Thanks guys the car is a beast! Once I get the boost issue resolved its going to get even more interesting.

 

Is it done?

 

The new full titanium exhaust and headers will be done in the next week or two. Then a few little things that have to be finished. But yes its done for the most part.

Took Best of Show at SPOCOM 2009

 

im not sure if i even want to know, but how much mula was put into this? especially doing the new frame to have the mid/rear mounted engine?

 

I figure I prob. have between $40,000 - $50,000 into it. Its hard to say as Ive done most of the work. But actual money close to $30,000. Some was sponsored some was'nt. I did it for the fun of it and dont ever expect to get what I put into it. Ive NEVER made any money on a show car. I build them to learn and try something new and come up with something that few have done. And yes it is for sale if the offer is right.

The frame and engine (alone) was around $15,000

 

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The latest addition.

 

Looks great Lyle , any new updates? Have you put it on the dyno yet?

Ryan@Fabworx

 

Not on yet should be mid Feb. Thanks Ryan!

 

Few picts from today.

 

MTM:

For those of us of too many years under our belts, I'd like to thank you, first for taking on the project in the first place and doing it with a "take no prisoners" attitude and secondly, I'd like to say thanks for documenting the project from start to finish and sharing it with us.

I'm one of the guys who, back in the late 50s and early 60s, bought little AMT plastic models and took them home to the razor saw and plastic wood to see what we could imagine. We'd look at them and dream of the day when we could do a real one. Far too few, if any, of us ever got to the place in life where we could realize that dream.

Your work has allowed us to live vicariously through your efforts. We have gotten to see parts we could only dream of ever holding, yet alone using in a real car. And we have seen the execution of a dream done to perfection.

So for those of us who can still only look and dream, thank you for your work and for your sharing attitudes. Please accept my congratulations on a job very well done.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Please let us know when you start a new one, and if you can, please also let us know where this little blue guys winds up. I'd love to see it in person sometime.

And say Hi for us to MTM, Jr. and also to Mrs. MTM and thank her for allowing you to realize your dreams -- both of them.

 

Herleman,
Your kind words make it all worthwhile. I can only hope I have inspired people to think outside of the box. And to do things to the best of his or her ability. Ive learned a lot along the way. Made bad decisions, done things more than once, but overall have done it the way I wanted to do it.

I hope to actually have the car in Florida soon. I will update as plans progress.

 

Looks great Lyle Thanks again for giving us the opportunity the have our work on such a work of art. How is everything coloring?


Danny

 

Its looking good Danny! My battery ran out the last shot when I was going to shoot the exhaust again. The manifold is technicolor. From the turbo back I havent got enough heat into it yet for it to start the process....but soon

 

What steering wheel is that? I need to fit one for my mini. Great job dude!!

 

I'd like to revive this thread and get some updates!

 

this car is beautiful

 

I was a little mad at first when I saw him cutting up a sweet classic mini (that he somehow found for only $2000!), but then I just read all 12 pages... and saw how awesome this thing became. What a work of art. I'm pretty sure I've seen it in a magazine at my dealer. I would love to own a classic someday!

to infinity and beyond

 

Sorry I've been off here for awhile. The car has since been repainted and has new wheels. Will try and get some more picts up soon. The last Dyno numbers came in at 495HP 353TQ


Fuel System: Aeromotive A1000 pump
Filters: Aeromotive 12301 & 12304 (one before pump, one after)
Fuel Regulator: A1000EFI
Lines: Russel Classic with return line
Fittings: Earls
Injectors: Power Enterprises 750mm
Fuel Rail: BDL
Throttle Body: BDL
Cooling System: Custom Zcars
Mounts: Innovative Engine mounts
Exhaust: Custom fabricated by Fabworx in full titanium
Ignition System: Stock Acura
Fuel tank: Custom made Fuel Safe powder coated red

The increased HP of this car is over 400% from the original number found in 1975. The engine has been fully painted black and as well the oil tank, timing cover, alternator, intake manifold and valve cover are fully polished. The engine has had the AC and Power Steering taken off. Innovative billet mounts were uses to mount the engine to the frame and roll cage. Remote oil cooler is cooled by fresh air coming from 1 of 2 NACA ducts in the windows of the car. The Exhaust was hand made in full titanium from the manifold on. A custom muffler was designed and then wrapped in titanium sheet. A polished radiator and shroud with the custom fuel safe complete the front of the car.

