To all the Conversion Mini owners who using it as a daily car or weekend use.

Please post your good or bad report here, therefore your information would be useful
to anyone who is considering to build a conversion mini.


Thank you

Just like any car, it's how it's built and what you plan on doing to it.

A 150HP A-series is going to be a lot less reliable than a 998cc A-series pumping out a whopping 40HP

Same thing with the Starlet - If you want reliability it's there, just keep it stock 133HP output or mild increase and it will run reliably for years. It's not the motor though, it's everything else attached to it.

Take me for instance i broke a driveshaft shortly after i got it on the road. I also got a dud motor at first that unfortunately looked like it had never been serviced when we took it apart.

It's now running sweet and is perfectly reliable, but if i increase the power it has a far greater chance of breaking something be it CV's, Turbo, etc.

You need to plan what you what - my car is pretty hard track focused with uprated and adjustable suspension, ceramic button clutch, R compound tires and this makes for a very tiring drive, it's loud bumpy but oh so mental and fun

If it was my daily i would be getting another car in a shot due to the way i built it. However it is what i wanted, if you want to drive it everyday you need to make it usable everyday. You will have teething problems at first as well. I had oil leaks, hydraulic leaks, driveshaft breakages and a dead motor. Once sorted though touch wood it has been good so far and worth every penny

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Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Well answered Josh!

Opposed to Josh, mine is pretty much focused as a daily (hence the doof, organic clutch and SP9000 tyres), but I think it could turn its hand to some hard pressed laps and hold its own (the car, not the driver!!).

4 Paw however, is totally race orientated with no compromises (The Design Manager Simon will see to that!).

If your going to build a daily, take the time to take the hard edges off it, or it will be a chore to drive!

Cheers,
Tricky

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Well put both Josh and Tricky.

Mine is a weekend car and it cannot be compared to my daily driver being a holden commodore, however, every time i take it out i have a smile from ear to ear, a saw back and stink from fumes. I love it.

i suppose you could always get a starlet life motor and just wack that in, hilo's, ajusta ride's, and away you go.. so to speak

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I dont think cars should be built for show cars only....
My van is definatly going to be show worthy but jeez i am going to drive the heck out of it. They way i think about things is, I wouldnt work if i didnt want anything.... If it breaks ill fix it, no point in treating it like a baby... All or nothing i say

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If you want more inches, stroke it
Life's a garden.... Dig It!
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20746

My project is intended to be a complete road car. So it'll be fairly soft. I have a weekend thrash Mini (which is currently my daily driver, but no one will ever sit in the passenger seat appart from my brother, not that that's a bad thing )

But mine is intended to look the goods and go just as well as it will look. It'll be stock 4EFTE with front mount intercooler and LSD. And probably a competition clutch. Then later, after rego, a new exhaust manifold and a tad more boost. Nothing more that, aiming for about about 150hp at the fly I think.

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1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T

Been registered and on the road for 2 years, started everyday, pulled probably 170hp during that time, and has been through 3 sets of front tyres. Apart from that all good. Mine is definitely not a show car (wooden dash that doesn't fit remotely well made out of marine ply, no engine bling, most expensive thing is the turbo, the rest made in house). But she goes and she handles.

Cheers

Matt

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225hp atw on 14psi. 1/4 Mile no idea. Take one 1971 Mini Clubman, one Starlet GT Halfcut, Simmer over a warm MIG Welder, and Voila Minstar! www.mpdesign.id.au

What are you talking about. It's been to shows.

I'm a little confused by the intention of the thread. You ask if the conversion is a reliable daily but then don't give the option to answer that question.

In answering the initial question I'm with Josh. If you intend on building a daily you wouldn't build a beast like Dean's and solid mount the motor, put in a brass button clutch bla bla bla. But Dean's was built for a purpose and it achieved that purpose.

For all the variations of frame design and all the other possibilities my thoughts are that the most obvious thing to make it a daily driver would be keeping it cool. The challenge is significantly easier with Clubmans. Morris' are just that bit harder. Having said that, I've seen Honda's (which are bigger than the 4efte) that run two radiators all inside an unmodified front end. You just need to be prepared to work through the issues.

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But he's thriving and striving and hugging the turns.

Benchmark right there!

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

Drive mine 7 days a week, 800km's a week, both daily driver and motorsport car, only regestered car I have. So I would attest to the reliability... and in the same breath thank my Nan for lending me the car on occasions

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1972 Leyland Clubman, 4EFTE 1330cc Turbo, 220Hp on 17psi
(1/4 mile: 13.8s @108mph @168Hp)

Excellent.

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"Not Speeding Officer..........Qualifying"

you've always gotta have a backup plan....

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

It's great to see all the positive results