23 replies to this topic

[Cooper Mac]

I've owned Mac for 19 years and he used to be my everyday car, until I needed something more 'sensible', he then become my second car for a couple of years. The MOT was due and because I had another car, I put off getting the MOT done for a few days, then a few weeks, and now a few years! 

 

It's been 10 years since he was last on the road, but thankfully has been stored inside, for all of that time. I have often thought about getting him going again, but never got round to it. Having got my 205 to a reasonable stage, I though it was time to do something about the Mini!

 

This is the current state:

 

 

So, the plan is to remove the 1275 Cooper engine and have it re-worked into a 1330 Fast Road, get the wheels refurbished, sort the bodywork out and get the sub frames out to inspect / repair and re-paint, renew the brakes and brake lines. Once all of this is done, I can get it MOT'd and then sort out the interior out and get some more comfortable seats in the front!

 

I got some Weller wheels off eBay, so that I can use these while rolling it around the workshop, and while the alloys are away being sorted!

 

 

 

I'll keep you posted on progress.......

[dyshipfakta]

Looks like a good project much rott? I also like the temporary wellers they look in good nick

[slidehammer]

The early carburetor Coopers are getting more and more collectible as they are more easily tuned than the later injected ones. It looks a nice project getting that recommissioned. Good luck with it.

[Cooper Mac]

Looks like a good project much rott? I also like the temporary wellers they look in good nick

Not had an in depth look yet as I need to pull it out of the corner and have a good look round it, but doesn't seem too bad......... There are the usual bits under the headlamp, the front valance has rust behind the bumper and there is a small patch towards the bottom of the drivers door, but I'll have a propper look in a bit!

[Cooper Mac]

Well progress is a little slow, but yesterday I changed the wheels for some 12" Wellers. These are a temporary measure while I'm doing the work, and so that I can send the 13" alloys of to be refurbished.

 

While the wheels were swapped, I freed off the brakes and sprayed every fixing with a good dose of PlusGas to ease future removal........ Most importantly I had a move around in the lockup so that now the Mini is in a position where I can work all round it!

 

Now the strip down can commence!

 

 

Edited by Cooper Mac, 22 January 2018 - 03:49 PM.

[Vinay-RS]

Nice to hear that it was your daily drive :) It's nice to hear that it'll be getting some TLC to get it back on the road.

[Cooper Mac]

Thanks, Vinay-RS! I've missed it for a long time, so I want it back!

[Cooper Mac]

Well, things have been progressing as I have the time, and today was a big leap forward,



Engine and Subframe out!

[Cooper Mac]

So, having spent alot of time over the last few weeks sorting out and reorganizing the garage, I now have a space big enough for the mini to return! 

 

Until then, I'm using the space to work on some of the parts of the Mini.

 

The front sub frame is the first, once I have managed to get the driveshaft out!

 

 

It doesn't seem too bad........ lots of grease and oil which seem to have protected it over the years!

 

 

This is the worst corrosion on the sub frame!

 

[Cooper Mac]

After scraping off the grease, oil and grime, and then wiping over with white spirit, this is what I'm left with:

 

 

 

Not bad for a 29 year old 80 something thousand mile car living in the UK! It almost seems a shame to paint it!

[johnR]

That does look clean!

[Thelowrider]

That subframe looks spotless really considering the mileage and age you said it it! One less thing to deal with. Looking forward to the updates.

[Cooper Mac]

So, I did repaint the front sub frame, I decided that as it has lasted so well, another few layers of paint might help it to last even longer! I rubbed down the surface rust, applied Ferrozinc, then keyed, primed, and top coated the whole sub frame.

 

I decided to make the brake lines myself, as this was something I had never done before, so started on the pipe which crosses from the OS to NS of the front sub frame:

 

 

As I'm fitting 1.5 deg bottom arms, I made some 3mm thick spacers to go under the rebound stops:

 

 

These were then test fitted:

 

 

I'll remove these and re-fit them after the cones, HI LOs and top arms are all fitted.

Edited by Cooper Mac, 01 June 2020 - 09:28 AM.

[Cooper Mac]

As the Subframe is almost ready to re-fit, I thought I would have a trial fit to see if it all fits OK, before I remove the Bottom Arms, Hubs and Tie Rods to lessen the weigh to get it in and out of the boot of the car to get it to my lockup!

 

 

It was a good job I checked as the forks of the Tie Bar wouldn't fit the Bottom Arm due to the machining of the Bottom Arm not being quite correct! Removal of a slight lip with a file, and all fitted nicely!

 

 

The suspension bolts were only nipped up at this stage, as it's all coming apart again! I just need to re-fit the Wheel Bearings, CV joints (as a temporary basis, as I'll be replacing these when the engine goes back in), Drive Flange and Discs, then I can get the front of the car back on it's wheels while I tackle the Rear Subframe! 

[Cooper Mac]

I decided to add a little material to the Solid Subframe Mounts to spread the load and add fixings to the Toeboard and the Floor.

 

Parts cut and ready to tack together for trial fitting on the car:

 

The mounts tacked together using my new welder, still trying to get the settings right......

 

Mounts trial fitted onto the car:

 

All fitted perfectly, so I just need to weld complete and drill the extra holes in the mounts and body for the extra screws.