ok, so i`m not getting any younger, & see-ing that i`ve had this car for what seems like forever & not much has happened with it , simply "Because" i havn`t been able to decide what to do with it.

the original intention was to continue it`s original path as a sports sedan, But CAMS in their infinite wisdom introduced "Weight restrictions" for any new sports sedans & it clearly cut this car way out of contention

so i then thought i would make it an Historic sports sedan but the cut-off point is a tad to early for my log-book, so that just won`t work either

so i thought i`d make it into a "play-car" fit a turbo-hayabusa in the passengers seat & make it 4x4 track-attack weapon (my version of a 6R4 but i`d call it a 4R4 )

then i thought that may be too much to bother & wreck the original intention of the cars path

so , a few years ago i regained some enthusiasm to make it a sports sedan again & thought about continuing the a-series engined sports-sedan theme, even if it wasn`t competitive

But lately i`m leaning back to the 4x4 turbo-hayabusa 4R4 theme

or do i stick a worked nissan micra donk (either N/A or Turbo , im not fussed), i can do either, or both & play swapsys back-n-forth now & then)

or should i bimmer-twin-cam-turbo it?

what to do-->



Now... remembering that it is originally a genuine Cooper "S",,, originally owned by one Jim Silks up here in Brisbane Qld,,, then sold to John Lungren who did some work to make it a sports sedan (gutting it tottally & playing with beam axle rear end etc),,, then it passed hands to Phil Swinton & he with his Brother were going to make it a sports sedan to replace his old one,,, then i bought it from them, caged it with all the alloy pipe, hooked up all the suspension, painted it etc ,,, now it`s just sitting here

it really can`t be brought back to life as an "S" again so please cancel that one out of the equation,,,

so,,, what to do? i`m really liking the idea of the 4x4 Turbo Hayabusa 4R4 program tho

it`s rare for me to ask for help hey? But now i`m a bit stuck & could do with a hand to make the decision???

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Big block harley motors front and rear. I'll leave the technical details to you.

I like the 4wd idea, with a turbo, ive got a Mini Ken Block style video in my head..

Do what you can afford Matt. IE time and money.
Don't discount selling it off either. You have your buggy.

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The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

I guess this probably a silly idea. But I rekon it would be hilarious to make a rear wheel drive sleeper. "Normal" engine swap at the front so it fits and no ones knows. But able to smoke up the rears like its no ones business.

I gues the first big decision you should make is how often you want to use it when its done. If you cant race it and you cant register it.... will it just sit when its done?

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1975 Hairy Lime/White Clubby
Build Thread: http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=80657

-It may not be what you had in mind but would it be worth selling or putting on the market as a re-shell for one of the other Historic racers seeing as they keep crashing Giving (or freeing up) more time and money for you to enjoy life with one less thing on the to do list...

-What's the deal? is it too light or too heavy?
Also I'm assuming it has to have an A series engine to be in the historic class?


-I think it would be good to have a race spec "track attack" weapon BMW twinki to show off and advertise the potential of your conversions, fun and advertising for your business why not

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Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

Morgan park currently has no lap record for a sports sedan in the 1300 cc and under class. I reckon you should get it running and take the lap record, doesn't matter how slow it is, the record is there for the picking, even if we have to load a few bricks in it to make the weight....

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"Beware the lollipop of mediocrity: lick it once and you'll suck forever" Brian Wilson

Make spurious claims on the net repeatedly about finding a 'very special long lost car' and write a fake history and then hit CAMS for a new historic log book. (it has been done many times before)

Or, put the word out that you have a car that would suit an existing log book for conversion to a historic log book. (someone may have junked a car and kept the old log book.)

Both ideas are dishonest but we are dealing with racing drivers so honesty is not a priority.

Matt's idea was too put a 4.4 ltre leyland V8 in it as a Sports Sedan. Hence the restriction.

EDIT: Morris 1100 speaks the truth.

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The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

see if you can shoe horn a Mazda V6 in it, ive never seen it but i reckon the 1.8L k8 V6 would be crazy, there found in the mazda eunos

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Could it be reconfigured to run in the Mini Racing series

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"Show me the Mini!"

Rob m,,, me too

Thorlek,,, sorry , i just can`t (for some reason) do that ,
& i don`t quite know why i don`t want to do it either

Kenno,,, it`s way way way too lightweight for sports sedans,,,
even if i was to put a mini motor into it, i still have to put hundreds of Kgs back into it to bring it up to their (CAMS) min-weight requirements... with the alloy V8 in it i would still need to put over 400kgs back into it... even a std mini has to have 80kgs put into it to meet their weight minimum... sad hey?
However,,, i do like the idea of running the turbo twinky in it ,,, i like it a lot actually,,, just torn between that & the 4x4-turbo-hayabusa passenger thing

Morris1100,,, you & i both know that`s what has been happening & i can`t be a party to it,,, i must admit tho, i was thinking about it & i nearly did,,, but i have a conscience & couldn`t live with it if i did... Stewy has a genuine historic sports sedan (Tony Jay`s old thing) & i`m just glad to be a part of that

TY,,, spot on mate, on both counts

Wallie,,, years ago that was actually on the cards,,, It`s just not how you make porridge tho is it?
or maybe it is either way i`m not into racing porridge

9yTaH,,, yes i spose it could in some form,,, i have to do some homework on that,,, but still makes for lots of traveling down south all the time to race it... & i`m simply not that wealthy

So,,, i spose it comes down to the turbo-twinky or the 4x4 turbo hayabusa
& i`m leaning more towards the 4x4-turbo-hayabusa idea & then doing a Ken Block style "miniman 4R4 Gymkhana" Video series with it yeah???

any more suggestions?

Oh & just to let you all know that i am in the process of stuffing one of my nissan micra power-units into it first,,, Just to sort the subframes out for anyone who would be interested in one,,, & to have a pin-around Lakeside, Morgan pk & some hillclimbs/street sprints etc in it
then i will decide what to do with it after that.

But,,, i was thinking someone (like Tricky) would have jumped in & mentioned a rear engine hayabusa design similar to the Z-cars,,, no one???

or should i stick the turbo alloy V8 into the back of it ???

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Brocky put a Holden 179 in the A30 went like a shower of ?
Old School Holden XU1 Cam, would sound tough as.
Would get people talking.
http://www.hermes.net.au/cartman/peterb ... 30%201.jpg

http://youtu.be/7hCPODjJO7s

Have a gander at this. It's an absurd amount of fabrication but would be cool. Suzuki also built the cultus 1.3 awd, there's a few people floating around with parts for them.

I am with Morris on this, it looks to me to be the missing Bathurst car from 1966! If it isn't that, then I am sure It is one of Manton's cars......