Birdman's B204 MINI (Mid Engine RWD)

[GEORDIE SP1]

Very cool, great to see you recycling and using your imagination instead of just throwing money at it.

[Birdman]

Very cool, great to see you recycling and using your imagination instead of just throwing money at it.

Thanks. Waste not want not. So far just been Ebay and car boot sales for parts..

[Birdman]

Picked up some 15" wheels. These are now needed to see what brakes setup I can have. Gone retro mode. Ronal Turbo's. Satin Black 7J X 15, currently on 195 50 15 Kumho V70A tyres. My guesswork on the wheels dimensions seems pretty good. ET37, bringing my overall track width down by 2.5" - 3 " overall. I have around 15mm between tyre and coilover clearance. Tyres OK to get going and will probably go to 205 50 15 later, allowing 10- 12mmm for the discs moving things outwards. Hope car will look like a scalextric car with these. If I have to repair a bodyshell and respray, maybe Raptor satin black would look cool... 20230304_162241.jpg 20230304_162234.jpg 20230304_162227.jpg 20230304_162215.jpg

[Birdman]

On rear hubs... 20230304_162058.jpg 20230304_162120.jpg 20230304_162200.jpg 20230304_162143.jpg

[Birdman]

Got a loom adaptor that should let any car work on Trionic T5 ecu. Now need to get a saab 93 loom I think, so that the connector plug is plug n play. My 9000 loom has a stupid large multipin connector from the 1990's. Looking to have the option of swapping between trionic and megasquirt, so will have to butcher a T5.5 SAAB ecu later and make the patch lead between megasquirt and main engine loom. 20230411_123104.jpg 20230411_123109.jpg

[Birdman]

The loom adaptor gives me OBD1 plug as you can see. Earlier SAAB 9000 I think had some sort of earlier SAAB diagnostic system, probably flashing a light when pins bridged.

[Birdman]

Then I decided to remove the original SAAB 9000 inlet manifold and the engine loom. This is to see if I can do my crazy quad throttle body inlet conversion. Loads of hassle and extra work, but what the heck.. Had a medium fight getting it off, but I won.. 20230411_150814.jpg 20230411_150835.jpg 20230411_151121.jpg

[Birdman]

Just small deposits in start of inlet ports, very clean in main port area and around valves. The water jacket seems crazy clean. Maybe it had a recent head replacement? Going to have to take the head off and do a head gasket at some point, so was worth doing this now to understand if I can do this new manifold space wise and all the additional issues that I am now finding...

[Birdman]

Cut down another SAAB inlet manifold. Basically the 1st one I chopped was for SAAB non turbo. This one is for Saab 93 turbo. Spacing of runners is pretty close now to what I need. Waste not want not with std flange and tapped ports being cut out and saved. 20230407_101939.jpg 20230407_101949.jpg 20230407_103912.jpg

[Birdman]

Also much better and bigger runner shape for what I need.

[Birdman]

On with the SAAB inlet manifold stubs (actually pretty long, stubs not a good description): 20230411_153534.jpg 20230411_153541.jpg 20230411_155334.jpg

[Birdman]

Then add the separate and heavy Nissan GTIR throttle bodies and Plenum. Oil dipstick and filler tube will need to be heated and bent out of the way or I get a SAAB 93 version to come up between the manifold runners. Prefer trying the heat gun method first. The setup looks pretty awesome, but I will need to angle the Nissan parts upwards.. Additional issues could be the throttle cable clashing with the cam cover, various wiring changes and earthing points... the list goes on, but still looks pretty badass. So good, it is a shame to spoil the plenum look with the intercooler. Maybe I could do without it now..? But then v tricky to do the charge piping. Loads of unnecessary work and complexity coming up , but you only live once.. 20230411_162312.jpg 20230411_160630.jpg 20230411_160623.jpg 20230411_162305.jpg

[Birdman]

Looks like I can make some tubular brace between engine block and the throttle bodies. Be nice to mirror polish the rear of the plenum. Will check Saab fuel rail and the log 875cc injectors at the weekend.. The madness slowly continues

[Ronski]

Is there going to be any room in there? Looking good though.

[Birdman]

Is there going to be any room in there? Looking good though.

Well I'm filling up all the room Ronski.I hope to have the back of the car bodywork detachable or better hinge upwards and open like a group B car. That probably will be a later thing and will be determined when I get a bodyshell. If it's a really good shell, I will be reluctant to chop the back off, but if it needs a fair amount of metalwork doing, then less of a gamble cutting the rear bodywork to make a clamshell .Eventually I want it to be easy to work on with access to all rear engine compartment. Wait till you see it with the Intercooler plonked in place.. even less room.