Build Overview

Unsurprisingly, the process starts with the shell. Ideally a new British Motor Heritage shell is sourced as they are a known quantity. However in international markets these can have regulations around using cars of a certain age, for example > 25 years old, where a restoration diary might be advisable to prove the shell is original. Sourcing a donor car, or using a car with sentimental value could have surprises in store. Used shells are totally dismantled and media-blasted with British Heritage panels used extensively in the restoration which often involves a complete replacement of the entire floor section. We have consistently found ourselves in the unenviable position of not wanting to be the harbinger of doom, but experience has taught us to sensitively share our experiences of shells we have been given to use as the basis of a conversion.

Common phrases such as; “It’s been restored”, “It’s solid” have often been used to describe a donor car but have rarely lived up to their billing. Whether restored or new, a series of enhancements are then undertaken to strengthen and facilitate the mid-engine layout. Whilst ordinarily, this reduces the structural integrity of the shell, we fit our fitting-jig where we align the shell, tack weld into place box sections and floor plates so that the rollcage fits perfectly. We then fully weld the box section and reinforcement plates to fully reinforce the shell reintroducing the rigidity so there is little or no flex in the shell prior to the fitment of the rollcage.

This is critically important as without this reinforcement, the shells would flex in a corner or when hitting a pothole in the road surface. The roll cage feet align perfectly with the shell to ensure the cage is braced against heavier duty steel, integrated into the shell, rather than seeing the floor distorting when tightening the bolts. We have also integrated other shell innovations primarily around finding extra legroom for taller drivers and to improve on the driving position updating the steering wheel and pedal box orientations to make the Mini more comfortable to drive.

From there, the shell is undersealed and painted before moving to the assembly phase, where we fit our newly designed modular engine cradle chassis, a ground-up collaboration with Safety Devices who have been building rollcages for over 50 years. The chassis is now made from stronger and thicker tubular steel and has been designed to fit a Mini shell more snugly, essentially following the contours of the shell more closely with finer tolerances.

There has been steady development in respect to the overall specification. The Minis now feature bespoke alloy fluids packages for fuel and cooling as well as a water-to-air chargecooler kit for forced-induction engines. An aluminium sealed rear bulkhead ensures an air-tight seal improving thermal and sound insulation. Track or road packages and various options both inside and out, allow the owner to tailor their Mini to their individual specification allowing the appearance to be unique and personalised be it understated or overtly aggressive aesthetically.

The electronics have been replaced with a ultra-modern solid-state wiring loom setup with a Power Distribution Module (PDM or PMU), a standalone ECU/EMU and a digital display unit (or ADU). This reduces the number of fuses and relays and allows functions to be programmed, where a button being de-pressed in varying ways which generate a different command. This facilitates a thinner wiring loom saving weight and complexity. With additional sensors, a drive-by-wire setup is now standard, allowing throttle sensitivity to be adjusted like a sports-mode, or a winter- mode, as well as variable traction control, and variable boost control to vary power.

This transforms the everyday drivability much akin to the kind of setups in brand-new cars.