I thought I would post the progress of the rally Mini build as I slowly put this car into rally mode. Don't expect a mega bucks build as I have a very limited budget, also don't expect to see many Mini parts going on the car! The donor car is a 2004 base Mini Cooper which was an ex rental car so the interior was not great but as a rally car this is not important plus it was cheap. I got the car off Ebay with the seller saying the car ran ok apart from a rough idle. After investigation I found #2 had a stripped thread for the spark plug. Worse still was in had already had an insert fitted so I used a big sert kit to fix the problem but to my surprise the engine still ran rough. So I pulled off the cam cover and removed the rockers. Then hooked up the air line to #2 cylinder and put some pressure in. Checking the intake and tail pipe revealed the tail pipe had an healthy blast of air coming out. Then I made a tool to remove the valve springs with the head on so I could push the valves down to see any damage. One exhaust valve had a burnt seat so game over. Next I'm going to get a Cooper S head as the exhaust valves are better.
I have finally got started on the Mini to replace the head, while I'm in take apart mode I decided to remove the front bumper and all the junk in that area. Damn there is a ton of junk. The battery box, intake box, raditor plastic surround, ABS area covers. Weighs a ton. For sure the battery box and intake box are going in the basura! How about the radiator surround? I figure I can make a few brackets to hold the radiator and bumper and loose all that junk. Also the A/C system is going.....and what's with the fan under the engine????(power steering cooling??) That's a first for me! plus the fan was well seized so not doing much. Interesting thing is the Subaru Impreza WRX radiator has the hose mounts in the same places and just fits between the chassis rails so this could be an option for a bigger radiator?
Thanks to my parts Sponsors EBC brakes and Braille race batteries.

Now I'm in Costa Rica driving the Rally Swift GTI, so no progress for 3 weeks.

 

Sounds interesting to me. Please keep updating! What country are you operating out of & what make/model cars are your main competition?

 

I'm from the UK, live in the Boston area USA and commute to Costa Rica to work! The championship runs N1 upto 1400, N2 upto 1600 and N3 upto 2000 and N4 4WD. I run with a 1300cc car in the N2 class as there is only me in N1 but I beat the 1600 guys which is fun to do! competiton is Yaris,Tercel, Accent,Sentra

 

Nice livery Way back in 2003 Speed TV aired a Group N FIA rally from Ireland. The MGZR factory team was featured & it was very exciting stuff. i can't even imagine a Yaris in race trim. It must look like a giant coconut on wheels.
Good luck with the racing!!

 

Just to let you know, I don't own a auto repair shop, any special tools or have been trained in the auto industry. I just have a passion for cars and a good mechanical understanding of how to build them....

After 32 years of owning cars here's my list:</SPAN>

1946 Morris 10, Mini 850, Mini 1000, Mini 1000 converted to 1330 S spec, Austin 1300 with race engine, Austin 1300 , Hillman Hunter 1725, AlfaSud T1 1.3, Fiat 126, Ford Granada 2.0 with group 4 2.1 engine, Granada 2.8 V6 manual with modified engine, Fiat Strada 105 Abarth, Ford Escort 1.3, Volvo 324, MG Metro Avonbar conversion, Ford Escort XR3i with motorsport mods, Fiat Uno, Ford Fiesta, Ford Escort MK2 1.6 rally car, Peugeot 205, Peugeot 106, Peugeot 306, MG Maestro 2.0EFi rally car, Isuzu Trooper, Toyota Land cruiser, Ford Taurus SHO, Ford Sierra XR4Ti , Alfa Romeo GTV6, Alfa Romeo Milano V6, Saturn S, Saturn VUE, Mazda 3 2.3, MG Midget 1.5 , Subaru Legacy rally car, Nissan Xterra 3.3 4WD, Range Rover V8 manual with engine mods, Suzuki Swift GTI rally car, Mini Cooper rally car

 

Wow! that's a diverse list! It's a shame many of them were never imported to the states. I started on Standard Triumphs, had a couple of Saabs, a Scirocco, an early A1 VW GTI, an underwhelming Honda & a Volvo 240 as daily drivers. Over the years I've worked on a few Alfas, Fiats & even an old Mazda RX3 (fun car!)
Someday, I'd like to ad an early Lotus Elan or a TVR 2500M or 3000 to the garage. Maybe a heavily modded Ford Cortina as an unusual canyon carver. When I was in my twenties I was lucky enough to assist in prepping some SCCA National production cars but I'm not a professional mechanic either.
Just having fun & trying not to go broke doing it

 

That is some list! You have had your own racing team. I like how you fit those SUVs in the list.

 

Hey Gordon you're some good stuff too! I like the Cortina idea, Down in Costa Rica there are some strange cars www.crautos.com I saw a Ford Anglia once on this site.

Never owned a race team but I suppose I am my own team as I market, build, drive and service on the rallies with all my cars. With my sponsors the events cost nothing to enter. All I have to pay for is the up keep of the car which is only parts and time. Here's my front room gearbox build and engine in my kitchen. hahahaha

With owning so many cars I’ve got to know what fits what from other cars. Like the Suzuki has a Honda Del Sol aluminum 4 core radiator, Pontiac ball joints, Jaguar oil cooler, F-150 heater core, Subaru STI front struts, STI rear laterals, STI front control arm bushes for engine mounts ,Mustang V8 fuel filter, VW Golf rear struts. For the Mini I’ve ordered some Subaru parts which I hope will fit after some adjustment.

