[s-cars] musings

[Tom Green]

You don't need a Cooper or Cooper S for great mini fun.  If you can find
a half-decent body, there is a group in GB that installs two motorcycle
engines and suitable running gear in the mini.  These things do like the
revs--quite a tune at 13K.  :-)  And, each engine has about twice the  
original
HP of the mini.  It probably needs some wind tunnel testing since I  
bet it can
swap ends faster than the original tt.

You won't need the big garage, Vincent, just pick it up and  put it  
on the porch.

Tom

> Vincent muses:

> Since most listers ruled out the Audi requirement, here is another  
> fun car:
>
> In my never ending quest to justify a 4 doors garage in my to-come- 
> one-day
> house, and on a more reasonable note because I'd like an over-40mpg  
> daily
> commuter that's still quick and fun in traffic, but over everything  
> just
> because it's fun, I test drove a '90 spec RHD Mini Cooper. I was  
> expecting
> some decent speed with the small 1.3i in the uberlight body but never
> expected _that_. While it took some time to be accustomed to the  
> RHD, once
> this little inconvenient was gone the well sorted out micro engine  
> felt like
> only red line would make him happy while the car was flying through  
> traffic.
> The car being barely longer than a bike helped a lot changing lane  
> when cars
> were almost bumper to bumper. Of course, 9am traffic in East- 
> Montreal has
> nothing in common with an autocross track but the speed the car was  
> capable
> of when turning corner - with some tire noise I have to admit -  
> gives a good
> idea of the fun potential of this little gem on a technical track.
>
> If you consider a B5 S4 meets the cheap criteria, at 10-15K$, a well
> restored post 80s urMini Cooper will certainly meet the cheap,  
> somewhat
> familiar, _uberuberfun_, decently reliable if post 80, cheap  
> criteria. And
> the miles long list of upgrade parts will be much cheaper than any  
> upgrade
> on any Audi.
>
> BTW, a month ago, I found someone in Texas who has plenty of  
> Australian
> (read recent and no rust) urMini, most of them Mini Cooper. I can't  
> find the
> url anymore but I found him through eBay so he should appear there  
> once in a
> while.
>
>
>
>
> Vincent.
> '96 S-Bitch
> '81 Fiat Speeder
> 'XX Micro something or something else to come
>
> -----Message d'origine-----
> De?: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] De la part de Lee Levitt
> Envoy??: 28 mars 2007 13:20
> ??: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Objet?: [s-cars] musings
>
>
>
> So I've got work up to my yinyang and I'm thinking about what kind
> of car I would build up as an autocross/track car.
>
> Requirements - cheap, familiar, fun, reliable, cheap.
>
> Does not have to be particularly competitive...
>
> Should be a car that I would/could drive on the street without
> being illegal or wincing...reality is that autocross/track time
> will be relatively minimal for a while...eventually I'd like to
> spend more time with it.
>
> First thought is an early B5 S4.
>
> Other initial thought is a B5 A4...
>
> I know some will suggest Miatas, Boxsters, etc, but I want to stay
> in the Audi fold for this fun car. Not sure why, but I do... :)
>
> Lee