long range off road mini!!!!!

[walms]

Hi all,
I havent bought a mini yet, but i'm thinking about it. I want to enter a race, London to Mongolia!!!! You have to do it in a car 1000cc or below. So i instantly thought of a mini.

Can i ask, if you guys were going to do it what modifications would you make to the mini? I have already started modifying a landrover for a cross africa trip in a few years, so i'm not totally a new comer to modifying cars. But it is alot easier to find kit for a landy than a mini!!!???

All help appreciated.


thanks

[tim-d]

Hmm - just for starters sump guard, change to 12" wheels with inner tubes fitted, re route fuel / brake line, inside of car, hilo's set high, at least 2 fuel filters, headlamp protectors, beef up front shock mounts, seam weld front subframe, new (or good used) rear plated on lower spars, range rover alternator & battery, set of driving lamps would be useful as would fitting extra tank - loads of spares - at least 2 spare wheels, set of tie bars, trolley jack, head set, plugs, filters, lead & a toolkit!.............+ fingers crossed!

[vrooom]

Also stage 1 kit will help, make mini more fun and nicer to drive.

[speedychrissie]

walms said:

Hi all, I havent bought a mini yet, but i'm thinking about it. I want to enter a race, London to Mongolia!!!! You have to do it in a car 1000cc or below. So i instantly thought of a mini. thanks

just one question:
have you registered on the mongol rally website? i may be wrong, but i thought that you had to enter by now if you wanted to take part (i would have done it if i could have been certain that i had the time).

there have been a few people who have done reasonably well on teh mongol in mini's i would also ask them (if you havent already).

[walms]

hi speedychrissie,
no, i'm actually thinking of the 07 rally! that gives me time to sort stuff out. I think your right though, registration has finished. I've been reading the other teams websites that took mini's they had major suspension drama's!

[speedychrissie]

walms said:

hi speedychrissie, no, i'm actually thinking of the 07 rally! that gives me time to sort stuff out. I think your right though, registration has finished. I've been reading the other teams websites that took mini's they had major suspension drama's!

thats fair enough then.

i have never really pushed standard mini suspension in the way that teh rally definitely would, but i can imagine that you would want to improve it quite dramatically.

[mr dann]

Use a City E 3.1 Final Drive. It will "go better", I'd fit a smaller steering wheel if it has a bus wheel fitted. How hot is it going to be? Aux radiator (heater matrix in the grill). I'd perhaps jack the suspension up a bit. Spares will be a good one, take an inner CV joint, make sure your clutch is good and should be a good one. You don't want to be running out of clutch. I suggest welding the roofrack to the shell, that way you can overload it. If you are driving in sand, wider tyres will be a bonus, try and keep the weight down. Take a few slabs of Rice Pudding (tins). I'd also perhaps replace the head gasket and put some guards/more mounts on the 'zorst. Glove on the dizzy cap, spares for the ignition and change the air filter.

I was going to do the Plymouth Dakar in a mini and was advised against it for practical reasons. Ended up taking a 3L capri which was beyond awesome. 100mph over sand. Yeeeeeehaaaaaa!

The mini will be awesome. Go wild on the prep, loads of spots, reversing light, door numbers, etc, etc.

Oh, make sure the engine mounts are fine, perhaps fit an ultimate engine steady, you don't want "that join" on the exhaust to start blowing. Earplugs if you lose the exhaust. We used earplugs for the whole journey as our "special" exhaust was about 120dB inside the cab.

>> Edited by mr dann on Sunday 23 April 09:43

[bmt216a]

Hello,

I am doing the Mongol rally this year in a mini. I have done some modification i.e re-routed brake lines etc. But the main thing to bear in mind is not to be over prepared. People last year who done to many modifications didnt get there. You need to keep it as simple and standard as possible. Changing the gear ratio etc could cause problems. Make sur

[bmt216a]

sorry about that....

Make sure you get a mini with low millage, some mechanical history always helps....

[mr dann]

bmt216a said:

Hello, I am doing the Mongol rally this year in a mini. I have done some modification i.e re-routed brake lines etc. But the main thing to bear in mind is not to be over prepared. People last year who done to many modifications didnt get there. You need to keep it as simple and standard as possible. Changing the gear ratio etc could cause problems. Make sur

Ok, City E car for starters, the 3.7 FD will struggle if you're thrashing it and it's preferable to use one with a 3.1. My everday hack is a 1400 mini with a 3.7 FD and long distances either have to be done at 60mph or with ear defenders!

[neil8p]

I've never done anything like this, but I've done a bit of rally servicing on minis, and on rough forest stages it's ball joints, tie bars, track rod ends and steering arms that usually require attention.

Ground clearance and suspension travel I would've thought should be as much as possible without compromising the suspension angles too much. Other things that spring to mind are strengthen the rear shock mounts, maybe twin fuel tanks, maybe even rewire the car so everthing has its own fuse.

I wonder if you could reroute the exhaust through one of the sills?

Sounds like a lot of fun

>> Edited by neil8p on Monday 24th April 13:50