Hugh i did not see the car before the conversion but as i understand it the car was a later model OZ Clubman K ? (i think) with the burst proof door locks, i bought the front bumper of it. Now it may or may not have come with or had S running gear that i don't know but it was not a true OZ roundnose S but still a collectible car nevertherless.

I agree that converting a Classic S is not the best thing to do, especially as there are ton's of other doners available where thousands or millions were made..

It's not that he didn't get his money back that makes this "conversion" that my friend did such a shame.  The problem I saw was that he started with an almost perfect car that was rare as well.  That car had more value than what he sold the converted/unfinished VTEC for.  If he had done it for the joy of the build and did it himself that would have been one thing, but he wanted to let some unskilled folks go at it and all the while, write them checks for unfinished work.  On the couple of occassions when the car ended up at Minitec, he was too impatient to wait on them to do it correctly.  All this contributed to total frustration and ultimately him selling the car.  He would have done better to have sold the nearly perfect OZ Cooper S and taken a cheap roller to start his conversion.  After that, he should have turned it all over to a professional to build.  He would have passed on a great Mini to someone and also would have ended up with a good converted car that he might have enjoyed owning.  The whole thing was foolish.

I get a little tired of this topic..   If you pay someone to do your VTEC conversion you will not likely get your money back when you sell the car. This is the same with any customization, or major restoration. Try to get back the money people put into a hot rod or for that matter pay someone to do a full restoration on a stock Mini and try to get your money back.. VTEC or not, the same math applies..  on the other hand if you do the work yourself, either a conversion or a stock restoration, you can get your money back, as long as you do not count your own time!  There are lot's of cars that get sold either partially completed or a short time after being finished, VTEC or not.. as well as there are cars that stay with the owners for years after a restoration or a customization, so I don't think we can generarlize that building a VTEC is a worse invenstment than any other build.. my 3cents!

 

By the way I now have over 35,000km on my conversion..

did he claim it has 200hp? my last vtec mini was a 2.0L with hondata and several goodies, it did put out just over 200hp on the dyno and i ran 7x10" force racing wheels with A008's and yes it was over kill, could spin the wheels in every gear. could never get that kind of power on the ground.

200HP on 10's?  Maybe if that were AWD.

if you can find a "good" quality complete spray job for 5k let me know where? you are less than half of what good workmanship and parts cost these days. 15k is way too much for a project like this, i have a similar unfinished car but with a better engine and pieces and i paid a fifth of that amount. what the seller is not understanding is 15k would be the selling price AFTER he finished the whole car.

$15K for an unfinished project?

I don't care if $20K was spent, that's ridiculous. How much does a good "all over" spray job cost these days? $5K?

Nice project!

This looks like a typical case of trying to do everything all at once instead of finishing one area then moving on to the next area.

Very common mistake that can lead to throwing in the towel.

//sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/4605418129.html

 

Ok I understand the reasoning here - you're pooring money into a VTEC conversion that could take you years and might only get you half of your money back when you sell it.  Really.  A car nut doesn't build a VTEC conversion for the money!

So what is the difference in that and buying a new car driving it off the lot then loosing $10k in a mater of feet?  Or even worse in three or four years down the road when you go to sell it and it's now only worth half what you paid for it?

At least the outlay on the VTEC conversion can be spread out over time and you have the satisfaction of building (with help) a smog exempt car that if done right has the ability to go really really fast

If it was only about the money we'd all be speaking Chinese.

 

The minitec MTD kit, installing the motor etc is CAKE....could I have done it without their frame? Nope.

Like everyone said to me. ..getting it running is easy,getting it sorted out is the hard part.My car got running within a very short period of working on it but due to family/business issues it got put on hold once I heard it run.I just recently drove it down the road and back and man I love it...now here comes the...

Clutch Alignment LSD install Flip front hassle ...whatever falls off??? Lol

It really wasn't bad at all...in my,opinion anyone can do it if sticking to the basics...but sorting it out in the end or people getting too far into it for their building skills.

I Had plans to get it running....and drive it and work the bugs out and change things as I go rather then buy everything under the son and he t overwhelmed.

Ouch!  Glad my VTEC experience turned out better than that. I've put 17,000 miles on mine during the past six years and have no desire or plans to sell it.  Could I have built it myself?  No.  I don't have the knowledge, skill or facilities for this level of modification, but I do have the resources to maintain it (and make improvements here and there).

But... could I get my money out of it?   I certainly doubt it, but I knew that before I wrote the first check.  I've owned much better toy cars, but none have been this fun, nor have there been better communities and camaraderie.  

 

And of course with a topic like this, you know damn well that our old friend N J is looking down and handing out his sarcastic remarks although of the "tongue in cheek" variety-

BTW, N J, did you ever find that missing wheel off the AWD VTEC ??????? (LOL)

BIG AL

27 large!  I'd be down to Tulsa, (I'm in the Midwest) and buy two "restos" from Dan!  I have two sons!

