28 replies to this topic

[redmini]

:wales: What a couple of days I've just had, took my mini down to my mates farm on sunday and took over his barn! In the afternoon I dropped the engine, front subframe and drive assembly out. Monday saw the rear subframe come off along with the fuel tank and interior, tuesday I cut the bulkhead out and fitted a home-made box (hope to god it's in the right place) and took all my suspension off ready for when my coilovers arrive. I also seam welded my front subframe as it's going on solid mounts, I should imagine there will be a lot of stress on it without the strength across the bulkhead now the box section's been cut out. Wednesday I fitted deflex bushes on the rear subframe and power washed the underside of the car ready for waxoiling, the rate it's all coming together I'll hopefully be on the road by the middle of next week, hell of a lot of hard work but thoroughly enjoyable......... Watch this space for further progress, I've got pics but not sure when I'll be able to up-load them

[Turbo Phil]

Good stuff mate !!
Let us know how you get on. Are you going to the Mini showdown ?

Phil. :grin:

[redmini]

Good stuff mate !!
Let us know how you get on. Are you going to the Mini showdown ?

Phil. :grin:

:wales: No Phil, sadly not. I'm doing all this as I've had a few tuned A series but never a turbo, it's quite an eye opener as to how much work is involved especially when my mini only recently had a ground up rebuild that took 12 months (mot'd end of january 04) It all started as an impulse buy at 45, best £500 I spent (I hope) :grin:

[Woody]

Wow ! you have been busy , We will have to convoy over to Robs and have a look :grin:

[redmini]

Wow ! you have been busy , We will have to convoy over to Robs and have a look :grin:

:wales: well you'd better make it sooner rather than later Woody, I plan to be mobile again asap :grin: it was seeing the 3 of you in my mirrors on saturday night that gave me the final shove into doing it I'm just waiting on a few parts to arrive but that shouldn't hold me up to much, can you mail me the pics from the car park to please? Ta muchly :cool:

[redmini]

:wales: well I think (hope) I'm getting nearer to completion , thursday saw me waxoiling the whole underside and fitting negative camber brackets to the rear subframe aswell as 1.5 degree negative camber bottom arms and adjustable tie rods to the front. Friday I fitted the fuel lines, feed and return. I also fitted the rear coilovers, rear subframe (waxoiled) and painted the engine bay. I also took delivery of an mpi tank, I didn't finish until 11.40pm so I think saturday will be a half day.....I'm knackered!!!! :mellow:

[iceman]

about time laaaaa! we are doing a convoy to Stanford Hall June 27th Sunday,at this rate we defo have another red onboard! :wales:

Attached Files

•  _CID__i1_06_12_03_15_27_07_Full_Rear_View.jpg   0bytes   0 downloads

[redmini]

:wales: Saturday wasn't even a half day, all I did was drive to M & M's in Warrinton to get brake caliper seals and stainless pistons. Sunday sees me off to light water valley to the northen big one (500 scoobies in a field so I'm told) as my mates got an sti 8 that's proper modded and stickered like Solbergs, guess where I got the need for a dump valve from :grin: okay so a 1293 turbo mini and a 340 bhp scooby aren't even worth comparing but he's spent over 30 grand on a car that nobody will remember in 45 years unlike what we've got :worship:

[redmini]

:wales: Well sunday was a long day but an enjoyable one all the same, not quite the atmosphere of a mini meet though. So monday was a nightmare, anyone fitted caliper seals before???? :sad: I also attacked them with a wire wheel in an eleci drill before giving them a coat of blue caliper paint, after doing them I waxoiled my front subframe and re-fitted it on solid mounts. Not as much progress as I hoped but not to worry, atleast I'm getting closer to dropping the engine in now

[Woody]

Good to hear you are making progress :grin:
we will try to make it over one night this week .

[redmini]

:wales: Excellent Woody, just give me a bit of warning so's I can hide my tools from Madman I think I'm struggling a bit as I'm doing the bulk of it on my own, Rob helps where he can but he's not home untill gone 5 and he's not used to working on cars to be honest. Not to worry, I get a greater sense of achievement when things are finished that way

[redmini]

:wales: tuesday saw me fitting front coilovers,re-fitting the front calipers with pagid 8 grooved disks and green stuff pads, I also put goodridge hoses all round, super minifins on the rear and bled the system.

Wednesday I started getting the engine ready for fitting, most of the brackets needed transferring off another engine so they were wire brushed, painted then fitted when dry. There was no fitting on the block for the turbo oil return so I drilled a fuel pump blanking plate and welded a pipe onto it then fitted it, I also lagged my exhaust manifold with thermotec before fitting it along with the inlet manifold. I bought a new 2core rad so that has also been fitted, things are slowing down a lot but I think it's mainly to do with no sleep and too much mini. Day off on thursday anyway as my little sister is getting married, sore head expected on friday (another slow day then) :grin: :wink:

[redmini]

:wales: God knows when I did what but the last week has seen me runnning around like a headless chicken, the engine went in on saturday and came out again. Everything seemed to fit perfectly but when I looked at the exhaust elbow I realised it wasn't a standard as it was hard up against the back of the subframe and the centre line of the exhaust went straight through the pot-joint on the drive-shaft the choice of words were very colourfull as I realised my downpipe wouldn't fit! The elbow that came on my engine had a 3 bolt flange on it, I'm not sure what it's off originally but the last few days have seen the engine in and out like a yo-yo and me grinding away a hefty chunk of the subframe(thanks Woody), cutting and bending pipe and eventually making the most peculiar looking downpipe I've ever seen. A lot of bother I know but I couldn't get a standard elbow from anywhere, anyway it is done now :grin: I've also fitted the fuel pressure regulator and made a start on the tank. I had hoped to be on the road for Stanford 2004 but I cant see it happening now, everyone keeps saying "all the hard work will be worth it in the end" I really hope so because I'm knackered

[Woody]

Keep up the good work mate :grin: , this will be one awsome Mini and soon :wales:

[redmini]

:wales: Well I haven't done much in the last week as I've had family stuff to take care of but it's back to eat sleep burp and fart mini again, it's nearly ready to start now but there is still lots to do. I've yet to wire the fuel pump which is going to be based on the vw system and fit a new interior, I'm glad I've had a week to get my head clear anyway as it was all getting a bit much :wink: