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Hello From Jersey!


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#1 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 07:19 PM

hi there guys

well where do i start? im currently in the armed forces in the uk at the moment but i am leaving at the end of this year. I got a phone call last wekk from my wife who is already over with news that she had got me a present....I have always wanted a mini for as long as i can remember. Im not a car whizz at all to say the least but i have always wanted to learn, I had always planned on getting a mini as a project and learning more about the cars and how to be around one together along with teaching myself the mechanical side. However my wife being the amazing person she has has brought me a 1997 1.3i tahiti blue mini cooper. I have been scouring the internet to try and find out alot more about the car itself but there seems to be so many different variations from 1997 to 2001 when the 1275 engines were made. To top things off mine has white racing stripes with john cooper written on them which im not sure mean anything

Im trying to find out as much information on my particular mini as i can but im at a lost cause. The mini manual that my wife had a look over doesnt seem to say alot except its a 1.3i

what i think is that its a 1.3i mini cooper 1997 which when brought the original owner opted for the sports pack which is why it has the sport tyres wide arches raceing stripes etc etc

im taking it that my car is the one with 62 bhp??

the car looks amazing im so happy with it but im just trying to find out more about it. I take it its multi point fuel injection too as its after 1996?

the car currently resides in jersey with my wife till i get over next month. I have got myself a haynes manual so im planning to do alot of the servicing myself as i have always wanted to when i had my mini..

also, i have looked in the future if it is only the 62 bhp to look at advancing this and maybe getting a stage 1 to 3 kit for them...is it worth it?

i have attached a photo of the mini with my little one that my wife has sent me

kindest reagrds and hi to all!!

craig

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#2 Noah

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:08 PM

Hello and welcome!

There is a mini club in Jersey called conveniently the jersey mini club :P

So your car, to give you a tad more info.

Is 1997 - The first year they made the MPi and Sports Pack cars.
MPi - Multi Point Injection - A fuel injection system, don't need to worry about the choke and all of that hassle.
Sports Pack - As you said 13" wheels and wide arches

From 1997 onwards the mini featured safety features such as inertia rear seat belts, a drivers air bag and side impact protection bars as well as a high level brake light.

They also had improved heaters and roof mounted aerials.

Be warned MPi's we're made badly, thin paint and minimal rust preventative, so when you get back get some waxoil and pump it in every nuc and cranny, especially the sills. and doors.

If you need any help feel free to pm.

#3 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:21 PM

Oh now you have me worried ! You from jersey mate are you? I'm still working my way around cars let alone the mini haha ill have a look into where all the seals are, I take it I am right and saying mine is the 62bhp then mate ?

I'm currently scouring over a Haynes manual at the moment getting my head around the car and where everything is, are there any mayjor things that I should know first off on helping keep the rust off then ? It looks pretty damn clean so I want to keep it that

Im not a massive fan of clubs mate to be honest nothing against people I just like keeping myself to myself

Cheers for the help in advance!

P.s point out most of the seals if you have time !, I'm a novice when it comes to cars mate sorry

#4 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:25 PM

Sorry mate away he fairys thought u said seals not sills , is there any areas under the car that I can plug to stop the rust coming in ?

#5 Noah

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:27 PM

Oh now you have me worried ! You from jersey mate are you? I'm still working my way around cars let alone the mini haha ill have a look into where all the seals are, I take it I am right and saying mine is the 62bhp then mate ?

I'm currently scouring over a Haynes manual at the moment getting my head around the car and where everything is, are there any mayjor things that I should know first off on helping keep the rust off then ? It looks pretty damn clean so I want to keep it that

Im not a massive fan of clubs mate to be honest nothing against people I just like keeping myself to myself

Cheers for the help in advance!

P.s point out most of the seals if you have time !, I'm a novice when it comes to cars mate sorry


Thats alright mate,

I'm not from jersey nope, Essex lad :P

The sills are the sections just underneath the doors. Technically underneath the car, but out to the sides they're common places for rust to well engage its process shall we say.

