Monster MINI MINI part 1

Words and Images by Aric Streeter

Editors Note: I wanted to cover this car whenever I saw it on the Internet. It reminded me of the Maguire spaceframe Minis that were so common on the circuits during my time in the UK. Only, Aric’s version was on steroids.

Monster Mini Part 1, a History and Future Plans

Time Attack events where non-production-based chassis are allowed. The build is now in the final stretch, with aluminum panel work and electronics integration being done now, and the final bodywork planned for this spring, in preparation for shakedown this summer, and the first targeted event being the 2020 Empire, MI Revival Hill Climb, where, on paper at least, it would be easily capable of taking the overall victory, and perhaps set an overall course record. Pending success with the shakedown and Empire hill climb, it’s likely the car will find its way to a GridLife event or two over the 2020 season as well. • Electro-mechanically controlled flat shift and blip downshift system, integrated with DBW ECU • Motorsports traction control, anti-lag, launch control, and switchable engine maps

I have always been infatuated with both British cars and motorcycle-engined cars. That infatuation came to a head in the mid-2000s, when I started working on plans for a “silhouette” hill climb and circuit racer which became what today is Monster Mini. Finding a mutually interested party in the form of Z-Cars UK founder Chris Allanson, work began on a bespoke design comprising a ground up chassis in 2003/4, loosely based on the shape of a classic Mini, but upgraded in almost every way imaginable, with the current car only keeping the steering rack and the door hinges and latching mechanisms from the original classic. Upon completing the prototype build in the UK, Chris built the core of my chassis, and molded the body panels in GRP, after which time it was sent to me for finishing. Literally 13+ years later, the design has gone through many design improvements, from a redesign and rebuild of the front suspension and geometry to fix some issues with the original design, to a change to a turbocharged and intercooled Hayabusa engine (car was originally built around a normally aspirated mill), strengthening of the axles and rear suspension arms to support the turbo drivetrain, addition of cockpit adjustable anti-roll bars, a paddle shift system, a DBW ECU system, and a substantial “Pikes Peak-inspired” aero package. All the changes were made to hone the car’s ultimate capabilities as a hill climb and circuit racer, with final weight to power numbers coming in at better than 4:1 (>550BHP/metric ton) with driver, putting it in the same league as top spec Time Attack and hyper/super cars, all while targeting greater downforce than vehicle weight at 100MPH. It’s expected that the car will be able to closed circuit lap times approaching Formula Atlantic and SCCA sports racer classes, and be competitive for overall FTD in

Photos Below: You can see the flat floor under the car, constructed out of 2mm carbon fiber built by Z-Cars in the UK. The floor leads into the carbon diffuser Aric built himself.

Right: Inside the car you can see the carbon floor and it looks great. Aric has built a 0.120” heel plate that is not fitted in this picture.

Without going into basic layout and configuration of the car too much (we will leave that for Part 2) the spec is as follows

• Mid-engine space frame chassis (1200lbs full up weight) • Fiberglass / composite multi-piece body • Carbon composite underfloor, front wing / splitter, rear diffuser, rear wing • Double A-Arm front, semi-trailing arm rear suspension • Garrett-turbocharged, intercooled, and dry-sumped, 1.3L Hayabusa engine (360 to 380BHP) • Genesis cockpit-adjustable anti-roll bars

About Aric Streeter

Aric knew at a young age he was destined to be an engineer, gearhead, and speed freak. Erector sets at seven, breaking an arm practicing ill-advised two wheel gravity sports at eight, disassembling and rebuilding lawnmower engines at ten, gearing changes to Honda minibikes for measured top speed runs on frozen lakes at twelve, self-teaching mechanical drawing and CAD at fourteen, and many other similar stories naturally led to a Mechanical Engineering degree.

five years of engineering ranging from automotive exhaust system design, mechanical and control system design, loudspeaker and audio amplifier design, and telecommunications system design and testing, Aric has always held on to his passion for speed - finding time to go fast, and figuring out how to make things go faster!

Aric has been doing engineering design and consulting work for some well-known projects and names in the industry for the last five years, but began with autocross in his teens, and dabbling in hill-climb racing in his twenties. He started rebuilding and reengineering race-centric vehicles in his thirties after starting a family, regularly fielding the cars he builds in time trial and HPDE events as well as in hill climb racing. Aric can be contacted at https://speedstreetllc.com, Aric@speedstreetllc.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SpeedStreetLLC Above: The floor is carbon fiber Below: Aric (right) talks to Cole Powelson at the PRI show.

The rear mounted turbo Hayabusa motor is surrounded by all the paraphaelia required for a dry sump and Aric put a lot of thought into the packaging and ability to service the car.

1

3

5 4 2

1:The Genesis roll bar adjuster sits easily at hand enabling Aric to make changes on the go

2: A Vibrant intercooler core is the basis for the custom intercooler welded up by Cody Loveland.

3: An AIM MXL digital dash provides all the info Aric requires on track.

4: A Griffin 500 whp radiator with twin fans takes care of the cooling.

5: A Sparco wheel provides directional control with four buttons easily at hand.

6: Tuning the Link ECU Below: Another of Aric’s toys! Watch for it in a future issue! Originally it was a 1996 Caterham Supersport 1.4L Rover, Series 3 chassis. it had been tracked extensively by the previous / original owner. It was purchased in 2013 and rebuilt to a higher spec in 2014 and again in 2015. The engine rebuild included a capacity increase to 1.8L, with a dry sump, Jenvey ITBs, Aric then had Cody Loveland tune the new combination using an Emerald ECU, resulting in approximately 190BHP at the crank. The chassic weighs in at sub 1100lbs minus the new wings. It is the class record holder at Empire Hillclimb in Michigan (set in 2019) Aric is targeting the overall Empire record in 2020 with new aero package installed(0.3sec to be gained!)