I am as my name suggests quite new to the world of Mini Coopers. I have been reading many posts about putting the Honda R or K series VTEC engine into the Classic Mini. Personally I think it is a great idea.

Insted of putting the traditional R or K VTEC subsitute it with the Insight Hybrid Drive.

Throwing the idea out there ... wondering what you guys/girls think.

 

(sound of crickets)

 

<<Animal (the muppet) voice>>

"BURN GAS, MAKE NOISE, GO FAST!!!"

 

My dad has a hybrid civic. I doubt that the Classic MINI has enough space for all the batteries, gas tank,
charge controll system (computer) generator/electric motor in the transmission, etc.

I doubt that a MINI has enough space for all that stuff!

 

I'm sure you could ...but... why???

Remember, unlike the new MINI, not every classic Mini is a Cooper.

 

True, you COULD do that in a wagon I guess....

 

Or maybe you could just install some pedals and make yourself a pedal car That would save some gas

 

Mini's are a series and should stay that way, but thats getting on to another topic.

You do know that if you dont use a clubby that the front will look silly on any of those conversions cos you have to add length to it to get the engine to fit?

a series all the way!!

dev

 

Your opinion on the "Keep it A series" is no more or less valid than anyone elses. A Mini is what each owner wants it to be.

That is incorrect. There are at least two people in the USA who sell subframes designed to fit the Honda B Series engine without lengthening the front end now.

 

Not wanting to argue with you Latka, but being as i'm in the UK i'm unlikely to know that there are two companies doing that as in the UK those are the only ways of doing the conversion.

Dev

 

No worries, Dev. I forgot to check your location. Yeah... up there in the UK you guys pretty much have to go the clubby route (or extended front). As I understand it the steering rack is what forces the length in a RHD car.

 

I didn't realise that. Nuts, mine is RHD.

 

Hmmm. Certainly in the classic Mini world, respect for whatever is rampant. I saw a great honda conversion at Mini Meet West last week . . . how a classic handles at 160 mph is not something I would want to be the first to find out.

But certainly no more absurd than a civic hybrid system in a classic Mini, nor a Riley, . . . I can't get the idea of a harley twin with straight pipes in a Mini out of my mind. Picture the expression on the faces when pedestrian hear a harley rounding the corner and look up to see if there is a girl on the back worth looking at, or perhaps tatoos, and a Mini comes bleeping up! Of course the graphics would include a woman worth looking at, and tatoos. The right size, the right horsepower and the right sound. The rear springs could be removed to make it a hardtail. Peddle my ***! A right hand drive harley. Think about it.

 

Have you thought about bike engine?

Reduces weight and sequencial box mmmm. 'Busa engines or R1, power to weight of about 400 bhp per ton.

Now where did i leave my angle grinder and welding kits?

Mwhahahaha!
Dev

 

www.zcars.co.uk

I don't trust chain driven stuff though...not unless it's a bike!

 

latka

its this site dude http://www.zcars.org.uk/

 

This one?

 

Whoops - thanks, Dev. I didn't double check it.

Here's the Mini page:
http://zcars.org.uk/mini/index.htm

They also do one of their kits that uses the K series Honda engine. No chain, baby...no chain!
http://zcars.org.uk/mini/civic.htm

I've got a DVD which shows them building up the entire bike kit. It's very well thought out - looks like an awesome bit of kit. I would prefer the Honda engined kit though because (well, it has no chain) the Honda engine might be easier ... you're not trying to drive a 1400+ pound car with a bike engine for starters, and there are lots 'o parts out there.

Not to say that the bike engine wouldn't be cool - but if I ever do anything like this I'm going to beat the holy hell out of it. I don't need to be replacing chains every year