This builder did what wiped out my PO as well.  He wanted to build a car but not actually get his hands dirty.  Just to be devil's advocate the same financial losses, slipups and hassles could apply to an A-Series restoration.

There are multiple arguments going on here actually, not just the vtec.  Carving up a perfectly good car.  Not getting professional help.  Going to the dealer...?  In short, it sounds like he didn't use the Internet and didn't want to get his own feet wet doing the build himself as he should have.

The people with businesses who make money doing this - instead of losing money, simply know what they are doing before they start the project.  Nick Upton's Bluestar is like riding in a modern car.  No bouncy bounce, no noise, cool A/C blasting away.  When the acceleration squishes your eyeballs, the brakes then pop them back out.

This scenario continues~

Total cost of car and conversion. $39,000.

Sale price. $14,000.

Loss $25,000.

This whole thing takes place over 2 years, will people never learn ??

Of course this is much cheaper than having a "trophy wife"

BIG AL

What I saw in this particular conversion was that Mike started with an almost perfect OZ Cooper S.  It looked good, was rust free, and ran like a champ!  Instead of paying a competent professional to convert the car, he ordered the parts and farmed it out to local (inexperienced) labor.  The first guy he had working on it was an out of work/out of season grass mowing guy.  He couldn't even sort out which way up the swivel hubs went.  Next, he mounted (without cleaning) an absolute dirty, grimey, mess of a junkyard Honda engine to the subframe.  On this note, he mounted it too far back and allowed the engine to rest against the body.  Not only did this create a lot of vibration, it ultimately damaged a sensor or two.  Well, it didn't matter though, because he gave up on the project.  From there Mike took it to Minitec to finish.  They weren't moving fast enough for his liking and again he brought it home unfinished.  I think maybe someone else locally did some wrenching on it and still did not finish it.  Next, he brought one of Minitec's guys up to TN (because they said their workload in his area was slow) to do the wiring and finish up the project.  He did not finish and returned to GA.  Later on, Mike brought him back for another go at it.  Not sure if he finished it then or not, but I think he did enough to get it mobile.  After that, it went to a local Honda tuner who fleeced a ton-o-money out of him and also installed some hi-tech rear subframe from Minitec.  I think from that point on Mike could drive the car but it still wasn't right.  It had lots of bugs that had to be sorted out and IMHO was never finished.  He is the type of guy that wants something done right and done yesterday.  In the end he got neither.  So, frustration was always there and I am sure this was partially why the car was ultimately sold.  He would have been much better off financially, and emotionally, if he had either left it alone or paid a competent professional to built it.  From my perspective, it was one disaster after another and throwing money at it never solved the problem.  What a waste.  Now, Red Riley paid a competent professional to do his and they seem to have gotten it pretty much correct.  His is a much nicer FINISHED car, and one that he enjoys.  That is what both men wanted but only one succeeded.  Some folks think I am "anti-Vtec" and that is not the case.  I appreciate a good conversion like Red Riley's, Jason Neuman's, and the handfull of conversions I have seen that Nick Upton did.  What I harp on, is folks jumping into something like this thinking it is a simple nut and bolt conversion and will be a piece of cake.  It is not, and far too many good Minis get chopped up and either never get finished or never get finished correctly.  That is what I rave on about.

 

The best thing you have pointed out here =  and I watched it myself= When this car came up on ebay - Knowing Vtecs for my own knowlege is saw that this would probably be a good one to pick up... that ebay ended in May... Come June--- Same car- For sale again in Texas - probably another couple grand added on. must have sold again because it wasnt on here very long. The thing it really showed  - if you watch for what your'e looking for you can get a smokin deal. Advertised with some rust=== must not have been great builder to begin with to spend all that coin and not come completely thru.  27$ in parts- Ha - would have loved to be that salesman - PROFIT! 

In this case builder,- he spent the bulk of the money -  probably didnt make his money back- but for some people with money time and energy to burn its not all about making a profit. Check in the builders book for hey " i built that" cred, not - Hey - i bought that  and ehh why does it do what it does.  

If your a sane, penny pincher looking to make money on every flip, Modded cars, and modifying vehicles is NOT the way togo. 

I hate talking about people but from my reading of what people publicy post. The 82MINI build that was just on here-  I think he did a great job for what he had available.  A Tired Mini Engine + Desire to build+ money to spend and the time to do it - D series power in about 45 Days.  Only time will tell how he enjoys it and if he keeps it. 

REDRILEY - seen his car in person - Fabulous Car- Useful Vtec- Tasteful will fetch its fare share if sold- but doubtful it will go anywhere because he's a loving owner.

17K = for a toy car - is silly-  or spending 27K to build it - is silly on its own too. There are MANY A cool cars for that price. but in the end its about what a person desieres and wants to let them do what they please.  

Not a bad return on his investment.  Did Kenneth Lay help with the conversion?