61 replies to this topic

[Risky]

Risky: do you have Any photos of yours?

Yea sure, he looks like this at the moment. I'm going to fit some hi-lo's this thursday so it should go a little lower.
The wing still has to be repainted in the right colour, but that will be done soon when I've got some spare time!

[DaveJH]

Looks like an interesting base, please tell me you are changing the colour though!

[Marc_mcq]

Risky that looks tidy! Looks very nice!

Looks like an interesting base, please tell me you are changing the colour though!

I have been think about this today whilst I've been working on it... The paint is in very good condition, I cant find any rust anywhere apart from the a-panel. Its going to be a lot of hard work and money just to change the colour but it it pretty horrendous. If I'm going to all the trouble, i might aswell do it how I want it.

[Marc_mcq]

A bit of a small update...

Spent a couple of hours working on the mini tonight and have stripped out most of the interior. It went nice and smoothly... no rust anywhere! I think i have bought my self a solid mini!

here are a couple of photos although I imagine all of you know what a mini looks like with no seats haha...





There was one thing that i came across that worried me a little bit... when I was trying to remove the upper dash rail i noticed a lot of crumbley orange type metal. I think they call this rust haha...

Anyways, i think that it is just the inside of the dash rail but could someone please confirm this?!



Also, any tips on removing the dash rails? they seem pretty stubborn! How do you remove the choke and heater cables? do you need to remove the choke cable from the carb and pull it right through? I haven't had a proper look at this yet, just want a bit of a heads up for when i do it.

Thanks!

[Marc_mcq]

Another small and probably insignificant update...

Finally managed to get the dash rails out with a bit of a fight!...



Got all of the rear stripped too...



Windscreen out... I was surprised how easy this come out!



And i made some brackets to mount my seats to the roof to make some extra space... i was quite impressed by these haha.






I have a couple of questions if anyone can help me out?

I want to remove the heater but I understand that I need to remove the two hoses that come from the engine bay. I am unsure as to weather I want to put the heater unit back in when I'm done, so is it possible to just bypass the heater?

Also, when i removed my seat belts, they locked in position (like when you pull on them hard) and they don't seem to want to release. Have I bust them or is this normal and how do you release them?


Now I have got most of the interior out, the wires are worrying me! There is a lot of them!

Thanks!

P.S. Let me know if I'm posting too many pointless pictures!

[MINI WILL]

Nice mini!!!

To remove the heater.

1 Take off the two pipes on the heater (have a small bucket some water will come out).

2 Lable and unplug the wires that connect up to the switch and heater.

3 Unscrew the two screws that attach just under the switch panel it will then drop down.

4 Next you have two nuts on the back undo them aswell.


To bypass the heater you will need a cyclinder head take off ( http://www.minispare...ty=pb&pid=33696 ) and some new pipe and attach to the lower radiator hose i think.

Some info on the seat belts they should release.
http://auto.howstuff...s/seatbelt3.htm

[Marc_mcq]

Thanks for the info mate. It appears that mine has been taken off before and re-attached with tyraps so this might save me some time!

The way that I looked at the way the heater worked, was that the heating was just a bi-product from the cooling system and if you were to connect the hose from the cylinder head directly to the radiator this would just bypass it? Correct me if I am wrong please.

Thanks,

Marc.

[MINI WILL]

Hi marc

Yes if you were to run a hose from the cyclinder head to the rad i think thats right, but what about when you need a heater in the winter ...

[bcjames]

I wouldn't want to forgo demisting capabilities once winter gets here! Even with a heated screen, the warmth can be nice at times.

[Marc_mcq]

I wouldn't want to forgo demisting capabilities once winter gets here! Even with a heated screen, the warmth can be nice at times.

Hi marc

Yes if you were to run a hose from the cyclinder head to the rad i think thats right, but what about when you need a heater in the winter ...

I won't be driving it in the winter. Its going to be purely for leisurely drives on a sunday afternoon haha. I was thinking about removing the heater because when I removed the carpets and sound deadening, they were both wet below the heater and I also think that it would tidy up the interior a bit.

Were there any minis produced without the heater? Or are there any photos of any minis with the heater removed? I've had a search but can't seem to find any.

My mind is torn! Keep or delete?

Also, I was going to buy some 10x6 wellers for the car but was informed that they wont fit over my 8.4" discs at the front. Gutted! I love the 10" look!

Are there any 10" wheels that would fit over my brakes? Preferably 6" wide?

Thanks.

[craig 1010cc]

My 1st mini was a 81 HL (as was 2 of my mates), all of which got scrapped after our 1st year of driving

Looking at your shell, it looks like a later one with the bracket under the rear seat, the MPI front panel/bonnet/brackets on the bulkhead so i would guess it was either reshelled with a new MPI shell or could well be a heratige shell there (which would explain why you can only find evidence of the bright yellow paint)

Edited by craig 1010cc, 30 September 2011 - 07:21 AM.

[mini-luke]

One thing to remember, a lack of heater isn't a very good selling point.

[Marc_mcq]

My 1st mini was a 81 HL (as was 2 of my mates), all of which got scrapped after our 1st year of driving

Looking at your shell, it looks like a later one with the bracket under the rear seat, the MPI front panel/bonnet/brackets on the bulkhead so i would guess it was either reshelled with a new MPI shell or could well be a heratige shell there (which would explain why you can only find evidence of the bright yellow paint)

How would i find this out? would there be evidence on the logbook?

One thing to remember, a lack of heater isn't a very good selling point.

Thats a very valid point! I think i may be tempted to keep it. there seems to be too many down sides to taking it out.

[Marc_mcq]

My mind is definately not made up now! I have cam across this picture and I REALLY like the look of this. Also it would save me a lot of chew removing all the wiring loom etc to repaint the car as the paint is in really good condition to be honest!

See below:



Sorry if this is anyones car by the way, I found it on google.

[bcjames]

A MPi shell wouldn't have a cut out on the inner wing where your radiator is, and the upright behind the grille would be in the centre, not offset. Your bonnet is correct for an MPi.

Theres other bits else where but those are the most noticeable, unless someone has chopped off the mpi front of a new shell to fit an older type!