FORCED INDUCTION SYSTEM:
Header: Custom fabricated titanium by Fabworx
Turbo: Borg Warner S362 .70AR
BOV: Tial 50mm
Waste gate: Dual Tial 44mm
Intercooler: Custom
Piping: Custom fabricated by Fabworx
Boost Control: Kpro 4BAR Hondata map sensor
Boost Level: 18psi
NOS: Custom direct port nitrous system designed by Joe McCarthey/Prototype Racing

The engine has been converted from a NA to forced induction. Because of the uniqueness of this car the turbo setup was completely custom. The exhaust manifold was fabricated by Fabworx in full titanium utilizing a dual waste gate setup. The turbo compressor housing has been polished to match the engine. The intercooler was custom fabricated and placed in the roof of the car this provides short cooling pipes and instantaneous boost. A custom carbon fiber roof with integrated roof scoop and wing feeds air through the intercooler mounted about the engine. The Nitrous system was designed by Joe McCarthey the builder of the fastest RSX in the world at the Bonneville Salt flats in Utah. The stainless nitrous lines have been bent by hand. The distribution block was fabricated specific for this application. This car is the only known turbo VTEC Zcars mini in existence anywhere in the world and thus a truly rare breed.

TRANSMISSION:
Gearbox: Stock Acura EP3 6 speed
Differential: Quaife LSD
Drive shafts: Custom by Zcars UK
Clutch: Competition Clutch Stage 5 Sprung
Flywheel: Stock
Shifter: Custom fabricated and made by Zcars UK

SUSPENSION
Springs/Shocks: Fully adjustable rebound and height by Zcars UK
Sway bars: Zcars UK
Bushings: Zcars UK
Race Jacks: KSport

The entire suspension system was designed by Zcars and is completely custom. The front shocks sit in a horizontal design similar to F1race cars. The fully adjustable rose jointed suspension enables quick adjustability to the race suspension at any time. All aluminum and brightwork included in the suspension has been anodized blue to continue with the theme of the car. Race jacks by KSport have been installed to raise the car on all fours with a switch that controls the onboard compressed air tank that powers the jacks. The jacks mount via custom aluminum brackets (polished and anodized blue) that mount directly to the roll cage. The car features race jacks that are in cabin controllable and can be raised and lowered within seconds. The air tank is located in the front of the car mounted to the firewall. All air lines were hand bent out of stainless steel tubing.

BRAKES:
Calipers: Custom blue Wilwood 4 pot Powerlites front and rear
Brake Line: Exact UK
Disks: Wilwood drilled and slotted 260mm front and rear
Master Cylinders: Wilwood full race pedal set with cabin adjustable bias.
Brake Bias: Wilwood

Custom alloy bells were made to fit inside the custom wheels and then anodized blue to match the suspension. As well the brakes have been powder coated to match the car. The pedals are race pedals from Wilwood and include 3 master cylinders for brakes and clutch. The Bias control is done via a Wilwood **** that is mounted on the dash. The brakes have also been converted from a drum type brake system to a disk type system. All the stainless steel lines on the car were hand bent and took over 50 hrs to complete.

WHEELS AND TIRES:
Wheels: 13” custom 3 piece made by Image Wheels UK
Tires: Yokohama A032R 215/50/13
Mounting: Standard 4 bolt

The front brake plates have been anodized blue as well to match. The wheels are custom made 13” x 8” three piece Billet wheels. These were taken apart re-fabricated in carbon fiber and put back together. The Yokohama A032R tires have long been discontinued and are no longer available.

PAINT AND BODY:
Paint: House of Color (new color required over 15 coats of paint and clear)
Painted by: JR Customs
Body Work: Ben Abutin/High End
Front Grill: Alec Mini Japan
Eyes: Alec Mini Japan then remade in exposed weave carbon by Rogue Sevens
Roof: Custom made exposed wave carbon by Rogue Sevens
Boot: Custom made exposed weave carbon fiber from Rogue Sevens
Hood: Custom made by Zcars then remade in exposed carbon fiber by Rogue Sevens
Lighting: HID high and Lo beams from a Hummer H3
Tail lights: MKI round light conversion with LED bulbs
Mirrors: SPA Technique Dry Carbon

The mini includes a one off custom fiberglass wide body kit. Specifically designed and attached by Ben Abutin of High End Performance. The grill is from Alec Mini in Tokyo. This grill was picked up in person in Japan. They do not ship and are virtually impossible to get 100% JDM. The boot was custom made by ABS motorsport in the UK. for me. The hood is by Zcars and I had it remade in carbon fiber here in the states by Rogue. Rogue made the custom exposed weave roof with integrated roof scoop and wing as well. The lights were originally intended for a H2 Hummer, they fit perfectly in the 7” headlight slots on the mini. The trail lights have been converted to the round style lights on the MKI mini. The original lights were square with standard bulbs. I have converted to LED as well. All the outer brightwork (tail lights) have been anodized black and ceramic cleared for consistency. The exterior side panels have been covered in real carbon fiber to blend with the carbon fiber theme.

