319 replies to this topic

[AndrewJ530]

Looked at the side profile of my mini the other day and it looked a bit low at the front. So i was wondering if the cones have given up. Here's some pictures:





I tried to get some photos of the cone itself:



Does the suspension look like it's pointing upwards too much:



Can anyone tell me if this looks normal or do i have shot cones?

Thanks for any help,

Andrew

[l_jonez]

cones are well past it, looks like its pretty much running on the bumpstops

[AndrewJ530]

I could get my finger between the bump stop and the upper arm however i'll replace the cones when my dad gets home from abroad.

Cheers l_jonez,

Andrew

[mini_mad69]

I could get my finger between the bump stop and the upper arm however i'll replace the cones when my dad gets home from abroad.

Cheers l_jonez,

Andrew

Yes does look too low. Get some new doughnuts.


Ben

[AndrewJ530]

Going to get some on order. Cheapest i've found is minispares.

I think the local club has a compression tool aswell so there's a few quid saved gettng one of those aswell.

Cheers,

Andrew

[AndrewJ530]

Okay, so i gave the ignition system a gong over today: new points, condenser, rotor arm, dizzy cap, leads, plugs, coil and the old top up of oil. She was running lovely until i came onto newport bridge and the front right brake started binding...badly. It's been really windy so i thought it was the this at first but then i was pratically in the other lane :S. I drove it home from uni and it was fine but i daren't drive it now incase something worse happans. So now it's off the road and i have no means of transport. My exams are in the next 2 weeks so i have no time to fix the damn thing! Bloody typical.

My dad said we'll have to go to a scrapyard and get another caliper (as he thinks this is what the problem is). Might be selling this at the end of the summer aswell as i have to move to rawcliffe bridge and i need a reliable car. Might be able to get my bike licence if i sell the car though. So i'll be selling something that's dangerous and buyng something thats lethal, ha. I'll update when i've done the brake and cones.



Andrew

[AndrewJ530]

Finally, some good news. When i move away for my new job in september i wont have to sell the mini ! Me and a mate are getting a lock up near us so i can store the mini in there and use some slow, diesel eurobox to get around.

Now i have another dilema. What do i do with the engine?

I have several options open to me. These are ideas for completion in about a years time from when i leave because i'll be able to acrue parts in the time and then come home and build, fit or change them.

1. Road/Rally 1380 - Big head, big bore, high lift cam (285/296), high revving (8-9k rpm) with worked bottom end and box to suit.

2. 7 port 1380 - Only probem with this is the fact the carbs will stick out of the bonnet. I want to keep it fairly standard looking so don't fancy cutting a wacking great hole in the front of the bonnet. If i could get away with a standard bonnet this would probably be the way i would go. Any got any ideas of how to tuck twin webers in a standard bonnet?

3. Supercharged 1310/1330 - Not sure whether it's worth putting the money and effort into this but that supercharger whine is amazing. Could turbo?

4. 1600 VTEC - Can't go for the 2L because i don't want to extend the front, lots of power out of the engine though.

5. R1 engine in the front - Now i really like the promotive kit. Kind of a plug in and play with this aswell as far as i can see. Love the sound of a bike engine aswell.

So there we are. They are all pretty different but those are the options i have to decide between.

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited by AndrewJ530, 18 May 2010 - 10:37 PM.

[MiniLandy]

If it was a money-no-object thing then i'd go for the ProMotive kit, even though it has no reverse. Because it drops straight in.

For a usable car, if you have the patience to convert it, i'd go VTEC.

1380 will be fun, fast, and classic, but still horrendously loud, and probably not very reliable. Or efficient.

[AndrewJ530]

If it was a money-no-object thing then i'd go for the ProMotive kit, even though it has no reverse. Because it drops straight in.

For a usable car, if you have the patience to convert it, i'd go VTEC.

1380 will be fun, fast, and classic, but still horrendously loud, and probably not very reliable. Or efficient.

I really like the promotive kit. I suppose it is expensive but i could spend that on a 5 porter aswell and have it quite high spec. I'm not sure about changing the engine to something other than a series though (this was one of my worries), i didn't want to lose part of a mini that makes it a mini: the a series.

To be honest the reliability isn't that much of an issue as it will be a weekend car (maybe even trackday).

I'm in a right rut to try and decide, ha.

[MiniLandy]

If it was a money-no-object thing then i'd go for the ProMotive kit, even though it has no reverse. Because it drops straight in.

For a usable car, if you have the patience to convert it, i'd go VTEC.

1380 will be fun, fast, and classic, but still horrendously loud, and probably not very reliable. Or efficient.

I really like the promotive kit. I suppose it is expensive but i could spend that on a 5 porter aswell and have it quite high spec. I'm not sure about changing the engine to something other than a series though (this was one of my worries), i didn't want to lose part of a mini that makes it a mini: the a series.

To be honest the reliability isn't that much of an issue as it will be a weekend car (maybe even trackday).

I'm in a right rut to try and decide, ha.

You'll end up paying at the very least, four grand, as far as i can tell, to get the promotive kit going (kit and donor bike).

I'd be surprised if you spent that on a 5 porter.

...hard to find any downside to the VTEC though, hmmm...

[AndrewJ530]

You'll end up paying at the very least, four grand, as far as i can tell, to get the promotive kit going (kit and donor bike).

I'd be surprised if you spent that on a 5 porter.

...hard to find any downside to the VTEC though, hmmm...

The engine is quite far forward (from the pictures i've seen) on the VTEC conversions so i'm not sure whether it would handle like a pendulum with the back end stepping out all the time. That's the only real downside i can see. Other than that they make good power with excellent reliability.

All things considered for the 5 port, i suppose it could come close to £3k, or a bit over, because i'd have to buy everything new (don't even have a 1275 block).

[AndrewJ530]

Right, i've made a list of things that i want to do in the next few weeks. Now they aren't particularly major things but i need to keep a list somewhere and here seems the right place to do it. So:

1 - Replace speedo cable.
2 - oil change.
3 - Clean air filter.
4 - Remove unnecessary weight.
5 - Sort top 2 lines of heated rear screen.
6 - Make good earth for passenger door light.
7 - Install new heater cable.
8 - Change coolant
9 - Change front doughnuts.
9 - Replace drivers side front brake caliper.
10 - Get tracking, wheel balancing checked + 2 new tyres.
11 - Paint scuttle ends.
12 - Paint sill lip and put on trim.
13 - De-rust and paint underside.

Okay so like i said, they aren't particularly major things but these are the bits that are bothereing me about the car. I'll be happy o store the car then at the end of the summer if i do all of these things aswell. Don't want it to rot whilst in storage. Plus i need to decide what i want to do with the engine.

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited by AndrewJ530, 10 June 2010 - 07:16 PM.

[mattdc2r]

Twin hyabusa engines and 4wd, complete with turbos, anti lag and NOS.

[AndrewJ530]

I said i didn't know what to do with the engine not what i needed to power a rocket ship, ha!

[mattdc2r]

I don't know why I bother lol.

Got my mini in storage whilst i'm away. She's securely locked away, got a few porsches and Lotus's to keep her company. £20 a week. Plce is manned 24/7 and alarmed etc, even got a couple of guard dogs s well. PM me mate if you want more details.

Edited by mattdc2r, 11 June 2010 - 11:40 AM.