What is this even?!

[SoCalMiniFan]

I found this gem on Craigslist today. I don't even know really what to say other then "if you build it they will come." I guess... 50.gif

[MPlayle]

Sadly, it is a stretched 70's Mini Saloon with a flip front and engine transplant.  Since the ad indicates a 3-cylinder engine, I suspect either an early Geo or Sprint (Suzuki Swift) engine.

The small Suzuki Swift engine transplant was actually worth considering: it gave good fuel economy, a 5-speed transmission, slightly better hp than a stock Cooper-S, lighter weight and cheaper maintenance.

Unfortunately, it did not have the lots of performance mods available that the Honda engines had available, so did not catch on like the Honda conversions.

The stretch job on that one leaves more questions than answers, the biggest being "Why?".

[ADRay]

sits on a Pontiac chassis ?!?

[Jims5543]

sits on a Pontiac chassis ?!?

So lets recap, no Mini engine, no Mini chassis but hell, lets call it a Mini because we made it the same shape as one, sort of.

Kill it with fire.

[SoCalMiniFan]

sits on a Pontiac chassis ?!?

So lets recap, no Mini engine, no Mini chassis but hell, lets call it a Mini because we made it the same shape as one, sort of.

Kill it with fire.

I'd be curious to see what it's actually registered as since it's listed as a 1970 Mini and is for sale in California

[LIMini1380]

"Sits on a Pontiac chassis" means it's the Swift/Sprint/Geo conversion. The Canadian name for that car was the Pontiac Firefly, so it might have come out of one of those. That conversion started being popular in the early 90s- lots of engines sitting around from those cars. My dad had a Turbo Sprint- first car he bought after selling his mini. I loved driving it- 3 cylinders turbo, no power steering, nice rack and pinion steering. The car looked idiotic but was a blast to drive. He said it was the closest thing to a mini, which is why he bought it.