152 replies to this topic

[rodandtom]

As I may have mentioned in a past update, because I am not re-fitting the lower dash rail the mounting plate for the switches doesn't really fit. So I am making one up out of Aluminium which I will then spray gloss black.

 

Here it is so far with the basic shape and the holes for the switches cut in it it.

 

Rod

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[rodandtom]

I wanted to switch from the 2 clock cluster to 3 clocks so I can get a tacho. I bought one off MiniJosh that had magnolia dials and was a 110mph like the one I'm taking out so hopefully no problems with inaccurate readings (more than they were anyway

 

Also the speedo wasn't reading. Ive posted questions about it before. So I finally had to tackle it. I couldn't get it to go though. It had a new speedo cable fitted and looked good at both ends but just won't work. For a while it was the needle was jiggling up to about 10 miles an hour - even though we were doing more than that but then it stopped showing anything.

 

I took the new cable off the speedo and it ran the engine with the wheels jacked up. It turned fine. I gripped it and it kept turning so unlikely to be a break in the cable. Tested the speedo by putting the new cable on it and attaching it to a drill - all good. Tested the speedo in the 3 clock cluster I am fitting - all good as well. Took the cable out - my cable at the final drive end was very tight to I got underneath an managed to get a tap spanner on it enough to break the seal and start it turning, then did the rest by hand. Got a new cable on and just did that up hand tight. Plugged it in to the speed and all seems to be good. Will road test it tomorrow if the weather is good enough.

 

One thing I found looking at the old cable is that one way/ in one position only the square end of the cable would plug in to the speedo properly and all was good but anything other than that perfect position and it wouldn't engage properly so I think the square section was a shade on the large side. Whatever, it works now I think.

 

--

 

Also, I said previously that I was making a new switch panel. Got that all painted up and got the switches fitted to it. I cannot, for the life of me, find the bloody grommets I bought so I can't put the choke and heater cables back in yet which is really frustrating but that should be sorted tomorrow as I got them on express delivery from Minispares. 

 

I also put the air filter housing in the dishwasher while the wife wasn't looking, put a new filter in and it's ready to go back on the car.

 

Last thing I did today was fit a nice shiny rocker cover. Good progress over the last few days. Really happy as long as the speedo works ok on the test run tomorrow. I'm going to run it against the gps on my TomTom to see how far out we are. I will stick up some picks tomorrow hopefully.

 

Oh, I can't remember if I mentioned it or not but I bought some stainless bumpers from Minispares and got those on. The front one flew on but the rear one doesn't fit in the middle of the bumper. Not a big problem but I would rather have had it connected.

 

I am desperately trying to get it ready to take back to Andy at ML Motorsports next weekend as I've completed running in the engine so it will have an oil change and be tuned up for proper running. Currently it has one of Andy's carb's on it as mine needed a set up. It will go back on just before the tune up.

 

Rod

 

 

 

 

[rodandtom]

Here are a couple of photos. You can see the 3 clock set up in situ although its not fully in place in the picture. Also heres the engine with the shiny rocker cover and I fitted grill buttons this morning as well.

 

Rod

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Edited by rodandtom, 26 March 2016 - 11:47 AM.

[rodandtom]

It was a nice sunny day so as the Mini was tuned up last weekend I thought I would take it for a spin with a mate who had made the trip down from Greenwich to look at it.

 

As soon as I hit the ignition the electronic fan comes on. Clearly that isn't right but the car started so I got it out of the garage.

 

I pop the bonnet but as soon as I open it the fan goes off, close it and it starts again. Ok so I'm thinking that pressure is being put on the loom somewhere. Further investigation showed that one of the bonnet hinges was sandwiching the loom. Not much damage has been done in that no wires have been severed but as you can see from the photo, the out covering has been worn through and the hinge was shorting between a couple of wires. Over time it would have severed the wires but I think I can repair this.

 

I will put a question on the forum to check what gauge of wire I need to use if I need to add any. Pain in the backside though!

 

Rod

 

 

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[rodandtom]

Forgot to say - still took it out and had a blast on a lovely sunny day

[rodandtom]

So I made up a panel for my switches. I fitted it today. I like the look of it but I need to adjust it a tiny amount. As you can see, the left hand side is a couple of mm lower. Its not much but I don't think I am going to be able to live with it. 

 

I will drill it out and adjust it tomorrow. However, overall I am happy with the look of it.

 

Rod

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[rodandtom]

So today I partially drained the coolant and topped it up with a 50/50 mix. I didn't drain all of it because I only took out the sensor in the rad. I couldn't be bothered with the messing around needed to take the bottom hose off.

 

More importantly, I had some rubbing on full lock so I adjusted my hi-lows at the front. Thats cured it!

 

I started fitting an Optimise boot kit.

 

I've bought some of the air hoses so I've got to fit all that gubbins next. When I do that I will put some kind of insulation on the mountings for the heater because its rattling like a bugger at the moment.

 

I've bought a dashboard off a bloke on eBay. When that arrives I'll fit the gauges and try to get it mounted which will make a big difference to the interior.