I'll give you a quick explanation of which bit is what.

Doors - Fairly self explanatory (if you don't know that give up now :P)
Scuttle - Is the panel below the windscreen where the wipers are mounted on.
Wings - Again fairly obvious
Front panel - Is where the grille and the front indicators are mounted.
Front valance - is attached to the front panel but is located below the chrome bumper
Rear Valance - again this panel is located under neath the rear bumper, and sits above the exhaust
A panel is the panel between the door and the wing.

There are a few jig alignment holes on the front floor pans and the battery tray that you could stick a couple of rubber gromits in just to minimise the water coming in, and then eventually just weld them up.

If you need any help mechanically aswell with the basics, I'm studying Industry of Motor Vehicle Level 1/2 I can always send you a photocopy of the course book.


These are all the visible panels that you may not know what they're called. :P

Edited by Noah, 21 October 2012 - 08:28 PM.


#6 alex-95

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:29 PM

Hi, welcome to TMF. I would check the rear subframe too, and give that a coat of waxoyl.

#7 Noah

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:32 PM

Joke: You know what you want to do, just get a load of waxoil. And just spray the whole car. lol

#8 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:48 PM

Thad made it a lot more simpler, that would be great to have a look over the course book but I don't want to trouble you..... If you wouldn't mind when your next around your mini could you take some photos of the jig alignments and the battery try where to put the grommets in, ill get round to the wax oil as soon as I'm over next month, got her a cover and the wifes gonna keep her under that for now, cheers for the help mate much appreciated, did you say it was the 62 hp one just so I know ?

#9 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:49 PM

Cheers Alex, thanks ill check that out when I'm back

#10 alex-95

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:53 PM

I repaired my battery box and welded in the holes but you can see them in my project. Post 177 http://www.theminifo...d/page__st__165

#11 steven

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:56 PM

welcome to tmf nice looking mini

#12 Noah

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 08:59 PM

Yep the car should be around 62bhp. Wether or not its all still there is a different question :P

I'm in college tomorrow so will photocopy some of the book for you, in the mean time heres a link to it on amazon, its a great book as it will explain to you what each thing is.

You got tyre's, health and safety, Engine parts, Materials, Ignition types, questions definitions.

Very helpful for someone who doesn't know anything.

Here it is on amazon, not that bad value considering the info in it:

http://www.amazon.co...50853149&sr=8-1

#13 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 09:03 PM

Cheers Alex that's great ill get some rubber to fill that in, unfortunatly I can't weld haha !, cheers Steve thanks :) the main thing I need to do to her is just maintain her, she's got 12 month warranty and after that ill look at upping the engine I think. I'll get under her when I'm over and see what I can do, anything else that triggers your mind to do...I'm just making a list to do when I get over,

#14 Fossy313

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 09:08 PM

I'm hoping it is around there, according to my wife the cars in mint condition, cheers about the book I'm a bit short on cash this month or I'd probably get it, I do need something like that, I'm interpreting the Haynes manual slowly but I'm more of a pictures guy!. Is it worth at a later date getting a stage 1 kit for her, will it revive her a bit even with the ecu that's in it at the moment ? I'm talking a good few months down the line, I want to learn as much as I can about her and then slowly start tweaking

#15 Noah

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Posted 21 October 2012 - 09:08 PM

Cheers Alex that's great ill get some rubber to fill that in, unfortunatly I can't weld haha !, cheers Steve thanks :) the main thing I need to do to her is just maintain her, she's got 12 month warranty and after that ill look at upping the engine I think. I'll get under her when I'm over and see what I can do, anything else that triggers your mind to do...I'm just making a list to do when I get over,


Pick yourself up a trolley jack and some axle stands.

other than that really top it up with oil 20w/50 classic car oil is what I use though it may be different for the mpi cars. The owners manual may say 10w/50 but the oils nowadays dont have the additives that the a+ Series engines need.

Always run anti-freeze - water mix, top up brake fluid, stuff like that.




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