Dion's mk1

[Dion]

Always wanted a fast Mini, so I thought at the time I would do it the easy way and do an engine conversion. I bought a '61 rolling shell from Doug in Pinetown for R3000 and then cut the front end off and started making the new subframe for the Toyota 16v engine. Unfortunately I don't have many pictures of the shell and subframe.


















I bought the engine from Engine Den in Durban and it was only after a year or so That I stripped the engine only to find it was a mess. Full of sludge and worn big ends and main bearings. The head was sent off to be reconditioned and the crank recut.

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After some body work it looked like this



Flip front


Big brakes based on Toyota 240mm discs and Wilwood four pot calipers

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Had some fun with it on the track






Then I decided to get into racing, as the Miniota was not allowed to race because it did not have an original engine I started building the race car. At the same time I started regretting having done the Toyota conversion on the mk1. After some time I decided to convert the mini back to an a-series engine, not much work has been done so far. As the car stands now, it's stripped and all the Toyota parts have been sold.

[Vinay-RS]

Must have been a monster on the track! Any videos of it racing against other cars?

[Dion]

I don't think I have videos anymore. It's actually slower than my blue mini around Killarney. Toyota motor puts out about 100kw, blue mini's engine is about 75kw this combined with the better handling and lower weight makes the blue Mini faster.

[Vinay-RS]

Haha, that blue mini does fly!

[Jared Mk3]

Are you planning on going totally stock or just going back an A-series?

[Dion]

It's going to be too expensive to get it back to original. Going to be a replica historic Cooper S racer that will be road legal. I will be using the engine out of the blue Mini and will put my old 1380 engine back in the blue mini. If my son wants to race he can use the blue Mini.

[Miniac]

Still love this car so much.

[Jared Mk3]

It's going to be too expensive to get it back to original. Going to be a replica historic Cooper S racer that will be road legal. I will be using the engine out of the blue Mini and will put my old 1380 engine back in the blue mini. If my son wants to race he can use the blue Mini.

That sounds like a great idea.

[Miniac]

That definitely sounds like a plan.

[Dion]

I really want to get started on welding the steel front end back on, hopefully I'll get some time this year as there is only one race in November and then the season is over. Also the blue Mini survived Saturday's racing and will only need few minor repairs before Novembers race.

Now to find a nice original colour that no one else is using on their race cars...