 

Kicked off the build today and hit problems. As reliability wins rallies I'm replacing the water pump with a new one but the bolts were scary stuck until I slowly got them out. Then I found the metal coolant pipe was really coroded, also the radiator fan sounded a bit suppect so I'm replacing that too. I got the "S" cylinder head on but not connected everything up yet.

The original raditor will be toast in no time being plastic ends so I've opted for a 4 core rally aluminum Subaru WRX radiator which will fit after some modification. I plan to junk the plastic surround and make the bumper a one piece off for easy access. Also I found a belt to run the alternator/water pump without the need for the dummy A/C pulley.

 

That was some week! finally got the Subaru WRX radiator in, a 165F thermostat, Way motor mounts, Lowes CAI hahaha, Computer servo fan for the power steering pump, custom mesh grille plus putting the head back on. I hope tomorrow to have the car running.

 

The weeks hard work paid off. Finally on the road!

 

I didnt know you where on here.

I'm subscribed now... I'll be following your build like herpies.

 

Pics of the radiator & bumper mods please!

 

I wrapped my dad's TVR 2500 around a telephone pole at about 50mph. Slid in sideways and hit right in front of the firewall on the driver side. It literally tore the entire front end of the car off and threw the engine about 50' down the road. I went out through the back window (seatbelt tore from the clip) and LANDED ON MY FEET! I have no recollection of this, just seeing the pole coming then standing in the middle of the road. Witnesses did see it. Man, was I stupid in high school! Sorry for the hijack, just not many people even know what a TVR is.

 

A friend of mine has a TVR 2500M that he is putting a Land Rover Discovery V8 into right now. He has already taken his 1975 Triumph TR6 and rebuilt the engine, adding multi-port fuel injection and a Mercedes supercharger. A very well done and sorted car. If you are interested. Here is the link:

http://www.pattonmachine.com/tr6/

 

WOW it's been a LONG time since I have seen one of your posts! You gave me a little encouragemant when I was stuck in that hell hole just buying and researching parts, is it really time to pass the stick? I'm not sure I am worthy of the title "ModFather" yet.

Been there, done that. Rallymini370 is actually trying NEW things and making some progress. Even if he does have a R50Justa, he is treading in "new" waters... Who else could find a "Factory spec" high capacity radiator that could be used in a MINI?

Cant wait until he does the research and finds something else.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TVR Lucky escape in the TVR. Check out Swordfish to see a British plate TVR in LA

Regarding the radiator. I have a high regard for Subaru parts as they seem to be strong and built well.( Some Subaru's see 300,000 miles without issues) The competion parts (STI) are even better. So having worked on Subaru's I knew the inlet and outlet were in the correct position to fit the Mini. The length is about 30" so just fits between the chassis rails. It took me about 8 hours to make a frame the support the 95 WRX aluminum 4 core radiator. I didn't use the plastic surround but maybe it's posible to use it? Also I made some brackets to support the wheel arch liners and used Dzus fasteners to hold on the front bumper. The bottom hose was a auto store universal hose and the top I cut up the original botom hose. The good thing is the WRX radiator comes with a small pipe extension near the top outlet which I used to bleed the system and then blocked it off. The original fan I cut up and made brackets to fit the radiator. I also made some heat shields to duct the heat away from the intake. I wanted the radiator a little forward to give more clearance so I cut the inner hood metal away to gain clearance and save some weight.The CAI is a 2" to 3" Lowes rubber toilet pipe connected to a PVC pipe($10 for both) then to the cone air filter. Works and sounds great! The 165F comes from a 2001 V8 Ford Explorer. The size is 54mm so there is enough metal to copy the Mini. For the skid plate I made a frame that goes under the radiator and bolts up to the subframe. I have this early photo of the radiator in and part finished heat shield and Lowes racing intake!



The front grill I'm going to re-visit as I had to blind rivet it on quick for the state test. I like the look but not the rivets . Also the pipe foam on the rad will be replaced with better.

Overall the car drives and handles well, not as fast as the Swift but I'll be working on that when the car reaches Costa Rica.

I will be in Costa Rica for 3 weeks so there will be no work done.

Next on the list when I return is OMP steering wheel and seats, EBC brakes, STI front Struts.

 

You've got to sway that heavy battery out. Think Lotus, make it light and it will gain speed.

I love your work.

 

 

Awesome radiator mod! The dzus fasteners beat the daylights out of the fiddly stock fender liner clips.
Time to hit up Lowes for some sponsorship!

 

Yes after I fought with the liner clips and rusty bolts I figured quick release Dzus fasteners would be worth the cost. No Lowes in Costa Rica or for sure I would be contacting them. Just got the Projector black head lights today but that will be a project for when I return.

You know you're getting serious when you start ripping out the interior! hahaha

 

****,

Missed the post on the battery. I put the original in until I receive the race battery from Braillle(21lbs) and half the size. Thanks for your kind words.

 

The Odessey PC680 (IIRC) will save you another 7 pounds off of the Braille. I have not had a problem with mine but I do leave the car plugged in to a battery tender.

 

I have to go with the Braille as they are supporting my rally efforts....can't knock a gift horse in the mouth..

 

No turning back now! Got a few hours yesterdy to pull out the interior



Heat shield behind radiator. The new radiator keeps the temp just below normal while driving which were it needs to be for rallying.