Hi All,

I was having a look at a BEC spaceframe Mini that the spanish car designer / builder Paco Outeda (Outeda Racing) has designed the chassis for and built:
http://www.fga.es/images/mini/base0.html

I've been told they got the weight really low, but I don't have any figures.

Obviously, the first reference that came to mind when I saw that was the ZCars Mini Montecarlo (they claim 464 kg with bike power). I also know about the Kimini from our fellow LB user (sorry can't remember name). Then I seem to remember there's at least another spaceframe Mini out there (must be British as well) but can't remember any details or tell for sure.

So, what am I missing?

That's a nice looking mini
I like where he cut the rear section for removal.
I was going to put the cut in the middle of my roof but that looks a lot better.
There is now a 'replica' Maguire spaceframe and shell
TDK Racing
Linky

[Edited on 25/1/08 by minitici]

makes me want a mini again!

i saw them at the motor sport show at the nec was veay inpresed made me want a mini again
thay had some video footage off one with a hiyabusa motor in it in a race up aganst all sorts inc some 911's and westfelds and it was kicking ass big time
i picked up a leflet so i could keep dreeming back at home

[Edited on 25/1/08 by repper]

I visited Daves (TDK owner) place last sat for a butchers at his fiberglass shells and was very impressed The quality of his work is top notch and im prob getting a shell v soon for my dailt drive mini.
He had a spaceframe in at the time for front mount BDA cosworth power (bare frame)
MSA approved, top quality!

Nice Mini I want one like that

that one looks like a beast!!

I went the car engine route. Much heavier, but oh so much easier to live with on the street. Between the drivetrain, full cage, doors and windows, it weighs a portly 725kg.

If my car was for track only I'd go BEC, but not for the street.

[Edited on 1/25/08 by kb58]

That is a nice Mini! Along with my Locost projects, I too am in the process of building composite bodied Minis but designed more for daily use. My first frame, which is nearing completion, is designed for a FWD R1 engine, the body is MKI, and I have the design started for the RWD mid engine frame.
Any other Locost Minis?
Rescued attachment mini frame assy.jpg

Hi Guys,

Nice posts! Learning a lot from you as usual. The Mini I posted has been designed for a specific Spanish hillclimb class called CM which uses this type of very light car with bike power. This relatively new class is bringing very interesting affordable prototypes which I hope will start to be available as track day cars. Conceptually they are all very similar but they come in different body shapes such as formula, full body with no top (similar to a Radical SR-3), full body with no doors or side windows, coupe with doors, full body with a cabin (similar to a Retoga) and so on:












As for the Mini, I would expect a good dynamic behaviour from it as it's been developed from extensive racing experience and jointly with driver Benito Varela who has been and is the quickest CM driver at the moment. He usually drives a formula but last year he raced this Mini twice and finished first on one of the races. But the really interesting thing is that this Mini could be available for roughly half the cost of the ZCars Mini (around £12k for a turn key). I guess this car could be made a kit. I think this would make it very attractive for UK customers (either as turn key or kit).

Cheers,

Alex

[Edited on 28/1/08 by Alez]

I have been thinking about building a spaceframe Frogeye Sprite along the same lines of some of the mid engined minis.

As the dimentions are near enough the same a modified version of an established design should to the trick.

It will most likely have no opening doors and no windscreen. Not having doors should give me back the strength lost by not having the complete rollbar.

Maybe using 2 front Mini Subframes allowing it to be set up Front or Mid engined. Maybe even twin engined and 4x4 for the braver driver.

I have only ever seen 2 kits based on the Sprite. The Banham Sprint was a floorpan/bulkhead/subrames rebodied. The latest was a Tifosi which is just a set of panels to modify a late MG Midget.

Magnum Motorsport do a space frame mini shell.

TDK DONT make the shells, he just buys them in from an outside company.

And one was sold to usa and the owner said it was such bad quality that he binned it (Mini Magazine for the information)

www.milestonemotorsport.co.uk

Hi This comment " He had a spaceframe in at the time for front mount BDA cosworth power (bare frame)
MSA approved, top quality! " dose not stack up. There is no MSA aproved and any spaceframe since 2004 for competition use will have to have been FIA crash tested. That cost's a small fortune. So there is no MSA approval. I dont understand the comment.

Cheers Matt

Cheers Matt

Yes Matt you're correct about no MSA approval for special saloons. However you just build to section Q of the "Blue Book" for the roll-over structure. This is the only way I can build my Ultimini spaceframes to pass MSA scrutineering.

Cheers,
Ken.