131 replies to this topic

[steveobennet]

three words. superb, and holy jesus! i know the feeling of stripping and building a car, but to do it in such a small timescale! hats off to you, only wish i had thwe funds to do the same!

[Sprocket]

Thanks for all the comments people, much apreciated

As for progress, well thats now in the hands of the suppliers. Waiting on an input gear nose bearing for the gearbox, a primary gear thrust washer, a brake line and a heater valve blank plate. Hoping to get the engine in and running sunday and paint the rest of the panels in the evenings of next week. This may swap about depending on the parts turning up, but looking good for te MOT on friday now. If it fails then I'm going to sack it for getting the car to Avon, but I will still be going

[miniboo]

now i may have missed something but what engine is going in at the moment?

1399 spi with turbo added later on?

looking good by the way

[Sprocket]

This IS the engine that is going in. 1399cc normaly aspirated SPi.

The turbo SPi will be standard 1275 and is a project not yet started. But, in the mean time there is the 1275 16valve multi point fuel injected turbo sat on the shelf waiting to be finished

[Mincento]

amazing project mate the time scale is truly astonishing i know of accidnt repair centres that could never hope to do it in that amount of time

the engine(S) sounds good especially the 1275 16v turbo thats the beemer head one isnt it?

wayne

[GraemeC]

Some strange questions - just to see if I can make life easier for myself in the future!

I assume the gearbox and drive casing are assembled to allow you to measure and set endfloats etc. Can the block be added when they are as shown or do you have to take them apart again?

Will you have to remove the pot joint gaiters to replace the drive shafts? They look freshly installed on the pot joints, but how can you get the inner clip/cable tie onto the driveshaft? Or do you run without that clip/cable tie?

[Sprocket]

As you say the transfer case has been bolted up to the gearbox to check idler gear clearance, this will have to be removed again to fit the engine, there is no other way. I think this is the best and more acurate way to do it as you are measuring the gap in a real situation, the gasket has compressed up when torqued up.

The pot joints are pre assembled, the boot attaches to the center rose that the drive shaft slides into, it is a seperateble seald unit, no need to disturb it again, the drive shaft mearly pushes straight into the joint.

[miniboo]

i have been fitting the brace to my front end after chopping it off and wondered what you did about the hole for all the tubes that go to the carbon cannister. I only ask because one of the holes for the bar to be screwed on is directly over the hole!!

[Sprocket]

The brace bars I have fitted just come to the edge of the hole, one of the bolt holes is open to the big hole. The pipes still go through where they originaly did

You could just weld on a plate. I did this on the air vent hole in the front panel as one of the bolts for the lamp bracket would be fixed to nothing otherwise

[miniboo]

So is the engine in then?

[Sprocket]

Aye it is

Didnt have the time to get it running. It seems I am running in to more problems now then I have across the whole project. These just set you back and back. So it will be tomorrow for a run

One thing i am a little concerned about is the oil pressure is 90 psi when cranking over with the plugs removed and new 20w50 Penrite running in oil. Going to wait and see what its like when its running and has warmed up. I did fit a new Ball and spring and did notice that i had to compress the spring quite a bit. If its still a problem, I'll rob the piston and spring out the engine i took out and see if that makes any difference.

Everything works electricaly other than the indicators and the head light flasher. I have changed the stalks as the clip was broken. I got these from Mini and Metro spares in Warrington, so, chances are its the stalk that is actualy faulty, knowing them.

Not going to have the time to get paint on all the doors so will only be doing the bits that actualy need it for now. It'll be a bit of a harlequin of different whites. LOL

[Mincento]

Looks good and with the problems is still good progress, keep it up

wayne

[Sprocket]

Fitted the fuel tank and had a go at starting the engine at lunchtime. after the first try, noticing the ignition timing was 180 degrees out when it backfired into the inlet. swapped the plug leads round and, woo hoo, it started. No leaks, no missfire no oil smoke, injection system running nicely.

Got to blead the brakes agian and also the clutch, fit the other driveshaft to the gearbox, tighten up the CV joint nuts and adjust the brakes. Thats the task list for tonight.

[Pooky]

Sounds great mate!

Nice work! Bet you can't stop grinnin! and can't wait to take it out again!

Woo!

[clarks.2006]

Loving this project keep the pics coming cant wait to see it done. Cant remember the torque for the CV joint nuts but i know there a lot