 

I also have to re-hang the passenger door because its a close fit and has rubbed the paint which is a real pain. 

 

Gauge-wise I've got a three clock set up so Speed, temp/ fuel, revs and I will add a clock, oil pressure and probably voltmeter although I am not sure about that one. Open to ideas if anyone cares enough to comment

 

Rod

[rodandtom]

I started building up my dashboard yesterday. Looks ok.

 

 

[rodandtom]

Last weekend I went to start it as I hadn't for over a month. It's all wrapped up warm for winter but nothing happened. Battery charged but no fuel coming through. I have an in line fuel filter between the carb and the pump and it was bone dry. It turned out that the new pump had failed. Well, I say new, it's been on the car for a year now but for a big chunk of that the car wasnt even finished and it has done less than 750 miles (a lot less). 

 

Anyway, took the pump off, drained the oil and removed the filter. The pain of it is that I had just done an oil change to put Texaco Valvoline VR1 I think it was. Still - drained it all.

 

Changed the pump today, new oil and fuel filter and away she went! Got her nice an warm and then put her back to bed until next time.

 

Also got my SkyTag unit in the post yesterday to help recover the vehicle should it be stolen. Got to get it fitted now.

 

Rod

Edited by rodandtom, 10 December 2016 - 07:13 PM.

[rodandtom]

finally got my dash in. I've fitted an oil pressure gauge, a clock, and a voltmeter as well.

 

If you've read my thread then you will see that I was making my own switch panel. I found that to fit the dash i had to refit the top and lower dash rails. Got some black ones and I think they  look very nice but it did mean that i switched back to a standard switch panel and its a good choice. It looks tidy. I just need to fix it in place.

 

Quite happy really.

 

Now, the bonnet. HAve had real problems getting the latch to work properly. I've realised that while I do need to line it up better, the spring around the bonnet pin is very very weak. I've got a new one so hopefully it helps to pop the pin out when it's lined up. My bonnet pin was mangled so I'm replacing that as well. Tough to get out. Had to get heat on it but then it flew out.

 

Still need to get this sorted but moving forward.

 

Oh - one more thing. My bloody battery died. Had to buy a new one of them too!

 

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[rodandtom]

Sometimes I truly hate this car.

 

The bloody alarm has started going off all the time. Had to pull the battery. Can't put any power back on the car or it starts again. I am going bloody MAD!

 

I can only assume that it's something I sodded up in the wiring behind the dash since that's the only place I've touched wiring but I've no idea what. 

 

I did take a permanent power off one of the ignition wires for the clock so maybe that's causing a problem some how. It just does my head in.

 

Anyway, using a great tip about using masking tape and putting a spot of grease on the bonnet locking pin, I managed to align the bonnet in about 10 minutes. Great, great tip that.

 

I've fitted a new pin, a new pin spring, and a new return spring to the catch. All working a treat.

 

I also have cleaned all the contacts in both the bulb holders and the tracks on the circuit board on the back of the 3 clocks I've fitted since only 1 bulb was working. When I've sorted this sodding alarm out I can put some power back on the car and see if it works.

 

Here are some before and after cleaning shots of the contacts. I also riased the edge contacts in the bulb holders up to make sure the connection was nice and tight. I did notice that the 1 bulb that worked was a noticably tighter fit than all the others. hopefully that sorts it but knowing my luck lately, probably wont :-(

 

Rod

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[rodandtom]

3 things done today

 

1. Got help from an auto-electrician on my alarm/ David Ashford-Smith. Used to working on classics apparently. Anyway, he was down near me so popped in. Reckons its the bonnet swtich. Said to clean it up and see if it happens again. Anyway, all working now.

 

2. Fitted and tested my dash clocks now all the contacts are cleaned up and they all work. Yay! See photo

 

3. Put a plastic membrane on and test fitted one of the door cards I recovered. Don't know if I ever discussed them but I covered them in black vinyl and had a red stripe sticked across them. They look ok if I do say so myself. Not sure if anyone ever reads this but do the door cards fit UNDER the lip on the top of the door (just about the door inner/ workings? I reckon they should so may need to make some adjustments there.

 

Pumped the tyres up and took it for a little test drive around the block. Felt really good.

 

All I need to do now is connect the reverse switch and test those lights and then it's off for MOT.

 

Rod

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[Steve220]

Yeh, door cards fit under the lip at the top of the inner door.

[rodandtom]

Fitted my new brake pedal switch and, hey presto!, my brake lights work again!

 

Also fitted a 5/16 UNC nut to allow me to tighten the aluminium gear knob on tightly. Looks nice

 

Trying to get my reverse lights working - aint happening. I'm trying to see if the switch works ok or if I need a new one. I thought that if I depress the plunger on the switch,I should be able to get a continuous reading using a multi-meter across the two wires. I get nothing so I think it's knackered. I've asked in the forum if this is the right way to test it.

 

Trying to get it booked in for an MOT now as well.

 

Rod

[rodandtom]

Mot done today thanks to MiniJosh92. Taxed and insured and put back in the garage because it's raining.