Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

The Beast From The East


  • Please log in to reply
33 replies to this topic

#1 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 05 December 2013 - 12:37 PM

So! Little backstory to begin with. Here is my 1983 mini city e automatic the night i bought it just over a year ago, for a whopping £350

74aq5yw.jpg

It then got a very minor 'restoration' (and i use that word lightly..). If anything, it got bodged up to get through an MOT, rattle can paint and cut out the rust and welded in patches.

LrWN1Jw.jpg

I drove it like this for over a year, and a month or 2 ago, it gave up the ghost. It broke down at a friends house, we fixed it and it broke down 2 days later at a local farm. Luckily we keep our horse there so the farm owner let me keep it in his barn. He then let me know the barn was being converted into storage bins and i could use one as a workshop. AT this point i decided i'd give the mini a full on restoration and start something i've always wanted to do! a vtec conversion! So when a 2000 honda accord 1.8 vtec s came up for sale local to me for a decent price, i bit his hand off and bought my donor car! The mini has been partially stripped and both the mini, and the honda are now waiting outside the barn, eagerly awaiting the move once the barn is finished. For this reason there wont be much progress early on as i cannot work on the cars, but i thought i'd start this project thread to motivate me even further! Here is some pictures from the day it broke down, aftermath of the minor stripdown, and finally the donor honda and mini sitting together!

nQC3IUz.jpg

vrqNouv.jpg

2EKjWj6.jpg

3gq1l48.jpg

XPgkiVZ.jpg

EzfFe6p.jpg

D1qp0Ki.jpg

 

 



#2 Sleepy Stu

Sleepy Stu

    formerly Stewart_GT

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,564 posts
  • Location: Worcestershire

Posted 05 December 2013 - 07:11 PM

Looks good that's not a regular engine for this type of conversion so what what you going with or are you making your own?



#3 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 05 December 2013 - 10:23 PM

Nobody makes a F-series subframe as far as i'm aware, i need to do some more research into it, but my plan was to use the blank vtec subframe from allspeedengineering and weld on the mounts in the right place. If for some reason this can't happen, i'll have to look into building my own frame or finding a fabricator to make one for me



#4 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 18 February 2014 - 06:16 PM

There has been alot of waiting around for this project to begin, a lack of an income and a lack of a finished working area are the main reasons for this :P However i have managed to get some work done on the mini. I'm training to become a mechanic currently, and i am trying to get into an apprenticeship atm so i decided to buy some nice tools.

 

20131125_195632_zps00d7d93e.jpg

20131026_120809_zps8171fe15.jpg

 

Here are some of the worst areas on the car. The car also has oversills and there are holes under the rubber door seals so i'm expecting alot of cutting and welding in the near future.

 

20131221_140238_zps9a145669.jpg

20131221_140225_zpsf2d5412d.jpg

20131221_160554_zps5fb5478e.jpg

20131221_160604_zps831e3f1f.jpg

 

I'm hoping it isn't as bad as it looks but this is going to be a long term project so i'm not too worried to be honest! This is going to be a learning curve for me and it will let me test and practice my newly learned skills. Me and my friend were discussing the option to get the shell sandblasted, does anybody have any experience with this? I feel like the shell would have to be braced or the worst of the rust fixed before it went to get sandblasted so I don't risk my shell becoming warped or twisted?

 

Oh and here is a better picture of the engine. It doesn't look amazing but it runs sweet as a nut and sounds so strong, I'm really happy with it.

 

20131107_112651_zpsce09865c.jpg


Edited by Andy!, 21 February 2014 - 10:34 PM.


#5 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 01 March 2014 - 10:12 PM

Bought an engine crane... assembled it and had it up whilst we were getting the driveshafts out, and i noticed it wasnt as high up as i had left it. It has a leak where the pump is so it very slowly goes down over the course of hours, which at the moment isn't a problem as it holds weight easily enough, however since it's leaking it'll eventually not work at all. Luckily i have a warranty on it and i am going to contact the people i bought it off soon enough... Anyway here's a bit of a milestone update ;)

 

20140227_181007_zps5d3797a2.jpg

Brackets made and chains attached

20140301_170724_zps3edeaf33.jpg

now you see it....

20140301_181104_zps21c31d96.jpg

20140301_184405_zpsfd75e290.jpg

20140301_184900_zps55b25c15.jpg

20140301_184438_zpse36a50e1.jpg

 

Well chuffed with todays progress, going back tomorrow to get the front subframe out, as i have sold the engine, subframe and driveshafts to my college that i have just left!



#6 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 08 March 2014 - 06:55 PM

Pppppprogress! Started my apprenticeship at marshalls kia and it's bloody fantastic! The new kias are so different from the older blander cars, A new designer from audi helped a bit i think! Anyway i had the urge to go up the farm with a grinder and attack the mini today. And that is exactly what i did! I was being constructive i swear...

 

20140308_154756_zps967e7f1e.jpg

20140308_154817_zpsa814c09f.jpg

20140308_164121_zps11a536f2.jpg

20140308_164349_zps08ccc05d.jpg

20140308_164406_zps7364dc0a.jpg

20140308_164417_zps4acad4d0.jpg

 

Left a couple of mm around the edges so i can trim it back at another time, i just wanted the bulk of the front end off!


Edited by Andy!, 08 March 2014 - 06:56 PM.


#7 DangerousDave17

DangerousDave17

    Stage One Kit Fitted

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPip
  • 76 posts
  • Location: Redcar

Posted 17 March 2014 - 08:31 PM

Now's when the fun begins!

