96 replies to this topic

[BudgieCake]

Like a throne that, old Lizzy will be on the walkie talkie soon asking if its for sale. seam sealer and a brush can hide a multitude of sins ;) 

[g111mds]

Cool car. I really need to get another mini :) 

[MaxDempsey]

Cool car. I really need to get another mini :) 

 Thanks mate, they are useful to keep busy during lockdown  

Edited by MaxDempsey, 21 April 2020 - 09:26 PM.

[MaxDempsey]

Another update, I ran the front to rear brake line then set about fitting the subframe. Looking over the frame before I began I noticed all the holes had burrs around them so spent half an hour having to sort all them out. I suppose this is one reason non gen frames are cheaper.

 

2020-04-25_06-20-41 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Slightly annoying as I'd paid for the powdercoated finish however this ofcourse now damaged it so I'll have to keep an eye on it.

 

Getting the frame to fit was ... fun. Initially it lined up very easily however i then noticed I could move the front of the frame side to side as if it wasn't wide enough between the trunions.

 

2020-04-25_06-20-05 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I messed about for a while with spacers keeping the bush this way around but was never happy with the fit. In the end I've fitted the bush the other way, as in haynes, and this helps pull it all together and now there is no side to side play. All sorted then? No    I managed to strip the threads in one of the heelboard captive nuts on finally tightening the frame which meant dropping it back out for the 10th time that day to helicoil it.

 

2020-04-25_06-18-39 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Eventually I got it all in finally, and fitted the radius arms with minispares camber and toe brackets. On both sides of the frame there was a huge amount of weld which needed grinding off to allow the brackets to sit flush however with this done it one side lined up pretty well. The other side needed the holes opening in order to fit. I suppose this is expected with non gen frames.

 

2020-04-25_07-16-36 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then I built everything else up.

 

2020-04-25_06-19-49 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-25_06-19-35 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-25_06-19-18 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I also got my cylinder head back from turbo phil. I was going to do it all myself but as I was planning to go to IMM I sent it to him to fast track it. Obviously that's now cancelled but hes defintely done a better job than I would have. Its got bigger valves, 33mm in and 27mm ex. He did a few youtube vids if anyone is interested in seeing it where he shows the flowbench results of this head after the big valves were fitted. It now just needs a lick of paint.

 

2020-04-25_06-18-13 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-25_06-18-21 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I'm in two minds as to whether I'd buy a non gen frame again. I saved ALOT of money but had to do alot to make it fit. However would a gen frame has fit my car any better after 30 years of abuse?

[BudgieCake]

Rest of the car puts that head to shame  Looking good Max

[mini_matt_106]

Oh yeah that head looks incredible! I was wondering who the head was going to after watching the YT videos

[johnR]

Not much to show really this update but I'm at a loose end so might aswell update it. 

Since the last update I've completed all the welding on the boot floor, wish I'd fitted a whole new floor now as it's very patchwork quilty but nothing some seam sealer can't hide 

 

2020-04-21_04-25-44 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Won't show any photos of the welding for obvious reasons.

 

Also got the rear valance on.

 

2020-04-21_04-26-06 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then I finshed stripping, etching and stoneshipping the floors which was a horrible job to do on my back. Paints a little patchy here as it's just drying.

 

2020-04-21_04-28-14 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I got hold of a reamer so I reamed out the radius arm bushes. Then built them up with the backplates and got a coat of satin on the lot ready to go onto the new subframe hopefully later this week if I pull my finger out. 

 

2020-04-21_04-27-25 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-21_04-27-43 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Finally I had two knackered mk3 (?) brown vinyl seats and I needed one for the pass seat. The frames and foam were rotten so I ended up recovering the mk4 recliner with the mk3 covers. It sort of worked, the seat frame are fairly different shape wise and the mk3 covers quite poor but I managed to get it to a repsectble finish with the added extra of it still reclining. This was just sort of a test to see if it's worth trying to find some decent covers but I think it'll do for now.

 

2020-04-21_04-26-21 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-21_04-26-36 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-04-21_04-26-51 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Hopefully whens the floors dry I'll run the front to rear brake pipe, refit the fuel pipes and get the new rear subby in. It's a non gen one so not looking forward to lining it all up.

This seat looks great - like an old leather club arm(less)chair 

[MaxDempsey]

Small update, haven't achieved too much but Tom always nags if I don't update it. I started to mount the wastegate actuator, I bought a home made one which fit but i wasn't 100% happy with the angle it sat at on my turbo. Obviously it had been made for on another setup, and since you have to mod the actuator arm on the t2's I don't think they are all the same anymore  . I mocked it up on a spare engine I have and cut and welded it to give what I thought was good clearance. I then tried to fit it to the car and realised it just didn't  .

 

2020-05-08_05-48-10 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

To sort this I ended up completely restarting and just using the old one for parts. I ended up cutting the actuator rod down alot and mounting it off the top two downpipe bolts rather than the front two as it had been before.

