Okay, which one of you did this?

600 HP SBC and RWD-swapped R53 Mini in San Diego. I have no words.

"Practically finished".

"Practically finished" = "I can't practically finish it"

Seems sane enough....

Holy berkeleying E36 M3balls!!!!

20$ says it handles like garbage now.

20$ says it is not currently self-propelled.

I like the holes in the doors.

mndsm wrote: I like the holes in the doors.

Looks like an exhaust vent for whatever pile of cooling equipment has taken the place of the passenger seat...

Not enough Turbonique

I'd want a whole cage.

Total BS.

Nobody builds a 600 hp engine without giving a single engine spec in the for sale ad showing how he got there.

Heads? Nope. Bottom end? Nope. Blueprinted? Nope. Exhaust, inrake, power adders? Nope.

SVreX wrote: Nobody builds a 600 hp engine without giving a single engine spec in the for sale ad showing how he got there.

Actually, I'd guess that's how most people sell their "600 hp" engines.

Keith Tanner wrote: "Practically finished".

90% done, 50% to go. It's the home built airplane's creedo.

What. The. Berk.

rslifkin wrote:

mndsm wrote: I like the holes in the doors.

Looks like an exhaust vent for whatever pile of cooling equipment has taken the place of the passenger seat...

I think that's the inlet side (assuming puller fan), and the window is the 'exhaust'.

'<danger armchair engineering>' I don't think that cooling setup has the capacity to cool a 600hp engine. Or even a 100hp engine.

As someone who has spent a lot of time playing with Subies, I really don't understand RWD conversions.

The underlying message seems to be that there was something terribly wrong with the car in the first place.

OK, then why not start with something that was designed to be RWD in the first place?

There's a built-in arrogance and dumbness. "Sure, there was a team of engineers and millions of dollars spent to build this FWD or AWD car, but I can make it better in my backyard because I HAVE A WELDER"

Keep dreaming.

In reply to SVreX:

Why? Because R53 with a broken engine + SBC sitting on a stand = "hold my beer"...

While the execution is highly suspect, the concept is interesting. I'll admit that I have taken the time to measure my MINI just to see how much room there is for a V8. It was curiosity calling. The answer was "Not much", but seeing busted MINIs for $1500, or less does get silly thoughts started. I think the sound of a V8 MINI firing up at the Challenge would turn a few heads.

V8 - ok, I'll give you that.

RWD - I'm with svrex, the mini can't seem to keep both rear wheels on the ground anyway.

However, I would not say no to a chance to pilot this thing around some cones.

Cast iron stock heads, a blow through carb with no intercooler, dual plane manifold, yeah thats 600 hp, probably more like 800 really.

But i dont hate it. Im just not sure what you would actually do with it, besides burnouts.

Going to guess "cause drift-racecar".

I am a firm believer in the maxim that says: "Wisdom comes from experience and experience comes from a lack of wisdom". Guy has an imagination, gotta give him that. And he actually started, which is better than a lot of dreamers ever do.... so not calling Fail on this one.

I bet this guy is a lot wiser than he was when he started. Maybe even smart enough to know it's time to bail and go fishing for a sucker to buy this thing.

From a design point of view, with 98" of wheelbase, and a rather blunt nose ideal for radiator locating, I am not sure why the rad is being put inside the car? Less chance of damage when drift-crashing?

Yeah but if you could talk him down to $6k, imagine what fun that would be for a $10K total investment. I'd drive it to work with open exhaust just because.

It's the automotive equivalent of dating a skinny white girl and trying to turn her into a curvy woman of color.

It's gonna end badly, and you're not gonna get a fun ride.

In reply to NOHOME:
I'll bet he didn't cut the firewall and didn't set the engine back very far. That leaves no room for the radiator, so he stuck it in the passenger compartment.