36 replies to this topic

[Mart!]

3 years ago i bought this mini for 500$CAD (£249) advertised as a very rusty mini with 1275 engine and Renault 5 fabric roof:



turns out the engine was an Austin America 1275 head with rockers off a 998 on a cooper S block with S crank, S rods and very hot cam, so i was pretty happy with the purchase.



i kept the engine, the wheels (including 4 almost new 10in winter tires) and the Peco steering wheel and sold the rest for 100$.

fastforward today, the engine now has the correct 940 head with Windsor 1.5 roller tip rockers, rimflow valves and isky springs, the block has been bored to +040 for 7cc dished Hypatec pistons, with a SW5 cam and adjustable timing gears. Will be mated with a HIF44 carb and stage 2 Maniflow exhaust manifold.



My goal is to fit all this in my clubby estate along with a set of 7.5 brakes before the end of the winter.



i'll try to keep this thread updated as i progress...
cheers

[Coleman]

wow.

Dayum that estate looks awesome. may we see some more piccies please?

[Racer_Pete]

Wow, Good find! nice pictures to.

[Bungle]

the clubby looks great already

[Mart!]

Quick update: waiting for a bunch of gearbox bearings, and also took advantage of a good lightened flywheel kit sale at MED


i need to start thinking about arches as i'll install the S brakes soon... if anybody has ideas - i want to keep the stock look with the fake wood, not sure what will fit good with it. group 2s with the chrome strip maybe? or the australian group 2s like KC has on his racing clubby?

Edited by Mart!, 25 January 2008 - 05:39 PM.

[Bungle]

group 2's colour coded with chrome trim

bit like mine but mine are 5's

[Mart!]

mmm, color coded... i love it.

now i have to find out what's my color code...

[Mart!]

well, little progress is better than no progress at all:

finally did the initial timing, and put the cover back


i also got a new street lightened flywheel from MED, and a Samco silicone hose kit:


and here's the view from my garage door. we're getting record amounts of snow here and i'm currently stuck in a vicious circle: my car is embeded in a snow bank and my shovel is broken. i need a shovel to get my car out, to go buy a shovel to shovel the snow from my car to got buy a shov.... you get the idea...

[Mart!]

took a step backwards last night by removing the pistons and rods. i installed new ARP rod bolts. for those interested, instead of paying 110$ for a set of 8 ARP Cooper S rod bolts, you can pay 50$ for a set of 16 ARP Ford big block rod bolts. prod# is 155-6002.

now i need a ring compressor to put the pistons back in... next the head goes back on, and then its gearbox time.

[Mart!]

progress on the engine, the gearbox is rebuilt and back on. currently on hold until i can find the stupid sleeve that goes in with the spring and ball bearing next to the shift pin. cant put the diff back on until i find it... i've torn appart the engine more than 2 years ago, now i'm looking for parts at every step... should have used plastic bags and labels!

installed the 7.5' brakes along with adjustable tie-rods and lower arms over the week-end. first side went on well, the other side i spent about 2 hours hitting the damn ball joint with a hammer.






its borderline but i think i'll be okay without arches.

Edited by Mart!, 14 April 2008 - 12:47 AM.

[CanadianMiniFan]

Go Canada! Looks like a good project. 10inch winter tires? rare mate! good find. should be an amazing car!

[Pie]

Amazing project. I think the colour of the caqr might be Blaze Orange; link

As for arches, i think wood and pickett style arches would look better than group2s. colour coded of course.

[Mart!]

Amazing project. I think the colour of the caqr might be Blaze Orange; link

its not, hard to tell from pics, but its less dark and saturated than Blaze, it looks a lot like the color of a pumpkin...

[Mart!]

i have to say, the brakes are a lot easier to bleed when they are right side up...

[CanadianMiniFan]

haha it helps. What are the next planned mods?