Hot Cabriolet
One of our best customers, Martin, decided to pose Chippy with one of
his greatest challenges yet: to convert a rather delapidated mini
cabriolet into a hot two-seater that was in Martin's mind. The end
result is a product of many weeks work, and some clever engineering.
The first stage was to see what could be saved from this heap! Cutting away
the front end was done with impunity, as Martin wanted a removable front for
the meaty engine he had planned. The bulk head needed substantial work, and
the inner-wings modified and strengthened for the front sub-frame and completed
front end. An air box was also added for the planned Webers.
The next problem was to decide what to do with the backend. Ideas were still
firming, and the decision to make it a two-seater carrera style hot cab meant
substantial modifications to the rear. Martin also wanted a large boot area
to put in the planned stereo system (ICE). So the petrol tank had to be moved
too.
With the roof also being removed, the whole of the car needed to be
strengthened up with more cross-bars put in to stop the body twisting or
even breaking in two. Head protection was going to be provided by Audi-TT
style roll-bars, which had to be fixed securely to the floor.
One of the spurs also acts as a bracket for
the bucket seat fittings, and o-rings brackets had to be put in place to fit
the Sabelt seat harnesses. The doors and window runners also had to be
strengthened to compensate for the lack of window frame and roof.
Back to the rear: the top for the boot area was a completely new panel, and
a novel solution was devised. It comprised taking a mini roof panel and cutting
it down the middle. Slices were taken off, and reinforced, and the panels welded
back together again so it would be the right width. Chippy's skill can be clearly
seen in doing such a difficult job without warping the panel and getting it to
fit so precisely.
The rear had to be changed as said before to make way for the ICE. The
battery compartment had to be moved, and the petrol tank shifted.
It all needed to be strengthened as well with struts helping to
improve the tautness of the shell.
Our task is now complete as Martin is taking it for a special paint job
and fancy pneumatic suspension to be added. He will also be getting the stereo
system added. We will see it back though to
finish off the engine and tune it up. In the meantime, we wish Martin well in
his development project.
