FWD

[strad]

+1
If all ya want is to have some fun do what BANMETOO says.
Sticky tires and a handling kit , a good tune and practice (particularly with the hand brake) and for fairly cheap you can find out just how good you are and how serious you want to be.

[strad]

I don't think this looks like a well balanced track car

[Speed898]

Yea but thats a heavy v8 engine in there, i plan on using a hayabusa engine wish is about 190 pounds, that is lighter then the stock mini engine. But I do agree with you, that car does not look well balanced

[DiogoBrand]

I think the main thing to keep in mind here is that fun isn't necessarily proportional to power.
If you have a mini, I'll have to agree with Banmetoo as well, get it to 200/250Hp and keep it FWD. There's no fun in trying to control an unbalanced car with more power than it can handle. Not to mention the problems that you'd be likely to get to even get it running.

[SR71]

Yea but thats a heavy v8 engine in there, i plan on using a hayabusa engine wish is about 190 pounds, that is lighter then the stock mini engine. But I do agree with you, that car does not look well balanced

Mini's with Busa's are monsters at the track. A great set up. Which transmission are you thinking you'll use?

That is a RWD set up though.

[Speed898]

I was thinking about making my own chain drive transmission, I am still figuring out the best way to add a reverse to it. I looked into other already build options, like the transmission used in the radical sr1, but parts availability and time it takes to get them have to be taken into account. I know power does not equal a smile on your face, but I do like having more then I need, just to see how much I can push it.

[SR71]

I was thinking about making my own chain drive transmission, I am still figuring out the best way to add a reverse to it. I looked into other already build options, like the transmission used in the radical sr1, but parts availability and time it takes to get them have to be taken into account. I know power does not equal a smile on your face, but I do like having more then I need, just to see how much I can push it.

There are a few kit transmissions for Busa's in mini's. These are sequential and include reverse. I forget the company but a quick Google search should yield results.

[SectorOne]

If your goal is 3-400bhp then maybe 4WD is an option?

[Speed898]

If your goal is 3-400bhp then maybe 4WD is an option?

4wd would be great, but I will be the most expensive and would add the most weight out of the 3, unless you have any lightwight 4wd transmission that weight less then 50kg, plus doing it with the hayabusa may be a bit complicated due to it being a chain drive

[marcush.]

I consider myself to be Mr.Mini of sorts ... I did a lot of historic Racing with classic Minis ,had a Company Tuning restoring and modifying minis from 1989 till 2000 but left this chapter behind as actually no Client was willing to fork out the considerable financial effort to construct a machine as you intend to do.

From my standpoint -The Mini is what it is -an old hat designed for 30 something HP and skinny diagonal tyres. It´s very clear : the more you discard the better.The main Advantage of the package is the total weight and the full welded Shell which is a quite sturdy Piece of Engineering

If you start to cut into it to fit a mid engine ,you need a new rear Suspension as well -but there is no substance at the rear .
Same at the front the Suspension front is not suitable for any Thing it´s not light it´s not stiff the subframe is crap and and and ..It´s a complete redesign ,no matter how you look at it .A full Spaceframe is what you need to connect front and rear Suspension and all you will retain is the wheelbase at 2.5m if i remember correctly .You will struggle to find and fit suitable tyres for that machine as well as it is closer to a formula Student racer than anything else but you will not be able to achieve the weight ....Still a very intriguing Project -I would go for a FWD -just for being different and retaining that Mini layout for the hell off it! Don´t Forget :If you have a house or other posessions say goodbye to those things ...it will cost ,cost cost ..even if you had a fully equipped shop as i had and all the necessary Tools and Expertise.... as written before I laid those ideas to rest almost 17years ago and no wonder nothing like that has materialised .My favorite Quote back then was: I know a lot of People dreaming of a definite mindboggling Mini -but as soon as they have the Money they buy a BIMMER. It happened - not just once.. all the best it´s a Long journey!