Vauxhall-powered Turbo Mini

Can’t wait for your Project Binky fix? Well it’s not the only Mini build out there! A talented chap emailed me his build at the start of the year, and I’ve only just had a chance to have a proper read of it, and boy am I feeling stupid for waiting so long! The car is purchased with a 2.0L Vauxhall motor already swapped into it (which is quite large for a car this size), with a plan for a quick tidy up that soon spirals into a full build. While the car is in pieces, he decides to add a turbo, because, why not? Apart from the quality home-built fabrication (like the tube front subframe with pushrod suspension) and wiring that goes on, the car also goes on an intricate diet, with grams shaved from parts wherever possible. This is going to be one fast little Mini when it’s completed, so keep your eyes peeled for updates in the near future.

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Project Binky – Austin Mini GT-Four [video build]

The folks at Bad Obsession Motorsport must have a bad obsession with building bonkers cars, because they’re putting together quite the ball-tearing package. They’re taking a Mini (or what’s left of it) and stuffing it full of running gear from a Toyota Celica GT-Four. Yes, that’s a 4 cylinder turbo with all wheel drive. What’s better is that they’re documenting it all on video, with some token British dry humour (my favourite kind). Watching the guys cut, linish, fold, and weld hand-make bracketry and structural sections is making me want to get out into the garage more than ever. “Project Binky” will be one serious little Mini once completed.

I’ll be sure to update this post and let you know via the Facebook page when more videos are released.

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Mini Pickup Restoration

With so many out-there projects and engine swaps being featured lately, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to feature a good old fashioned restoration. Jon emailed me his very thorough re-build of a classic 1977 Mini pickup. What I love about this build is that Jon built the car to be driven, and when I say “driven” I don’t mean to a few shows and back home again, he took his freshly completed Mini on a 3000mile road-trip around Europe.

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16v Fiat powered Morris Minor

One of the many great build submissions from Cereal, this is yet another awesome project built in true DIY-style by one man in his garage. The main page of the website dedicated to this car explains the project as…

“A Morris Minor convertible for road, race, rally, and hillclimb use, featuring 2 litre 16v engine, space frame chassis, double wishbone suspension and a 178mm widened body.”

There is so much detailed information of this build that has been categorised & documented on numerous pages, so make sure you click the link after the jump to see it in it’s entirety.

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Mad Minor 180sx Hybrid

Another build that has been doing the rounds on the net for a while is this crazy custom Morris Minor from Northampton, UK. Basically the owner has cut up a Nissan 180sx doner car until just the bare lower frame and strut towers remained, then shortened it enough to drop a Morris Minor body on top of it. Usually a build like this would take place by using two cars that utilise a separate body & chassis, like most hot rods and early custom cars. What makes this concoction unique is that it uses a unibody car for the chassis. Very trick!

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