My name is Dan Lipperini and I'm a long -time Mini fan. I built my first one in 1990 from a bare junkyard shell. It was my physical therapy following ACL surgery. I've been around cars and SCCA racing since birth as my father was and still is an SCCA member and racer.

I've actually come to this forum in the hopes of finding a used MINI to use as s daily driver and maybe eventually a trackday toy for my fiancée. She won't drive any of the dedicated race cars that I have(I don't blame her!) or her beloved Audi S3, but maybe a modified street car. Time will tell.

 

The one I built years ago.

 

Welcome to NAM, Dan. You've come to the right site to find something for your fiancée. Would love to see images of these race cars! I compete with NASA and hope to make it out to SCCA at some point.

 

 

I see you have a Boxster as well. Very nice. What a really great collection, Dan. I'm a big fan of the MX-5 as well. Is that a Caterham in the back there? Front one looks kind of like a Radical.

 

The Boxster is Mom & Dad's summer toy. It's in the shop getting a new top and then headed to FL for the winter.

The first car is a tube-frame Prince SR-5 D-sports racer. It has an 80" wheelbase, weighs less than 800 pounds, has a Taylor Racing chain-drive differential and is powered by a 2002 Yamaha R-1. It was built as a DSR but has spent the last bunch of years running as a B-Mod auto-x car.

The Miata was the GrassRoots MotorSports 2003 Challenge winner. Is is known as the Mongrel Miata because it was built by Mongrel Motorsports. It has a Ford 302, T-5 trans, 8.8 rear, 15x9 wheels and rolls on 275/35-15 Hoosiers. It's a nasty toy and very traction limited!

The open wheel car is a LOLA T640. It began life as a Formula Ford but was upgraded to T644 specs and then converted Formula S with the addition of a 2001 Suzuki GSXR-1000 motor. This one weighs just under 790#, has approx 150hp, a 12,000rpm redline and sound incredible shifting thru the sequential gearbox!

The last one in the picture is a Rotus(Lotus 7 replica). This one is powered by a Mazda 13-B Turbo II. It is tuned and makes 245rwhp. Doesn't sound like much, but the car probably weighs less than 1400#. It's a freakin rocket and not for the faint of heart!

 

Nice group of cars! And still searching for a Mini! Lots of them around... should be able to find one, depending on what year you want.

 

Yes, still want a MINI. I tried to get my fiancée to buy one last year when she was looking for a new car. We travelled 3 hours to Princeton NJ MINI to drive a few and she actually had a deposit on one! Unfortunately, after contemplating it for a week, she decided to buy another 4-door sedan. She previously had an Audi A-4, BMW 530i, Mercedes C300 Sport and opted this time for a 2015 Audi S-3 Launch Edition. No regrets, its an unbelievable vehicle!

I would ideally like to find someone looking for a racecar and trade my LOLA for their "S". Probably a long-shot, but I will continue to look. I've driven several both on the street and at trackdays(students cars) and I believe that I can get her to do a few trackdays once she gets comfortable driving it on the street. I would use it as a commuter to and from work and park my 14mpg truck!

 

What an awesome collection. They all look like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.

 

Welcome, love the Classic and with the Rally lights