 

2020-05-08_05-56-19 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-08_05-44-02 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-08_05-43-32 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I then test fit everything else on the scrap engine. I still need to machine down the inlet manifold mounting face asits thicker than my manifold .I'll do this back at work after lockdown on the mill so might make some stepped washers for the moment depending how long I'm furloughed for.

 

2020-05-08_05-44-18 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-08_05-45-15 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I also threw a coat of paint on the new head which is ready to be fitted now.

 

2020-05-08_05-42-53 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Should be making alot more progress with this being off work but I'm struggling with motivation now all the shows have been cancelled and I have no real deadline. I need something to stress me out and get me working faster  .

 

2020-05-08_05-42-24 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I must be the only person using a 1275 as a 'scrap'engine to mock up for a 998, definitely the wrong way around  .

[BudgieCake]

Looks good Max 

[MaxDempsey]

Another small update of little progress.

The inlet manifold that I bought with the turbo bits has a flange thickness way thicker than the mirage manifold. I was temted to file it or make some bodgy washers but in the end opted to ask my supervisor at work to mill the rear of the face where the nuts sit. I know if I'd have done it, it would have ended up on the other side of the workshop.

 

2020-05-18_08-54-56 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-18_08-56-33 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I then gave it a very quick going over with some autosol as the dry sandblasted finish was bugging me after having polishing drummed into me at work.

 

2020-05-18_08-56-45 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I then turned my attention to the oil drain. The t2 oil drain is some odd thread, I measured it as 7/8 x 18, nearly an m12 but not quite. I couldnt easily find a barb fitting of that thread (at least one cheap enough or free) so I end up butchering a renault 5 drain that came with the turbo. I wasn't a fan of the union type fitting so I lopped the union off, turned down so steel tube and planned on welding it together. My supervisor then assured me silver solder would be better and got it sorted for me. Much neater job, no tidy up needed and will be 100% oil tight (unlike if I welded it). It also creates an extremely strong join. 

 

2020-05-18_08-55-06 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-18_08-55-17 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-18_08-55-39 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-05-18_08-55-47 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Thats all for the moment although now I'm back at work I'm making the most of the access to the machines, things should start moving.

[BudgieCake]

May aswell bring the car into work and let them put it together at this rate 

[MaxDempsey]

May aswell bring the car into work and let them put it together at this rate 

My cars are always banned from the workshop 

[BudgieCake]

 

May aswell bring the car into work and let them put it together at this rate 

My cars are always banned from the workshop 

 

spose if they let your in they'd have to start letting any old banger from the block in 

[MaxDempsey]

Bit of a random update. Starting stripping the turbo carb for a rebuild, cleaned all the bits up and fit new bushes and then realsied the throttle shaft was too short in the kit. Actually my carb isn't from a mini but a montego or something so has loads of autochoke and stepper motor rubbish on it. I searched long anf hard to find a cheap hif44 I could nick the mini levers off but apparently there isnt many below 50 quid about anymore  . Eventually found a 20 quid scrapper hif 38 I can nick bits off and not feel bad about ruining one because I refuse to pay more than that for something scrapyards must have been full of ten years ago .

 

2020-06-15_09-27-12 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-27-03 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Body wise I was gonna start prepping for paint. Id noticed some bubbles on the scuttle before which I chose to ignore. On inspection it had a pretty big patch in the middle over rust and it had taken part of the dash rail with it. I repaired the dash rail and was going to patch the scuttle. Then decided already with 2 corner repairs I would need so much filler it would never look right. So i splashed out on my only heritage panel. Fit easy and lovely and the front end lines up amost spot on with no mucking about yet. 

 

2020-06-15_09-28-06 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-28-18 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-28-28 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-29-32 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-29-47 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

I also made a start on what I hope will work as hidden removable front fixings for the a panel to wing gap. Used a scrap radius arm pin and its all going to be 3/8 unf. Why? Because I wanted 5/16 UNF but not paying attention drilled the first one too big so they all became 3/8

 

2020-06-15_09-44-29 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-29-13 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

2020-06-15_09-28-57 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

[MaxDempsey]

Been about 18 months so time for an update haha. My turbo carb also did not have the correct holes in the casting to mount the choke so I drilled them at work on the mill then tapped them by hand.

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then I fit hertiage a panels and mounted my front end clips.

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then I decided since everything was cancelled I'd re take the car apart and fully paint it, while also changing the colour to a porsche burgandy.

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Welded up all redundent holes

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Shamelessly copied will16's bulkhead plates 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then started putting back together with the new head aswell.

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Then the outside. I took a week off work to bare metal and do the bulk of the filler work. Then I was lucky enough to have some mates come round to help me finalise and paint the car. My mate did the spraying and it is safe to say he did a superb job.

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

IMG_3433 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

IMG_3457 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

IMG_3462 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

IMG_3476 by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

 

On a slightly related note, the reason for slow progress is me getting districated by buying generally unreliable dailies and other classics. Ones of note are a 1985 Ford Escort, a 225000 mile subaru and a defender. I even had to fit a new engine into the focus because someone messed up the cambelt. 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr

 

 

Untitled by Max Dempsey, on Flickr