White Spirit
Bastardised Rating : 6

This Minor runs a 2 litre Toyota Celica engine and 5-speed gearbox. Minor Monthly featured it as their cover-car for September 1999 and as such proves that it must be more than just a pretty face. Built by its owner Norman Smith over about four years, 'White Spirit' is Norman's first restoration/customisation job.

Virtually the entire running gear has been grafted in from the donor Celica, including the propshaft, hand-brake, steering column, wiring harnes and even the gearbox cover and the towbar.

The 2.0 Celica lump is not an easy fit into the Minor engine bay. Even with a cut-out in the bulkhead at the rear of the ingine bay, the front pulley was right up behind the grill leaving no room for the radiator. The answer? Make a radiator with a hole in the middle of course! The front of the engine now pokes through the middle.

Note the way the inertia-reel seatbelt have been fitted to the rear. The reels themselves have been carefully hidden in the boot space, leaving the interior very neat and tidy. The MG Metro seats are a very easy fit and certainly look the part. The dashboard is made of walnut veneer and sports a full set of Triumph guages as found on the likes of the Dolomite and 2000PI.