My VTEC Mini - build diary

[Chrisbaker1000]

Well, managed to make some progress on the dashboard...

This is the final layout I decided on.

All the holes cut out...

Test fit of guages.. not 100% happy as you may notice the larger gap between the tacho and speedo.

The light cluster doesnt stand out as much as I'd hoped.

But all in all its coming together nicely.



Cheers

Chris

 

[john.med]

v.nice!!!!

 

[Richyy182]

Simply awesome!!!!

 

[hughesclio]

you dont do things by halves mate, cracking job as always

 

[Brian172]

This is top stuff.
I love Mini's!

 

[Jewson172]

very nice if not awsome build!

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Well only just managed to get back in the garage after the festive period.

Unfortunatly a pipe burst in the old mans garage and flooded the mini interior so it all had to come out!. :-(

Gave me a chance to get in the back of the car and figure out how I was going to fastern my harnesses.

The wiring is about 95% complete now, just the speedo, tacho and fuel gauge to get working and its complete. :-D

A few pics of the interior gauges wired up and working.

And one of my head lights with my chavvy blue light tints!

Thats all for now!.

Chris

 

[Christopher]

Loving this.

What's with the lights, though?

 

[Ian_182]

Superb stuff.Should of had 160+mph clocks though...

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

They are the side lights, the units have an additional bulb that illuminates the outer ring. The bulbs have various coloured covers but ill remove so they are just normal white, was just seeing what they were like!..

 

[Silent_Scone]

just brilliant. Have to salute the effort you're putting into this it's an amazing car

 

[Whiteley]

Good work!

What's with the lights, though?

What's with the excessive use of badly placed commas, though?

 

[hughesclio]

looking good matey shame about the water issue though.
my mini came with those style lights but there not what i would of chosen personally but will have to do as im not spending even more money on some lights.
have you sorted taking the dash for flocking?

 

[Kam.]

Last VTEC mini I saw was at Santa Pod and it torque steered so much off the line. Looked mental! Have you budgeted a diff to help traction?

 

[2 live]

good work mate. did you buy the subframe etc or fab it yourself? i know when i was looking at doing this everything was easily available. which put me off a bit tbh, so the f7r was measured up instead

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Finally got round to making the harness bar yesterday. Just need to get it powder coated..

Interior is nearly finished now, just need to sort a few little jobs out.
Cheers
C

 

[MATT BLACK]

Brilliant !!

 

[d4h182]

amazing dude the best car in the world a mini. if you decide to sell i will buy.

 

[K1NGY]

f you decide to sell i will buy.

+1!

 

[Cliotoby]

Should of got Stack dials. :0

good effort though they look clean.

 

[hughesclio]

amazing dude the best car in the world a mini. if you decide to sell i will buy.

i hope you have lots of money saved as i imagine it wouldnt be a cheap buy

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Ooooof - I wouldn't like to think how much I have put into this !! It was only supposed to be a matter of throwing a VTEC motor in a mini!... 6 years later.... Ooooof

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Got the Harness bar back from powder coating.

Made a shelf to level out back seat area so it could be carpeted

Carpeted the parcel shelf and seats, then finished of with some beading.

Then put the harness bar on and painted the inner tubs.

Finally got the air filter fitted too.

Cheers
Chris

 

[caymanr26]

how long before its on the road do you think - have you sorted the rear arches yet - got to agree will look much better with them widened to match the front
top build though - well impressed

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Cheers!... I wanna get it on the road by the back end of this month!... (fingers crossed)

Ive got another set of rear arches in the garage and Ive just bought some wheel spacers and longer studs for the rears so I could make a start - just want to get the rest of the car finished first!

 

[hughesclio]

Cheers!... I wanna get it on the road by the back end of this month!... (fingers crossed)

Ive got another set of rear arches in the garage and Ive just bought some wheel spacers and longer studs for the rears so I could make a start - just want to get the rest of the car finished first!

looking good mate,whos going to finish first i wonder im looking to be finished in around 6 weeks so i think it may be you

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

looking good mate,whos going to finish first i wonder im looking to be finished in around 6 weeks so i think it may be you

Well considering you have only been building yours for 6 months, I think you win hands down - Is yours only for track days? or you gonna use it on the road too??

 

[hughesclio]

Well considering you have only been building yours for 6 months, I think you win hands down - Is yours only for track days? or you gonna use it on the road too??

lol, yeah i have been a bit full on with this build but im an impatient sod.
my mini will be fully road legal but its mainly being built for trackdays and a weekend blast or two

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Managed to get the car out of the garage last week and give it a quick swill down

Also made a start on my grill, after hours of head scratching I 'think' Im finally getting somewhere.

Hopefully get it fitted this weekend

Cheers
Chris

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

cant wait!!

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Bit of an update from the last few weeks.

It was either buy some new quarter bumpers off Ebay that look cheap and tinny, or get mine re-chromed.. so I got mine re-chromed and Im glad I did cos they look awesome! cant wait to get these and the grille on the car tomorrow!...

Made a start fitting the bonnet this weekend, the only 2 fixings that will be seen are these. They still needs a bit of work to get lined up better, but initial tests seemed successful

Pic of bumpers and grille test fitted.

Cheers
C

 

[Scrooge]

Alot further down the road than my mini build:approve:

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Been doing a few bits and pieces. Made some grille fixings and finalised the bonnet locking mechanism.

Bonnet just needs painting and need to fix a rear number plate light on.

Here is the rear number plate light Ive decided to use. After months of searching on Ebay for something suitable, I stumbled upon it on the back of my old mans MG Midget!..

Decided to fill the recesses.

Then a few coats of paint.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

Had a good few days on the car recently spraying bonnet and re-doing the boot as we noticed a few minor dents.

Just a few minor details to take care of then she is off for a four wheel alignments and MOT..

Finally getting there!!..


Cheers

Chris

 

[frayz]

perfect except for the type r badge

 

[Chrisbaker1000]

^^^ this actually is one tho!.. not like a saxo with a type R badge!....

ps - thanks - I think :-D

 

[frayz]

Lol, wasnt knocking it dude, like i said its perfect. Just feel the badge cheapens it as the rest of the build is lovely.

Kinda dont think it needs it ya know. Much more impressive to passers by if nobody knows

 

[TaMrLb]

a thing of beauty

i loved the slow rusty old minis i had 20 odd years ago, these vtec minis blow my mind tbh

 

[caymanr26]

I like the type r badge! People will think yeah right until you leave them standing!
Really is stunning Mate - looks spot on now

 

[hughesclio]

getting there mate, im sure we will be finished around the same time, then we will have to have a meet currently got the head off of mine after my poor dyn sesion will be back up and running soon.
i know you said you havent driven yours yet, well let me tell you if it was anything like mine your in for a treat as i was gobsmacked and mines only a baby in comparioson to yours, enjoy