22 replies to this topic

[NickANZ]

Hi All

The following is a quick copy of my build thread from here:
http://www.oldschool...php?f=17&t=6320

I will try and throw up a short history to where I am at for all of you.

I bought this mini with the intention of hoting it up into a retro race themed beast. With the amount of rust discovered it became much more sensible to restore it to original to retain its value and buy another project mini. Isn't this always the way.... Check out the photos of the progress so far. I bought it November 2004.





And here is the rust. Rust in both A panels (Infront of the doors), Rust in both sills which had been patched (see photo), Rust in the rear valance, Rust in the rear apron and Rust in the boot floor and in spots everywhere else. Looking at it now it would have been better to get a new mini body, but instead we strived ahead.




This is the engine, as removed from the car. And a photo of the new sills fitted after extensive work on the inner sills and floorpan on both sides, and both A panels and rear edges of the wings.
+



While the body was sorted I rebuilt the suspension and subframes and checked out the engine. This is the engine before instalation into the car.



Now its down to the nitty gritty little jobs. The valves were lapped and the head tidyed up. New shocks and rubbers were fitted all round and new bolts where required.

[NickANZ]

This is how it stands now. Ive hooked up the brake lines using all new copper-nickel tubing and fittings, just to get some fluid in to protect those seals. The steering rack has been refilled with oil and the wiring loom is in. Ive used the old loom as a new one is quite expensive, but have carefully inspected it for damaged and rebound it. This is a project completed over holidays away from uni, the next of which should be in four weeks. Ive got a new shipment of parts coming so will post up a photo when I get them. Cant wait.




Got my latest shipment of new parts. Here are some pics.




Ok. One of the best moments in any projects life. Ive got it started. Cant find the video right now but its here somewhere. Have wired it all up and installed the fuel tank and lines, starter switch etc. Had a few issues with the main battery cable - was pinched and cut through the insulation - but have replaced it. As can be seen in the pics ive painted up the fan all nice and yellow - am starting to think it will look a bit like a candy shop with blue, green, yellow and red the four main colours. Again, its packed away into a different shed while I continue at uni but will get back for a mad weeks work around the start of september. Am hoping to get a drive in, even if just down the driveway and around the paddock, all depends if the clutch plate has stuck solid after a year and a half of stagnation.

Ive switched the tyres and rims for some good ones, am getting the orignals blasted and painted up in Old English White. The budget dosen't quite strech to Minilites at the moment.






Ok, am home for the holidays and work on the mini is progressing. Over the last few months have been surfing trademe and brought bits and pieces, complete carpet set etc. Also got underlay cause I want this to be a quite cruiser. Have been tinkering on the engine, just have the clutch slave cylinder to fit and then I might get to drive the damn thing. Built up my own blasting cabinet, works realy well, dont want to get cancer from breathing in silca dust and dont want to pay for proper metalic grit.
Ok, So its been a while since ive updated. Better get a good one up. Ive been working slowly in between christmas stuff, a trip away at new year and work full time. Firstly, Around the 28th of December i fitted some new universal joints i bought of trade me. They aren't waht most people call uj's but they are what Mk1 minis have. The old ones in the pics and cast with a rubber cover which wears real quick with oil and stuff all over them.




Ok, ive been tinkering with little bits all the time, have fitted up more wiring, just need some grommets to get the headlights in permantly. Have had the starter motor out and apart to clean and oil the bearings, very simple and it makes a huge difference.

Have fitted up the rear numberplate, which swings so you can drive with the boot open and still have the plate showing!!! Will get a pic sometime so you can get what im saying.

Have Polished up bumpers and grill and bits, gonna have to get a new rear bumper and maybe evetually a front one but the slightly rusty one will do for now. (Only rusty on the back).

Have fitted the windscreen, took a while with a length of nylon string to pull the lip over the glass and a lot of dishwash liquid to get it in there. Have a chrome strip to go in the rubber but am getting the panel beater to do that as its a pig without the right tool.




Finally, just put in another rear quarter window tonight, have some final pictures, looking very 60's with the chrome hubbies, Got sliding window glass on the doors, just need to find good catches.

Im hoping to get a wof before Feb 6th as there is a car show in my town and wouldnt mind showing it beside my dads massive limos. Would look kinda funny.




