Blind Man Is Building Classic Mini With A Yamaha R1 Motorcycle Engine

Let’s face it, working on cars can prove to be trivial at times. Regardless of whether it involves losing your 10mm socket, a stripped bolt, or a missing component, we actually have it easy in the grand scheme of things. The most recent video from BlindLeadingTheBlind features a sight-impaired mechanic working on his Yamaha R1 powered classic Mini.

Sure, it’s nothing new to throw a superbike engine into a Mini, but the real party piece here is Simon, the blind mechanic behind the project – who has never worked on an R1 engine before this build. Amazingly, despite his limited experience with the Yamaha powerplant, he knows the unit incredibly well.

As such, even with the classic Mini’s incredibly small form-factor, everything is ready to go except for the clutch – which has been replaced with a carbon fiber version. The only other big modifications involved altering the limited-slip differential to cooperate with the front-wheel-drive setup of the vehicle.

As a lot of people have been bonkers enough to throw a bike engine into their Mini, many bolt-on kits exist to simplify the process. The video here is no exception as the team opted to go for pre-fabricated bits for the engine mounts and other miscellaneous components. We’d be remiss not to mention Simon's dexterity when dealing with mechanical components, as it is uncanny for someone with his challenges.

Regardless of your abilities, this short-film is evidence that nothing should get in the way of following your passion. It’s clear that there is very little you can’t do with the help of your friends and a little nudge of self-belief. We are very much looking forward to seeing the finished product here, as these machines are incredibly potent.