has now been moved inside, as it was a bit of a hazard the way it was just hanging down everywhere.

I need to take the interior out agian to paint the floor and rollcage but needed it road worthy for a party, due to everyone I seem to know asking after it. (including girls)










My mate and I are also going to try to get this roadworthy for Mini in the Park, everything is more of less there, we just need some time to sort it out.

Edited by minimole23 on 22nd May, 2011.

Looks great matey!

Made a real nice job of the cage!

Cage is looking good, just need some gussets!

I got confused and thougt the cage was in the metty, same coulour see... lol

looks good what you have done, i love the engine crane

Best 1/4 mile 13.2 seconds @116 mph
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on a carb?
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on Injection?

http://www.mattwoodsphotography.com

I have decided to sort a number of things with the car that have needed doing for ages.

so, the rollcage has been welded to the floor and tied to the body wherever possible. I only need to make some gussets to tie the screen pillars to the rollcage then thats totally done.



The gear lever has always been a bit of a streach, so I have been making an internal shifter mechanism. It is still a bit crude and untested in the car becasue I broke the hole saw earler attempting to cut through the bulkhead so need to get a new drill bit for it.

I'll replace the threaded bar linking the uj's with a bit of aluminum when I find a suitable piece, and an m12 tap. The welding also needs tidying up but it works. There is no sloppiness at all in the mechaism so hopefully its worked.







The engine has been removed, A very nicely built 1380 will be taking its place.



Other then this the wiring for the digital dash needed tidying up, and a new fiberglass dash has been ordered. I'm going to start drilling holes in stuff soon as the weight reduction drive continues.

Top work going on here buddy!

Looking forward to seeing more progress!

Edited by Rob H on 17th Jan, 2010.

Its been rather a long time since I updated, as I've not had much worth updating to be honest.

The quest for weight loss continues, I have fabricated a rear beam from scratch as the cut down rear subframe was deemed too heavy. the fabrication has an all up weight of 4.5kg which seems pretty handy.









The front subframe has had an appointment with the hole saw and is now solid mounted.





I also have a brand new harris motorsport 1380 engine to go in the car, which should hopefully give it a bit of poke.

the spec is 1380

powermax pistons
fully worked crank
ultralight flywheel
benross head
1.5:1 roller tip rockers
895 cam
megajolt
weber 45

I'm hoping for 90 bananas at the wheels.





other jobs include lots of wiring to be done, and add a few brackets to the roll cage and it should be ready to be taken to the rolling road.




I'm hoping to get the car ready for the miniworld action day in september which I think will be realistic.

Sorry for the photos, most of the good ones are on my other camra which I can't find the cable for.

Oh and here is a little view of my future intentions for the car!

Where did you get that cage from mate?

On 8th Aug, 2010 minimole23 said:

Edited by miniminor63 on 10th Aug, 2010.

How come? its the same mount as a coupe of others on this site have used. Is that it looks like it needs a bit more of a gusset higher up where the radius arm clamps up?

Any suggestions for improvment would be welcome before I get too far with the rear end:)