Hey Guys, been awhile since I've been on here, but I'm getting back into my Mini's and looking for a bit of advice.

Basically, as it stands, I have three Clubmans, two of which run, one of which is registered. I want to turn the three into two. The one that is currently registered (Lets call her Purple) has the big bore motor with all the lah di dah bits, 8.4" dics, 12" rims, blah blah blah. But the body is FUBAR. The other running one (Lets call her Red) is pretty straight, few bits of rust in the normal places, roof looks average, has a fresh 1100, stock this, stock that, blah blah blah. The other Clubman (Lets call her White) is minus a motor but has a straight body, very minimal rust.

The idea goes like this, bear with me...

White become the stocko street car. Motor/brakes/running gear/stock interior out of Red and into White, full body repair/respray. Set it up using stock everything, road register it, have a fun street car to cruise around in and not worry about Police.

Red becomes race car. Motor/brakes/running gear out of Purple with associated go fast bits, full body repair/respray, de bumper (maybe de seam), two seater with half cage, build minimalist/race interior, use for Speed Event Series in WA and road rallies/whatever else I can enter it in. This car will mainly be for racing, but I'd like to have it road registered as well, but I'd also like to win Lotto, so I'm not super fussed.

Purple gets all of the neato stuff ripped out, becomes a husk of her former self, and the shell is sent off for scrap to meet the Mini Gods (it's twisted and has had several prangs, front end is made of bog).

So, I've got a fair idea of how to build the street car, no worries there. But a hillclimb/sprint/road rally mini is a new thing for me. The engine is a 1275 (1100S block) 100 thou oversize cross bore with all the fruit, big cam, heaps of carburettion, big ported head, big bore LCB and 2" system, LSD, yadda yadda yadda. Probably the only thing you'd upgrade would be to SC drop gears, maybe a SCCR box? The brakes are vented 8.4" disks on the front, recently rebuilt master cylinder, stepped and finned rear drums, all in good nick. 12" rims with Yoko A0539's all round. With the current set up in Purple, it runs cone suspension with HiLos and competition cones, standard shocks and standard everything else.

What I want to know from all you boffins out there who do this sort of thing, what would you recommend I do to Red to make it a formidable racecar? Adjustable suspension? Coil Over conversion? Full trim or two seats with half cage? Change brakes? Change rims/tyres? Body/Sub Frame mods/strengthening/lightening? De seam or leave the seams? SCCR box or leave as recently rebuilt 4 synch box?

I know you're all going to say "It depends on the CAMS/FIA ruling for your class" or whatever, but what I'm after is what you think would make the best race car, and I'll take what I can and try and do it within the rulings. The ruling for the Speed Event Series is fairly liberal, and I'm not out to build a historic racer. There are more than enough events in the Speed Event Series for me to only race in that and be quite content.

So let me know what your ideas/opinions are. I know a stock Mini can be just as fun around a track as a modified one, but I've got the big motor etc just sitting there getting turned over by hand every couple of weeks collecting dust. It's time to use it as it was intended.

Look forward to your responses/flames

Cheers,

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

The rules in class 3a state that you must run full trim, with rear seats unless you have a half cage. Deseaming is not a problem. You can get away with some light weight panels.

Just keep the weight down and get a slippery diff.
Save the rest for getting your suspension right

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Too many cars, and too little time.

If you want power move the purple bits into the white shell and the do an engine conversion on the red one. You can make a few quick bucks selling off the 1100 and stuff you wont need off that car.

For cost comparisons, assume youll have the same shell modifications, so just compare the cost differences of the engine and drivetrain.

I worked out id be spending upwards of 10 grand for sccr gearbox, fuel injection, k head, plus whatever to make about 130 hp.

Compare that to 2500 for a subframe, and the slot a starlet 4efte in that costs 1500 with 130hp and will cop a thrashing. And if it blows you wont need to rebuild the whole thing like an a series.
The downside is getting driveshafts made and sorting the wiring. But thats more time and effort than throwing money at it.

Im not saying that you should ignore an a series, youve just got to look at everything thats available.

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Simplify and add lightness

I like your plan. Sounds sensible.

