4 wheel drive MINI Cooper S conversion - MINI Cooper Forum

motaica · #1 (**permalink**) Mar 26th, 2003, 08:51 PM

In the last post about rear wheel drive conversion, when i was asking for the rear wheel drive conversion, i was actually heading in the 4 wheel drive direction, what i wanted to know is if it could be converted to 4 wheel drive, but since the car has no space for a driveshaft, then 4 wheel drive would be out of the question. Forget about the space for the longitudinally placed engine, i already have a solution for that, but if you could remove the muffler and all that piping, would there be space for a driveshaft?

A 4 wheel drive MINI would have really good handling, and connected to a good engine would be the best car to drive. I just want feedback if it can be done, and if it would be expensive.

thanks,
motaica

GordonD · #2 (**permalink**) Mar 26th, 2003, 09:29 PM

Put another engine in the back seat - that's what they did last time.

On a more serious note it is a pain to get a 'crossways' engine to turn power through 90 degrees to drive a shaft to the rear wheels. Obviously not impossible but you would want to design it that way from day 1.

goin440 · #3 (**permalink**) Mar 26th, 2003, 09:45 PM

I imagine anything is possible if you got the cash flow. Not to denounce MINIs, but if you are going to spend that kind of cash, why not look into a Mitsu EVO or WRX STi? Heck, with what you could save on the latter, you could make a mean little car.

I agree with Gordon that it should have been designed from day 1. As for ideas, consider an example I read a while back: the Audi TT 4wd drive-train graphed into a Beetle w/ twin turbo vr6 GTI implant. Cost, if I recall, was upwards $200 thou. But the TT and Beetle use extremely similar chassis. The MINI has no such twin, so everything would be custom fabbed and very expensive. The back-seat engine idea is pretty good too. I've heard stories of V-dubs in europe with twin-engined GTIs. I do know there is a racing MINI in Europe with an M3 engine. Tube-framed and very custom.

Maybe eventually BMW will realize the Mini had a rally heritage and produce a WRC competitor. We could only be so lucky.... (please, please, please, please...)

sniece · #4 (**permalink**) Mar 28th, 2003, 07:46 AM

Oh man, if Mini release a 4WD model, I would be in heaven. I've had two AWD Subaru's previous to my Mini. The Mini is the only car I would give up AWD for. My wife is the same way, she drives a Lada Niva...4WD. If they really wanted to resurrect the Mini as a world class Rally car, it would have to be 4WD. Mmmmm, imagine the handling like the Mini has now PLUS AWD?!?!?!

Steve

skobylenski · #5 (**permalink**) Apr 24th, 2003, 12:30 AM

If Subaru can get AWD into the WRX and Honda can get it into the CR-V, the I should think Mini could do it as well. It might be a little tricky, but both other manufacturers use side mount engines and seem to get power to all 4 wheels with no problem. I think it's just a matter of time before we see this one. Personally I can't wait to see it, and I'll be all over it

Autocrossing with an AWD Mini, now that's something I'd be in heaven with.

Scott

sniece · #6 (**permalink**) Apr 24th, 2003, 05:32 AM

I dunno, the Subaru engines are all longitudinally mounted, I'm not sure about the CRV, but I would assume it's the same way...although they do make a FWD version, and Subaru's used to be available both ways...similarly for VW. Just strikes me that the gearing required to get the drive to the rear wheels based on the current configuration might be difficult...I would imagine you would have to drive the center diff from the front differential if you kept it transversely mounted.

Steve

olerud400 · #7 (**permalink**) Apr 24th, 2003, 05:59 AM

WRC is out of the question because the Mini is too small...

jester · #8 (**permalink**) May 9th, 2003, 12:32 AM

They race 4WD and 4WS minis in the top class Ice raceing series, using a 400bhp, mid mounted V6. Now that tickeles my belly.

smith · #9 (**permalink**) May 16th, 2003, 05:53 AM

How about a 4wd taking a page from the Honda Hybrid. Put a bigger battery in the boot with electric rear wheel drive giving the possibility of 4wd and electric rear wheel drive - battery charged when braking. In most cases you don't need 4wd but it would be there when you need it

BruceK · #10 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2003, 10:00 AM

VW made special 4 wheel drive versions of the Golf in addition to the normal front wheel drive models. Some them were a little too "off road" for my tastes. Here's a '91 Golf Syncro:

sniece · #11 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2003, 08:04 PM

Wow, that looks pretty cool! Kind of a predecesor to my old Subaru Outback Sport. It also reminds me of an older Jaguar Sovereign that someone here in Hamilton turned into a monster truck. They actually did a really good job of it too.

Steve

Dark Silver S · #12 (**permalink**) May 20th, 2003, 04:55 AM

Go the NASCAR route. Get your favorite AWD chassis and drop a MINI-lookalike body over it.

I have seen photos of classic Minis with V8s in the back seat. I'm assuming that they used a different drivetrain as well as a different engine.

sniece · #13 (**permalink**) May 20th, 2003, 05:11 AM

Check out the latest issue of Mini Magazine. There's a guy who took a '99 (?) Mini and dropped a JDM spec Type R engine and transmission into it. 240hp. Eat your heart out JCW owners!

Steve

JonnyThong · #14 (**permalink**) Jun 11th, 2003, 10:24 PM

There is a guy rallying a new cooper in the british clubman series with a 4x4 setup, you wouldn't know from the outside. a picture of the car was in motorsports now! an RAC MSA publication...

Harry@Piekarnia · #15 (**permalink**) Aug 28th, 2003, 11:18 PM

For the kind of cash you'd need to spend to get a 4x4 MINI on the road you could buy a Tiger z100wr. Twin engines, 4x4 and in road legal form it does 0-60mph in 41 metres (2.8 seconds is another way of looking at it!)