723 replies to this topic

[Elisha-The-Cooper]

whaaaaaat! hahaha woww well done x

[rosco454]

Looking great Steve,come a long way since I last had a look!

Cheers Ross.

[stevede]

Just a quick update this evening.

Thanks Ross, good to see your's moving along as well.

Top Gear Rules: I used some 2 pack paint from Rust Eater. Seems good stuff but quite expensive. Not sure if it's worth the extra over hammerite etc but maybe time will tell.

HLE82: Thank's for the heads up on the fuel pipe. It's cut back because it was corroded around the subframe but there is also an electric fuel pump going on so a piece of flexi will join the 2.

My red mini: It's difficult to say how hard the boot was to repair as it was right at the beginning and we were learning as we went. I would do it differently if I were to repat the excercise. Can't comment i'm afraid re "with the subframe in" as I have never tried it. Would imagine it might make things a bit difficult though dependant on how much you have to repair.

Onward to the (brief) update.

Got the subframes back from the powder coating and very pleased with the way they have come out.





Decided to fit the rear as a bare frame and build up the parts on the car.



Problem I am facing now is that I have so many bits, new, refurbished and as they came off that I spent most of the day searching for the parts to fit.
I will update more tomorrow when I have more piccies.

One final thought..............

998cc? 1275cc? 1380cc? Vauxhall conversion?


What if I dismissed all the conventional options.................









Wonder how many miles per tin of cat food I could get?

Thanks for dropping by

Regards

Steve

[panelbeaterpeter]

I wonder what kind of BCP you'd get with that. (Brake Cat Power..)

Looking great! it's always nice fitting up with new parts, the powder coated bits look spanking!

[carboy001]

Looking good Steve, everything looks spot on. Getting mine back next week so the good thing is your ahead of me so I can refer to you when I'm stuck

Where did you getting the powdercoating done? Ive got my subframes done already but ive got some other bits to do. Would you mind PMing how much paid?

Cheers

Chris

[maccamcvey]

1293 turbo no question!

www.turbominis.co.uk

I will fire you a PM re the spit soon

cheers

[minilester]

i love everything you have done... you are a God amongst men!!

love the colour!...

...engine?

erm... nice little 1275 with a stage 1 for a bit of ooommff!... its not overboard and it'll run lovely... just my 2pence

fantastic job once again!

Lester

[mini.cooper998]

Steve your an inspiration to everyone a non automotive engineer teaching yourself as you go. Very Very well done cant wait to see it at a few shows.

If you want a 1000cc engine A+ for a starter drop me a line you can have it for free needs a clean and a few ancilarys but was good when removed.

Also where did you get powder coating done and how much. your not far from me and i need my parts doing too

looking good

Andy

[stevede]

Evening everyone, and welcome the the latest and somewhat overdue update.

Many thanks once again for the kind comments.

The last week or so has seen me cleaning up and re-building the suspension components. Progress a little slower than I would have liked as I am helping my neighbour build a new (large) deck in his garden.

A couple at the rear...









All went together quite well until I hit a slight snag with the braided pipes (seperate post on here).

Long story short, I spoke to a very helpful Ian Goldie (MD and mini racer) at Cam Developments who make the kits for most of the re-sellers and after swapping pictures and a couple of phone calls altered the angle of the brackets on teh radius arms & problem solved.

Found a small crack in the main battery cable when I cleaned & inspected it. Copper inside was nice & clean and as the crack was in free space decided to wrap it in some self amalgamating tape so it's totally watertight. I have bought some stronger insulated P clips to hold it all in place.




Also made up a support plate from some stainless for the fuel pump ready to bolt to the subframe



My pal took the rear drums to work and gave them a clean in his lathe



Before I gave them a fresh coat of paint



Moving towards the front and I had quite a bit of work to clean up all the components






When I stripped the front bearings I was convinced one side had a bush rather than a bearing it was so full of corrosion.





Now then, if I thought the rear radius arms were a pig they were nothing compared to getting the bearings out of the top arms.

Still, came around to my way of thinking eventually !! (getting the new ones in was a darn sight easier though).



Filthy





Cleaned





Splash of paint






Before fitting the new bearings and ball joints.



Missing lock tab on this photo now fitted.


Just need to do the other side now & fit to the car.

More updates soon but just before I go...................

Got a delivery from Chris a Retro Retrims last Friday buuuuuuuuuuuutttt, you'll have to wait to find out what it is!

Thanks for looking

Best wishes

Steve

[carboy001]

Looking good Steve

How did you clean up your suspension components? They came up well.

Where did you get the new fixings for them also?

[stevede]

Hi Chris

Cleaned up with a wire brush on the grinder.

New fixings? I have new top arm bearing kits, new wheel bearings and ball joints. All the new fixings, nuts etc came with them.

Everything bar new grease nipples believe it or not. The steering arm lock tab, (missing from the photo) came from Moss.

Regards

Steve

[fabdabcab]

hi steve i have just read your project from start to finish, i would like to say what a fantastic job you are doing too. i took a particular intrest in yours as im about to start a project my self, i bought a mini for my wife and have had a look over it but am still in two minds. do i go for a repair and get on road jobie or a full resto. hmm i have to say im heading towards the latter! could you pm me the sizes for the spit kit please and if you dont mind maybe some pointers on what to avoid. thanks keep up the good work i shall def be keeping an eye on this thread.

wayne!

Edited by fabdabcab, 27 April 2010 - 08:35 PM.

[1987MiniParkLane]

Just read every page of this and after it all, only 1 word is needed:

Amazing!

[minimotor_JD]

Looking really nice steve !,

Liking the progress on the subframes & cleaned parts, took me awhile on my subframes but totally worth it.....good old wire brush !.

Well on track , keep it up !

[stevede]

Well Chaps & Chapesses............At last.


They're on........... & It's OFF !!!

Thanks again for the comments received.

Fabdabcab: If you drop me your email, I can send some photo's & dimensions. As for pointers, the best advice I can offer is keep looking on the forum, it's certainly helped me many times.

Minimotor_JD: I was going to go the wire brush route but to be honest, for what the guy charged me, the paint could have worked out more expensive!



I seem to have done quite a bit over the last week but don't seem to have a lot to show for it.

Rear suspension is now complete, brake drums fitted & handbrake adjusted.





I bought some new hub caps from MOSS but they seem too big. Took them back and was told yes they are a tight fit but there's no way they want to go in. Anyone else had similar issues?

Staying at the rear, the fuel pump has been located, connected to the pipe work and the wire fed through a gromet in the boot floor.



Moving forward, both front hub assemblies completed. Even managed to dismantle the CV joints to clean out all the old grease & inspect ready for re-use.









I've heard it said on here before but one thing that is suprising me is how the cost for new nuts & bolts can mount up. Most of the stuff I took out was beyond its best so I have gone with stainless wherever possible. Top tip. Where you can use a nut and bolt (as opposed to in a captive thread) I have used metric. Much cheaper and easier to obtain. (Screwfix seem quite good value and are local to me).

As for the "They're on........& It's OFF! comment at the beginning...............



Think wheels & spit.

They're on....







& It's OFF!







First time I have seen the bonnet on since paint



I've left it stood on the old wheels so I still have access underneath and given its current 4 x 4 stance there's still plenty of room.

Massive milestone and brought a huge smile. Even the wife kept going to the window to have a look!

Well that's all for this one and I'm practically up to date now.

There was one thing however. I dropped a hint about a Retro delivery? Well, weather permitting that's todays job so you'll just have to wait a little longer but here's a hint as to what it was.



Thanks for dropping by

Regards

Steve