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EcoBoost-Swapped Mini Takes a Classic and Makes It Punchier

The original Mini was a car designed to transport as many people as possible with as little space as science could possibly allow. The fact it was zippy at all wasn't thanks to a fire-spitting dragon of an engine, that's for sure. Although, if someone were to insert a properly tuned engine, we wouldn't thumb our noses at it.
Mini EcoBoost 7 photos
Photo: Gildred Racing
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That's why we're delighted to show you this 1974 Mini Mk3 that's been gutted of its anemic four-cylinder motor for something smaller, more powerful, and leagues more sophisticated. This little pocket rocket comes to us via Gildred Racing of Southern California.

Their claim to fame is being the region's self-professed "Vtec Specialists." We'll take their word for it, but Vtec is far from the only engine source the team that built this project can get their hands on. Under the hood of this Mini sits the one-liter, three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine so famously found in late model Ford Fiestas. 

Obviously, an engine swap of this caliber and of this novel design wasn't as easy to build as any old LS swap into an old muscle car, for example. Custom motor mounts fashioned from welded metal were needed in order for the turbocharged engine to fit securely into the tiny engine bay at the rear of the vehicle. It was a labor-intensive procedure that took hundreds, if not thousands of hours of custom fabrication work to have any hope of working correctly

Mini Cooper
Photo: Gilfred Racing
After a Stage 2 performance ECU tune and some performance parts sprinkled throughout, the EcoBoost engine makes a very healthy 170 horsepower to the wheels, quite an improvement from the standard output of the engine. As to why the number plate at the front of the car reads 200 hp instead of 170, we have no earthly idea. Perhaps it was aspirational.

In a car as light, small, and agile as the original Mini, it's a powertrain that won't be stressed much in the slightest. The Fiesta may be one of the smallest cars in its market segment, but it was no original Mini, that's for sure. With power fed through an old-school five-speed manual transmission, this Mini is a true to form driver's car that's bound to give more smiles for the labor than almost anything else on the road.

If all else full coil-over suspension at all four corners will ensure everything stays flat and level in tight corners. All the while, the custom leather interior, blue carpets, and hand-built creature comforts inside let you know this is no mere DIY botch job. This Mini was built by a performance team at the top of their game.

As the story goes, the origin of this particular hot Mini originates with the owner, one Mr. Vernon Adams. While on a visit to the Gildred Racing shops, he spotted one of the shop's other custom Mini builds in the front parking lot. At the time, the car was parked in between a Mclaren and a Bugatti, at least according to Gildred's official website. At that moment Vernon knew he needed to have one of his own.

Mini Cooper
Photo: Gilfred Racing

" It wasn’t enough just to drive like a bat out of hell, it had to be unique in every way." the blurb on the official build page reads. "It was painted to match Vernon's NART Blue Ferrari, Nardi Italian Steering wheel, upholstered in vintage Italian leather and suede. And tastefully represents his love of baseball. Without a doubt, this Super Cooper celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Mini with a home run!"

Conflating the great American past-time sport with light and agile British classic cars might be an odd juxtaposition for some. But in truth, that's the wonderful part about it, it doesn't need to make sense to anyone but the owner and the builders.

At the time of writing, we have no info on the status or whereabouts of the build, even if the official page states it should have been completed in June 2020. 
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