Initially I was totally going to put a Hayabusa engine in the back of the mini:

I was eyeing the Z-Cars kit that puts a bike engine behind the driver's seat and drives a rear axle via a chain. Seems pretty sweet right?

Then I started thinking about handling dynamics and my skill level and decided that rear wheel drive in a car with a wheelbase this short would be a recipe for a crumpled mini and a broken heart.

One of the things that I like least about the A+ motor / lucas electronics combination is its lack of reliability. Wires fall off, the car doesn't start. Smoke pours from hidden orifices, I leave paths of oil from the scales to the paddock... And the worst is, every time I get in, I wonder if I'm going to get anywhere, or if I'm going to be able to get home once I get wherever I'm going. That's no way to live life with a car you love!
Sure I've learned a lot from fixing all the little bits that keep going wrong, but it's expensive and stressful and frustrating.
So.
What's a good reliable motor?

I went with a VTEC conversion kit from Minitec. Japanese reliability, tons of upgrade potential, not too expensive, and sickeningly fast. Seems like a good deal to me!

The build process is in the present section, or the "blog."


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