8 replies to this topic

[Hiks]

I recently got a sidewalk that isn't in the best of shape as a project build, I'm hoping to do everything myself on this and only take it for the MOT. Well that's the plan anyway, this will also be my first full respray which I'm looking forward too.

 

Its proving a little tricky though as the purchase was an unfinished project by somebody else which I usually don't take on, its going over somebody elses work and not knowing exactly what they did that makes the job 100 times harder but it was cheap and worth a gamble. At the end of the day it keeps another mini on the road.

 

I own a signage and graphics business so it comes in handy to have the unit and somewhere to work, I do need to be careful about dust and dirt though which isn't ideal with Mini's as I think I've got 40 quids worth of it in the Dyson but its better than my driveway. Also this is my first Mini rebuild, I'm more into old jap cars but my brother did a full restoration on a Monte Carlo and I did think it looked enjoyable and great when finished.

 

As we got it in and stripping it out (the Charcoal)...

 

 

I'll grab more pics tomorrow of in and around the car, I'm on a bare shell now pretty much and have a few holes to fix and also go over a lot of repairs which I don't like the look of but the shell looks good on the whole and the sub frames are practically new so it seems to be pretty solid as far as mini's go.

 

 

[Hiks]

So the plan of attack is to try and get on an even keel with what the previous owner has done, I've got missing parts here, there and everywhere and the electrics are a nightmare. The 1275 engine that came in the sidewalk has been removed and replaced with a 998 to make things even more confusing. Also my brother only has coopers so I have nothing to go and look at to compare so a little blind on this one having never owned a 998 before. I haven't got all the engine ancillaries either so its a bit crazy but should make for a good sense of accomplishment should everything work out.

 

Could anybody ID this carb for me? It was supposed to have a stage 1 fitted but I'm unsure since looking at it. Also if somebody could tell me if anything is missing linkage wise? return springs etc

 

 

Also the Loom is in a bad way, basically I want to sort the electrics out and the engine bits needed to test everything and give it a quick run (on private land) so I know what I'm dealing with so that's the first job really.

 

The loom has been cut and I've got this...

 

 

I'm guessing all that would find a home to this at the dash...

 

 

But then where the loom splits in the engine bay I've got another bunch of cut wires which I don't know where they would go, I'm guessing and hoping they are for the origional 1275 engine and not needed on the 998?

 

 

Shot of the engine bay, the one good thing is the speedo cable was very easy to attach with no front end and wings

 

[minimissions]

Hiya again mate nice to see another sidewalk being done. That carb you where saying looks to be a HS4 same one that's I have put on my clubby.

It's a real shame that it's had an engine swap as it should be a 1275 SPI unit in there and they really aren't a bad lump to have but there's always easy for a new one of those.

Keep the pics coming I am tuned in.

[Hiks]

Thanks for the info on the carb, I'll see if I can get a rebuild kit or something similar.

 

Yeah it is a shame, I prefer things to be original but I'll probably see how things pan out with the 998, if the car comes together well after the new panels, body work, respray and styling and I get attached to it I'll probably be coming back to it next year for either some tuning kits or a replacement engine.

 

I'm still finding my feet with Mini's though, the 998 is a little different from my MX5 engine bay though haha

 

[minimissions]

haha fair enough yeah that is a little bigger to work with. If you need any bits and bobs or help give me a shout i might have it or can source it for you. Hope you find your feet with it soon :)

[johnR]

Someone else's wiring bodges are always a pain - but as long as it's mostly original you should be able to identify them with a wiring diagram from a manual.    I wouldn't have thought there's a great deal of difference between the wiring of a carb'ed 998 and that of a 1275 - really it's only the capacity that's different unless you're talking injection..

I'd go through them and put masking tape markers on all the wires you can ID to start with, then work on any mystery ones you may be left with. 

If you haven't got one a basic car electric meter is a useful tool to see what's connected to what.

Good Luck!

John

[Hiks]

haha fair enough yeah that is a little bigger to work with. If you need any bits and bobs or help give me a shout i might have it or can source it for you. Hope you find your feet with it soon :)

 

Thanks mate that's appreciated.

 

Someone else's wiring bodges are always a pain - but as long as it's mostly original you should be able to identify them with a wiring diagram from a manual.    I wouldn't have thought there's a great deal of difference between the wiring of a carb'ed 998 and that of a 1275 - really it's only the capacity that's different unless you're talking injection..

I'd go through them and put masking tape markers on all the wires you can ID to start with, then work on any mystery ones you may be left with. 

If you haven't got one a basic car electric meter is a useful tool to see what's connected to what.

Good Luck!

John

 

Yeah I made a stupid mistake on it and now its making much more sense, its hard not to look at the other mini's in there but the Monte is a cooper and the BRG is a jap import cooper. On purchase the loom was out of the car and I routed it on the floor the same as the other two which obviously lead to confusion, now I'm seeing it routes along the roof and down the windscreen pillar and either through the inner wing or under the scuttle panel? goes along the scuttle panel (to where the previous owner cut it) then breaks into two for back into the car (switches and dashboard and around the engine on the off side which is all wired up already.

 

I think that's right and thats the job for Saturday, can anyone confirm?

 

Can't wait to get past wiring, I'm not great at it which is why I want to start with it to make sure I get it done and correct.

[CAU998]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Looks to be an interesting project, id love a late spec project like this. Looks like you have a nice blank canvas to build something special.  If i remember right your rear wiring loom should start at the point where its been cut. Normally joined with bullet connectors, pass through the bulkhead close to where its cut then run along the inside of the bulkhead to the a pillar then up and along inside the roof channeling down the c pillar into the boot behind the petrol tank to the sender unit etc. along to the n/s rear light along the inside of the hinge panel to the o/s light and fog. Hopefully its a standard 998 loom, as the later injection looms differ for obvious reasons.

 

As for your carburettor, you're missing a nut and washer for the throttle lever and the return spring that attaches to the plate (abutment panel) at the bottom and the throttle lever. You are also missing the choke cable trunion and retaining clip. Also assuming you'll be using your heater matrix, i'd imagine the best setup would be to use an inline heater valve and pipework to suit the bulkhead on your Sidewalk as this would then match the spec. of the last 998 late 80's early, 90's cars which used the same bulkhead and heating setup. Hope this helps, i'm sure someone will put me right if any of the above is wrong. 

 

Good luck!

[Hiks]

That's a huge help, thanks buddy.

 

I've got some pipework in a box for the heater but haven't gone through it all as yet, the info on the carb is great though as I've got a roses tin of bits and bobs which I can go through to see if I have the parts needed.