Hello all!
I think it’s time I started showing you my project that I have started.
Back in 2009 I got my first mini which was my first car too. Rebuilt it completely with my father. I've sold it and changed cars twice now, from a 1275 Split coloured mini, then to a Honda Civic Coupe. And now I'm back, wanting to build another mini!!
This is the new project. I've had the car for more than a year now, and the project is still on going. I mostly haven't had to start getting into it as the car doesn't live at the home I'm mostly at.
So here it is:
1987 Austin Mini City
998cc Stage 1
The plan for this one is to see what needed to be done with it, tune the engine up to a nice fast road 998cc.
But as like all minis as you all know, it was just a walk in the park. I brought it quickly as I really wanted another toy to get building.
So when it arrived at my door, I decided to start stripping it, I knew there were a few holes in the body work, but it got worse as I kept digging...
Here is the beauty of what she is in full view
Did quite a bit of cleaning in the engine bay, you couldn’t even find an engine in there before, it was very oily and greasy.
Hole finding in the back of the car
Believe it or not, this was a tiiiinnnyyy little needle hole at the back, so I started prodding and realised it got quite large!
Starting to get emptied + anyone know what that steering wheel is, Rare? Crap? I’ll try and get a better picture when I can
More Holes
Mmmm! New panels!!
Engine out!
Stripped interior, no electrics anymore
Cleaning up the engine bay
Red oxide primered just to keep the rust off for the time
More holes
Now at this point I decided to start cutting the floor out and try and my welding skills out, but ended up not wanting to do the welding purely because I wanted it to look good and not like pigeon sh*te everywhere due to my poor welder not being the best quality in the world.
So I sent it away to the best man who knows what he’s doing and does it day in and day out on minis.
Mick Slater in West Midlands, you can ask him anything over the phone or face to face, and he will tell you exactly what it is or what you need instantly.
Engine Build
So the rebuild starts here:
This is just a standard 998cc with a HS4 Carb and LCB Mani and central exhaust.
Dirty vs clean
After a quick chemical clean
Mmmmm Greasy...
The Diff had alot of play in the pinion gears so I purchased some goodies!
Plus this rather good looking 12G295 Stage 2 Head, which didn’t come with collets or spring clips, but had to source them out and found a full set of the collets and springs from 2 different mini places.
Diff and gearbox all nicely cleaned up and put back together
But this is where I am at now. so from here on, will be up to date of where I am now.
Hope you enjoy my build, and I really like the comments and advice that you want to share!
Edited by Fewtch, 14 November 2014 - 11:24 AM.
I'm going to get +40 flat top pistons aswell. The block has been done but just waiting for the pistons to arrive at the moment
