Irish Mini Owners Club

I know some mini enthusiasts would consider chopping the back end out of a perfectly good mini shell to be sacrilege. To them, I’m sorry, but I’ve gone and done it……… I am embarking on a Volvo T4 conversion which a guess will probably take a few years to complete and needless to say a few Euros to, of which I don’t have many. Euro’s that is, I’m hoping to live to see then end of the build!!!

I was thinking of a R1/Hayabusa engine, but the thought of 11,000rmp frightened the b’jesus out of me. Then I stumbled upon this thread http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/in ... pic=102232

If you haven’t read it, do. You have no idea how “retained” this guys “behind” is until you read his build thread. The car is amazing and a credit to the builder. Personally I have neither the patience nor the funds to do a build like this. He spent Stg35,000 and three years………to me that equals divorce and maintenance pmts, no thanks………..

Anyway, the T4 was selected over the Vetc purely because I got a cheap engine!!….three months of deliberations weighing up the pros and cons of T4 vs Vtec conversion only to be scuppered but a cheap ebay deal. FG/Lab should scour eBay for a cheap IMF deal, I’m sure there is one out there somewhere!!

I will try to keep the thread posted as much as possible but to be honest I’m going to take my time over this one so don’t expect daily updates.

Any comments/constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

This should be an interesting project. I have a few worries though.. Nothing against you at all but....

An engine coming out of a Volvo is going to be a ridiculess amount of weight... Are you planning on making it fwd or rwd? I can just seeing you doing wheelies IF you ever manage to get the power down.. I just went for a drive in the mother Passat (1.9 T.D.I Highline (130b.h.p)) and the wheels light up without hesitation and its bone dry out... And that in a 2 tonne Passat estate!

And second, being German, the wiring will more then likely take up as muchtime as the build itself! Are you planning out using the Volvo loom or modify your own?

Just wondering if you thought of these factors....

If your focused enough, and don't get me wrong, anything is possible, she'll be some machine!

The engine is the 1.9 turbo petrol all alloy unit. Apparently it's very light...... so they say !!!! 200BHP in its day but i'm sure a few of those ponies have moved on!!

Mini will be RWD and your right getting the power down will be a problem. I dont fancy six foot wheelie bars out the back!

Wiring is certainly going to be an issue. i've been told that the engine loom/ecu have several built in imobilisers which can be a bit of a problem!! Also there are so many sensors on the engine that getting them all to dance the same tune will be a pain.
We will see, you never know it might work!

Thanks for the comments though

Well at least you've though about it... I think the wheely bars could look a little strange alright

StanO'Toole wrote:And second, being German, the wiring will more then likely take up as muchtime as the build itself! Are you planning out using the Volvo loom or modify your own?

Volvo German ????

Surely the T4 were Dutch built Swedish cars of an subsidiary American motor company based on common Japanese floor pans.

can't wait to see some pictures mate, chris is very helpfull and i've also seen him fly to the states to lend a hand so you shouldn't have a problem, should be interesting. ive been following that k20 build also and found him very helpfull to others, to name one you may know about is the cosworth build, so it might be an idea to put up a build thread on the mini forum too for guidance.... did you check the 16vminiclub for info??

i love origional cars but also love different things and you build will be different from the norm over here so its worth doing

The Marcos Graveyard wrote:

StanO'Toole wrote:And second, being German, the wiring will more then likely take up as muchtime as the build itself! Are you planning out using the Volvo loom or modify your own?

Volvo German ????

Surely the T4 were Dutch built Swedish cars of an subsidiary American motor company based on common Japanese floor pans.

Oopppss

I don't really know anything about Diesels but I was thinking abouts this today and was wondering if Diesels could run on carbs? It would save alot of wiring!

FYI, Volvo T-4 is the four-cylinder version of the Volvo T-5 five-cylinder petrol turbocharged model, initially 850 then S70/V70 and S60. The T-6 was the sports version of the S80 2.9litre 6-cylinder.

End of Volvo naming history.

Billy

Sorry no pics I'm faffing around with the iPhone trying to upload them. I'll try from the laptop later !!

Quick update, MTM 2012 was the deadline.....missed oops. Engine in last night so I'm getting there. Few pics on the build so far

2

3

4

Nice, looks very good

That T4 looks very like an A series!

Ye t4 plan was dropped a long time ago those thieving revenue bar stools wanted me to register it as a kit car to make it road legal circa €7k !! I don't thing so.... I went a more traditional route with a 1380, stage 3 HRE head, sw5 can, duplex timing gear etc etc. I recon I'll gave just as much fun and more chance of keeping it the right side of the hedges !!! I have a t4 engine in the shed if you want one?

Is the carb ok for what you need after Danny? Did you recieve the spacers for the mounts after, sorry bout forgetting them,

Carb looks ok nothing a good clean and a rebuild kit won't sort. I got a couple of needles in the week so we will see what sort of power she's got when we hit the dyno. Engine mounts are c**k on if you look closely at the pic you might see them. The names Gareth by the way !! Rough luck re those rims fella, not cool to sell something to another forum member and shaft them.....

Sorry Gareth, that's great if you need anything else you have my number gimme a text, yea was bad form alright I've text twice todaynwith no reply one of the centre caps is missing aswell,

Getting there very slowly, only a few bits to do before she's ready......

Another pic

Another pic

Nice colour
Not a fan of the black trim but everyone different whats the interoir like ?

Wow, looking good Gareth, doesn't look like the same car I last saw in Pauls !!! I think the black trim looks better than I was expecting..

colour looks great, I'm just not too sure about the chrome?

at the end of the day though it's your car and your opinion that count!

great work all the same