39 replies to this topic

[Wise Old Elf]

Looks ace 

[lsto]

Well I took it for a re-test on sat and guess what... It only passed!

 

Been on the road for 5 days now and its brilliant. Brings back all the old memories of when I had my first one, the rattles, bumpy suspension and personality. I love it. Its been a long time coming!

 

Here are some piccys...

 IMAG0969.jpg   78.9K   20 downloads  IMAG0970.jpg   95.3K   17 downloads  IMAG0777.jpg   62.66K   22 downloads  IMAG0785.jpg   42.78K   15 downloads  IMAG0788.jpg   35.63K   4 downloads

 

 

 

[lsto]

Looks ace 

Thank you  I am happy with how its ended up finally

[Wise Old Elf]

LOL It has not ended. Soon you will start 'upgrading' and then it all starts over.   

 

I have thought that I finished a few restorations but then I started 'tinkering'.

[lsto]

We'll it hasn't taken long, I went out and bought a heated windscreen today, thought I'd prepare it for the winter lol

[lsto]

Wow...

 

Just realised how long its been since I updated this. Its funny how life takes over...

 

Anyway since I last updated a few big things have happened.

I am now the proud owner of a beautiful baby. Unfortunately this means my workshop I rented had to go as it stopped paying for itself so that had to go.

 

But anyway the car.

Been using it as my daily for work and back and I have found a few issues that I had to deal with.#

 

I fitted a ford style front screen for the winter which I highly recommend to anyone and everyone. I have not had a steaming up issue since.

 

My single box exhaust system was all well and good in the garage but became dreadfully annoying on the commute so that went and I treated myself to a Sportex twin box full exhaust system. Do NOT buy this exhaust, it fits awfully, I tried adjusting it several times but it would always hit the floorpan. I ended up making my own exhaust mounts to solve the clearance issues. Its nice and quiet now but it does not fit well at all and took me weeks to get right.

 

I also found out you can transport a complete engine in a mini.

 

Just remove your passenger seat...

 IMAG1324.jpg   76.8K   20 downloads

 

Borrow a friend...

 IMAG1328.jpg   39.82K   22 downloads

 

Job done!

 IMAG1326.jpg   55.8K   16 downloads

 

[lsto]

So in the eight months or so since she has been back on the road she has been pretty good. Bear in mind it sat in someone's garage for nearly ten years and because I didn't plan to use the original engine I only repaired the clutch, replaced the thermostat and water pump. I didn't examine it or overhaul it. I only rebuilt the carb and it had a full service.

 

She has been pretty good. The head gasket failed a few weeks ago, but I replaced that, also re-lapped the valves and replaced the stem seals while I was doing it.

 

And other then that I had a drum cook up on the way home where it decided to start binding. Wound it off and job done.

 

Anyway now that I have been driving it I have found a few niggles that I will update you with as I get round to doing them. One is a leaky gearbox selector seal and the other is worn steering column bushes. Once they arrive I'll crack on with that.

 

Anyway thanks for listening to me waffle on. Just quite happy that an old mini that sat unloved for such a long time can turn out to be so reliable.

 

Who knew?...

 

 IMAG0970.jpg   95.3K   16 downloads

 

 

[Callummax]

Really interesting stuff... is she still going well?

 

C

[lsto]

Really interesting stuff... is she still going well?
 
C

Well it was all going well till the middle of last year. The car was faultless but unfortunately it began to attract attention and started to get vandalized. As I live in a flat and couldn't afford a garage I suffered it for a few months but unfortunately I had to sell it.
I don't know if I upset someone. Or if it was simple jealousy but I never found out who it was.
It's gone to a happy owner who was gonna use it as a weekend car and repaint it, so at least it went to a good home.

Thanks for looking though, maybe one day I'll get another.

Cheers all

[mechainical]

I know this is a few months old, but that is such a sad ending to the story.

Some people just want to see the world burn!