5/8/2012 Update: This Mini has been sold.

From 2/21/2012:

This 1971 Mini has been owned by the seller for 13 years, and in that time he has taken it from a stock 50hp 998cc shopping trolley (his words) to the MiniTec-converted 225hp brute seen here. First it was given a 1380cc engine, then a 2WD B-series VTEC swap in 2006, and now a JDM Acura/Honda engine and CRV all-wheel-drive. The seller says that the larger engined front-drive VTEC cars are great but can have dramatic torque steer, so the AWD was was added and now those issues have been converted to grin-inducing forward motion. Find it now available in Marietta, Georgia for $33,950.

The shell, front outer CVs, spindles, and hubs are Mini. Everything else is tube frame and Honda/Acura. The front and rear sub frames are the latest generation MiniTec units with QA-1 coilover suspension and the AWD conversion was done in their shop. The body color is a red metallic pearl Subaru color, “Sedona Red”, code H94; Nason 2424. The seller says that most photos don’t do it justice as it looks rather ordinary in the shade and while bright sunshine lights up the pearl highlights, they are lost in photos. The roof and arches are gloss black, a tribute to the car’s origins.

From the seller, who is well-versed with this conversion: “For the uninitiated, this is a Classic Mini with JDM Acura (Honda) power, not a Civic in a smaller, lighter, cuter package. The reason you see many 2WD conversions up for sale as incomplete projects or shortly after they are built or purchased is that putting a Honda driveline into a Mini doesn’t make it a smaller version of a Civic. 2WD Honda conversions turn what may have been a smooth-driving Mini into a powerful beast. I was only able to put the available power to the ground by going AWD. The Honda “Real-time All Wheel Drive” works like a front-to-back LSD. When the front wheels turn faster than the rear, a clutch pack on the rear differential engages. The result is that the front wheels will slip about a quarter turn before the LSD and the AWD engage (it has both). The car tracks straight and rapidly forward.”

The seller has retained the RHD as a unique original feature. While it is a commitment not to pass a truck on a two-lane road according to the seller, it presents no other issues and is a guaranteed conversation starter. The 225 horsepower helps mitigate passing concerns as well, as the car weighs 1850 lbs. Retaining RHD necessitated extending the nose 90mm so the five-speed gearbox clears the steering rack. The fresh air inlets (NACA ducts) and the wing (fender) repeater lights break up the visual length, so it does not look as long as some other extended fronts.

The seating is Acura with custom dash, door panels and hardware. The car is well-known in the Southeast Mini community, and has received numerous awards at Mini gatherings, British car gatherings and local car shows. The seller drives it regularly.

Says the seller: “While it is licensed as a ’71, mileage or age of a car this modified is a moot point, and titles are not issued in the state of Georgia for cars this old. A full bill of sale and the original Florida Bill of Sale to me will be included in the paperwork, as will be the UK front registration #XDD833J tag that came on the car.”

Click here to email the seller directly if you are interested.

Check out the additional photos of the car in the Flickr album and slide-show below.