780 replies to this topic

[alex-95]

OK then. 

I got my DSN adjustable engine steady arrived along with my longer fan belt so fitted them, plenty of room between the air filter and bulkhead now. You can see the cap I machined for the breather so that I could fill with new stainless mesh stuff. 

 

 

Also I made a bracket to hold the DSN coil bracket as it wouldn't go on a head stud, 5/16 UNC one side and M10 the other which there bracket fit perfectly for an M10 cap head bolt .

 

I think there were some other problems swell but the ones I can think of are that Burlen SU decided to send me a butterfly/throttle disc for a HS6 carb rather than the HIF44 so had to remove the carb and fit that.   I received the v5 back after 5 weeks of waiting rather than the 2-4 weeks that they stated, Not only did it take them 5 weeks to do,they managed to miss off changing the engine from 998 to 1293 so had to ring them up the next monday and they changed it that that day so took 6 weeks to get the correct V5. 

 

Managed to drop a small spanner when tightening the carb on, which of course fell into the 'bermuda triangle' of the mini

 

My next deadline was retro rides weekender, which again I missed  but we went in the daily. There were some stunning cars there. Johny F's and turbo nicks mini's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tried starting it last Sunday which it sort of did for a second but wouldn't do anything else, thats when I found the carb throttle disc was wrong. I then tried again Friday which it didn't start again  tried again Saturday after changing a couple of bits and still wouldn't. If I couldn't get it started I was going to rip it out and stick the 998 back in so had a bit of help off the forum to richen it up a bit and run a bit less advance, I also removed the carb once again to check the float level which was in tolerance but on the low side. I tried one last time and it Started      . Quickly checked the timing and ran it at 2000 rpm for 20 minutes.

 

Theres a video of it running on my instagram (the picture of the engine after the picture of the metro)

https://www.instagra...ken-by=atilley_

 

Dials working 

 

Oil warning light in front of the driver helps, also has the indicators in the same unit.

 

Outside after running for 10 minutes

 

 

Then..      ... the rain and thunder came so had to push it back in.

 

Pretty much all together ready to run tomorrow hopefully.

 

 

Oh yeah, Exhaust get Hot and can easily melt a custom choke cable and vacuum pipe

[JonnyAlpha]

Alex - Retro Rides popped up in my News Feed but I didn't go - looked good

[Twilton]

Nice work Alex! That engine bay looks something to be proud of!

 

I have the same loom tape as you and I'm wondering if you've noticed it holding any moisture?

 

I've used mine for the interior loom, but after seeing it in your engine bay...

[alex-95]

Alex - Retro Rides popped up in my News Feed but I didn't go - looked good

Cheers, It was a good show. You going to Beaulieu this year?

 

 

Nice work Alex! That engine bay looks something to be proud of!

 

I have the same loom tape as you and I'm wondering if you've noticed it holding any moisture?

 

I've used mine for the interior loom, but after seeing it in your engine bay...

Thanks, I'm pretty pleased with it, Annoying theres lots of pipes and cables everywhere.

 

I haven't, But then it hasn't been driven much, especially in the rain

 

Makes everything look much better, I've got non electrical stuff wrapped in it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again a problem arises  which I'm not really surprised about

I took it out for a short drive yesterday, it drives ok being that I'm taking it steady, the first problem it crunches changing down from 4th to 3rd, so I re-adjusted the clutch through. The other was the speedo died, So spent the rest of the day trying to solve that which I've now done and seems to be working ok, just the glass rattles. I took it out for another drive this evening to see if the gears crunch, which of course they still did chasing from 4th to 3rd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should have kept the 998 in...

[alex-95]

So then Beaulieu's next weekend ... better make some preparations ...   998 here we come      

[Will16]

Ahhh no way! Was looking so good man, thats gutting 

[Wiggy]

Bad luck with the gearbox. You'll get it sorted.

What really makes this car for me, is the number plates. The 3D characters just look so right. Modern plates on an older car really spoil things.

Where did you get them made up?

