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 Posted: Sep 27, 2017 08:43AM
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Originally Posted by metalwright
John, I have heard that the OBX ITB's take a little modification to fit.  Was that your experience?
Here is the few pictures I have of them, but yes they need to be slightly shortened and tipped up to clear the bulkhead. Then cleaned up inside from a little bit of overlap.

 Posted: Sep 27, 2017 07:46AM
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John, I have heard that the OBX ITB's take a little modification to fit.  Was that your experience?

--trying to set a record for the longest Mini restoration ever!
 Posted: Sep 27, 2017 06:12AM
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Originally Posted by SAlexander
Best VTEC frame yet! I wish you had these 15 years ago when I started on mine. It would have saved me a lot of work. I can find very little that I would have changed; maybe a bit lighter and double-shear the front track rod mounts. The old biscuit mount has a lot of caster compliance and travel-bind, though cheap/easy to produce. I hope you did not relocate the track rod forward pivots like MT did, just to avoid notching the pan....a bad compromise on their part. your frame will be easier to make than ours, so should be cheaper/more profitable. The smaller tube diameters leaving more space for clearances...a good trade off for thicker walls; no donor frames required, our biggest drawback. Will you produce an early, pre-'76 style (two tower bolts)? What are you doing for axles? Intake manifolds? FYI I just got back from looking over a new cast aluminum prototype D-series intake, specifically designed to fit in the Mini. It looks really good; nice long tapered runners with gradual curvature and requires no modifications to the car. They should be available around December in small numbers; I have the first two reserved for Spank's and my partner's projects. If there is sufficient demand, he will invest the time to tool-up for production runs. As you know, Intake clearance is the single biggest issue with D-Series swaps; up until now, I have seen no satisfactory solutions to this problem. Good luck with your great new design.
Steve, thanks, you know how long it takes to get to this point. I think I went through 6 mockup frames, kept tweaking it over the last year. I am pretty happy with the overall design, and the jig is locked in at this point. I wanted to use as much stock suspension stuff as possible, because other than allspeed (which they still use custom arms/rods), nothing else really does. Well none does for the d-series. 

And as far as 2-bolt frames, I have adopted Allspeeds big bolt conversion with the thick stepped washer, and single big bolt to fit to earlier cars. I have custom 1 piece hybrid chromoly axles being made by a vendor. Intake manifolds, I prefered modifying the edelbrock performer, and just did another one last week, but to be honest I rather not have to make those. I have spoke with Josh that was thinking about making the intake (I sold him actually the set of axles off my car to meet his deadline). I also do a custom 4 into 1 header out of stainless as well. I positioned the motor slightly more forward then minitec to clear RHD rack. So had to suck the header in pretty tight. I also make the clutch adaptor/spacer to run the stock honda master cylinder.

 Posted: Sep 27, 2017 05:54AM
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very nice

 Posted: Sep 27, 2017 05:45AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by specialist
meetspeaker,

i have two important questions for you:

1) is it possible to install an automatic Vtec engine to a mini? (front)

2) and is it possible to install the A/C as well?
1. Yes you can install an auto D engine in a Mini, albeit round nose is an extremely tight fit. I was thinking about possibly building a frame for the auto, but manual is keeping me busy enough at the moment.


2. Yes you can install AC up front if you make a bracket. Again very tight in a round nose, but doable. 

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 10:50PM
 Edited:  Sep 26, 2017 10:58PM
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Yes, it is possible to install an Automatic D-series and AC, .....just. I looked at one just a few hours ago that Josh built. It is very close to impossible, but after several months, starting with one of our frames, lots of cutting, welding, re cutting, etc, he got it in there and can still turn the wheels. He had to fab a special radiator that pushes the grill a bit, and had to put the AC where the spare tire well used to be, under the boot floor.....very complex arrangement. I was betting against this ever happening, but he proved me wrong. Testing to follow soon. BTW, the customer is paying well into 6 digits for this converted woody.

Retired manufacturer of VTEC/Mini performance conversion kits

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 10:16PM
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Best VTEC frame yet! I wish you had these 15 years ago when I started on mine. It would have saved me a lot of work. I can find very little that I would have changed; maybe a bit lighter and double-shear the front track rod mounts. The old biscuit mount has a lot of caster compliance and travel-bind, though cheap/easy to produce. I hope you did not relocate the track rod forward pivots like MT did, just to avoid notching the pan....a bad compromise on their part. your frame will be easier to make than ours, so should be cheaper/more profitable. The smaller tube diameters leaving more space for clearances...a good trade off for thicker walls; no donor frames required, our biggest drawback. Will you produce an early, pre-'76 style (two tower bolts)? What are you doing for axles? Intake manifolds? FYI I just got back from looking over a new cast aluminum prototype D-series intake, specifically designed to fit in the Mini. It looks really good; nice long tapered runners with gradual curvature and requires no modifications to the car. They should be available around December in small numbers; I have the first two reserved for Spank's and my partner's projects. If there is sufficient demand, he will invest the time to tool-up for production runs. As you know, Intake clearance is the single biggest issue with D-Series swaps; up until now, I have seen no satisfactory solutions to this problem. Good luck with your great new design.

Retired manufacturer of VTEC/Mini performance conversion kits

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 06:01PM
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meetspeaker,

i have two important questions for you:

1) is it possible to install an automatic Vtec engine to a mini? (front)

2) and is it possible to install the A/C as well?

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 09:53AM
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Here are a few external shots from the other day.

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 08:29AM
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Nice. Like the set up using a D series and stock suspension and brakes.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 08:21AM
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A very tidy conversion. Looks great. So happy to see it roll on 10 inchers.

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 05:17AM
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Here is a link to the Dyno video:

76 NZ Mini Dyno Run

 Posted: Sep 26, 2017 05:15AM
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So I think it's finally time to share my conversion. It took long enough, mainly because of my sons health, and trying to develop my own frame kit, header, accessories, etc. This was for a Customer/Friend, Brian up in New York. The idea was to do a honda swap that was clean, low, NO FLARES, and big NA power out of a D. So I had a good buddy Ben in PA build a very nice long block starting with a D16a6. The subframe is all new, laser cut towers, chromoly tube, retained stock suspension/arms/etc. Frame weighed in at I believe 41.5lbs when it was all said and done. Brian wanted the ITB's, and they look and sound incredible, but def not for the faint of heart, or for sensitive ears. The end result was 154 whp/180bhp, and 125tq. It was a bit tricky to dial in the big cam, and ITB's, but overall streetability is good. Surprisingly no torque steer, and she just pulls pulls pulls. For more pictures please go to: Mcgees-Custom-Minis

It was a long journey, but I'm happy with the way it turned out, and so is Brian. Car handles, stops, and pulls fantastic. Here is the short spec list and a few pics attached:

-D16a6 Sohc High Compression
-ZC Head mildy port/polish, and ZC Pistons
-Rocket 5 cam
-M-Factory LSD
-3.7 FINAL DRIVE
-Modified OBX ITB's
-Hondata S300
-7.5" Slotted rotors, 4 piston Calipers
-MCM Conversion Frame
-Autometer Black Prestige GPS Speedo/Tach, Smith fuel, and dual water/oil gauges.
-Custom widened steel wheels, staggered offset, fronts 1.75" wider to the inside, still allows full turning radius (Just barely)

Now, with all that said, I am very itchy to get my Estate done with a weeeee D16 turbo setup. Cheers guys and gals.

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