#8 DomCr250

DomCr250

    Super Mini Mad

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 667 posts
  • Location: Berkshire
  • Local Club: 16V mini club

Posted 18 March 2014 - 11:00 AM

Great project Andy ....take a look at http://www.16vminiclub.com and if you have not joined already do so .... loads of helpful advice from loads of VTEC heads, currently a nice thread running on subframe desgins ...may help in forming your thoughts.



#9 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 18 March 2014 - 05:46 PM

Now's when the fun begins!

Nope! now comes the frustrating bit where i save up money whilst fixing the rust :L stupid apprentice minimum wage... grumble grumble...

 

Great project Andy ....take a look at http://www.16vminiclub.com and if you have not joined already do so .... loads of helpful advice from loads of VTEC heads, currently a nice thread running on subframe desgins ...may help in forming your thoughts.

Thankyou! I've always wanted to sign up on 16vminiclub, i think i will now, to be honest never looked on it and didn't realise there was conversions on there...but thinking about it... the name now makes alot more sense to me ;D. I'm pretty sure i'm going to be buying the blank vtec subframe from allspeedengineering, and marking where the mounts need to be welded and welding them on.


Edited by Andy!, 18 March 2014 - 05:51 PM.


#10 DomCr250

DomCr250

    Super Mini Mad

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 667 posts
  • Location: Berkshire
  • Local Club: 16V mini club

Posted 18 March 2014 - 09:55 PM

Have a look at some of the Honda build threads - i'm sure someone has fitted your engine before, post a message and you will get tons of assistance.

 

Don't worry about your shell - looks great in comparison to the one i started with last time.  Beg and borrow, somebody is always willing to help out and you don't need tons of cash, just tons of enthusiasm;-)

 

And you cant get a better apprenticeship than building your own 16 valver - my Suzuki 16V G13B still puts a smile on my face every-time I thrash it to it's 8K redline and that's every-time i drive it.



#11 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 18 March 2014 - 09:59 PM

Have a look at some of the Honda build threads - i'm sure someone has fitted your engine before, post a message and you will get tons of assistance.

 

Don't worry about your shell - looks great in comparison to the one i started with last time.  Beg and borrow, somebody is always willing to help out and you don't need tons of cash, just tons of enthusiasm;-)

 

And you cant get a better apprenticeship than building your own 16 valver - my Suzuki 16V G13B still puts a smile on my face every-time I thrash it to it's 8K redline and that's every-time i drive it.

I'm planning to have it done by the end of my apprenticeship so i can use it as a daily, i have a nice little 10 mile commute down the dual carriage way to and from work atm, and i'm sure it'd love that little drive :D cannot wait for it to be finished. I am very determined i just need some advice on somethings that have been puzzling me :P i will definitely check out some build threads for some ideas/help. Thanks dom! Honestly the shell isn't too bad. Needs a few patches (under the windscreen on the scuttle and in the rear windows)... new sills as it has rusty oversills, and the odd fix here and there. Shouldn't be too hard and should be alot of fun!

 

Oh and i'm proud to add, my mini will now have 16 valves :D


Edited by Andy!, 18 March 2014 - 10:01 PM.


#12 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 06 April 2014 - 08:25 PM

Decided to strip the front brakes and clean them up a bit, pretty sure i will be reusing these as they were very good with the servo, It was exciting finding part numbers and company names on the hub, it was covered by a good few mm of grease and dirt...

 

20140404_183033_zps2a35200a.jpg

20140405_153648_zps837ab318.jpg

20140405_153654_zps5703fbe6.jpg

20140405_160539_zpse14825b5.jpg

 



#13 Rocket.

Rocket.

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,441 posts
  • Location: UK

Posted 06 April 2014 - 08:37 PM

Nice project will be watching this

#14 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 12 May 2014 - 09:51 PM

Decided to finish cleaning and painting my brakes a few weeks back, the calipers have been repainted in red, and the hubs and backplates in black. I have bought the balljoint kit but will hold off on putting it all together as the brakes will be off the car for quite some time so i'd rather not let the grease dry up.

2014-04-27124649_zpsec195a9e.jpg

2014-04-27124659_zps39517121.jpg

2014-04-27145359_zps32158f05.jpg

2014-05-04143807_zps0ea10312.jpg

2014-04-27145353_zpsfba4e0a1.jpg

 

I removed the door to get a better look at the rusty side of the car, i also received my new panels and it was exciting to see how it will all look when the rot is gone.

2014-05-04143018_zpsc39cb090.jpg

2014-05-04143010_zps2284397c.jpg

2014-04-28180648_zps72ca2def.jpg

 

 

I also had a crack at some practice welds, and i think i need alot more practice and alot more tweaking with the welder before i go near the car! I got a quote to get the shell sandblasted which i was very happy with so will be following this up as soon as the rear subframe and the rest of the car is stripped down.  I think this will be good as i will know for sure that all the rust and filler has gone as i know there will be quite alot in this shell.

2014-05-04143002_zps9f898114.jpg

 



#15 Andy!

Andy!

    Speeding Along Now

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 481 posts
  • Location: Suffolk
  • Local Club: N/A

Posted 15 May 2014 - 08:35 PM

Got bored one night and in the spur of the moment grabbed my tools, headed up to the barn and got the rear subframe out! I am so glad the car broke down now... this thing isn't the most structually sound vehicle out there... Doubt it would of been very strong in an incident! Need to remove the remaining door, glass and headlining then he's off to the sandblaster... Where hopefully he won't turn into a big pile of rusty metal pieces :s

2014-05-14204543_zpsf48ac93a.jpg

2014-05-14204557_zps033ea14a.jpg

2014-05-14211432_zps35609cc3.jpg

2014-05-14214754_zpsf3a1f5ea.jpg

2014-05-14220037_zps40158aef.jpg

 






1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users