Mini Minus, is it any good ?

Mini Minus, is it any good ?

Author
Discussion

gtrclive

Original Poster:

4,187 posts

290 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Have got the chance of a Mini Minus, but am unsure of weather the kit is any good ?.
Does anybody know how they handle, any better or worse than a good setup Mini ?
Are they any lighter, think standard mini is about 750kgs whats a minus ?
Any info / websights would be great .

Cheers again lads and lasses..

Clive

vrooom

3,763 posts

274 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Its just a mini with fiberglass shell. i also think the roof line is lower than normal. I could be wrong though.
the standard mini stuff that can bolted onto minus. and never rust ;D

Jay

gtrclive

Original Poster:

4,187 posts

290 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
So it uses mini suspension then ?

plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
If it is fibreglass then it will near as damnit be the same weight as a metal mini due to the strengthening required.

I am going the Curley route to shed the pounds all things considered...

vrooom

3,763 posts

274 months

Thursday 4th March 2004
quotequote all
Ohh curly carbonfibre, what you getting then ?

Jay

Plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Front end, bootlid, doors will have to have a word on the carbon roofskin as I dont know its fitment parameters.

Probably the dash as well.

Podie

46,645 posts

282 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Front end, bootlid, doors will have to have a word on the carbon roofskin as I dont know its fitment parameters.

Probably the dash as well.



Why not just eat less pie..?

>> Edited by Podie on Friday 5th March 08:25

Plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
There is that.

Clutch will be hand operated so I could always lop off my left leg!

phil hill

433 posts

283 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Minus is a GRP version of a mini shell, but with reduced height. It's not quite a minisprint, I think the body height is reduced but the windows are the same ?? Anyway, the weight will be much the same, or maybe a touch more due to reinforcement built into the shell. As far as I'm aware the original idea was to be able to reshell a mini, so all the standard bits like subframes and suspension can be fitted.

gtrclive

Original Poster:

4,187 posts

290 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Are there any curent people that do a F/G shell ?
As I under stand Minus are no longer around ?

Plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Domino Cars I think are the only ones left.

They are as heavy as a Mini shell though and dont look as nice.

gtrclive

Original Poster:

4,187 posts

290 months

Friday 5th March 2004
quotequote all
Curley it is then......

timelord

318 posts

290 months

Saturday 6th March 2004
quotequote all
Try framini for a complete glass shell .I believe they're back with a new owner.

mattcullum

20 posts

259 months

Thursday 27th May 2004
quotequote all

A bit late I know but i thought I would post what
little I know of the Mni Minus.

I'm currently building one

www.mattscar.co.uk

They a more then a pure GRP reproduction, they have
4" of height taken out of then at the waist with
standard glass (but mk1 rear windows). reducing the
height offers a few benefits, it reduces the centre
of gravity ALOT and it reduces the frontal area of the
car, rememeber deseaming a mini reduces the frontal area by 11 square " this means the minus's are very nimble and handle even better.

Of course reducing it by this much means there a fair amount of modding needed to get stuff to fit! They
are lighter but I don't think its by an a huge
amount.

regards

Matt

Cooperman

4,428 posts

257 months

Thursday 27th May 2004
quotequote all
IIRC, de-seaming a Mini reduces the frontal area by 44 sq. ins., and that's a lot. If it's done properly it really doesn't reduce the strength too much.
My full equipped 1964 Historic rally car weighs in at 718 KG with the twin tanks about half-full. It has perspex windows, but that saving is offset by a full cage, 2 spare wheels, twin fuel pumps, a sump guard, 2 fire extinguishers, etc, etc.
For my 1991 Enduro Rally car I'm hoping to keep to about 710 kg. I wonder exactly what a GRP Mini weighs in at. They do look rather good if finished well.

gtrclive

Original Poster:

4,187 posts

290 months

Saturday 29th May 2004
quotequote all
I've done a roof chop on a Standard Mini shell instead.