MiniWorld July 2019 71
Here's Steve dropping the Cooper’s MPi engine
and front subframe out. No going back now!The B16 Honda engine and aluminium radiator,
fitted neatly into the new MiniTec subframe.The Mini's sills were replaced and bulkhead
mods were made in order to fit the steering
rack which is now mounted on the subframe.The bodyshell was primed and then prepared
for its new coat of Rover British Racing Green.The replacement MiniTec subframe arrived
safely from America and was ready to fit.Dynamat sound deadening was fitted to the
floor and bulkhead to keep road noise down.The b uild
move away from the MPi engine. “Libby
wanted to go faster and there is only
so much you can do to an MPi and
keep them reliable,” explains Steve.
“Initially I was like, ‘no, I’m keeping
my engine,’” adds Libby.
“Even standard ones in our club break
down all the time,” adds Steve, who
also looked at converting the A-series
to 16-valve but found that option more
costly than the Honda B16. “That B16
engine is completely standard so it’s as
reliable as it is in the original car,” taking
into account small changes to cooling.
“It produces good power for the litreage
and, at the time, I'd not seen one in a
standard bull-nose front,” not that it’s still
that common, as people often take the
easier option of fitting extended wings.
A MiniTec tubular front subframe
was imported from USA to replace the
original subframe. “MiniTec was the only
company at the time offering something
like it, as we didn’t want to cut around
the original subframe,” explains Steve.
“It fitted perfectly and was spot on. It’s
now double-wishboned on the front,
so you can adjust all the angles, which
is standard Mini geometry. It’s a very
good and comprehensive kit and it was
very straightforward,” with them only
This Cooper Sport was repainted
with the same BRG metallic
paint but the roof was changed
from a vinyl checker pattern
to this stunning airbrushed
creation on a base of silver.making minor changes to MiniTec’s
suggested modifications for Libby’s Mini.
One change from the MiniTec design
was the location of the Mini’s OE
steering rack, reconditioned, which
is now attached to the subframe
instead of the body. Steve also slightly
relieved the bulkhead to give moreclearance. ”With this setup we get no
bump-steer and the geometry is as it
should be, just set back a little bit.”
He felt he could improve on what he
had seen off-the-shelf braking wise too.
“The brakes are Wilwood Superlite 4-pot
calipers on Peugeot 247mm vented
discs. We used the old bell from the »