1154 replies to this topic

[Dog]

Why not be the first and go 16V A-Series Twin charge

[danwebster]

Close....I have rebuilt mine fairly regularly, but not because the top end needed it. I did about 12 month running before snapping a tooth off 3rd gear, so that meant engine out. As a matter of course I replaced the big ends and mains but they were as clean as the day they went in. Then I broke 2nd and 4th gear baulk rings in 7 weeks, so engine out again....then I did the baulks again in 3 weeks....engine out again, then I put the dog box in and did 3000 miles with no probs until I sold the car.

The engine rebuild i've just done is the first time i've taken the head off the block and changed the rings. The bores were clean as a whistle and as usual the bearings were spotless....so to be honest you could probably to 10 - 15k miles without touching the engine, provided you have the right bits in it.

[andywaller]

well that was a lot to read through.

at the moment i am thinking with my head and am on the n/a side at the moment.

i have just had a pm from johnk and it looks like i will stick with 1100 rather than 1200 throttle bodies to keep the bottom end driveability, but he says with the 1200's, if he was brave enough he could change gear at 9500rpm!!!!!

im not too worried about frequent rebuilds, i will be doing very regular oil changes, and its not going to be driven that much anyway! so if i rebuild it yearly in the winter it make no difference to me at all.

i have been working mad hours at work and coming home and trying to get stuff done on the mini so its a bit hectic at the moment!

i got stuck yesterday with getting the head off as i dont have any tourque sockets so couldnt undo the head studs but its all off and plonked on the mini block now

[MINIMON]

wowo you aint half moving now gonna be good and want to race when its finished

[andywaller]

stripped all the head down today, just the valves left to remove.

i also put the head in the parts washer at work the presure washed it so its a bit cleaner now. im going to sort out getting the head welded up next.

on the body shell front not much can be done due to the weather so its all a bit rubbish at the moment!

[andywaller]

well having acheived not much at all yesterday apart from a broken welder im have my builders hat on it the garden today me and my dad have managed to get most of the prep work done now, just need to finish leveling off and then we can order the materials. like everything though it just takes so long.


the head is now stripped fully with the valves out and i can see how much potential the little head has, i need to get my carbide burrs out and start grinding!

[andywaller]

just cut out the rear crossmeber on my subframe, didnt need it and it weighed in at just over a kg, cheack the weight saving!

[miniboo]

are you using coilovers?

[andywaller]

am now, due to some much needed advice on what works!

dan!

[danwebster]

you know it makes sense....pay no attention to the nay sayers....

[andywaller]

too right, im sure most of the people have no real experience of them where as you have developed the car with them and know they work.

im looking at pro tech ones at the moments as the seem to be very nicely made and sell mini specific ones as well. they have a trick bits to them aswell.


on the car front i have just finally finished the template for my baulkhead.

and today at lunch time i got to work on the head de burring every sharp edge on it, its the little touches that count! i did the same to my block as well!

[andywaller]

head is now fully de burred and i have started to make the bungs that need to be welded into it. i also started repairing the damage on the cover where the bike had fallen over, most of this will be cut off any way!

i have also just bought a tube notcher so as soon as im get the car in the shed i can get started on this, its coiming from america though so could be a while in the post!

i really want to get to work on the interior getting everything palce right, gear shift and pedal box can be ordered next month hopefully! and then i have all the main bits ready to get to work.

[Jammy]

I'm gutted I never got those Quantums! When I rang Quantum they said they could rebuild them into coilovers!

[andywaller]

yeah they were a top notch bit of kit, most of the miglia seem to run coilover dampers but without the springs and platforms on, guess they are just the better developed dampers.

[andywaller]

i feel like a child!

i have got my seat in my car and i have got my steering wheel in my hands, just need to make some broom broom noises.



i have found one thing out, im not as short as i thought, well i am but i dont need an internal pedal box with the way i am going to mount my seat so i will be able to get away with running a KAD biased pedal box.

so thats on my things to order list along with a internal gear shifter kit.

i also need to buy a UJ for my steering column as there is no way i will ever get it at a useable angle without, there well expensive though about!

that little lot is nearly £500 so it easy to see where all my money goes!