715 replies to this topic

[MrBounce]

i googled PPC magazine and the first thing it came back with was the Professional Pest Controller magazine...

 

Wow! It's in there as well?     

[MrBounce]

A very minor update this time round as I've been snowed under with work and Christmas stuff. I've had precious little time to do much, but one thing has been bugging me since I sorted the heater pipes. There were a couple of 90 degree joiners and an assortment of straight pipes and jubilee clips. "This just will not do!" I said to myself, and credit card in hand went to Car Builder Solutions and ordered 3x 90 degree hoses instead. With a bit of trimming (cut a straight bit of pipe off one end), they went on looking much better and with a significantly smaller amount of clips. Much tidier, and less chance of leaks.

 

I've also had a thought about how to hang the exhaust. I've decided to use a late model Mini rubber hanger in the middle, and weld a bit of round steel bar to the exhaust so it can hang via said hanger. I have bent a bit of bar to size - I actually cut up and used part of the old handbrake set-up. Waste not, want not as they say. Yes, it's only an hour's worth of time in the garage, but given time is precious at this time of the year, I think I can forgive myself...

 

Tidied up the heater pipes. Much nicer, and less likelihood of leaks.

 

 

And exhaust "bar" bent to shape. This is of course a first draft and will doubtless need amending...

 

[MrBounce]

Do you ever get that feeling where setting the garage on fire seems to be the only solution to your car building issues? Today was that day where said feeling has reared its ugly head again. As I had left it for so long, I felt today was time to trial fit the exhaust and figure out where to cut/weld and also to add hangers etc. This should be a simple process, and one that would doubtless have been considerably easier if I'd simply bought a centre-exit system. But oh no, Mr Clever thought it would be a good idea to make his own.

 

The first issue I encountered was a pretty obvious one I should have considered beforehand, but for some reason never thought of. For those that don't know, the Midas has a 3 3/4" longer rod mechanism than a Mini. A Mini RC40 or Maniflow front pipe has a bend in it to clear this. My exhaust will clear this easily won't it? Nope. The bend comes EXACTLY where the bracket for the mechanism is fitted to the car. If I leave it as it is it will knock like an absolute pig. So before I do anything else, I will need to extend the front of the exhaust by said 3 3/4". So that will have to come off again and be modified. I *think* I have enough spare pipe lying around.

 

Second issue is that nothing seems to line up at the back either. Because of where the exhaust will hang, the hangers I have are a couple of inches too short and in slightly the wrong place. Because of the issue at the front of the exhaust I cannot make any notes of where the hangers should be or line up the back box for cutting/welding.

 

Add to the fact that I am working on my own lying underneath a car that won't play ball with a heavy exhaust that won't stay put, I have locked the garage door and will come back to play another day when I feel more like it. It's at times like this I REALLY want a lift in my garage, but it won't fit, and I don't have the money.  I have to admit I was sorely tempted to coat the car in petrol and casually toss in a match. However, over time I have come to realise that nothing fits properly on this car and I have to deal with it. I will come back to it another day. Now is not the day to try and do stuff - I will only make things worse,

 

Front pipe won't clear rod change bracket (the blue bit)...

 

 

...which means nothing this end will be right. Time to reassess.

 

[Quinlan minor]

It's one of my most valuable skills: the ability to get out of the garage, and go back in the house, before I reach for the really big hammer.

After you've sat down and de-compressed, I find a single malt often helps towards a more relaxed attitude the following day.

Sláinte and good luck.

Edited by Quinlan minor, 27 December 2020 - 04:59 PM.

[MrBounce]

Much appreciated Quinlan. I know exactly what you mean - being able to stop and walk away is a good trait to have. Plus I have 18 hammers, so using all of those in turn and/or petrol would not have ended well. 

[MrBounce]

When your day goes badly in the garage so you log on to Mini Spares and buy more parts to help with yesterday's issues, but mainly to cheer yourself up. 

[MrBounce]

Just a very brief update to let you all know that I haven't forgotten about this project or updating the thread. We lost my Mum last week so I have been doing a lot for Dad these last few weeks as he's understandable devastated after 52 years of marriage.The project is understandably not my priority right now. I will be back on it soon, but please don't expect any updates for the time being.

 

Dave.

[KTS]

very sorry to hear that.  wishing you all the best in these difficult times

[Ben_O]

So sorry to hear that Dave.

 

Look after yourselves

 

Ben

[wingnut]

Sorry to here that

 

John

[xrocketengineer]

Sorry about your loss.

[MrBounce]

Many thanks to all who have left messages, PMs and texted kind thoughts. It has been very much appreciated. Dad is doing ok and has been insistent that we sort all the shelves and shelves of stuff that Mum collected over the years. It's keeping him busy whilst we wait for the funeral.

 

One thing I was never 100% happy with was having fixed 1.5 degree negative camber bottom arms on the front as there is no room for adjustment. Some came up on this wonderful Forum at a decent price and once various lockdown issues were sorted, payment was made and they arrived on my doorstep. Thanks Pete! All the adjusting threads were clean and serviceable, just the outward appearance was slightly tarnished (as expected). Not a problem. Have bench grinder with wire wheel, will use it. I split the arms into their component parts and gave everything a good going over on the wheel, removing the tiny bits of surface rust and general grubbiness.

 

Once done, I masked up the threads and gave the newly keyed surface a coat of the same blue that the rest of the suspension components have. Once dry, I will reassemble them and put them on to the car and remove the old ones.

 

As purchased. 

 

 

Cleaned up, masked and...

 

 

...painted. 

 

[MrBounce]

I can't lie. I came perilously close to coating the car in petrol and torching it today. I have been having a LOT of trouble with the exhaust and it clearing the gear selector. Extending the pipe was done which was fine - it moved the bend in the front pipe past the body of the selector which was fine - exactly as planned. Unfortunately the problem is not now with the length of the pipe (said the actress to the Bishop) but the angle of the dangle. The selector itself is sitting slightly angled towards the driver's side, and this small issue is preventing the exhaust from sitting right, as well as making the selector hang a touch low. This is a remote tunnel with a rod selector, so nothing fits correctly, and my modified bracket doesn't make everything line up correctly.

 

I have therefore bitten the bullet and have ordered a bracket from Mini Spares. I am also going to make tentative enquiries into getting a Maniflow exhaust system made up. 

 

I know I should choose my battles but it seems that everything on this car is fighting me right now, and the lack of assistance from car-minded friends due to covid plus my recent news about Mum has put me at an all-time low with this bleeping car. If it was a normal car, I would have been able to bolt everything back together relatively easily. Instead nearly everything is bespoke and has to be amended or remade. I do not have the ability to be able to just knock things up on the lathe (not that I have one).

 

Seriously considering knocking it on the head.

Edited by MrBounce, 28 February 2021 - 04:39 PM.

[sonscar]

Keep with it,or take a break,whichever works for you.You are doing a sterling job with higher standards than some of us(me) would work to.You will prevail and then every time you walk past the tailpipe you will nod knowingly and think"I beat you"
Above all only do it when you are enjoying it,easy to say remotely I know.Steve..

[xrocketengineer]

Be patient. You have too many things that are working against you at this time. It is not easy what you are doing nor what you are going through. Slow down for a while and look at how much you have accomplished so far and be proud of that. The time will eventually be right to continue making progress.

 

Cheers,

 

Ivan