890 replies to this topic

[analogue_radio]

Good to see you back Tom, & nice feature in Mini Magazine.

Can't wait to see these pictures of you sideways what times were you getting for the ring?

[Tomf]

The only time i went to time is was the time i spun lol, so not really sure...

[BadgerBaiter]

Only just found and read this project post mate.

Great write up. Fantastic job.... you are an inspiration

Just wish I had more time on my hands now!

[Tomf]

Well i have finally decided to start what i was planning to start over a year ago, go down the K-series route. I would had started this a long time ago, but after blowing the engine up i decide to build the 1380 to keep me going, so for now im going to start collecting bits for this project and when i have all the bits i plan to do the conversion prety quickly...

So today i started out but collecting a metro subframe The subframe comes from a metro GTi and still has the steering rack attatched.





Matching driveshafts:



Hubs, calipers, disks an flanges:



Gear selector mechanism



R65U gearbox, that has got the 3.5 diff perfect for the mini







The guy also had a mini steering rack in his garage, that look in really good condition that he chuched in for free

The plan is to use the 1.6 k-series lump using the standar MEMS system, i will be keeping everything standard on that untill i get a bit board lol, but the aim it to try and do this conversion for less that i paid to build the 1380 as i think that would be quite funny.

But as i say this wont be started for a few months yet as im going to be collecting up a stash or parts, so when i come to do the conversion i will be able to get it all done relitively quickly

Edited by Tomf, 31 August 2008 - 10:07 AM.

[photographymatt]

I worry...with a friend like you..how long will I be happy with my standard 1275 being installed now... look forward to more of the project

[Tomf]

HAHA, well i was planning on doing this conversion a while ago as i wanted more power and the 5 gear lol, so now as im not trying to make sure the mini will be ready to take to Nurburgring i decided why not lol.

But im not saying im not happy with the 1380 as it really is a quick little engine, that would rev all day long and just keep pulling. So im not sure what i will do with it once i get the k-series fitted as it would be perfect for another mini lol, but i know i wont be able to enjoy 2 minis at the same time, so i expect i will end up selling it in the futer , but ill try and hold on to it for aslong as i can.

Atleast i will be able to enjoy the 1380 for atleast a few months, maby longer depending if i have the time and need to the mini when i come to do the conversion, but it will happen and where i have been planning it out for so long, it should be a prety straightforward conversion for me

Have you got your mini back with its new engine now?

[kcchan]

Sell the Punt, keep snot as your daily runner then hunt down a minus. Sorted. lol.

[Tomf]

LOL that was the original plan, however after a proper think about it, its going to be hard enough to get it to fit in a clubby front, let along a smaller that standard round nose lol.

You made any progress on your frame? im still in two minds weather i should make my own frame, so its a better fit, but for the easyness of the conversion i expect ill just use this frame and weld up some rear leg brackets

[kcchan]

Did a little bit but I broke my angle grinder today so todays session ended early. Damn. Hopefully Ill get a replacement tomorrow.

I've got a question about your rear valance: It is FG isnt it? What did you do with the two closing panels(or whatever they are called)? The ones that go onto the bottom of the arches and then support the valance. Did you bond them or remove them or what?

[Tomf]

Fair enough it will be good to see progress on the frame as im still not sure if i want to make my own frame for this lol.

Not really sure what you mean with the rear vallance... Yea its fiberglass, i welded along the inside of the boot, so it joined the boot floor to the rest of the shell, i then bolted the fiberglass vallance in place, and fiberglassed the gap between the metal of the body and the rear vallance to give a smoothed finish i then finished it with filler

[kcchan]

Ill get hold of an angle grinder one way or another tomorrow and Ill pop a pic or two up tomorrow night after hopefully abit more progress. Its not as hard as it seems, just brace around the engine for a rough position then get the final position with the mounts. Im using alot of the pics from 16v to help.

At the bottom of the rear arches there are curved plates which kind of seal the valance from any crud getting behind it, Does the valance bolt onto them? Dont worry if you dont get what I mean, Im just considering a FG vallance as ill be cutting holes in mine.

Edited by kcchan, 31 August 2008 - 07:58 PM.

[Tomf]

Oh i understand what you mean now, now i removed the vallance closing panels as they were just extra weights and are concidered to be a water trap, not that it would matter with a fiberglass vallance lol.

Cool i look forward to seeing some progress pics

[Tomf]

Well i woke up this morning and my mum told the the garage phone up and said the mini needs an MOT so she booke it in for today, so she woke me up to tell me to drive the mini down to the garage and i was like nnnnoooo why idnt you see me first it wont pass lol as i already knew the handbreak cable on the passanger side wasnt working and the exhaust manifold was blowing, well i took it done there anyways and told them about these, but to do the MOT anyways and ill just fix anything else that comes up in the MOT.

Well concidering i already knew it woudl fail on the above i was really pleased with the MOT results, apart from the bits i already knew about it would have only failed on a split steering rack gaiter, one shock bush and one of the wiper blades wasnt cleaning the screen properly.

So i got the mini home, about 6 this evening, freed up the rear quadrant so the handbrake was now working properly, then i adjuste it up so they were ballanced.

I then took the shock off and changed the bottom bush (if you could call it that, there wasnt much left of it lol) then fitted it back in place.

T then undid the manifold and moved the carb out of the way, then i took the exhaust off where the link pipe meets the manifold y-piece, so i tried to get the manifol out, but as i didnt have it up on ramps i have to take it out through the bonnet, well i had a wiggle about with it but the y-piece was in the way, so i undid the bolts to get that off, gave it a few hits with the hammer, but it wasnt budging, so out came the grinder lol whilst grinding away i was like im sure i can smell fuel, but continue anyway and the y-piece was off, i then lifted the manifold out and realised i had broken the output pipe of the fuel pump off and it was leaking fuel down not good concidering i was just grining underneeth, i got lucky i think lol.

Well because the fuel pump broke i couldnt fit my new manifold, so tomorrow ill pop up to the mini place and buy another pump, get that fitted, fit the manifold, and then if there is engough time left ill drop it back to the MOT station to get another 12 month ticket lol

Also whilst i was at it i changed the rad to a brand new one as mine has a hole in it, (not to self dont buy second hand rands that are said to be in good working condition) whilst taking the rad off i realised the mechanical fan wasnt actually in the cowel so that would have been why the cooling was rubbish when stationary, well i mounted this rad alot better and the leccy fan is mounted better, i also re-directed the hoses, so they now run accross the front of the engine rather than the rear as this keeps them further away from the exhaust manifolds, thus keeping them cooler. Well atleast the cooling is going to be better than ever.

Well i say that but i have decided to sell the engine so it will be coming out in a week or 2 lol, the reason for the engine being sold is to help fund a new project that i will be getting in a month or 2 Dont tell my rents haha, all will be reviel soon.

[kcchan]

Ohhh, I like knowing secrets.

Just out of interest where is the mini place you know? The nearest one I know is in Cliffsend on the way to Ramsgate. Just curious because I could be travelling further than I need to. by the way I *should* have the frame done by the end of the week.

[Tomf]

Thats the one ill be going to im affraid bit of a mission, but atleast there is somewhere in a drivable distance.

Quality mate how you manage to work on the frame today? In the evening? As it was raining all day