199 replies to this topic

[Nino]

I only have a small update today, as i am preparing all the last small bit so i can install the subframes and headlining.

 

so you guys will have to live with it for yet a weeks time. :)

 

im refurbing my heater, so i think im gonna paint the edge up again on the switch panel, because i think it used to be silver, but only is in a few spots now, after wear :)

 

then i have to finde some kind of foam, that was glued on the edge from original to the hatch(?) inside, as i got the old one powder coated. :)

 

 

few things came back form Chemical nickel and powder coat. :)

 

the new quick shifter was chrome and wanted that black as original.

clips for the heater got powder coated also.

 

had a issue with the guy i usually get my stuff powder coated at, he didnet want to do my old tank, so finally found another one, who wnated to do it :)

 

and the didnt know what to do wiht the handbrake either, as i couldnet find new rivets, so asked if they could dip it half, Which they tryed. now of the the painter incl the cage :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and i had to try to put on the petrol cap on  

 

 

 

I wanted to have the right windows in, with the original production logo on, so i have been collecting about 4 complete set, to get as little scratches as possible.

i cleaned so many, but sadly in the end with out luck, so ended up buy new ones, because of too many scratchs. im a bit sad about it, but better with clean new one for this car.

 but the ones i did clean was in the bathroom, as its was to cold out side, and really didnet had a good spot in the garage for it...  

 

 

new glass is about to arrive, so i also started preparing the frames

 

 

 

and i could not live with the old rusty mounts and hinges.

so ordered new hinges and sent the mounts of to rechrome, also i drilled the rivets of, to get the hinges and mounts of, so ill new to make some new ones. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

i also started taking this panel apart for paint and new brazel :)

 

[Nino]

I removed the old Bitumen deadening on the roof because they usaulally after time drips on the headlining and makes staines, then bougt new ones and applyed them..

forgot how much they heaped. !

 

 

 

 

ive got told that a lot of engine noise came trough the A pillers so i took a piece of cloth and soaked it in Dinitrol and stuffed it in :)

 

 

 

also sprayed all gaps and box sections till it ran out.

 

 

 

 

Finally i bought my self a nice tool chest ! :) very happy with it.

 

 

and i finally got my tool finished to bend the 8mm petrol pipe. :)

but the first follower i got made was too little, so the bend was horrible..

new one on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I reckon that will do  

 

hope you enjoy :)

[Nino]

Okay, got a little further these days.

 

went a little overkill, and got the tiny assembly thingys in the rear quarter frame treated with cemical nickel.

 

 

i also considered using the heat shrink on the handbrake wire, so the subframe dont rust. but might nok go freely.

 

 

I learned the hard way, that it was a good idea to heat the pipe brackets so the paint would not crack from low temp. they might have applyed to much paint.

 

 

fitted the new quick rack.... looking forward to try if it has some influence:)

 

 

 

Looks good

 

and finally it was time to fit the subframes permanently

 

but first i had to do something about this problem i noticed when i trialfitted the rear frame. the damper was slightly too big,and would hit the radius arms.

so i grinded it a tinny bit. to have a ok clearance. the photo is from before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i know that two 90 degrees is original but liked this better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had to celebrate bit a nice cool drink to this sight !!

 

 

then i can finally make the last brake pipe from the T union to the front subframe. :)

 

 

 

fits nicely, first try and 2 hours spent.

 

 

 

That was all. more to come ... hope you enjoy :)

Edited by Nino, 20 February 2017 - 09:13 PM.

[Northernpower]

Looks great, it's so nice to see a quality build come together.

[Nino]

Looks great, it's so nice to see a quality build come together.

Thank you. much apperciated :)

[Itsaminithing]

Good to see such attention to detail on this MK3.

 

Have you found any rivets for the side windows yet?

I think they are 1/8th"x1/8th" semi-tubular, truss head, nickel plated brass.

Only company i could find selling them is a pinball restoration company in America, they don't cost very much -but the postage & insurance costs are crippling!

