40 replies to this topic

[jay whiting]

The Midas was indeed a MK2 Bronze. It got a full rebuild 4 years ago to drive to my wedding and became to impractical for me at the end. I advertised it 4 times for sale twice on the Midas forum and twice on fleebay and had not one call about it. So i decided there was only one thing for it, A grinder and a few trips to the tip (pre arranged to take the fibreglass waste). I do still have a lot of it tho, Both doors with origional mirrors, Front windscreen (new at time of build) rear screen (also new at rebuild) both rear quarters, all the rubbers, a set of new coilover rear shocks, the front subframe, complete loom, steering rack, steering colom with ignition and switches, and the rear Gas rams (for rear screen)







Yeah i know, it has different headlights and a Porsche rear end but i wanted to be a lil different.

[Midas Mk1]

Cant belive you scrapped it, surely you would have felt better giving the shell away to someone who would use/restore it, rather than see it scrapped? Especially after you had spent all that time and effort in it...
We're abit speechless really, with my dad having his mk1 for nearly 30 years, it seems a shame for one to be destroyed in good condition.
Did it have a Midas V5? that would be worth more now, especiallu with all the IVA malrky.
Are you going to keep the parts for a future Midas maybe? Things like the rear coilovers we've been looking for ages, but have yet to find a set...

Good Luck with your Mini, hopefully it wont go the same way as your Midas

[jay whiting]

I did offer the shell to the midas forum for free, and again no replys. As for V5 i still have it along with all bills and recipts of everything i had. The rear shocks i had made as a custom one off build by Spax. I would sell all the stuff i have left over and do intend to do so. The car only did 45 miles after build. It went to the MOT and back home and then to our wedding and home. It then got put in the garage and stayed there for 4 years until GRINDER. If your dad is interested in all thats left then ask him if he wants to make me an offer on the lot.

[jay whiting]

Well the engine is now back in the car. I still need to get the driveshafts in and then it will be time to do some wireing and connecting ready for the first firing of the engine. Progress has been slow this week but have a couple of days off now so will be going out to the garge for some serious time on the car. Lots of small odds and bobs to take care of and then flatting back and primer on the shell. I will take some piccys tomorrow for all those who are following this thread.

[jay whiting]

Hi folks, sorry its been a while for any updates but work has been in the way lol. Well i fitted the new starter today and plumbed the cooling system in and connected the fuel lines for its first fire up since the build. Checked and double checked everything and turned the key. I was expecting it to turn over a few times before coughing into life but to my shock, it was like a turn key engine, not a full revolution complete and broom broom she started and ran as sweet as a nut. I got out the trusty old strobe light and spot on TDC. She is a little ritch on fuel so ill be sorting that out on tuestday (day off). I did make a small video on my phone but cant find the cable to get it to the computer so ill have to take the video cam out with me next time in the garage and do some filming for you all to have a look at. Now that all the mechanical is taken care of, i can start to spend a little more time on the body prep and get here looking the way i want here.

Not much has changed in the last couple of weeks hence no picys but i will follow up with some in the next day ar two so keep an eye open for then next post.

[jay whiting]

UPDATE, ive been a bit of a bad boy as ive done loads to the car without taking picys for you all and updating this thread. So here we go. Today the project took a huge step. That step was Insurance renewal and M.O.T.

Insurance was done via Footman james in the end due to them deciding to give me a good price. A new policy not using any of my no claims, comprehensive cover, unlimited miles, free breakdown and legal cover, The wife as a named driver also on comprehensive. All engine mods from 998 to 1310 declaired, all break upgrades and alloys declaired and insured as a Retro Cooper for the sum of £127.95.

As for the M.O.T, well all went well. Headlights needed adjustment and CO, but on a fresh engine having only done 5 miles to the garage not bad i think. It did however fail. It failed on the fact it did not have a fog light fitted. So after i finnish on here i will be going out to the garage to fit one and it will go back tomorrow for the retest.

Much as im building a retro cooper, it has been put on the road as the city that it is for the time being (untill Xmas day when all my retro parts will come via the big man and his sledge.)

The speedo will be changed, the grille, over riders, and mk2 rear lights, badges and a few other goodies. The car is still in primer but thats because i want it back on the road. It will however be going for a full respray in the new year. So im going to say goodbye for now as need to fit the fog light for tomorrow.

I will however take the camera out with me and take a load of pics tonight and will upload them later for you all to have a look at.

[cityspeed]

Congrats on the MOT, fog light is a easy job! looking forward to the pics!

[malcs_miniturbo]

great work

[jay whiting]

Now that the car has got its M.O.T, tax and insurance it is time to start using the car and getting some fun from it. She is still in primer at the moment but she will get a coat or two of paint before she goes out on the road and come the summer she will be taken to a bodyshop to get a proper full body spray to complete here the way she deserves. Here she is, some fo works in progress and some as a complete car once again.



























The pics show here still having a red bonnet, this is the origional one which has had the lip cut of to help make the MK1 look. I have however got a new one on order but sadley it didnt get to me in time for christmas and the mot so ill have to wait a little longer for that. I now also have the over riders for front and rear and just need the corner bars before fitting them. The twin tank is fitted and i now also have the MK2 rear light (thanks Santa). The bonnet and boot badges are also here but the boot lid now need changing to complete the look. More pics will follow shortley.

[jay whiting]

HI all. The car has now been run in and thus today went for its set up tune. I arrived at the tuners workshop (Spamspeed) who is also the one who did all the machine work to the block during the build. Spam started by asking me what i was expecting form the session. The answer was 'im not sure'. Having been away from minis for many years i had lost touche of what powers could and indeed are produced from near standard engines. What we have to look at is the spec of the engine to start with.

1275 with a +0.040 re-bore
Nural Pistons and rings
Standard head
Standard valves
LCB
RC40 singal box system
HIF 44 carb
Standard air filter

Spam started of by changing the needle and fitting new seals to the carb being as it did have a small fuel leak (which we knew about) and help the carb as we knew it had a standard needle which was just right for the run in process. The car was then put on the rollers and given a short run to ensure all was ok before getting down to business. The first run saw low power as expected but the engine was running fine being as i had only set it up by ear to start with.

Spam then started vettling with a few things and gave the car a couple more runs. This showed improvements in the cars power and a smoother running engine. The end results are that although not huge power by any stretch it is putting out 50bhp at the wheels with 80lbs/ft @2846 1/min of torque.

This for me is just as i could hope for because the car has not been built to be a cruise missile but more a strong reliable daily drive and something to enjoy. The outcome of all of this is that i have ended the day by being very happy with the results knowing that my car has got the torque to deal with the roads conditions of where i reside, and that is in the hills and valleys of the gloriouse cotswolds. I can now start to realy enjoy the car for what it is. The only one thing left to do, is save some money and get the car into the paint shop where it will finally get it final set of cloths and glossy finnish.

Many thanks to Spam at Spamspeed for all his work on the block, and for being at the end of the phone when ive needed answers and finally for his time and friendship.

Piccys of the day will be added when i find the cable to my mobile (thanks to my little boy who has hiden it)

For your tuning parts, machinework, and even just general questions - SPAMSPEED Motorsport 01453 791888 / 07712 559563
SPAMSPEED MOTORSPORT - calssic car tuners - engine builders - rolling road tuning - Dyno shootout days - All with good humor and a giggle (humor and giggle always come for FREE as does a well make coffee). Once again THANK YOU SPAM.

[jay whiting]

Just an update of whats been going on over the last couple of days. Yesterday saw eight hours of flatting back, today saw more hours with the 1500 grit and water flatting back and cleaning. After all this was done, it was time to get some paint in the gun and start shooting. With the car all masked up the white hit the roof. Two coats of white went on the car before more flatting folowed by a further two coats. This left me with nothing to do for a few hours while the heat of the garage let the paint harden. It was then back to a light flatting to take the shine off and work out all the horrid little dust and overspray marks before the buffer came out. A couple of hours later i was happy. Then came care masking, this time it was on the roof to protect the new paint from that which came next.

With the roof safely covered it was time to reload the gun and get back to it. This time round i was shooting the blue. Oh and boy its blue. Now that the two coats have hit the car, its time to let it all sit overnight before the action starts again. I will be going back out to flatten todays effort before shooting more blue. So here we have a couple of pics of whats been going on. Sorry the roof is still masked out but this is what she is looking like so far from todays mamouth paint-athon.



















I think you will all agree, its come along way since;



I will keep the picys coming tomorrow. Hope you all enjoy......