Track toy to retro road.
Turbo Mini Forums

hi all,

its about time i put up a build diary on here. I had it on another site but seen as ive changed engine plans its time to join you nutters on here.

the car was a track toy before i purchased it.





but i bought it as a shell for a 73 rebuild ehem

when i got it it looked a little like this ( i sold the carbon fibre bonnet, boot, arches and bumpers to fund it)

looks like a good base to start from

Done now needs redoing lol

came well kitted out and tubbed arches









started to strip it to examine the overall condition













cut the front off as it was looking shabby around the seams



i then realised it wasnt a quick do up. should have realised it being a mini and all. so bought a mahoosive shed which was clean to start with but hey things change as you will see later.







stripped it further and decided to put a smooth bulkhead in as i want a clean looking engine bay









as per usual with the mini the more i dug the more rot i found







cleaned all up welded the holes but the floor was bad so a new floor was needed





























once in i preped and treated all the cleaned up metal

Looks like you're making a nice clean job of it, good work on the floor pan.

good skills

nice job mate looking good

give em hell

interior and sills seam welded on









was going to go supercharged blow through initially but plans changed as all will be revealed





Garage is already starting to look worse




Test fitted the steel front on







went on ok and had some time to work on the dash

wanted to stay center retro but build it up a bit so designed this





As usuall though wives start nagging about the house so i managed to find a joiner who would do joinery in exchange for mini work so i fitted the tubo box and unit to the following mini and some new bini seats







Think it was this that changed my mind for turbo as man even in standard guise it was fun

front end fitted but never realy happy with it





souced a mk1 fibreglass twin skin boot at same time



Cross member fitted



Being on here a few time drove me to look at carls website porn lots and guess what happened next



Yep force exactions appeared

Bit more assembly and finishing done







Then started to buy parts















The tyres for the return of my exactions 10x7 carl is a genius and has amazing skills









Back end seamsealed and rusroleumed

then this week i was never happy with the front end so while i was fitting a turbo box the front came of and FG is being rivited on





Garage is looking a real shit hole now



But also picked up some parts







Alsdo got a rear anti roll bar sorted







Thats it for now.

Nice work

Audi s4 b5 - 470bhp & 486ft lbs

On 30th Apr, 2012 Brett said:
yeah stick the bit in and give it a wobble

Nicely done, thats looking good.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Very good

impressive work, how did you find the fit of the fiberglass front as you werent happy with the steal

its actually quite good, needs a tad of building up and sanding back on the join to the scuttle but aprt from that its a nice fit, very even bonnet lines which i like.

looking good, but you sir are bonkers

On 12th Aug, 2012 mini.cooper998 said:

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

it is very light, my neigbours think im zeus as i regularly pic the bare shell up and roll it over or lift the front end onto blocks.

to answer the question on fibreglass front.

i nipped out tonight and gave it a very quick basic fettle with a sanding disc on an angle grinder. with some hand sanding it should be a perfect fit. This is just to show the alignment and gaps after 10mins work













also managed to get the turbo box fully welded and blended.



she looks sexy just peaking out of the garage






Also picked up some exhaust parts

going to custom make a flush system that fits up inside the rear subframe so that the ends just poke through the rear valance.

using a pair of baffle removed ducati 996 cans and will custom tig weld a stainless system to suit.



a quick on on how do most people mount there fibre front at the front of the subframe, im guessing most people bolt them to the brace bars.

any ideas taken.

Edited by mini.cooper998 on 13th Aug, 2012.

Good choice on skipping the supercharged phase.

I've got a t3 elbow if it's missing.

cheers haimesyboi, it did come with one ive just stripped it off to check float and play in the turbine. unfortunately it floats and plays. bollocks. anyone recomend which is a decent rebuild kit on fleabay.

cheers folks

fogot to add a rear view of the kermit beast i turbo'd last year. It had had the rear lights relocated to inside th rear window but suited them back on so cut back out and re-fitted.

managed to get a bit of time on the car this weekend.









Also got the rear vallance sorted and welded on



Now here is a problem im having which bonnet should i go with





Test fitted the arches as well



Also knocked up a rolling stand makes shifting it around the garage so much easier



boot fitted properly too



Test fitted the MK1 numberplate holder. looks quite tidy now, there begins to be light at the end of the tunnel.



The light is getting lighter





parcel shelf is a nice one off too



Been buying a few last parts too



And a race alternator



picked up some MPI pulleys to complete the belt set



And a dump valve



Picked these up thinking they were classic mini but they are very small similar angles and look but not mini. anyone any idea what they are from.





few bits and pices left now on the body. also need to sort out the connection at the front of the subframe for the fibre front.

Very nice job on the repairs there, though not sure how I've missed this thread for the last month!

cheers minimole23 dont get chance to work on it that often so only updated now and then

looks like marina air vents

give em hell

Great thread - I wish my front end fitted as well as yours.

good work although was the replacement floor really needed? it didn't look that bad to me