(believe it or not there is an ancient link between arcade machines & car parts manufacturers! -but i can't remember what it was).

Edited by Itsaminithing, 19 June 2017 - 11:58 AM.

[Nino]

Good to see such attention to detail on this MK3.

 

Have you found any rivets for the side windows yet?

I think they are 1/8th"x1/8th" semi-tubular, truss head, nickel plated brass.

Only company i could find selling them is a pinball restoration company in America, they don't cost very much -but the postage & insurance costs are crippling!

(believe it or not there is an ancient link between arcade machines & car parts manufacturers! -but i can't remember what it was).

 

Many thanks :)

 

and also huge thanks for the tip about the rivets.

 

but i acturally ended up with getting some made by my uncle in stainless steel - and the windows are now fitted and working great and most important of all looking soooo shiny :)

 

here is a photo. - and yes ill soon do a new update.. sorry for being lazy and not updating more often haha :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Petrol]

I like this a lot. Mk 3's were the best vintage IMO.

Inner CV's and rod change were great improvement.

Later models had the front subframe rubber mounted and resulted in a loss of steering feel.

Nice build. That GTR looks a bit tasty too 

[Sleeping Park Lane]

Love the work you're doing, car will be amazing when you finish her.

Looking back to 2014 when I first posted on your thread - wow! What a transformation. :)

[PaulColeman]

If it were mine I'd remove that brake pressure switch in the line and fit an electrical switch to the pedal box. When I restored my Daughter's Mini I didn't and the number of times I followed her only to find her brake lights weren't working was worrying. In the end we pulled the pedal box and modified it to take a switch and now they work every time. Those pressure switches only seemed to last about a month and then fail and I must have replaced it 3 or 4 times (which is a real pain in the a**e as you have to bleed the brakes every time). Whilst you have it apart it's not a big job and it was the best modification I made to the reliability of her car!

Edited by PaulColeman, 25 June 2017 - 09:15 AM.

[Nino]

Thank you all.

 

to be honest, i cant tell. i have only driven a mini for a few kilometres, so i dont really have something to compare it to. :)

i just hopes that this one is up to my expetations :)

 

much apperciated.

 

the GTR is my mates, its a beast with arond 7 sec. 1/8 of a mile.

[Nino]

Allright, sunday on the sofa, after an awesome GP in Baku, better do another upload, since its been ages. :)

 

Lets start with the old handbrake.

 

finally got i dipped and painted.

 

 

 

 

but im having a slight problem with the pins for the handbrake cable, where it fixes to the rear brakes. its too big to slip in the cable. and i dont want to drill up the whole, because then the bracket on the cable will rust. have any of you had this problem. i bougth this one.

 

 

the its the heaters turn.

 

 

 

 

and found a way to do a níce new shiny edge on the panel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nino]

In February i went on a little shopping trip. not the more common trip to London, i went to Kent....  

 

 

 

 

 

 

lunch time, its mandatory in my book....

 

 

out in no where, i found this little beauty in a shop !.

 

 

drove by Brands aswell.

 

 

 

that Weekend was too quickly gone, i just love being in England.

 

but brought home some parts, just the essentials haha

 

[Nino]

I found an old Lucas Alternator and starter, that i would try to redo my self.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the long bolts snapped, but found a spare and was lucky enough to weld it out despite the it snapped below in the alloy cast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have for a long time wanted to try wrinkle paint, so figured i would try it on my starter.

the resault came out really good, but i did bake it the be sure.

 

 

 

20 minuts later.

 

 

- and yes, i got the clean the oven afterwards ...... haha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all done

 

 

[Nino]

While is was at it with the wrinkle paint, i did the wiper motor house and the valve cover aswell.

 

 

 

i bought a cool oil filler cap on my shopping trip, but i had to turn the neck abit, for the bird to sit even.

 

 

 

 

 

 

perfect :)

 

 

 

 

 

i found a matching colour for my switch panel aswell :)