Concours d'LeMons Worst of Show: stone-driven 1980 KV Mini 1
Worst of Show 1980 KV Mini 1 - click above image to see the stone drivetrain
Man, talk about an honor. We knew going in how special the first annual Concours d'LeMons would be (just check out the classes). What we didn't know exactly was just how horrible the cars would be. Turns out, pretty dang horrible. This weekend at Cars and Coffee we spotted a fairly awful (and filthy) Volvo 245 wagon parked near a pristine Ferrari 275 GTB and some drool-inducing TR6s. Why? Because it had received some sort of trophy at Concours d'LeMons.
Nothing can prepare you, however, for the wretchedness of the Worst of Show-winning KV Mini 1. It's actually hard to describe how amazingly terrible this hunk of French junk is, but we'll try. First of all, there are 125 cubic-centimeters of fury under the rear hood. That kind of muscle, or lack thereof, is good for a top speed of 43 mph. Second, like a Fuldamobil, putting the KV Mini 1 in reverse is only made possible by spinning the engine backwards. Hey, why not? But the topper here has to be the car's drive stones. Literally, stones. They are fitted atop the rear wheels and yes, traction in the rain is as unimaginably terrible as you're imagining.
For the full technical rundown, check out the great write-up at Clunkbucket.com. We've included a photo of the stony drivetrain after the jump, but you faint-of-heart types might as well consider it NSFW. One more thing -- the owner towed the KV Mini 1 to Monterey from Seattle behind his MGB. Beat that.
[Source: Concours d'Lemons via Clunkbucket | Photos: Mike Bumbeck]








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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
SammyClammy 7:09PM (8/23/2009)
That's all the car you need. Right there!
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James 9:00PM (8/23/2009)
Smallest (carbon) FOOTPRINT....sweet!!
EB 7:11PM (8/23/2009)
That's ... wow ... I am speechless ...
Did they not think of putting the wheels on the axle instead of putting stones on the axle?
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sublime.intervention 7:18PM (8/23/2009)
I'm guessing it's some way of acheiving a crude sort of 'gearing' to reduce the output RPM of the engine to the wheels without the need for a whole engine... It's exceptionally crude though, and double the tyre wear, awesome.
Assass1n 9:56PM (8/23/2009)
Nah... It's a new innovation called the unlimited slip differential ;)
grego6666 7:16PM (8/23/2009)
and you thought the smart was small
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Farmboy 12:35AM (8/24/2009)
And I thought Hot Wheels were small.
info 9:43AM (8/24/2009)
That thing makes the 2CV in the background look downright sophisticated.
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Swede 7:44PM (8/23/2009)
The unconventional layout might be the reason you didnt need a driving license for it?
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toronado455 8:14PM (8/23/2009)
It has a trailer hitch!
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James Sonne 8:14PM (8/23/2009)
Lovin' the hitch on the back of it.
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toronado455 8:24PM (8/23/2009)
All together now... "trailer hitch". (-:
James Sonne 8:29PM (8/23/2009)
Yeah, lol. Posted that at the exact same time.
toronado455 8:24PM (8/23/2009)
The go pedal is shaped like a lollypop!
http://clunkbucket.com/wp-content/gallery/1980-kv-mini-1/img_6627.jpg
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JL 8:33PM (8/23/2009)
what's the 0-60 time of it...??
oh wait..
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JD 8:36PM (8/23/2009)
...that car feels threatened just by you saying that.
Benfolio 8:55PM (8/23/2009)
Screw 0-60......
What's it's lap time around the 'Ring????
Will 9:18PM (8/23/2009)
That's some relativity shit right there. As the KV reaches 60 miles per hour, time approaches infinity.
imoore 10:24AM (8/24/2009)
"What's it's lap time around the 'Ring????"
Forget the "Ring. Can it handle the loop at Talladega?
Benfolio 11:53AM (8/24/2009)
I don't think it can handle the loop at the closest highway cloverleaf.