The Monte Minis were entered in the 1300cc Group A category, which demands stringent safety requirements and a minimum weight of 760kgs. Our Mini weighed 760kgs prior to a full removal of all sound deadening material.

The new homologated multi point roll cage from Safety Devices was fitted. This is not a job for the average enthusiast. The major problem is that the cage was not designed with Rally cars in mind, nor to FlA Group A regulations with regard to the removal of metal. The rear glove boxes have to be removed to allow the main X-frame to be fitted, then new glove boxes have to be fitted around the X-frame forward and transverse struts and re spot-welded.

Allow 16 hours to fit this cage. The worst problem with the cage is that with the door intrusion bars in place, you cannot open or close the windows. To overcome this, the window regulators were moved vertically 1 1/2" upwards. However, it is also possible with a shrink wrap hot gun to reshape the window winder handles to miss the bars. The weight of the cage was approximately 30kgs and the weight of all the sound deadening material removed from the car was 32kgs!

The supplementary dashboard panels for the Co-driver and auxiliary switches were made up and welded in place, the seat fixings were welded in situ as per FlA regulations. The whole interior of the car was then cleaned and sprayed in white. This makes any night-time interior work on the car during a rally so much easier because of the reflective value of white.

The interior of the car was then completed with the fitting of the fire extinguisher system - a 7.5kgs type, battery cut off switch, specially made Cobra Kevlar Sebring CF seats and Luke seat belts.

The car was completely rewired, using some of the original loom for special end plugs etc. The car was then wired with 22 military spec circuit breakers and a Formula 1 driver's instrument display which showed engine rpm, road speed, oil and fuel pressure, water temperature and fuel tank contents. The engine loom for the fuel injection was a separate loom for ease of servicing and fault analysis if required. The ECU was mounted on a separate detachable panel on the Co-drivers side. The ECU had a built-in Rev Iimiter and barometer control to suit the French Alps. The injector used was from the Rover 820. A heavy throttle cable was also used.

The suspension was set up using negative camber arms and rear adjustable camber brackets, utilising specially designed Koni shock absorbers. The castor angle was set at 3° with 1/16" toe out. Front camber was set at 21/40 negative and on the rear 1° negative with 1/8" toe in.

AP Racing four pot calipers had to be used because they had been homologated, but as they use forged type pistons. Group A regulations required that the standard inlet and exhaust manifolds were used, but they could be fully gasflowed. This limited the airflow and choice of camshafts. The MG Metro proved to be very good from a torque angle, but would not rev over 6750; the Kent 286 provided the same torque curve but allowed the engine to run to 7500 with a 7bhp gain in max power over the MG Metro cam.

Someone specified on the homologation form that the crankshaft was made from cast iron, they don't know their "A" series engines! Steel EN16T or EN40B have always been used; FIA Group A regulations allows wedging, cross drilling and tuftriding and this was adequate for the power output achieved. The standard Verto flywheel was lightened, an MG Metro Turbo diaphragm and a sintered race clutch plate was used.

The original exhaust manifold had to be used and as mentioned earlier, this was coupled to a Maniflow down pipe and knuckle joint assembly to prevent vibration breakage and then into a Mini Spares RC40 rear silencer box, this being the only exhaust system, power wise, that is equivalent to running on a tuned open pipe.

The Mini Spares five speed gearbox was used incorporating the new 4 planet wheel double crosspin differential, straight cut gears and a revolutionary transfer gear system with Timken taper roller bearings. This gave an overall final drive ratio of 5:19:1 and the gearbox and flywheel casings had to be machined to incorporate this transfer gear system. The ratio was necessary to suit the Monte Carlo Rally using 12" wheels, and allowed a much stronger crownwheel and pinion set-up. This ratio was conceived to allow a top speed of only 92 mph but give all power and grunt on 12" wheels to suit the Monte Carlo Rally. 5th gear was not a lot of use, but we had to stick with the ratio homolgated. The original Cooper alloy wheels and special studded tyres and racing slicks from Pirelli were all that would fit under the wheel arches and thus decided wheel sizes, although 10" might have been used, but the four pot calipers from AP would not fit under them, (Mini Spares' would have). The arches under Group "A" have to remain as standard.

The lamp bar on the front is the original type works lamp used in the 60's. The original car was loaded on the trailer ready to go early on the morning of the t 9th Jan. It was, however, stolen in the early hours of the morning and this meant another car had to be built by Friday 22nd to be able to get to Monaco for registration etc, by Saturday 23rd. This was achieved by some long hours and hard work. With most of the parts being available from stock, it was possible to build another car in these two days. And with Mini Spares parts being fitted to all the Minis entered, we think we have demonstrated our true dedication to the racing fraternity.

It is important to note that without the constant research and development by Mini Spares Centre and our high quality control, entering any Minis in the Monte Carlo Rally would have been extremely difficult, and with our stringent controls on performance parts, we can ensure that all racing

Minis remain front runners in their classes.

Keith Dodd