INTERIOR:
Seats: Kirkey Deluxe Road Race Seats
Mounts: Kirkey Aluminum Race mounts
Harnesses: Cobra Pro-Series FIA road belt 6pt
Steering Wheel: SPA Technique with integrated shift lights
Hub: Works Bell Rapfix GTC flip quick release
Mounting Hub: Custom
Gauges: SPA Technique
Shifter: Zcars UK
Material: Black Alcantara Leather
Door Panels: ABS Motorsport exposed weave Carbon fiber
Dash: Custom Carbon fiber
Gauge Pod: Carbon Trix

This car has been fitted with gauges by SPA Technique a specialty maker in the UK for Indy cars and custom OEM applications like the Ariel Atom. The gauge cluster is from SPA directly but it is a duplicate from the Ariel Atom. The auxiliary gauges are dual digital gauges with blue back lighting. They are mounted on the top cross bar by a carbon 3 gauge pod by Carbon Trix. The steering wheel is Alcantara wrapped and includes integrated shift lights in the top of the wheel for instant visual notification of redline. Mounted to the steering wheel is a Works Bell flip style quick release hub. All this is fastened to the steering shaft by a custom made billet adaptor specifically for this car. The seats are custom made aluminum race seats by Kirkey. 18” driver and 16” passenger seats typically found in F1 and NASCAR series race cars they found there way to the mini. They have been polished and mounted to the floor with modified Kirkey mounts fully polished. The 6pt. harnesses are by COBRA made in the UK. The harnesses are not sold in the US and were sourced from the UK directly. The custom made dash is exposed weave carbon fiber and custom fabricated to fit the car. The rear seat is now where the engine resides. The engine side is surrounded by sheet metal.The “firewall” has a custom cut Lexan sheet in the top section so the engine can be viewed from all windows. Blue LED lighting is used to accent the polished engine and interior.

STEREO:
Source Unit: Eclipse AVN6610 touch screen
Screen: 7” touch screen MRE-700
Mapping: GPS
Amplifier: Audison LRx 4.1k
Speakers: Hertz Mille MLK with ribbon mid
Subwoofer: Hertz ML2500 10” subwoofer
Wires: Stinger HPM Series
Enclosure type: Custom carbon dash enclosure and custom carbon fiber subwoofer enclosure

The subwoofer resides in front of the passanger seat. For racedays this can be taken out to reduce weight.

ELECTRICAL:
Wiring: Painless harness
Engine wiring: Modified RSX-S loom
Battery Terminals: Pos. digital Stinger HPM Series
Batteries: 2x Braille B2015C

The dash comprises a total of 10 doomsday switches, push button starter and a master kill switch. As well the nitrous arming and purge buttons are located next to the brake bias adjustment ****. The entire car was rewired using weather pak connectors and new wires. All grounding wires have been upgraded as well. The whole system is powered by two Braille carbon fiber B2015C batteries mounted to the floor with aluminum Braille stays. One battery is isolated to power the engine and electrical system. The other isolated to power the stereo system.

 

Geee...

Sounds just like mine -- my engine is painted black, just like yours and it has four bolt wheels.

That simply has to be the best of the best.

Thanks again for continuing to share it with us.

 

UPDATE>>>>>

Car is officially for sale! Time for another project.
Asking $55,000 OBO (within reason). It will come with an extra set of tires and some other stuff. Please PM or email me for more info.

 

Amazing car and build was a great read! Dont sell that amazing MINI!

 

Sorry if I missed it... but have you run any actual numbers on it yet? I'd love to know the 0-60 and 1/4 mile. This thing + 500 hp...... yeah, it's probably like 1 second.

 

I haven't ran it yet. Because the car was painted immediately after we got the engine stuff sorted out I didn't want to risk the $8,000 paint job to rocks etc.....

Its a complete race car but has only been shown. Id love to take it out to the strip just to see what it does. I do know however the short (5 block) hop from my warehouse to the paint shop I think I left 2 tread marks literally all the way there.

 

Here is a shot from a few weeks ago. Sorry for the lack of a full on shot.

 

Holy unexpected wood batman! If I could have either of those for the rest of my life it would totally be the car.. err yeah, i'm pretty sure anyway.. it would be alot cheaper in the long run. amazing ! The tail lights look oem A1