Midas kit car RWD project

[miniswift]

Hi,

I have started to collect parts and making parts.
So here goes.

Manifold as bits


Turbo charger and manifold made



5 paddle clutch plate


HD pressure plate


I will be using a 360 torque tube and gearbox hopefully with PG copy LSD.
My bell housing and adaptor plate is getting machined at the moment.
I'm hoping to go and see Alan tomorrow so that I can take a photo of the receiving Midas.

Cheers
Atchi

[volvosneverdie]

Sexy dude.

Have you already got your shell sorted?

[miniswift]

Hi,

I hope this below link works.


This is not actually the one but Midas mk1(Bronze) is this kit car model.
I have to shorten the torque tube and propshaft. Then adapt MX-5 rear suspension/subframe to carry 360 gearbox instead of just a diff housing.
Like I said, I'm collecting parts for the moment as I have my other project to finish as well as 3rd baby on it's way next year.
So I will be busy boy for next few years and keep missus happy by not disappear into my garage/workshop too often!

Cheers
Atchi

[miniswift]

Hi,
OK, the above photo is actually mk2 Midas.
Here is my new car... well old but new to me.



I think wheel base is 300mm shorter than 360 so I have to cut a lot out of a prop and a tube.
It is a 2+2 setup but I think I will lose 2 seats at the back due to the gearbox and the diff under neath.
I'm hoping to use 185-55/14 tyres so that I can do side way fun! What tyre sizes does everyone use for their motor?

Can I have some input?

Cheers
Atchi

[Nimminz]

looks fun mate, do you already have the suzuki motor? I'm using 185/60 14's on mine on 5.5j rims

Looks canny futuristic for its time if thats the reg.

Dunno if i said before but I know a lad in witton gilbert who might have a spare torque tube and possibly diff & gearbox

[miniswift]

Hey Matt,

Let me know how much he wants for those parts.
It will be always good to have spares. This is why I have 3 Gti engines and about 5 mk1 Gti gearboxes!

Cheers
Atchi

[Nimminz]

I'll ask him, i'm after the gear linkages like

Nice to have spares indeed when you have 3 engines and 5 gearboxes haha

[miniswift]

Hi,

I left my parts below to a machine shop so that they can mill it to fit nicely to each other.



You can see that bell housing of 360 have been chopped and the other one is my half Gti gearbox casing.
Those will be milled flat and I will get my friend to TIG weld it together so that I can mount 360 gearbox direct to G13B Gti engine.
I think progress from now will be very slow!

cheers
Atchi

[miniswift]

Hi,

Matt was supposed to come over to see few things but he couldn't make it. So I worked on my idea instead.

As I have said before, I'm thinking of using modified MX-5 rear subframe. I took my gearbox out of my workshop and placed subframe over it.


It looks OK. I think track width may be too wide though.

I fitted my 13" Hayashi Street just to check but it won't fit bottom arm! So I have to have narrower wheels.



I think one of gearbox mount is dead. I think I need to get one if any one have a spare.



Cheers
Atchi

[Nimminz]

Aye sorry i couldn't make it mate. Still not seen my mate about all the parts but will see what he's got in the way of gearbox mounts when I'm next up

[mrsoundcraft]

Hi, I like the Idea of this. My mate's had a midas for maybe 4 years now. How did you get it on an M plate? was the front subframe off a 1974 mini?

My Volvo got on quite well with the Midas too

[miniswift]

Hi,

I think car is still registered as a Mini or they are made in factory as a new car.
Not sure to be honest.
I will look into it once I get it over to my place.

Cheers
Atchi

[miniswift]

Hi,

I got my bell housings from the machine shop back!

This is Swift Gti half gearbox casing.


This is Volvo 360 bell housing machined down to what I need.


This is what I will end up. I know it's not pretty but as long as it works, I don't mind.


I will be sending these 2 bits to my mate so he can Tig weld it for me.

Cheers
Atchi

[miniswift]

Hi,

So after a trip to Glasgow, I picked up wheels from my mate.
I also bought rear disc roters, calipers, driveshafts and CV joints from MX-5 specialist.
I have chosen VW mk1 Golf wheels for my project. With this wheel, I can measure track width.



It is 1600mm from one edge the other.
I'm hoping to make my subframe narrower by 300mm or so.


I need to find out what is the measurement between 2 wheel arches as I will be increasing it.
I will be making rear wheel arches like bubble wheel arches for escort or something like that but not too wide.

Cheers
Atchi

[volvosneverdie]

Just seen this thread.

Is that a BRM grille/mouth on the roof in one of the earlier pics dude?