Birdman's B204 MINI (Mid Engine RWD)

[Oz]

I've seen people drill MGF flanges to 4x100. The studs are getting close to the edge thought

[Birdman]

I've seen people drill MGF flanges to 4x100. The studs are getting close to the edge thought

Yeah, I think you said. I took a look at that and it seems there isn't really a lot of metal to do it. I measured the rear track now on the back and it's 1500mm drive flange face to the other. Measured the MGF frame at front and that is 1440mm approx (was in dark). So ET45 is the std offset wheels and the spacer converters are 20mm each side equals 1480mm track width at front, but lose some offset. Does that make the wheels effectively ET25? Head scratch time..

[fynnbar]

Yes it does 👍

[Birdman]

Yes it does 👍

OK, need to think on that then.

[Birdman]

Tried a different better position for the red Porsche anti roll bar, only problem is a clash with current exhaust box. Both items were dirt cheap. Not much adjustability with the roll bar. Just have to keep looking and thinking about these issues as we go along. Hope to get some notching done this weekend, will try without buying a tube notcher.

[Birdman]

I've seen people drill MGF flanges to 4x100. The studs are getting close to the edge thought

So the studs or bolt holes will need to be spaced out 2.375mm outwards each. Pretty close and onto chamfer. I don't suppose Rover 400 drive flanges fit?

[Birdman]

Actually seems MGF Wheels are between ET30 - ET35, so by using ET45 wheels and 20mm converters to 4 x 100, I should be only 5mm out.. That may be acceptable. I'm thinking to use the MGF Electric power steering, so maybe no real worries. Wheel options for the MGF (ultimatemg.com)

[B.Bumble]

Interesting to see you are thinking about fitting MGF electric power steering. It would be good, and I'm sure extremely helpful to many of us, if you could start a new thread that deals solely with this topic as you engineer/fit the system to your car. There are lots of "bits" of installs in amongst other build items listed on the site but sometimes it's difficult to get the full picture of "how it's done" when fragmented with the rest of other bits and scattered throughout the threads. [Well it is for me] . I have been thinking about power steering for a while but getting a little confused with all the different types of setup and issues regarding speed vs sensitivity and the necessary control bits and bobs. A single install start to finish would be a tremendous benefit to a lot of us. I know it's a big ask but, give it some thought.

[Birdman]

Interesting to see you are thinking about fitting MGF electric power steering. It would be good, and I'm sure extremely helpful to many of us, if you could start a new thread that deals solely with this topic as you engineer/fit the system to your car. There are lots of "bits" of installs in amongst other build items listed on the site but sometimes it's difficult to get the full picture of "how it's done" when fragmented with the rest of other bits and scattered throughout the threads. [Well it is for me] . I have been thinking about power steering for a while but getting a little confused with all the different types of setup and issues regarding speed vs sensitivity and the necessary control bits and bobs. A single install start to finish would be a tremendous benefit to a lot of us. I know it's a big ask but, give it some thought.

I did Corsa C EPAS on my other mini. That involved cutting and shutting the corsa column and welding onto Mini steering column. This is better done by a machinist and would be better carefully tig welded. The rest of the column, shroud and electrics all looked like std mini. Just I made a bracket to clamp the motor of the Corsa EPAS and the control box next to it . Add a speed controller box to fool it into thinking it gets a speed signal and it was done. BUT I didn't like it for a road car, as it was not progressive in reducing assistance, unless you turned down the variable resistor every time you pulled away.

With this build I will have a lot of rear end weight and power and mid engine cars can give snap oversteer. That is really the only reason I consider to use the MGF electric power steering really. I would just fit the whole unit from MGF. No changes as it mates to mgf rack. Just attach to rollcage dash bar and get a different steering wheel. Does not need to be like a mini/ So I'm not sure that will be v exciting, but I will try to keep posting pics and progress..

[Birdman]

Interesting to see you are thinking about fitting MGF electric power steering. It would be good, and I'm sure extremely helpful to many of us, if you could start a new thread that deals solely with this topic as you engineer/fit the system to your car. There are lots of "bits" of installs in amongst other build items listed on the site but sometimes it's difficult to get the full picture of "how it's done" when fragmented with the rest of other bits and scattered throughout the threads. [Well it is for me] . I have been thinking about power steering for a while but getting a little confused with all the different types of setup and issues regarding speed vs sensitivity and the necessary control bits and bobs. A single install start to finish would be a tremendous benefit to a lot of us. I know it's a big ask but, give it some thought.

Also, just to say there was a member on here who pretty much did what you asked for. It might have been part of his build diary around 7 years ago.. Can't remember his user name. He had a lathe and did a proper job on the column / shaft connections. It is worth looking at many potential donor vehicles with EPS/ EPAS now, because they have got smaller in size on some smaller cars. To make the system work great, you need some electronics to read the increasing speed signal and turn down the assistance pretty much as soon as the car is rolling. I'm hoping to use all MGF sensors to read off one of the axles.

[B.Bumble]

OK, thanks for that info. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your build over the coming months. Good luck.

[Birdman]

OK, thanks for that info. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your build over the coming months. Good luck.

Thanks Bumble. Just want to get the frame done before year end when it gets cold. Then I need to give the Vauxhall Mini some attention. Too much to do, including home improvements. Better to busy than not though I guess?

[Birdman]

Well I got started on notching tube yesterday and is was tough. You can watch all the YouTube videos you want , which are useful, but they only show notching a small manageable length of tube and pretty basic angles.. The reality I find is that you are trying to shape both ends to fit the application, whilst maintaining the tubes angle and then throw in the fact that my notches are compound angles.. So not the easiest to learn. I made up a sort of Pipemaster contour gauge with cut down welding rods and elastic bands and it helped a bit. A lot of it was eyeballing and grinding with a worn flap disc t get the shape. Got the difficult side's main bar done and tacked in. Now I have a really tricky curved bar for the suspension top mounting to do with a straight 90 degree notch one end and a god knows what the curved end. Anyhow, It allowed me to lash everything together with tape, magnets and some tie wraps and mock up for Coil over on that side. Tube needs to go up around an inch it seems. Took apart the removable rose joint end of coil over. Previous owner had used some extender adjusters, which were all left hand thread. Luckily, the actual thread in the coil over is 1/2 inch UNF, which is great because I have 4 x rosejoints sitting in my spares box for the other mini.. So happy days on that. That allows me to reduce the overall length at full extension down from approx 17" to 15".. Pictures when I've achieved some more.

[Birdman]

OK, progress on rear cage tubes. Tried both the welding rods trick and using 40mm waste pipe slitted to make a gauge. Wastepipe worked much better for me. 20211106_122921.jpg 20211030_102850.jpg 20211106_122928.jpg

[Birdman]

Got the main tubes in place. Using some weld through primer now as I want to avoid rust as much as possible.20211106_141622.jpg 20211109_122428.jpg 20211109_122513.jpg 20211109_145842.jpg