Been working on the mini every evening after work till 10ish.

Got the rear windscreen in, just have to fit the little chrome filler strip. Wired up the headlights, got a little niggle with the dip being a little to dull.
Fitted door cards, gear lever rubber seal, hid wiring in front valance, put heat shrink over old spade terminals. Got the rims to the shop today and got the old tyres off. Got some Old English White paint put in a spray can, and will rub the down and paint them up sometime. Finished wiring the indicators tonight, flasher was buggered but I had a new one just in case.

Things to do for warrent:

do up hub nuts and fit split pis
find 2 more wheel nuts
get dip working brighter
fit seatbelt clips and clean up and put in seats
tie up front to rear battery cable and fit grommets
check all the nuts and bolts
fit some ties on boots on cv's
finish screen installation
fit front number plate

and few other bits and pieces

got a new rear bumper ($100) and other bits coming hopefully tomorrow, will put up pics.

[NickANZ]

Ok. Worked for the last few days doing up stuff for the WOF. Took it through this morning. I take it to a friendly garage so they explained what needed to be done. I didnt connect the headlights because one of the wires was heating up when they were on, which isnt good....
Stuff to do for WOF

Brakes - Mini brakes are very average (full drums in 10inch wheels) so the guy reccomended a full set of drums machined, a set of shoes radiused to the drums, and a set of new cylinders.

Ill do the machining and shoes. Not sure about the cylinders, ive had them all apart and fitted new seals so they should be good, might have a second look.


Next.

So i got it home (back roads) extra 10k's or so .

I had noticed the timing chain had become noisy all of a sudden so off came the cover which means out comes the radiator, radiator cowl, generator. And decided that at the same time idd do the water pump as well.

The tensioner on early minis is two rubber rings either side of the teeth on the crank drive cog. Turns out one of mine had broken so thats why it got noisy all of a sudden. I took one off another engine I have, might be alright buy will get the local mini expert to check it out.

The left hand one is the original, the right is the replacement off my spare engine. you can see where the missing rubber tensioner ring was.




So this is the mini now. All the brakes are apart and drums will be at the shop tomorrow. The radistor is out, along with the generator, starter motor (so I could lock the engine to undo the crank bolt), water pump is out, timing chain cover and timing chain is out. Lots to do and not much time, hence the rush...


Other stuff for the WOF.

Work out whats going on with the headlights.
repack a wheel bearing
oil a door lock
fit a new pin in the handbrake cable

Almot on the road...
Will update again sometime when I get to tired to be out in the shed..

Been working on it again.

Lots of New Stuff

Photos..

Some of the new stuff including.

-Fanbelt
-Brake pipe fittings
-Heater Hose
-Water pump
-Timing chain cover oil seal
-Gasket paper


Got my drums back from machining. Also new front wheel cylinders and full set of new brake shoes (radiused to individual drums)


Decided to replace the rubber tensioning rings, as I found the local mini guy has them in stock. The old ones were really solid. Glad I did them.


So. - other new stuff

-Timing chain
-Rear wheel cylinders
- Made up new copper nickel brake pipes.

So everything in the braking system is either new or totally rebuilt. No more WOF failures for the next few years.

Waterpump and timing chain on.


I also found this ColorPAK sprayer at the local panelbeaters supply shop. If you dont have a compressor and spray gun its a good alternative. You just thin up the paint, and spray it. Pretty good spray fan. Might even be good for people with all the proper gear to do small jobs. Think it cost me around $17. You buy new gas cans when they run out, but im still on my first.



Anyway. Progress again. Will be rebuilding a wheel bearing and fitting up all the brake bits tomorrow. The fanbelt I have seams a bit small so might have to switch it.

Ok. So I had to head back to Uni but the rush to get it done was huge. I will find pictures when I can, think they are on my parents camera at home.

The wheel bearing that it failed the WOF on was actually the radius arm pivot. So I took it all off and had it machined and refitted with a new roller bearing and brass bush. Fitted that all back and she was sweet.

Fitted up all new cylinders all round with the machined drums etc. Put in more new brake pipes, the old ones had swelled at the ends.

Took the complete front loom out and went over it again, found the problem,

The braiding on the feed to the front headlights had worn off hugley and it was black underneath so I had plugged it straight into the earth!!! ****!!! So that fixed the headlights seamed to work OK.

