51 replies to this topic

[mk3 Cooper S]

Just lowered the car down onto the ground - it's been up on stands for over 3 months. I seem to be chasing small electrical problems due to bad contacts - previously mentioned hazard switch - then light switch - then fuse that feeds the side lights - then had to drill the rivets out of the horn and clean the contacts inside and that sprung back into life. Then everything was working except the brake lights - a strip and clean of the switch sorted that out. Just torqued up the wheel nuts and blew the tyres up to pressure. I added the car to an existing collectors policy, so all that remains before tomorrow's MOT is to extract the car from the garage - there's another car and loads of tat in the way.
Zero hour 2:15pm.
Wish me luck.

Mart.

Good luck with the MOT.

Where you taking it?

[Shifty]

Good luck with the ticket(oh and don't count your winnings just yet!!)

[82hle]

Cheers Lads.
Booked in at Plume Tyres at Knowle.
Mart.

[82hle]

Whooo Hooo!
MOT passed with flying colours - the tester wanted to buy it off me!

Here are a few snaps from the last few days.

Last picture on the stands:


Half way down:


And on the ground - first time since February.


The horn - It wouldn't work so I drilled the rivets out, cleaned up the contacts and reassembled with 4mm bolts.

Works a treat now.

And after clearing some stuff out of the way, pushed out into the garden for a good wash. Amazing how much grime gets on it - from using the grinder etc.


After a good wash, I made sure the driver's seat was fitted properly, and the seat belts attached. I didn't want to fit the carpets as I had quite a bit of water come in during washing.

Then at last it was time for the MOT. It's a 10 minite drive, seemed to get stuck behind all sorts of slow moving trucks making me late. Got there ok, car drove well, except for a bit of holding back from the engine. Steering, suspension, brakes, clutch and transmission are all very good.

On the ramp at the test station:

Here's a tip: Take the headlamp bezels off before you get there, maken sure the adjusters are free and take a screwdriver so your friendly tester can set the alignment using his fancy machine.

And one from the rear:


All was well - even the emissions and brake test.

Back home and parked on the drive - where it was literally dragged to 3 months ago with wheels locked by the truck in the background.


And of course, the all important paperwork:


Very pleased with what I have achieved - taking a non running car that had been abandoned in a garage for 16 years and returning it to a fully legal roadgoing condition - that's what I set out to do and that is what I have done.

Chuffed.

Mart.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Excellent well done.

I recognise that truck too and can place where you are now.

[82hle]

Here's a little update from the last couple of days.
I couldn't drive it legally on the wednesday other than for the MOT, so started looking bat some things that obviously needed sorting - The speedo and the fuel gauge. Bought a new cable and tried to fix the sender unit. Realised that just buying a new sender was the best way, so got one of those too. Fitted the new cable - (swine of a job) and cleaned up the instrument cluster while I was at it. So that now works. Fitted the new sender - here's a tip - make sure the fuel level is below the level of the sender before undoing the retaining ring - don't ask me how I know this. So the fuel gauge now works. The car had a bad flat spot so I fitted the air filter and a new filter - all just stock stuff.
Thurs the cover note arrived and I taxed it in the afternoon. So fully legal road testing was in order. Drive everywhere- really enjoying it as the weather was nice.
Fri - more of the same except for the failed attempt of fitting the sill trim (chronicled in another post) but cleaned all the windows, and then carried on and did the dash and all the door cards and rear trim pieces. Fitted them all back in and the carpets too. Topped it off with a nice ride out for a fish and chip supper in Henley in Arden.
Today, went for a test run and found the flat spot was not so noticeable if I ran with a clothes peg on the choke knob - There was aclothes peg on the dash so I guess the previous owner did the same. So wanting to richen it up, I found the carb still had it's anti-tamper clip on the mixture nut. It had never been touched since new! I broke it off and richened it up and the flat spot has now gone and the whole feel of the car is better. I bought a heat gun and managed to fit the sill trim - hopefully the other one will be easier now I have a bit more experience - and thanks to the helpful responses on the other post.

While out on a test run, was stopped to adjust the mixture and a fellow mini-owner stopped to ask if I was ok - which I was, thanks.
So if that mini owner is a TMF member - thanks.
One thing I have noticed - is the car does get looked at - more than I had anticipated - and this is just a semi-stock job - not something really fancy - I think the rather lesser seen yellow paint has something to do with it.

Mart.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Here's a little update from the last couple of days.
I couldn't drive it legally on the wednesday other than for the MOT, so started looking bat some things that obviously needed sorting - The speedo and the fuel gauge. Bought a new cable and tried to fix the sender unit. Realised that just buying a new sender was the best way, so got one of those too. Fitted the new cable - (swine of a job) and cleaned up the instrument cluster while I was at it. So that now works. Fitted the new sender - here's a tip - make sure the fuel level is below the level of the sender before undoing the retaining ring - don't ask me how I know this. So the fuel gauge now works. The car had a bad flat spot so I fitted the air filter and a new filter - all just stock stuff.
Thurs the cover note arrived and I taxed it in the afternoon. So fully legal road testing was in order. Drive everywhere- really enjoying it as the weather was nice.
Fri - more of the same except for the failed attempt of fitting the sill trim (chronicled in another post) but cleaned all the windows, and then carried on and did the dash and all the door cards and rear trim pieces. Fitted them all back in and the carpets too. Topped it off with a nice ride out for a fish and chip supper in Henley in Arden.
Today, went for a test run and found the flat spot was not so noticeable if I ran with a clothes peg on the choke knob - There was aclothes peg on the dash so I guess the previous owner did the same. So wanting to richen it up, I found the carb still had it's anti-tamper clip on the mixture nut. It had never been touched since new! I broke it off and richened it up and the flat spot has now gone and the whole feel of the car is better. I bought a heat gun and managed to fit the sill trim - hopefully the other one will be easier now I have a bit more experience - and thanks to the helpful responses on the other post.

While out on a test run, was stopped to adjust the mixture and a fellow mini-owner stopped to ask if I was ok - which I was, thanks.
So if that mini owner is a TMF member - thanks.
One thing I have noticed - is the car does get looked at - more than I had anticipated - and this is just a semi-stock job - not something really fancy - I think the rather lesser seen yellow paint has something to do with it.

Mart.

May well bump into you at sometime

Did you put the seam trim into a bucket of hot water before you attempted to fit it?