1978 Mini Clubman Estate, 8" drop, RWD, 20vt

[RobinJI]

I thought now I've started to make some progress the mini I might as well start a thread for it. To put it simply, it's not going to be a normal mini when its done.

So the plan is: Take one 70's Mini Clubman Estate, add a 20 valve turbo passat engine, complete with transaxle mounted inline in the back, and while I'm at it the floor's being replaced by a flat floor 4" higher than the standard one, and the suspension moved up 5.5".

The car won't be spaceframed, as I'm not going for a super lightweight build, as it's just not necissary, it should weigh in at under 700kg even fairly over built, and with up to 300+bhp avalible from these engines, if I want it to be quicker, I can just add some power, .

The repositioning of the suspension, combined with conventional lowering on coilovers mean's the final ride height is going to be about 45/46" from the tarmac to the peak of the roof.

I'm also planning a few aerodynamic tweaks, the main one being a full flat under tray leading into a diffuser at the back. But there will also be small things, like some deseaming.

I'm hoping to include a fair bit of composite's, including fiberglass doors all around, and with any luck a carbon fibre roof.

Visually, I'm hoping to keep it as traditional as I can, no big obvious rear vents, just the sliding rear windows permanently open. Plan's to have it old English white, with a carbon roof and arch's, and everything else satin black.

I wan't to have this finished ASAP, but realistically, I'd love to have the metalwork finished by the end of the summer, as during term time I only have 1 day a week free. After that funds are going to be the main factor, but if I can save well then hopefully it'll be trundling around by the summer of 2011.

Anyway, enough of my rambling this is it so far:

Donor car:


Poor thing

The mini before the chopping started:



And the work so far, basically I've moved the lower subframe and steering rack mounts up to the required suspension height, and added some box section to reiforce it, and bridge the gap between the floor (4" higher than normal) and the bulkhead (5.5" higher than normal):



To give some idea of height, the bottom of that box section is going to sit 3" from the road when it's done. That's a 7" drop from standard height. haha.

Anyway, with spring on the way (I can hope can't I) I should be able to make some more progress with it soon.

Plan of attack's to finish the bulkhead, then I can get the new box section sills in place and chop out of old floor (which in true BL style is impressively rotten.) Once that's done the front subframe will be chopped around to fit the new bulkhead shape, and then I can start work on getting the engine mounted and in a subframe.

[Lawsy]

sounds a very interesting conversion - gonna be watching this one - plans sound awesome, just don't give up

[VWDan]

Ooh, interesting, lots of work to be done there!

I've got a friend whos doing something similar with his mate to an old Civic - rear engined 20VT and RWD.

[minitravellerman]

Wow - this is going to be one interesting build. Nice to see something really different being done. Bookmarked!!

[RobinJI]

Cheers guys, it's going to be a bit of a learning process for me, but it should be worth it. I've owned the mini for a while now, and its been sitting there while I decide what to do with it. Then a mate offered me his 20vt passat and this idea came to mind, and its stuck. Everything actually works out really well with it from what I can tell at this stage, and all though it's not going to be the easiest swap, it should be a very capable car when done. One of the main reason's I like the idea is having the estates longer wheel base, and the engine mounted in front of the rear axle, instead of above it like most rear engine'd minis, so I'm hoping it's going to be pretty stable in the bends if I get it right.

[RobinJI]

Got the mini some new shoes at the bingly show earlier. I needed something to use as a size reference during the build, so I've bought what will become the front wheels. They're 13x7, et-7. Not yet sure weather I'm going to use on the back yet, either another pair of 7's but with 195's on them instead of these 175's, or maybe some 8's.

[The Transplanter]

Nice project

What are you planning on using for the rear subframe? Someone I know did the very same thing into the back of a Caddy a few years back and used the passat subframe, but he had a hell of a job getting it to track right due to the complex quadrulatural suspension layout, he go there in the end though its now fitted with a 2.7 bi turbo S4 engine

more info here for ideas gallery2.t49.net/v/cars/project/tobes49caddy/

and at "Trax"

[RobinJI]

Looks like a very cool caddy. I'm planning on using a chopped up mini front subframe, although I'm still toying with the idea of using custom wishbones and VW hubs. Either way it'll be a normal double wishbone set up.

Edit: Just measured the tyres on the revolights, 70mm deep, so that'll be the ground clearance then. .

[RobinJI]

Did a quick mock-up of how the main framework of the body's going to be. Although I think the kick up at the back of the sill's is going to be ditched in favour of a tubular set up. This will also be extended through the bulkhead to the front mounting points of the front subframe.

[luckygti]

Mad sounding project Wasn't there a pick-up doing the Ebay rounds at one stage with a 205 Gti engine in the back? Sure it was on here at one stage as well. I'm looking forward to seeing this progress, small cars with mad power have a lot of appeal!!

[RobinJI]

Yeah, I've definitely seen a pickup with an MI16 in it on forums/the bay. I'm a big fan of small cars with some power too, something cool about the simplicity of them. Hoping this'll be fairly rapid, goal weight wise is 700kg wet, and the engine's good for ~200bhp even with the tiiinny standard turbo apparently.

Got on with liberating the passat of its engine and box today. I've got most of the front end off now, all that's left to do's disconnect the downpipe, shifter and engine mounts, then it'll be free. .