Also, tightened up the handbrake, loosened up a door lock with some WD40.

So I had to head back to uni but left my dad to finish getting the formal stuff. Got the brake shop to blead and adjust the brakes and the auto electrician to check out the headlight wiring, just to be safe.

It now has a reg and wof. Finally!!!!!! Still needs a wheel alignment but otherwise it can be driven legally!!!! Will be heading home over easter maybe and pack it up for a few road trips to get some K's under my belt. Cant wait. 2 and a half years since I had a proper drive!!!

Will try and get some pictures up this week. Now on the hunt for something cheap and new. Maybe a mini, maybe not.

Ok, update time.
As I said, got a Warrent, time for a wheel alignment.

My father took it in and they told him it was riding low in the front, which we had been suspecting. Took it to the mini specialist in New Plymouth, turns out you cant use a hydrolastic subframe with dry cones. Doh!!! So, have to replace the front subframe.

I put the hydro frame in on the advice from a stalwart of mini racing (Swift auto in Chch), so maybe he forgot or something. So annoying but anyway...

Picked up this subframe with hubs, drivshafts and steering rack for $30. Just stripped it, gotta degrease it and then drop it off for sandblasting in the Hutt where you guys have been recomending. Then a quick weekend back to Taranaki to fit it. That will be a marathon.
















So I got my first drive in today with a the right ride height, wheel alignment and everything connected up. Was very fun, worth the wait... got little list of things im not happy with but theres no rush on these:

Need one more RH chrome sill strip (on order soon)
Get new indicator switch ($300 for Britian - no rush)
Have steering wheel refubished (gone slightly tacky and small cracks)
New smaller period exhaust (soon - the current one is noisy and centre exit)
Track down some good metal (chromed) sliding window catches
New steering column shroud
Get 2nd set of wheels done in OEW
Better hubcaps
There is other stuff but at least it can be driven regularly now..

Anyway, pics

[NickANZ]

Had some wheels down in welly with me to get stripped and painted. Sand blaster was $20 a wheel to blast and 2K prime which I thought was reasonable (same guy that did my subframe). I got some Old English White paint mixed up a while back so am slowly painting them. Looking really good, cant wait to fit the tyres up and put them on the car.

Mini has also had a new exhaust fitted, which I havent seen yet, but I had to get rid of the big bore centre exit pipe which sounded crap on the 850cc.
Ok. So my mini resides at home where my Dad drives it weekly. Ive been in the States for the last 4 months and during that time hes had the front panels of the front seats retrimmed (Tidy Trim, New Plymouth did a great job) and he fitted the white wheels. Really coming together as I wanted it now. Still a few more jobs to do when I get back but he took it to the Inglewood Car Show in Feb. Anyway, pics:








Dragged this up. Had the mini in Wellington for about 9 months now in storage but have decided that its not worth just keeping it in the shed, its there to be used. So, its now my daily...

So, got a new Rego and WOF.

Also two new tyres.

Then I looked at our exchange rate and throught, sweet, time to get some detail bits.












So. Been a long time since an update but as the exchange rate gets better and better, as I am about to start a new job, and as summer approaches I have decided to get the Mini all on tune ready for some summer running. So, que order of parts. Sorry about the bulk pictures but this thread is also a diary of my build. It was useful when I sold my Escort to be able to pass on the URL to its build.

First plan is to rebuild the head. Well actually rebuild another head I have that already has hardened seats fitted. Head is at Headmaster, has been crack tested and came up fine so I will drop new valves and guides in tomorrow. I have just kept standard valve sizes as being an 850, if chasing performance then its cheaper and easier to just fit a complete 998cc engine instead. I like the 850 and pudding stirer gearbox so its staying.

[NickANZ]

[NickANZ]

[NickANZ]

OK. Thats it up to date, almost....

I have painted the head and rockercover and have fitted everything up. Im currently having some issues setting it up correctly but think I will check compression and carb settings this weekend and see whats up. It will start but is hesitant to rev, backfires etc. I have set the timing to DTC but should I be advancing it as I am now running on 96 unleaded? Rolling roads are hard to come by over here... As are mini experts.

[miniman_7]

Looks good!!

