16 replies to this topic

[TheFlyingSprout]

Hi All,

 

I have been a member of the forum for 5 years now but felt it was time to get involved again.

Plus its been almost 2 years since last driving my Mini and I miss it. A lot.

 

I bought my Mini in 2012, a green 1982 1000 HLE as a first car.

 

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The original engine gave up after a year and I replaced it with a 1960s 998 Cooper unit complete with Gearbox. A year later I repainted the car red myself with spray cans. The result was not bad but it was the best I could do at the time.

 

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In January 2017 I decided to take the car off the road to do a light restoration. The car needed the usual stuff after being a daily driver since I bought it, sills, front end, scuttle, boot corners etc.

 

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I stripped the car to a rolling shell, removed the engine and sent the car to be sprayed locally in Tartan Red with a Black roof.

The respray was not high end but it was exactly what I needed for the budget I had.

 

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I also Stripped down the Cooper engine to replace gaskets, clutch, clutch pack plate and replaced the timing chain and Camfollowers with uprated versions from Calver ST. Engine was repainted in the original MOWOG Green too. The engine should run nicely for a 998 with the original D Top pistons and a heavily ported and polished refurbed 12G295 Cylinder head.

 

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Fast forward to 2018 and the car currently looks like this. I always liked the look of the 60s cars so thats the style I am going for. The engine is back in, and most of the interior is completed. The bucket seats I had bought in 2013 but had never fitted them. I have converted to the original centre clock but I am yet to wire it in. Most of the parts in the engine bay are brand new

 

I moved to Lyon in August and then travelled China and Vietnam for two months and my plan is to go back to the UK to finish the car in January when I visit for 2 weeks.

 

The to do list is still long:

 

- refit door furniture, windows and door cards

- fit exhaust

- Finish wiring engine bay, lights, and interior

- Refit alternator

- refit starter motor

- refit carburettors

- Bleed Brakes and Clutch

-Refit Gear linkage

- Start up

-MOT

-Fix anything unforseen

 

So not so much a nut and bolt restoration but a project to put my car back on the road. I really miss it and ever since having to buy a modern run about to get to work I realised just how fun driving the Mini was.

 

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Thanks for reading my post

 

Callum

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KTS]

good effort - that's looking very nice.

[Lord Oversill]

Nice looking car. Red and black great combination

[johnyj]

Looking well, best of luck with it. I wish mine looked like that!

[GreaseMonkey]

Nice project and write up! 

[whistler]

Cardiff registered.

[Wiggy]

Must.......stop.....looking.......at......headlight......stoneguard......rotation......

 

Seriously though, great classic looking Mini.

[TheFlyingSprout]

Thanks for the great comments guys.

Yeah the stoneguards annoy me a little too. I can never seem to get them to fit in the direction I want.

The car is an old Cardiff registration yes, when I bought it in 2012 I was the third owner. The previous two owners were in the village near Cardiff where I got it from. It now lives in Dorset.

Cheers guys

Edited by TheFlyingSprout, 23 November 2018 - 10:00 PM.

[minimissions]

Cracking looking car the red and black is a classic colour for the mini with all the retro touches thrown in..

[johnR]

Looking very good now - I took a similar route with my 89 City - also in Dorset.

[TheFlyingSprout]

Hi All,

 

I have just returned from visiting the UK for two weeks so the entire time was spent working on the Mini.

I have got loads done and came back to France feeling very pleased with how much progress I made on the car. Just a couple small jobs left now until it can be MOT'd again.

 

I went back to Dorset with a huge 3 page list of things to do and the only outstanding thing now left to do on the car is to wire up the engine bay so things like the ignition wiring. Unfortunately electronics is not my thing so I was only able to solder the headlights and the rear lights back in along with getting the wipers to work but thats about it. Any help I can get with the wiring under the bonnet I would appreciate a lot. I also need to wire in the centre speedo using the conversion loom.

 

Another odd thing I have noticed is that the headlights work fine on sidelights, main beam, dipped beam, and the front Hazards work but weirdly enough the wiper motor and jets only work when the headlights are turned on 

 

The interior is now all complete along with all the door furniture, door locks, and glass now installed.

With the exceptionof the engine bay wiring all the mechanical bits under the bonnet are now installed including the twin carburettors, silicone radiator and heater hose, new alternator, new starter motor, and the wiper assemby.

The car now has brand new upper and lower ball joints on both sides along with new CV boots, driveshaft boots, and new track rod ends, most of the rubber had all perished so decided replacing all of it was the best idea.

LCB exhaust is all back on with new mountings.

Master cylinders are replaced with brand new piping from DSN.

Remote Gear linkage back on.

 

The list goes on but two solid weeks of work and the car is so close to MOT time

 

I am hoping to finish off the remaining small jobs in the Spring when I visit the UK again

After that I would love to drive the car back to Lyon for the summer/Autumn and drive the car through the Alps and past Turin to visit Italy with my Girlfriend.

 

Its not a concourse standard by any means but I am glad to see my car coming back together nicely :)

 

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Until Next time!

Callum

Edited by TheFlyingSprout, 13 February 2019 - 03:33 PM.

[TheFlyingSprout]

Hi everyone,

 

Quick update to say that my Mini has passed its first MOT since 2016 and is officially back on the road with six months tax!

 

Really happy to be able to drive and enjoy it again even if there is still some tweaking and carburrettor tuning to do.

 

I still want to be able to add a few things to the interior over the next year or two like a new carpet set, and a ten inch conversion to put it on proper rose petal wheels is on my list too.

 

Took it for a test drive after it passed, really happy with how it drives. Strong, nippy engine for a 998, and just as loud as I remember it.

 

I have a ticket for Minis at Goodwood in August so I should be taking it there.

 

Its not perfect or concourse, It doesnt compare to many of the projects on here and no doubt it will still give me hassle in years to come but I am just thrilled its alive again. 

 

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[johnR]

Your car is looking great - I see you've put twin HS2's on - I'm having a nightmare getting mine even running, let alone tuned! I can recommend taking the Mini through the Alps and Turin - we had a great time taking ours to Monte Carlo in 2015. 

This is it in the Great St Bernards Pass on that trip.

[Black.Ghost]

The car looks great, definitely take it over to France with you! Don’t compare it to anyone else’s, thatsyour hard work to be proud of. I’d rather have a good usable car to use daily than a concourse car I’m too scared to take out.

[Steve220]

You hit the nail on the head, it's about enjoying the car and you clearly are! You've gone a cracking job on it and the colours look great!

Only one little gripe is that your ht lead markings with the cable ties are the wrong way round, cylinder one is the far right, not four.