[RobinJI]

I've got some time off work this weekend, and I managed to get my college assignments out of the way yesterday, Giving me a rare opertunity to work on the mini

I Spent all of today getting the passat's engine out and stripped. We started the day with it all unplugged and with all the hoses disconnected, but still mechanicaly attatched. Me and a friend (trying to get him on here, he's got a 1937 jowett ) picked up an engine crane from my work experience placement, and set about stripping it out.

We managed to get the engine out, on the stand, and in the shed by about 3:30, and I've just spent the rest of the evening stripping it down as much as I can. Managed to get as far as the head bolts, and I've been foiled by not having the right tool for the head bolts.

Just as a bit of an explination, I bought the passat for £200 with a failed cambelt. I managed to sell the wheels for £100, and the seats for £50, as well as swapping the front bumper, left wing and headlights for a fiberglass front end and van rear doors. So it owes me jolly pain in the backside all, but in return needs a few new internals and a re-build.

At the start of play time:


It half out with Alan wriggling it around a bit:


The beast is free:


The offending cam belt, lovely:


What I can see so far of the internal mangledness:


The fun bit :


How the engine stands at the end of play today:


Hopefully going for a bike ride tomorrow, so no fun times then, but I'm off work Monday, so I'll hopefully get a bit further with it then.

Oh yeah, I've got a bit further with the designs on CAD too:



That's something along the lines of how I want it to be internally. The front splitter is the design for a college project that I'll be making this year, it works out well as I'll get to have a mould, so when I inevitably rip it off on a curb I can just make another quick and easily.

[RobinJI]

The passats now gone to the scrap man.

I've decided to use the steering column from it, as it's collapsible and has a nice padded steering wheel attached. So that's 2 birds with one stone regarding the IVA test. Just got to work out the wiring to get the stalks working now. Fun fun fun.

I've also decided that to save money, I'm just going to use the passats standard engine management and dials to start with. So it'll will be fun getting them going. The management doesn't look too bad at all, but the clocks have 2 32pin plugs going to them :S

[donk]

Awsome, good luck with it, let me know if you need a hand, electrickery can be a pain sometimes...

[ben711200]

Sounds like it's going to be an awesome, very unique build. Nice to see you're building it taking the IVA into consideration too

[RobinJI]

Cheers guys. Glad to know people like the idea, I'm hoping it'll work well, everything seems to be falling into place nicely recently.

I just got home from work experience with a boot full of steel for the mini. I Picked up enough to do the floor and steering column, which should keep me busy until I've got enough money to pick up the rest.

Also spent the day making an inlet manifold for this little beasty:


Belongs to my boss at work experience. Should be a fun little thing when it's done.

[RobinJI]

I had a morning to get on with the mini today, so I did

I managed to do much better than I expected, really pleased with how far I got.

I've managed to get the new passenger side sill in place, it's very satisfying to see the first real piece of the frame going in. It's only welded at the bottom of the A and B pillar at the moment, as well as a small stitch on the rear quarter, but it'll get welded in properly once the old floors out of the way.

The old sill and the bottom of the rear quarter cut off:



And the new sill in place, it's sticking back into the wheel arch at the moment because the rear wheels are being moved back 50mm:



Another view of the new sill, this shows how much higher up than the old ones it sits:



And from the inside, this also shows how the bulkhead's altered. It needs cleaning up but it's all there.



I'm Really pleased to have it in place, this only took 2 hours too , and it means that I'm now hoping to get a lot more done in my time off work next weekend than I first thought I'd manage. I was thinking it'd be challenging enough to get the sills in, but having got the first in that quickly, I'm now thinking I should be able to get most of the new floor structure in and hopefully get the old floor cut out.

I've intentionally left the outer radius of the box clear of the rear quarters, as I feel the square lower edge will look odd blended in, so the plans to leave it protruding, so as to look like a sideskirt. I'll also paint it black along with the arch's and front splitter. Against the old English white body this should help the proportions of the car a little, and hopefully stop the very low sides looking odd.

[robscott]

looks like an amazing project dude, kinda like the 70's supersaloons

[RobinJI]

Cheers, Loving your ghia too!

I've got a long weekend off work this week, (friday to monday ) So I'm using it as a chance to get on with the mini.

I've managed to get the other sill on, and both sills welded to the pillars properly, as well as getting the cross member in that will sit at the bottom of the firewall. Then I manned up and chopped the floor off looks awesome now, and weights next to nothing. I can pick up the front by my self and the back with one arm, and I'm not bodybuilder!

The rear ends a little floppy behind the sills, but the subframe should attach to hold it pretty solid once that's done. Not surprised though, there's only 70mm of rear quarters left at the top of the wheel arches. haha.

Some pictures:

Second Sill in:



Front section of the floor chopped out:







Rear Cross Member in:





Rear section of the floor and the arch's chopped out:



And as it stands now, that's blocked up to the final ride height, and believe it or not that's a 13" wheel in there! haha. (admittedly with a 15mm taller tyre than the revo's that'll end up on it have):

[street]

Wow! That's crazy, I love it!
Looks like you've got your plan together and your progress is great.
Looking forward to seeing more on this one!