We've had a bunch of modified Minis on my website:

Available Now:

This scary-fast VTEC- powered Mini that was featured in some Mini publications is also on my website and is currently available!
//www.miniguy.com/vehicles/vtecminiorange/

Gone to New Homes:

This Hayabusa-powered Mini (on my website) went to a new home last year:
//www.miniguy.com/vehicles/minihyabusa/

This Zcars Honda-VTEC-powered unfinished project (also on my website) went to a new home last year:
//www.miniguy.com/vehicles/zcarsvtec/

This Zcars with a Hayabusa engine (another on my website) went to a new home too:
//www.miniguy.com/vehicles/minibusa/


Of course, there are always a number of conventional (A-series) Minis on my website too. Please check it out!

Also, if you know of any classic Minis that might be available, please shoot me a message offline to: [email protected]
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Z-cars do not have first gear... You need to push it to about 20mph then the driver will start engaging it to 3rd gear once in motion then it'll start flying.  These z-cars are so fast and LOUD... Not my cup of tea.
Watch the mini cooper race in Bonneville.

Don't forget, Z-Cars do car engined conversions as well as bike engines.

Though not a member of this forum, one of the Florida guys has a Vtec engined Z-Car on the road, and it is a hoot.
Contrary to what Spank is suggesting, it is docile and well behaved at normal speeds under daily traffic conditions, but a scream-inducing wildthing when opened up.

 

[EDIT: My comments pertain to motorcycle engined, rear drive cars. Sorry for spreading my confusion, but I'll let the comments stand]

First, I do NOT have any personal experience with a Z-cars kit nor have I driven ANY rear-engined, motorcycle powered car on the street.

I HAVE been around several of them and heard enough anecdotal evidence to offer you this information:

They make a super-fun track car once they are sorted. They are absolutely horrible for driving on the street if you have to go slowly, stop and start, or deal with traffic slowdowns.

Motorcycle engined cars make toy cars more of a toy car.

Chain wear is a rear problem on the rear drive cars because the chain must be super short for packaging. Even double row, heavy duty super-duper atomic-iridium, nitroglycerinetanium chains wear out quickly. The chains get hot because each link goes through a duty cycle more often, then they throw the rapidly-liquifyling lubricant off the chain and cause them to wear and stretch faster than they would in their intended, stock length application on a regular motorcycle.

The motorcycle clutches are not made to handle the weight of a car, especially in stop and go traffic. Slipping the clutch in start and stop situations or while starting from a dead stop is very very rough on the bike clutch, even the heavy duty kevlar ones.

Because of the packaging in a mini, they are loud.

Still not convinced? Buy this:
//www.minimania.com/cars4Sale/13775/1965_Mini_Mini_Sedan

This is good reading:
//www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1367/The-Best-Engineered-Lemons--2-the-MetroGnome.aspx

//www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1390/Best-Engineered-Lemons-3--The-Angry-Hamster-Z600.aspx

//www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/2115/Angry-Hamster-EVO-II-Holy-Crap-I-drove-it-and-now-Im-deaf.aspx

Hello everyone,
I am currently in Germany and I am highly interested in a rear engine mini. I cannot find any information on putting a zcars mini on the road in the states. Does anyone have any experience?