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

What a cracking little car!! Great project

[bcjames]

Beautiful mini!!! It looks perfect.

[NickANZ]

Cheers for the comments guys. No current pictures as I dont have a good camera I can take into the shed. Ill try and borrow one this weekend.

I am also currently re-bushing the door hinges to cure a bit of door droop. I'll have to try and hunt down someone to mix up some more paint to repaint the hinges too. It lived outside for a couple of winters so needs a little paintwork fettling here and there at some point too. Maybe at the end of the summer.

Nick

[NickANZ]

Hi Folks,

Ok. Time to see if someone can offer me some advice! Unfortunately I have changed a lot of things all at once which in hindsight might not have been the greatest idea! Anyway, I'll describe below the changes and then the problem I'm having..

850cc Mk1 originally running standard head, standard dizzy, everything else standard. Engine had started smoking and was difficult to start when warm. I knew the valve seats where in a bad way so decided to replace the head with a spare. The timing marks were also jumping all about (with a stobe) so I decided to replace the dizzy as well.

Work Done:

• Spare head rebuilt. It is a standard 988cc casting, although with hardened seats, a tiny bit of work done to the combustion chamber (hotspots rounded off) and a light skim.
• New electronic dizzy from simonbbc.co.uk.
• Carb (1 ¼ SU) stripped, blasted and rebuilt with new seals, jet and float needle valve.
• New inline fuel filter fitted.

Setup work completed:

• Deck cleaned, new head gasket fitted, head bolted down and torqued. Valve clearances set to standard.
• Exhaust bolted up, new gasket.
• Carb bolted up, new gaskets.
• New dizzy fitted and timed to TDC on No.1 with stobe.
• Spakplugs cleaned and gapped.
• Oil and filter changed.

Problem:

The car starts fine, on choke when cold and without when hot. Once running however, no matter where the mixture screw is (lean or rich, up or down) it lightly backfires out of the carb. When reved from tickover (with or without the dashpot damper fitted) fuel spits out of the carb mouth and again, it lightly backfires. I have attempted to drive it in and out of the shed as it is but any amount of load placed on it causes it to bog/stall.

• I have rechecked the valve clearances and no valves are stuck open.
• I have triple checked the timing and it is at TDC at No.1.
• I have fitted a new fuel filter and checked the float chamber/needle valve all is working correctly.
• I have compression tested and all cylinders are showing 130psi (worn bores, to be dealt with in the future).
• I have switched carb pistons/needles/springs with a spare.

From my thinking, my options now are:

• Something is blocking one of the vacuum passages within the carb body.
• The change in head has changed compression ratio too much (shouldn’t have as approx same volume castings).
• I am now running on 95 octane which requires ignition advance/retard.
• I need to change the carb needle.

So, If you have any suggestions please let me know. I think my next step is to clean up my other old carb and fit this to see if that works. Im getting fed up with this and want to get it running for our summer!!

[new_zealand _minis]

good to see more nz minis round .. .. you wanting to take it to the truck show in wellington? im in lowerhutt .. i do have 2 other 850 motors taking up room in my shed if that intrests you

sounds like the timing is really far out .. see if the vac line is working not being held open

you using engine oil in the dash pot ?

you know of phil dean in upper hutt the mini expert ?? might be worth giving him a call ... pda automotive

[NickANZ]

good to see more nz minis round .. .. you wanting to take it to the truck show in wellington? im in lowerhutt .. i do have 2 other 850 motors taking up room in my shed if that intrests you

sounds like the timing is really far out .. see if the vac line is working not being held open

you using engine oil in the dash pot ?

you know of phil dean in upper hutt the mini expert ?? might be worth giving him a call ... pda automotive

Cheers mate. Nah, never really been into the club seen aye.

Those extra 850's sound appealling. You don't happen to have a spare 1 1/4 SU and an early style dizzy clamp do you? I don't really have the room at the moment to store whole engines tho.

Yep, I've seen on MOWOG's website that PDA Automotive is a sponsor so will be taking it over to him if I can't sort it out soon myself!

I'll check the timing again. It may need to be advanced with the unleaded change. Yep, just 20/50 in the dashpot although it runs the same with the damper in or out.

[Thorpsta]

Are all those other classics yours?