109 replies to this topic

[Fire_monkey]

well done on passing!

[carboy001]

Well Done on passing mate

Guessing theres no update because your out driving

[warhonowicz]

congrats ... and enjoy driving Alexander

[MiniLandy]

Right, time for a looong overdue update on little Alexander.

I passed, and have pretty much just driven him without any real work. The head gasket went again, presumably because i forgot to retorque the head nuts after a couple of hundred miles. Replaced gasket, and torqued up nuts twice, haven't had another problem in that department.

As well as the exhaust that was fitted just before passing, i bought an ABD needle, K&N filter element, and inlet manifold from minisport. Made a world of difference, now the thing actually drives properly...

...well, it did. Recently, he developed a massive coolant leak. And today, in the wet, i discovered how crap the brakes are.

This coolant leak baffles me, i've seen a lot of problems with cars, not minis specifically, but generally i can troubleshoot until i know what the problem is. Firstly, the car *drunk* all of it's coolant, outside the house. There was no obvious leak, so i put more coolant in to try and find the problem.

The leak had stopped.

Went for a good drive, to try and get things moving, but to no avail. Now, the car just occasionally leaks a little bit of coolant, whenever it feels like.

Anyone know why this is?? I'm stumped...

As for the brakes, they've never been amazing, but i figured that was down to it being an old car. Yet today, in the wet, with a car full of people (4 including me), approaching a junction at about 50, 30 metres from the junction, i braked, and the front wheels completely locked. I slid right up to a hair's breadth from the rear bumper of an 09 plate Astra, which had a pretty relieved looking driver looking in his rear view mirror.

Seems that the back brakes aren't doing anything, and are relying on the fronts to do all of the work (8.4" discs, so not that bad, but not enough on their own).

Also, still got no front suspension, but that's a problem that's just too expensive to solve at present.

Pictures to follow, once i find them...

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Sounds good mate

[MiniLandy]

Wow, haven't updated this in a while...

I mainly use this board for reading and the classifieds,and forget that my project's on here.

Aaaanyway, progress! He now has:

Spax adjustables on the front.
Hilos on the front.
New cones on the front.
Hilos and Spax's for the back, not yet fitted.

Apart from that, exactly as it was before, except the front doesn't scrape along the floor any more.

Things to do:

New mirrors (someone broke off the passenger one =[ )
Buy arch beading.
Spray fibreglass arches cream, and fit them
Fit rear hilos and shocks, which requires removing the petrol tank, and renewing a bit of fuel hose.
Fix damage to passenger side... (someone reversed out onto a road, when i was doing 30 down it at night. Bounced off, slid around a bit, and they legged it)
Fit new (to me) interior! =D This'll be from a mini equinox, and dad's picking it up tomorrow.

In other news, he did a J turn in the snow earlier, all good fun. Snowy picture to follow.

Cheers, Paul.

[jameslb101]

Great work there

[MiniLandy]

So today, I fitted the interior, and the front arches.

Also bled the brakes (which shockingly now work, even though i think the servo's leaking), and jacked up the front hilos all the way.

Think this has now led us on to an overall genre for the car: Road Rally.

Should have a full compliment of arches soon, and then we can move onto things like mudflaps, fibreglass doors/bonnet/boot, and a big block engine.

Aaaaall in good time (and money ;] )

I was 18 yesterday too, which is how i got the new interior

[mini-beast]

So today, I fitted the interior, and the front arches.

Also bled the brakes (which shockingly now work, even though i think the servo's leaking), and jacked up the front hilos all the way.

Think this has now led us on to an overall genre for the car: Road Rally.

Should have a full compliment of arches soon, and then we can move onto things like mudflaps, fibreglass doors/bonnet/boot, and a big block engine.

Aaaaall in good time (and money ;] )

I was 18 yesterday too, which is how i got the new interior

Any pictures matey?! Im just doing the interior in my mini...the dash is becoming an issue to fit as it didnt originally have one, and it doesnt want to fit in without being warped :L

[MiniLandy]

Sorry, the interior was only seats and doorcards =[

Made a world of difference though, so much more comfortable...

Anyway, you've probably all noticed the snow recently, so have some snowy pictures





And one of the land rover, for kicks...



New seats compared to old:



Working outside, note teacup on roof, which at this point had frozen over. Got front suspension up, and front arches on:



Currently, my dash is just a sheet of ali, there to support the headunit more than anything else. Looking to make a one piece MDF one in the new year, with the help of my friendly local carpenter.

Edited by MiniLandy, 22 December 2009 - 04:51 PM.

[MiniLandy]

Well, if anyone's still following this, then i've had a shot at putting the rear arches on, but not sure if they look right... Might need some spacers on the rear wheels, they look a bit lost under there. Rear also needs hilos on, and needs to come down a bit too.

Also, got an ultimate engine steady, and some new mirrors yesterday, which are fitted.

Apologies for the crap pictures, they were taken on my phone, on night mode...

Edited by MiniLandy, 26 December 2009 - 11:22 AM.

[carboy001]

Looks well mate, have you got any pictures of the finished interior?

Are the arches getting sprayed? Look to be a good fit anyways.

The wheels don't look to lost to me under the arches, may look better though when you lower it a bit with the hilo's. Would't bother with spacers till then.

[MiniLandy]

Nah, not any at the mo, too dark to get any now.

Just been out and bought two cans of cream (OEWish) paint for the arches, and the backs of the door mirrors, should look pretty smart when they're all sprayed.

Once the rear's lowered, the beading's on the arches, and under the door between the arches, should look better.

I'll be sure to snap some pictures of the interior tomorrow, during daylight.

[MiniLandy]

One day, i'll actually get a photo of the interior... Tomorrow, promise

So, over the last couple of days, we took the rear suspension apart completely, fitted hilos, Spax adjustable shocks, new knuckle joints, and replaced the fuel hose from the tank to the fuel line. Levelled the rear and front suspension out, and ended up with this:



Pretty happy with it to be honest, just need to spray the arches (already got the paint), and the backs of the wing mirrors, and then fit all the beading trim (for arches and sills).

Cheers, Paul.

[MiniLandy]

As promised, some pictures of the interior, if anyone's still following this project:



Crappy dashboard, it's on the list of things to do, by which i mean fab up an MDF one.



Front seats! Comfy as. They've had the official seal of approval from my girlfriend, who fell asleep on the way home from the cinema, despite the LCB and big bore single box silencer.



Back seats! Also supposed to be very comfy (I wouldn't know...), as my mate's girlfiend fell asleep there on the way TO the cinema, even though the exhaust note's faaar louder in the back!

Cheers, Paul.