[alex-95]

Ahhh no way! Was looking so good man, thats gutting 

Yeah to say I'm pissed off is an understatement, One thing after another with this build. The thing that most annoys me is that quite a lot of it wasn't my fault, either what someones done (or not done) or poor quality part's. You pay people to do bits and not cheap either and they come to you wrong, out of tolerance or covered in swarf . But s*** happens  lot's of stuff to do over winter

 

You may have seen on instagram, nearly getting the engine out, I tried getting the pot joint out of the drivers side but it wouldn't budge, I have the proper tool for doing it, with a lump hammer and it wouldn't budge. I ended up (frustrated  ) breaking the boot tie and pulling it out that way, the passenger side came out easily.

 

Trying to remove the pot joint I managed to get my hand caught between the pot joint removal tool and a lump hammer  and came up in a blood blister. still bloody hurts. With a bit of faffing about removing bits off the 1293 that we robbed from the 998 to put back onto the 998 I managed to get it back in this evening. If the pot joint didn't take so long I would have been a lot further ahead.

 

Before fitting the engine I whipped off the clutch cover to remove the clutch leaver to lube it up. It was very tight to get off, had to press it out with the vice. This is what I was greeted by...

 

It felt fine when I was driving it last year...

 

quite a few bit's left to sort out, obvious bits in the engine bay, also got to test drive it to make sure it's alright, refit the dash liner and wash and polish it.

 

 

 

[alex-95]

Bad luck with the gearbox. You'll get it sorted.

What really makes this car for me, is the number plates. The 3D characters just look so right. Modern plates on an older car really spoil things.

Where did you get them made up?

Yeah thats it, bad luck. I'll probably do it myself this winter.

 

Yeah live the number plates. Exactly. I don't think you see it as much now but black and white/silver plates on later cars look terrible, even on mine they would.

 

They come from a place in Cornwall called tippers plates. http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk . Great quality and service.

[andyt]

Alex that is really bad luck with the gearbox, do you think its a baulk ring issue?

[alex-95]

Alex that is really bad luck with the gearbox, do you think its a baulk ring issue?

Thought I replied but yeah pretty sure it's a baulk ring issue, I asked guessworks and he said it's more than likely that. 

 

After getting the 998 back in and everything on, I tried starting it, which of cause didn't want to, after a few hours messing about with we managed to get it started. It got a little bit excited and made a mess on the floor. It's coming from the diff cover, the one removed from it to put on the 1293, thats just after 2 hours standing. Going to have a look at that tomorrow.

 

I thought I'd better test drive it this evening to see if there were any issues, the only ones I could tell was the oil leak and a few rattles. Just got to get the dash linings back in, should be fun with the extra oil warning light in the way.

[CAU998]

I thought I only seemed to have the issues you’re having at the moment! That’s really crap luck! Hope you manage to get the 998 sorted and I get to see the car at Beaulieu... Good luck!

[alex-95]

I thought I only seemed to have the issues you’re having at the moment! That’s really crap luck! Hope you manage to get the 998 sorted and I get to see the car at Beaulieu... Good luck!

Yeah theres always something, especially with mine . Hopefully the luck will turn **runs off and touches a bit of wood**.   Dad split the ball joints etc and popped out the pot joint during the day and this evening I undone the exhaust as one of the bolts on the diff cover can't be got at when it's in place . Took the cover off, cleaned it, stole the gasket off the 1293 as i don't have time to get a new one here and put in the O'ring to as the other was squished (think this is why it was leaking). and got that back together. Dad going to try and get the ball joints etc back on, so all going well I should be at Beaulieu 

[alex-95]

It seems like the oil leak is fixed, now leaks less than when it was in last year .

 

Going back to the overrider dilemma. I've sorted it with the help of some stainless, ally, a manual lathe, manual mill and a cnc lathe and a polisher.

 

 

 

Then gave it a wash, 

 

 

 

 

Not sure wether to go beaulieu 

[Steve8274]

Looking awesome. Have you got any pics of how you have attached your fog and reverse lamps? I have purchased some off jb fabrications and when I went to fit them after drilling the hole and bolting it in place, the bumper hits it.
Also have you fitted the bracket on the top or bottom of the rear lip?