New Mini in ITB ?

Since I spent half the SARRC as a Mini Cooper proctologist, I can assure everyone that they were clased in SSB.

From my perspective, I thought they had excellent accelleration, but poor handling and brakes. He left me down the straights, only to be caught under cornering. The car did eat up tires and the brakes were bad. My little old ITC car was all over him until the high speed sections.

Still, they look great and it would be nice to have modern blood in IT.

hoop
 
The two Mini's at the Rock were both the supercharged S models. They ran SSC for a couple of years with extra weight and a restrictor plate. For '07, they were moved back to SSB without ballast or the plate. They are quite fast in a straight line, handle decently but suffer from little camber adjustment. The Rock would not be their best track.

My son Drew split them in the race in our old SSC Protege, which handles very well but is probably down 60HP to a Mini S. We also have the camber issue, to the point where I had him hold it back in the oval because we were wearing the RF so much.

I'd love to have the Protege in ITB- we'd convert in a minute, it's getting boring running alone (plus we could deal with the camber thing...).

Steve
 
While camber may be an issue in show room stock, it won't be in improved touring. The ITB car (non-S version) does have nice brakes and handles well comparitively. Take a look at those disk sizes. The one area I'm still not sure of is how well it will respond to an IT engine build. I keep hearing conflicting information which is significantly different.

I will say that overall I am happy to see a new car such as the Mini in ITB.
 
While camber may be an issue in show room stock, it won't be in improved touring. The ITB car (non-S version) does have nice brakes and handles well comparitively. Take a look at those disk sizes. The one area I'm still not sure of is how well it will respond to an IT engine build. I keep hearing conflicting information which is significantly different.

I will say that overall I am happy to see a new car such as the Mini in ITB.
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I wonder if our trailer will fit 3 mini's insteadof 2 Audi's :lol: Wish I had the money to build one. I think it will either be a midpack front runner (fun place to race) or it will be a definate "the car to have" if developed. Eitherway, it would be fun, and at least competitive!!!

Raymond
 
A Mini is 12' long, so to fit 3, you'd need about 37' on the floor of your trailer. I can do math, I'm just leaving room for a little space between the cars! A 48' gooseneck would probably work well.
 
Anyone know any more about this classification yet? like, what is the Spec weight going to be?
Is this definite? I guess it is, I hope so. I'd love to see the official spec line on this pup.
 
OK this answers that question for now, isn't 2500lbs. a little much for a 1.6 in B?

Classify Mini Cooper in ITB.
Add new spec line to ITCS p. 327, Mini Cooper (2002), Engine Type: 4 Cyl SOHC, Bore x
Stroke(mm) / Displ.(cc): 77.0 x 85.8 / 1598, Valves IN & EX(mm): (I)30.3 (E)23.3, Comp. Ratio:
10.6, Wheelbase(inch): 97.1, Wheel Dia.(inch): 15 / 16, Gear Ratios: 3.42, 1.95, 1.33, 1.05,
0.85, Brakes Std.(mm): (F)276 Vented Disc ®239 Solid Disc, Weight(lbs): 2500.
 
Depends on the output of the motor.
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115/110 hp/tq, manufacturer rating.

Isn't that the same as the classified-at-2350-pounds 2-liter 8V Golf III? Wonder why the ITAC put that car at 150 pounds more...MINI twin cams? Golf struts? Seems an awful steep difference...
 
I wouldn't compare it to the Golf III (not that I've ever expressed my opinion that it's too light before, LOL). Or if you do, the question needs to be turned around.

For the Mini, I have to imagine one of the reasons for that weight is related to the brake size it has. Those are some large brakes in comparison to others in the class. The stock HP/torque numbers are half bad either. That is a fair weight.
 
What is a fair car to compare it to, Dave? I hear rumors about a fictitious Honda Prelude (1.8L, 104(?)hp, 2350#) lurking around somewhere in CT (I think they lie) but other than the Volkswagens (2.0L, 115hp, 2350#) and an occasional Volvo (2640#, killer suspension and RWD) there's really nothing else up here running consistently...
 
Those brakes are about the same as the golf I think.

The mini has mac-struts in the front as well as the golf, but multi-link rear.
It has twin cams, it starts life with a little more squeeze 10.6:1 per the spec line, manufacturer I guess rounds up to 11:1.
at least I think I could probably get a mini down below minimum weight if I started it out the way we did with Pablo, down to the bones then back up, it should be able to come in under 2500 easy, which would be nice, as opposed to the Golf that would only be minimum weight if it had the minimum cage in it and run slap out of fuel. . .
 
Actually Greg, I have the '86/'87 Prelude that is a 2.0 L, 110 HP, SOCH, 8.8 compression, shock front & rear struts (which hurts), 207 F & 208 R brakes.

My Koni suspension just arrived, so I'm getting closer. It's interesting that what is keeping me from getting on the track in June just may be darn stock spindles with frozen bolts. I have two sets and have done everything imagineable to get the bolts off. Honda has discontinued them, and junk yards don't have them or at least not apart. Things just keep on piling and at least mentally I've come close to just saying F this on several occasions.

I like the addition of the Mini. I'm not so sure it's a horrible thing that I agree with how it was classed. I guess we all have our "Miatas" right Greg? My biggest complaint about classing is the Golf III and that was done a couple of years ago. :(
 
I don't know if I would consider it apples to apples to the Golf 3. I think the extra valves, better brakes (+20mm to the Golf 3), better rear suspension, better gearing, better aero are all things that are going for the Mini. However, based on how things are supposed to be working, whatever the weight is was decided by the same process as the other cars, and we should give it a chance.

I don't think this is something that is considered in the process, but the Golf cam makes it pretty much a tractor motor, and I would expect the Mini to be a bit more of a breather. They should drive very differently out of corners and at the end of straights.

I think this can be a competitive car. Time will tell. Someone build one! :026:
 
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