Northy
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| posted on 9/8/05 at 09:52 PM |
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Space-frame mini
Hi,
I've got this crazy idea going round in my head of doing a space-frame mini old stle), and sticking the body on top of it!
I'd kike to have it front engined, rear wheel drive, so a bit like a short, square Locost. I fancy a Fuel injected XE to power the thing 
Has anyone done or seen anything like this?
Graham
Website under construction. Help greatfully received as I don't really know what I'm doing! 
"If a man says something in the woods and there are no women there, is he still wrong?"
Built 2L 8 Valve Vx Powered Avon
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robinbastd
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| posted on 9/8/05 at 10:00 PM |
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http://ultimini.co.uk/
Not that there's a lot of info there,but the fibreglass stuff is good.
Ian
Only a dead fish swims with the tide.
http://smuttygifts.com/
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AGK7
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| posted on 9/8/05 at 10:13 PM |
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Not front engine but it is certainly a nice looking project
http://www.kimini.com/
Cheers
Andrew K
Albury, Australia
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sean951
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 12:09 AM |
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im planning on doing the same thing, exept using a honda N600 which is about the same size as a mini. well, of couse im hoping to put the engine where
god intended, and make a midi. check out http://www.zcars.org.uk/ also, they have a tube frame mini with a bike engine in the back and a fiberglass
body called the monte carlo.
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richardR1
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 12:11 AM |
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Chris at Z-Cars has just built one for a Scottish hillclimb bloke. Had rear mounted Hayabusa in that one but easy to alter location of everything
when hanging it all off a spaceframe. He had body done by someone in the York area.
 
Z-Cars Mini 1
 
Z-Cars Mini 2
 
Z-Cars Mini 3
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sean951
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 12:53 AM |
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very nice, looks really light.
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ned
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 08:47 AM |
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Northy,
not saying it's not do-able but i'd think you'd encounter massive problems trying to fit an XE into the front of a mini
longitudionally to get it rwd. i'm sure you know that front subframes are available to fit an XE to a mini in transverse fwd format as in a
recent edition of PPC mag.
mid engined transverse would probably be easier for a rwd XE mini.
Ned.
ps what about using a flat 4 subaru engine with that vw transaxle you've got? the flat 4 is a short engine, only 2 cylinders long, so might have
half a chance of fitting it in the back.
[Edited on 10/8/05 by ned]
beware, I've got yellow skin
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awinter
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 11:43 AM |
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Cant you get a Honda B16a engine into a mini using a slighly modified metro subframe. JDM B16a engines are about 160 bhp out of the box and theres
loads of tuning bit available for them.
just a thought.
Also is there any reason why the honda engines are not used in kit cars?
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ned
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 12:07 PM |
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everything bar the most recent honda engines used to rotate the wrong way for conventional rwd gearboxes (eg ford/toyota etc) and there weren't
any suitable honda rwd gearboxes until the s2000 which spins the right way, along with the civic type-r (k20a) engine.
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 12:07 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by awinter
Also is there any reason why the honda engines are not used in kit cars?
They turn backwards, so you can't mate them up to a standard gearbox and back axle. The S2000 engine and box would make a fantastic choice of a
seven though.
I've seen a V8 mounted longitudinaly in a mini, so a 20XE should be comparatively easy!
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G.Man
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 04:42 PM |
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Why not put a civic type r in the back with the gearbox for mid engine rear wheel drive?
Opinions are like backsides..
Everyone has one, nobody wants to hear it and only other peoples stink!
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kb58
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 05:22 PM |
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Yes Honda's K20 engine is purfect for several reasons. It spins the "right way," the engine is on the right side, countering driver
weight, but most importantly has the exhaust on the back side of the head. This solves many issues with heat! I'd have used it in a second had
it existed back when I designed Kimini.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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physician
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 06:05 PM |
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you can always switch to it later. engine mount are probably not hard for you, half shaft are similar, and the shifter system will suposely bolt ,
according to the fact that prelude shifter and cable are use in kswap in civic.... and the engine is around 150 pound lighter and a tad smaller athn
your h22... acording to honda-tech...
i've seen you on HT before so you are probably familiar, i know that o havent talk wiring and exhaust..lol
i'd love to see your car in real someday, you inspiring me for my futur project keep on the great work
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kb58
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 07:00 PM |
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I'm not convinced about the weight. My H22A1 is ~450lbs and there's no way the K20 weighs 300lbs... I wish.
I remember a thread on HT about the weight difference between the H22 and K20, it ended up being about 40lbs or so. Still, even 40lbs is a big help.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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Simon
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 09:27 PM |
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ATB
Simon
 
Rescued attachment mini v8.JPG
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NS Dev
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 10:02 PM |
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Northy, there are hundreds of rwd minis racing in autograss up and down the country, as well as a couple of very quick rally ones (one chap posts on
here)
I'd completely concur with Ned, much, much, much easier to put the vauxhall 16v with it's F20 astra/cav/calibra gearbox transversely in
the back of the mini. It will handle superbly like that anyway.
We did the same with my mates rally nova, making it transverse mid-engined and it was superbly balanced.
Take a look at my photo archive for a tranverse Vauxhall setup in the rear of a spaceframe, that's exactly the setup used on my class 9
grasser.
I am looking at building a spaceframed mini class 7 autograss car for next season, and was until recently farly set on using either saab 2.3 16v turbo
or Volvo T4/T5 transverse turbo engines. The idea revolves around a mininum power requirement of 350hp and a max weight of 500kg.
I am now looking at the possibilities of using an Audi A8 40v V8 in the back though
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physician
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 10:28 PM |
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KB
i may have miss this one.... you are probably right
[Edited on 10/8/05 by physician]
i agree that a mid mount engine may be easier than a front engine rear drive.... may fit what you want, without changing the shape of the car to much,
with F-R you may need a taller hood, which change a bitt to much... and the engine will probably enter the cock oit, or will estraint foot space if
i'm right like the 4wd v6 mini..
[Edited on 10/8/05 by physician]
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kb58
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| posted on 10/8/05 at 10:51 PM |
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There was a very successful Mini racer here in California who raced a front engine rear drive Mini... I just can't remember his name.
It's a top national car and I think he just retired rom racing. He's about 6'-4" if I recall... Anyhow, so we know the front
engine rear drive can work well, FWIW.
Mid-engine Locost - http://www.midlana.com
And the book - http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/midlana/paperback/product-21330662.html
Kimini - a tube-frame, carbon shell, Honda Prelude VTEC mid-engine Mini: http://www.kimini.com
And its book -
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kurt-bilinski/kimini-how-to-design-and-build-a-mid-engine-sports-car-from-scratch/paperback/product-4858803.html
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dave dickson
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| posted on 13/8/05 at 07:09 PM |
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I have this pic....
(click to make bigger)
No details at all of the car though.
Looks like fun.
[Edited on 13/8/05 by dave dickson]
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G.Man
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| posted on 13/8/05 at 09:14 PM |
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4564604159&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMERFB%3AIID&rd=1
might make a good start to your kit..
I know the guy still has it for sale...
Opinions are like backsides..
Everyone has one, nobody wants to hear it and only other peoples stink!
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 14/8/05 at 12:16 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by G.Man
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4564604159&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMERFB%3AIID&rd=1
might make a good start to your kit..
I know the guy still has it for sale...
Does he? Someone on another forum I frequent has said he bought it quite a while back.
It needs a lot of work doing though, and lot of work UNdoing unfortunately.
[Edited on 14/8/05 by MikeRJ]
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