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Hazz's 1971 mental Mini Clubman - JDM B18CR engine

I don't want to get ahead of myself. Let's get over the driving it out of the garage with the door open hurdle first.
 
I picked it up yesterday from the minicentre in preston. The following work done:

Changed front hubs from mini to MGF
Changed front calipers to MGF
Changed front discs from 8.4" solid to 9.5" vented, drilled & grooved EBCs
Front pads are EBC greenstuff (not much choice for MGF pads)
Goodridge Braided lines
Changed front wheels to MG Metro Gti 7 Spokes with fresh yoko A539 tyres in 13/165/50
Changed lower ball joints to Metro Gti
Changed upper ball joints to MGF (this and the above work together to increase negative camber to around -1.5°)
Changed rear spacers to aluminium from cast iron homemade jobs
Changed standard rear drums to aluminium mini fins + EBC brake shoes
Re-located brake pipe for wheel clearance
Re-fabricated the flipfront attachment bolts/holders (that's what broke when I drove into the garage with the door closed)
Fabricated additional radiator steady
+MOT

All for the shocking and jaw dropping price of £388. I was expecting 4 figures. They said it all came apart and went together really easily. Still, glad I didn't attempt it as there was some fabrication and welding required for which I don't have the space or equipment to do myself.

I drove it home from Preston yesterday. Feck me. It's a fast little bugger. It's much more confidence inspiring now it doesn't torque and bump steer you to death. You can actually put the power down now without meandering all over the road which is nice. Oh and I can stop now too :D The brakes are vastly better, still not bedded in so should improve further too. It looks ridiculous though, front arches overhang the wheels by around 2.5" now, a little less than an inch at the back.

I'd post some teaser pics but my flickr doesn't appear to be working anymore (see rambling thread).

Anyway, new fibreglass sportspack arches on order from arc-angels. It'll be in the body shop when they arrive. They're going metallic black along with the roof. Might get them to sort the paint on the front end too, doesn't look like the previous painter did much prep on the fibreglass. The place it's going is a fibreglass specialist so hopefully they'll know a few tricks.
 
Just use imgur, takes seconds to setup and easy to organise and link re-sized photos :)
 
Aye, I always avoided Imgur because it didn't work on another forum I used and incurred a pink name and confinement to the dunce section of the forum for 7 days... but now that forum is dead so I don't feel so adverse to using it now :lol:
 
Looks great. My first car was a 1975 mini clubman in Brooklands green. 4 speed close ratio gearbox. Automatic lifting passenger seat if you braked too hard :) loved it.
 
They'll work on anything! Great bunch of people, family owned & run for 60 years. Well equipped place too, laser alignment, tyre machine, hydro-press, full MOT capability etc. Will keep your car garaged if you arrange with them at no extra cost. Can't fault them.
 
Nope, it looks crap at the moment. New arches desperately required before any public appearances.
 
Can't wait to see it all finished

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
 
Metro GTi wheels, MGF brakes

83BItH4.jpg


Rear mini fins (I only have 2 centre caps for the wheels)

X267ty0.jpg


The arch overhang

gbP53dL.jpg


Geometry is much better

fHcek0S.jpg
 
Sportspack arches ordered in fibreglass. Bodyshop contacted yesterday. Should be in first week in June :)

Arches will be going metallic black along with the roof and the front ‘skirt’ of the flip front. I toyed with the idea of exposed weave carbon arches. At over £500 it seemed an unnecessary expense and it’d also be a shame to have to cut them for the flip front. Maybe one day... and maybe a carbon roof and boot too?

Oh and I just remembered! I ordered the rear glass in Perspex. The rear opening windows leak and the frames are heavy too. Seems like a good time to get two birds stoned with one bush.
 
Drove it to work late this morning, what a absolute giggle :lol: Absolutely plastered an a7 from the lights (he didn't launch at full pelt), wheel spun changing into 3rd and 4th, I've never known a car jump around so much changing up the gears with some gumption. First time I've really screwed the thing right through 3 gears and into 4th. It's like unleashing an unpredictable coiled spring every time you change gear :lol: Some more geometry work required there I think. It's much better than it was though, you'd struggle to keep that thing between the lines under any type of load. Down right dangerous it was.

I guess I could take some pictures at lunch time... It looks silly but I suppose it's just a stage in it's progression so I should probably capture it anyway.
 
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