However, I would not deseam. Its expensive, time consuming and can ruin the structural integrity of the car if not done properly. After all it is a race car, you want it to be strong. Plus its going to cost you heaps in time and money for everything else on it, why add to the list for something that is just cosmetic?

Ryan

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

I agree, don't de-seam or de-bumper (although it looks cool).

Spend a bit of time looking at the class(s) you want to compete in before spending any money, then build the car to suit. Have a chat with your fellow racers and ask lots of questions, dumb questions are good queations as well, and better yet ask them if they have an expert who works on the cars for a second opinion / advice.

Nothing worse than rocking up to an event and being told you can't compete as this or that is not allowed, and realising you have blown a stack of money!

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1964 Nb Race Car - big bore short stroke & lots of revs - Sold
1969 Mk2 Cooper S - First Car

Hmmm, interesting. I don't think I'll go down the engine conversion path as I think that changes my class, but I'll look into it further. As for the deseam, I was just curious as to whether it made the car stronger or not, by the looks of it, not. I will probably still de bumper the car for looks and also so there is one less thing to dent A good friend of mine is a CAMS approved cage builder, so I'll get him to do the half cage and try and register it as a two seater.

Still no suggestions on suspension? Does anyone run the coilover conversion kits? Would these semi road tracks be too rough for them? I'm considering just putting in some new shocks and sticking with the competition cones and going for the adjustable geometry kit.

Anyway, still interested to see what you think.

Cheers,

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-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

Deseaming does give some advantage in terms of reduced frontal area & drag. Body rigidity improves slightly IMHO, but probably not worth the effort for that alone. Although Class 3A is loosely based upon CAMS group N, there is a lot of flexibility. As one of three minis who compete in most of the events, I must say there is a lot of differences between our three cars.

The most competitive car has the least powerful & smallest capacity engine, but is very light weight & definately not street legal. Darren's steel flip front makes working on it a treat though.

Mine has the biggest engine & is the heaviest (currently also the slowest). If I was to keep tracking it, I'd go for a cage, full 3" harness & decent racing seats. The seats & harness are not just for safety - I find it hard to stay in position with just the lap/sash belt when cornering. Your setup sounds great, but you do need adjustable shocks.
The differences between the some of the tracks & hillclimb surfaces is huge!

A SCCR box would be nice, but not essential. I also run 8.4" discs (solids with 13x7s), not sure if you can get the car low & light enough with them & 12s to truly handle well enough.

Come down to the Collie Hillclimb next month & run against us
I will be mini-less though (budget for breaking things )

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Too many cars, and too little time.

It sounds like a good idea. Just try and enter and I guess they'll tell me everything I need to know. It might be a push to get the car ready but I'll give it a go and see how things pan out.

I cant seem to find any reference to the 3A class on the SES website, only stuff about 5A, are the rules similar?

Cheers,

_________________
-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

From the Regulations: http://www.speedeventseries.com/Docs/2010/2010SESeriesRegulations.pdf


The important phrase here is substantially comply. Scruitiny is nowhere near as harsh as Nb/Nc. You could even run a mini with a 1.5L 5efte or similar, but if you start whipping everyone in that category you will be bumped up with the big boys.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Haha, i don't tihnk I'll be whipping anybody

Might throw a bunch of hours at Purple on the weekend and swap the doors out for some that still have some metal in them. Bolt in a fire extinguisher, catch can, swap the steering wheel (Current one is hand made wood), will they have an issue because my dash is all hand made wood as well? Will also have to grab a brlue triangle as well.

Anything else that needs to be done?

Cheers,

_________________
-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

Dash will be fine, and some blue electrical tape will make a triangle.
They have added the requirement of covering glass headlights - I still have the Contact on MRBN that I put on two years ago

Get yourself an entry form and come down for a BBQ on Saturday night, fresh for racing in the morning (as long as you don't have too many beers).
http://www.speedeventseries.com/Docs/2010/CollieAPPROVED%20ENTRY%20FORM.pdf
The full regs for this event are available too, but as long as your car is roadworthy (road rego not needed) then it'll be fine. Standard seats & belts are OK, but if you fit a harness and race seat it must be approved & in date.
http://www.speedeventseries.com/Docs/2010/CollieAPPROVED%20SUPP%20REGS.pdf

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Too many cars, and too little time.