575 replies to this topic

[minivanman]

Its been an eventful night - I've just bought my third mini! Its an MPi write off. My mate got rammed last week, and the shell is twisted. So the van now has a donor vehicle! I wont be using the MPi engine, Pikey7 already has his name on that. There will be plenty of bits for sale from it though. I'll put a list up when I get it home and rip it to pieces. Bad news is that its going to be next weekend before I'm home to pick it up :'(

[miniallsort]

sounds good mate let me no what parts you have up for grabs

[minivanman]

Not had any chance to carry on welding yet, so heres more pictures of parts I've got:
Stage 3 head - ported, big valves, double springs etc.

More bits n bobs: all the panels I need to finish off the back end, my twin carbs, and the a series manifold for em, and all the door and window seals I (hope) I'm going to need!

Got the allegro manifold off the carbs and found out they have the wrong linkages - they're about 1/4" out on the studs. I think we'll be able to just machine the linkage down though so they fit. Just spoke to my mate with the MPi, and the insurers are taking their time getting back to him, so it may be nect weekend now when I pick that up.

[minivanman]

Had a very good day today. Got all the underseal off the front end, degreased it and welded up some holes. There just one tiny patch to do now and I think I'm done at the front. I cut the rear valence off and started cleaning it all up where the rear subframe goes, ready for welding. Another two or three days should see the welding done now! The old "screwdriver test" only found two little holes anyway, so I must be doing something right! My cousins also putting his 1380 in, so tomorrow I'll have my engine for the van ready to tart up.
But of course I left my bloody camera at work so I dont have pictures

Edited by minivanman, 31 January 2007 - 10:30 PM.

[marksmini]

that speed-o.... i so want it..

can i ask,
where did you get it from?
about how much? (any links would be great)
how does it connect up to take the speed?
is the middle dital bit the millage reader?
if so tha takes the figures from the speed-o?
how can you adjust the speed-o to ensure it works the best it can?

been looking for something like that for ages now for my van for when i get her back.
look froward to reading up on that.

the build is doing great keep up the good work, its hard to get in the mood sometimes to do it but once your in full flow its very easy to stop again lol, anyways all im saying it keep it up your doing ok..

Mark

[minivanman]

Thanks Mark. The speedo was from ETB instruments, and it cost a lot :'( I got it for less than what it is on the website though, through a mate who got it at trade price for me. When you look at their prices, they are very reasonable really compared to smiths, and they are very well made. The magnolia ones with a brass bezel apparently look incredible! Its electronic - it takes its input from a magnet on one of the driveshafts. The middle bit has the total mileage and a trip meter as well. You can set it to the ratio you want using the button in the middle. It'll be a while before I'm at a stage where I can do this though so I'm not sure how easy it is.

Anyway, heres the latest progress:

Got most of the scaggy old underseal off under the back, and welded across the heelboard. Got a serious amount of spatter down my back and on my head as well.


The front is so very near to being sorted (heres hoping!). Got one little hole to weld up, clean it all up with the grinder and paint it. We also got MiniMatt's 1380 in, so I now have my 1275 to sort out in between bodywork sessions!

[minivanman]

Fappin' great day today. Attacked the nearside rear quarter:

Of course we found more hidden nasties (getting a bit boring now!). Today was the back subframe mounts. Looked ok from the outside, stood up to the screwdriver test, but when we got it opened up it was rusted badly inside. Made a monster repair patch up out af 16 gauge galvanised steel - that aint gonna rust again! 'specially not with all the waxoyl I'm gonna whack in it.


Got the M-machine repair panels welded in, and made a few of our own inside the wheel arch, its come up very tidy.


Ground back the welds and painted it all - I love it when something goes right!

Last night I went down to Northampton and got a windscreen with a green sundym tint from Icklemini, and a pre engaged starter motor for a tenner. Bargain! Spent about two hours talking to him, learning how a mini gearbox works

[minivanman]

Just when I thought I'd done all the welding on the front, I noticed that the filler on the front of the top subframe mount was bulging suspiciously - so I gave it a crack with the hammer. Of course, a great chunk of rusty filler dropped off, there was that much on there it looked like it had been put on by a plasterer! One swift plate later, and all was well. Front end of the car is done now! whoohooo!



Got all the front painted now. Just need to seam seal it and get some stonechip to spray it with, then paint it with black enamel. Should last a good few years then.



Cleaned the nearside sill off and painted it. We've also got the panel made up for the subframe mount on the other side, and the floor is just about welded up. Another 2 days welding and we should be done

[minivanman]

Had another couple of days working on the old girl now, and its moving along swiftly! Today we got the offside subby mount on, all (I'm fairly sure this time!) of the rust cut out and ready to be plated. The rear corner is screwed together to test fit, and when we offered the centre of the valence up it fitted perfectly between them. One more full day should see the welding done. When I get it back on all fours I need to get it up on its side and weld a bit in the exhaust tunnel and that is it! I have been seam sealing all the welds as well and I've got 2 big cans of stone chip ready to go on.

[Maxmini]

I love to try welding myself but it would mean buying another rusty mini lol looks like it is cominig on fast when do you think it will be on the road again.

[minivanman]

Welding is surprisingly easy. I'm using our big lincoln electric plant at work and with a bit of practice its so easy to do. I wouldnt even like to think how much it would cost to pay someone to do all this work! Its coming on fast because work has slackened off a bit so I can get over to the unit and work all day on it. I'm hoping to have it done as soon as I possibly can, I'd really like to do the BH2N run in it. I will probably be another couple of months on the bodywork, but while I'm doing that I'm getting everything else ready so I can just assemble it - thats the plan anyway!

[Maxmini]

Fingers cross you get it ready good work as for the welding I would like to do up a pickup but dont tell the missus lol.

Edited by Maxmini, 08 February 2007 - 11:33 PM.

[minivanman]

The back end is all assembled with screws now, and I've plated the last few holes in the floor. They aint especially pretty, but I'm not bothered because I'm panelling it out with wood anyway. One thing we are going to do is have provision for a tow bar/ towing eye.


Wheel arch - just needs seam welding and painting up now. Almost there!

[miniallsort]

great work mate top job

[Dog]

Missed a bit