My original plan was a mid engined Mk1 GTI.  I bought the GTI, I bought some engines.

This is where the project at now.

Astute observers will note that this is not a Volkswagen, nor is it mid engined with a trans tunnel that large.

Don't keep me in suspense! What is this? I don't recognize it. My gut tells me it's a US spec, 2001-2006 Mini Hatch (3-door), but the shifter is throwing me off! I can't find a photo of a 6-speed auto with that shifter.
Will one of the engines be used in this?
Where's the GTI, and is it still going to happen?

GRC

It is indeed an R53 (Cooper S) shell. Most of the shell, at least.

Will get more pics soonish, but if you are looking for 6 speed autos then you will find none, as it's a four.

After I started the build, people brought to my attention that there were some other people putting a Japanese turbo four cylinder with all wheel drive in a Mini, and I do have to say they do much better work than me

As regards to GTI, I will probably sell it off as it's had a very bad sunroof installation and the usual rot that will require rebuilding the floors.  The original plan was for a Honda K24 engine, but somehow I'd instead acquired two Ford Duratec 2-liters, one an early model great for turbocharging, and a later direct injected engine with the giant ports and 12:1 compression.  That engine may find its way into something else in the future.

-- Edited by Opposite Locksmith on Tuesday 31st of January 2023 02:30:41 AM

Since I assume people on this forum enjoy brackets...

Here is an R53 steering column.

(image removed because it was munging up the site formatting)

The goal is to splice a 2:1 steering quickener into the column, so that the quickener's output is about the same place as the stock column's output.  And retain the tilt function.  The reason for this goal is frankly quite silly: the tilt is so two drivers of differing height can drive it.  Retaining the Mini column assembly is strictly for observing the look on the technicians' faces if this car is ever recalled for an airbag replacement.  It will be glorious.  Also, it will make retaining the turn signals and lights and such a lot easier.

The column actually pivots off of a slide-in 3/4DD shaft, and the pivot incorporates a steering angle sensor.   There are three total bearings in the column and they all have to be perfectly concentric to avoid binding.

Also, the column frame is magnesium, so no welding on it.  Or near it.  Frankly I'm afraid to file it.

After removing the lower pivot and the shaft., the upper column is cut back and a 3/4 round to 3/4-36 adaptor is welded in.  No pictures.  Much gnashing of teeth because it took forever to get it to run true.  This involved the eventual sacrifice of my dial indicator set, and a personal skill level-up involving a hydraulic press and strategic use of an air chisel to peen the shaft to straighten it after welding.  (You peen the side you want longer.  Find the high spot in a bend, press it down, chisel inside of knee to spread it, recheck)

We get to here:

Tap some sleeves to 10x1.25...

Make a bracket...

 Weld it together, trim the sleeves, trim some flange bolts (are there any other kind?) to correct length

Drill ends to 25/64ths, which is as close to 10mm as we can get without spending a ridiculous amount of money on a metric drill set.  Do you know how hard it is to find a metric tape measure around here?  That is a rant for another day

Anyway, the bushes get pushed into the newly opened holes

As do the 8mm pins, with the 10x1.25 bolts at the ready

Insert bracket, tighten bolts, which lock the pins in place...

Insert steering quickener and attach to bracket

Drive 30mi to where the car is, install column and steering wheel

That looks great!

er... just one thing - you seem to have installed it on the wrong side of the car!

One of my friends had a RHD Mini, it seems like half of the ones I have ever seen were RHD. It was pretty rotten.
Another friend has a LHD one in great shape. Also an apparently super rare fiberglass-bodied one (or would that be glassfibre?) from some South American country that required a certain percentage of locally made parts but it made more sense to them to make plastic Minis rather than stamp out steel shells.

Today's task, connecting the steering column to something.

U-joint for this end.

No easily (cheaply) available U joint for this end.  In addition, the rack is rather tall.

Some precision machining later, and the shaft is now 17DD.

...and a steering shaft from I-don't-remember-what from the parts stash is a perfect fit.

Now to put a hole in the firewall.

Opposite Locksmith wrote:

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Will get more pics soonish, but if you are looking for 6 speed autos then you will find none, as it's a four.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks, not sure where I got the idea it was a 6 speed.

GRC

Opposite Locksmith wrote:

---

Since I assume people on this forum enjoy brackets...

Here is an R53 steering column.

---

You're right about this crowd and brackets!

Other than needing a little more heat in your welds, things are looking great.

I'm going to enjoy following the build.(Been Jonesing for a bracket or two for a while now!)

GRC

Welder is old MIG unit the size of a small car that has an extremely finicky feed, but I don't have a vise or a press in my home garage, so we do what we do.

Finally found some 5x100 pattern 14" wheels.  After a 350 mile trip to acquire them and a little paint, they get the Dmacks mounted up:

Opposite Locksmith wrote:

---

Welder is old MIG unit the size of a small car that has an extremely finicky feed, but I don't have a vise or a press in my home garage, so we do what we do.

 

 You should look into replacing the torch cable liner. They wear out and start grabbing the wire as it passes through. I did it on mine (30y/o 120VAC Lincoln MIG), and it made a BIG difference.

Still working...

Is that breaker bar a drift brake?

Yes, although I detest the term "drifting" when it comes to driving on dirt/gravel. Car owner's idea. Handbrake box is the old WRX pedal, connected to a Wilwood .7" master cylinder.

It's a bit cramped in the batcave.