Aerodynamics on the original Mini have been altered and tweaked for many years in the name of speed. This Broadspeed GT replica is cool, as the proportions are slightly different than that of the Broadspeed fastback. This Mini also sports a heart transplant that is a golden little mill that is a grand power plant for the chassis. It appears it has seen track duty, and looks as if with a little TLC it would be a cool street toy, or race car yet again. This Mini is offered at $8,999. Find it here on ebay out of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania.
At the heart of this Mini is the brilliant little engine that could. The Suzuki G13b DOHC engine. This low displacement engine is often over looked, but is an awesome little engine. The Suzuki engine almost weighs the same as the BMC A series engine, and is only slightly larger. The Suzuki easily makes double the power of the A series engine, and they take a great deal of abuse. These engines can safely be revved to 8,000 rpms with no harm to the engine. The Suzuki gear box is also a 5 speed unit. This engine transplant is more than enough to make this Mini a fierce track monster.
The interior is simplistic, with an ocean of gauges looking back at you from the dashboard. This Mini is clearly all business on the inside. The exterior is as well. The nose of the car is fiberglass and held on with hood pins. The fastback conversion itself looks to have been very well executed, giving an excellent fit and finish. There is no major damage to the car aside from the air dam, and the passenger side headlight. There is no apparent rust issues as well. We think the car would need some updating and work to be race legal again, as it appears it has been sometime since it last saw track duty.
We would love to get the prior sticker residue off this car and drive it on the street to autocross events, even though it might not be the most practical thing to do. This Mini is certainly a unique and interesting car, looking to have a very cool past. The Suzuki engine was offered in America so parts are available. What’s stopping you from buying this Mini? If you bought this Mini what would you do with it?
Not sure what the history is since then, but this car was imported by Turky’s in Charleston SC a few years ago. Pretty sure it came from New Zealand originally.
You are correct. Matamata is on the north island of New Zealand.
Terry , I Think they call it ” Hobbiton ” Now ?
I hate to do this but it is one of those pet peeve things. It is 8000 RPM not RPMS. Think about it. Revolutions per minute…8000 rpm. RPMs is like saying you went 100 miles per hours instead of 100 miles per hour, hour being singular. I’m sorry for the rant but it drives me crazy.
I can imagine that this little bulldog would terrorize the neighborhood and that it could really harass some of the bigger cars. I have seen that happen with lesser prepared Minis than this car, with its 1300cc of Suzuki power + 5-speed.
The only thing that would concern me is the very short wheelbase, which you’d expect would make it twitchy at speed. I guess lots of smoothness in the steering inputs would be called for. I would be interested to hear from someone who has driven something like this Mini in anger what that’s like.
Here it is in NZ, still with sign writing etc.
Lee Motors went out of business in 2009, so must have been before that.
Fun.
They aren’t all that twitchy, I have had a few Minis, and found Jeep Wranglers…especially CJ’s to be far twitchier. (perhaps the RWD?) Mini configuration or wheels at the corners make them very stable. and a LOT OF FUN!