The "Maximum Minor" Build

The Build Purpose

Dad was an nerdy Engineer for Goodyear Aerospace and my Mom is a Artist. I have thought about what my purpose for this build should be....and I hope I can do justice to the creativity they both tried to teach me.

I have never built a car to race other than drag racing, so this is new water to me. I think the Hillclimb cars are pretty neat and I would love to try the "Chasing the Dragon" Hillclimb and the "Crow Mountain" Hillclimb. It would be fun to build something to compeat against the "Factory Five" Cobra type cars. If any one could mentor me I would love to get pointers and know more about Hillclimbing.

I plan on making this street legal and drive it to work 1 time a month? A car to pull out and forget about the world and problems for a while........

This is a cheap build also. A collection of many years junk, abandon projects, Hours on "Search Tempest" Craigslist, lost storage finds, friends networking, every swap meet (Moultrie, Lanier Speedway, Headhunters, etc), Pull-A-Part, late nights grudge racing payments, etc. No Ebay....unless to search for mis-labeled? bargin stuff?

My real job is a Controller for a World 50 Company (Korean), Accounting/Buying and Selling. I revel in the mystery of the hunt, and the purchase price squeeze. That is the fun. I hope to have this done in time for the $2012 Challenge. Alot to do, I wish myself luck.

The Parts

 57 year old car, 1955? Morris Minor
 Big T6 Turbocharger
 Megasquirt
 Intercooled
 5.3l GM Aluminum LS motor
 Mid Engine
 Automatic transmission
 Lotsa C6/C5 Corvette parts
 8.8 Ford Chunk
 Parachute
 Go like Stinky Stink

It was on Ebay at a ridiculous high price and did not sell. I contacted the seller and after a few months the price was down to pocket change. 1955? Morris Minor. I think it is kinda ugly, but if i squint my eyes (real tight) it looks much better. Came with a great parts car, chrome, spare fenders, hoods, floor, etc. Parts car is probably better that this one, but it has no VIN. Going to call it the "The Black Francis".....gotta have a name.

I have a pair of turbos sitting around, a Garrett GT42 and a Borg Warner S480. Each is enough to hit my 1000hp goal. I have a set of 72lb injectors, but I am working on getting a set of 95lb that will not idle on a MAF car.

Front and rear suspension. Mix of C6 and C5 parts. 13" front C5 brakes and 13" C6 rear brakes. Biggest I can fit in 17" Z51 wheels. 315 rear tires and 275 front. Wheels $100 Moltrie swap meet. Next one is in April! Front Rear

More room than I expected. Front

I'd like to buy you a beer, sir. I'm a fan.

Rear clearance

Have a spare set of $60 wheels I will shoe with street rubber.

Looks like an awsome project. It also looks like half your challenge budget is tied up in those tires. I'll be superimpressed if you can get those 710's a 5.3, turbo and a running car for less than $2012

Rearend should be interesting. I am trying hard to keep the weight down. What I am going to try and do is mate a aluminum 8.8 IRS out of a late model Ford Explorer to the Corvette CV axles. The 8.8's generally are posi's and 3.73 or 3.55 gears, tuff 31 spline stubs also.

They say that 3.31 gears are out ther also, but I have not run across any yet. That would be close to perfect. It should trap at 160 or better....(hope)...I have a set of 3.15 gears that will load the turbo better and put me closer to a readline of 6,700 or so. These Explorer chunks go for big money on Ebay, but they are $55 at my Pull-A-Part. They gave me 2 for 1 at Christmas with my VIP card. Love the Pull-A-Part!

My first car was a light blue 1959 Morris Minor 1000. I personally like the looks of them. They always remind me of 40 Fords and Willys. I'm looking forward to see the progression of this one. Google "Modified Morris Minor" and you might get a few ideas.

Transmission is a Powerglide shorty. I don't know much about what is inside it. Seller sold it without a valve body. I built my own manual valve body and gave it a paint job. The 1330 U joint will bolt directly the the Explorer 8.8. If I mount it all solidly, it should work, I think. No transbrake will make it easier on the unknown.

Any Morris Minor fan needs to check out the Beardmore Brothers website. http://www.beardmorebros.co.uk/

$5 swapmeet Garrett wastegate. Odd, but should do the job.

Good 5.3l with iron block. I should run it, but the second pic is free aluminum 5.3l from my scrap guy. I have a free LS3 cam I will throw in it, and new head studs $69.00 and $32.00 each LS9 head gaskets, LS1 intake and Corvette oil pan. That will be all. Rods and pistons will probably be the weak link.

Started building my own headers. Probably should have gone withe the log type, but these look cooler.

Pressed out the factory wheel studs for long ones.

Swapmeet Megasquirt. Said that it was sequential and had boost control. I have not a clue, but the price was right.

I'm not normally one to discourage wretched excess, but are you sure that you really want 1000hp in a car with an 86 inch wheelbase?

Looks like you've got some talent, though...

Holy cow!!!

mw wrote: Looks like an awsome project. It also looks like half your challenge budget is tied up in those tires. I'll be superimpressed if you can get those 710's a 5.3, turbo and a running car for less than $2012

Quite right. I did not mention the tires. You were supposed to ignore them. I am good friends with the Manager at Discount Tire, but they were still big $$$. We were yakking and he got excited about ordering me something on discount.

I should come up with some cheap to free Hoosiers from racers at Road Atlanta, or Lee is close by in Tennessee. I will use the new 710's for the Dragon.

Remember, It is a fun build. I want it to be purposefully clear. My Goal is not the $2012 Challenge, but a simple, stupid fast, streetcar build. I can't cut corners on safety here, and that will cost me. If it does trap 160 I don't want to be thinking "Boy T! "what a great deal! you got on some cast off free tires!".

I hope it/this turns out as something interesting that most would build, with little money and allot of effort, irregardless of the Challenge.

I have never been to the Challenge. I have another car/project, that would be a better choice against the masses, but I am a retard and this comes first. If I make it, I make it, and if I don't, I don't. Just plan on having it done by the Challenge. Surely it would end up alone in the "special needs" catagory anyway. I don't want to race myself, I want to compete against new friends. Another car would be a better Challenge choice. Does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense and it's already interesting.

I want to live in your dumpster! You have way too much cool E36 M3 just lying around for your own good.

When you talked hillclimbs then car setup with 1000hp and a parachute the only thing I thought that was that it might come in handy when you go off the side of the mountain. Then later you mentioned trap speed. I get it now, a drag car. Should be interesting with that wheel base. Fast!!!! And scary. But a should be a seriously cool build, can't wait to see more.

For more on hillclimb check this out. Hillclimb article

SHOTGUN!!

I can't wait to see this finished.