14 replies to this topic

[Cameron2310]

x

Edited by Cameron2310, 11 July 2021 - 10:58 PM.

[Magneto]

Both.....

 

I fed my curiosity in figuring out how things work by starting with simpler things like lawn mowers and vacuums, then progressed into cars. I also took auto shop in high school but mostly I'm self taught.

 

I read everything I could on the correct ways to machine and make parts, I took parts apart to figure out how they worked and cleaned and repaired them, I watched my dad and uncle work on their cars, and later started doing my own repairs.

 

There is no substitute for getting in and getting your hands dirty, but having a good manual and following it might save you some trouble down the road.

 

I highly recommend you start learning and reading now - not after you've bought your first car - this stuff is not plug and play. You need to learn the how and why as much as the nuts and bolts.

Edited by Magneto, 02 April 2017 - 12:24 AM.

[Mike L]

Magneto is right. Read manuals. Compare the specifications of the various models of Mini. If you know someone that works on their own cars, go help them. Pay attention to what they are doing. Ask questions but be aware that there are times when it is better to hold questions until later. Working on cars can be extremely frustrating at times and asking people questions when they are angry can be hazardous. Start by being their gofor ("hey, can you hand me that spaner?). This teaches you what tools are used for what task and gives them a reason to let you hang out with them. The learning process takes time. Be patient.

Or you could go the route I did. I joined the Air Force and became a ground equipment mechanic. After I did my four years there, I went to school to become a machinist. While I was there I met my life long best friend who was at the school to learn to be a mechanic. His entire family is obsessed with cars. He has been an ASE Master Auto Tech (ASE is a rigorous American certification testing program for automotive mechanics) for over 30 years. His dad and brother are both retired Chrysler workers. I learned a lot from them.

The bottom line is as Magneto says. Get your hands dirty. Start with small simple tasks and work your way up to the more difficult tasks and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Have good luck on your future project. It's very satisfying when you get it right.

Edited by Mike L, 02 April 2017 - 02:29 AM.

[jonlad]

Get stuck in and get a Haynes manual or similar.

 

Also importantly don't be afraid to ask questions that might seem silly to you. We all have to start somewhere.

 

Getting things wrong the first time shouldn't be considered a failure also. Its how we learn to do things right.

 

Good luck and hope to see your work soon.

[carthorse]

The bottom line is as Magneto says. Get your hands dirty. Start with small simple tasks and work your way up to the more difficult tasks and don't be afraid to ask for help.
Have good luck on your future project. It's very satisfying when you get it right.

This - start with small simple jobs, there's always something to do on a mini. Don't try and change a clutch or a subframe first, you'll get disheartened and frustrated. Start with something like giving the car a good general service. Buy some basic tools and change the oil and filters, grease the hubs and trailing arms etc. There's plenty of information and advice on here and other sites and the Haynes manual should be your first buy.

Good luck and remember even the experts on here once stood looking under a bonnet thinking 'how the hell am I going to get that nut off?'

[nicklouse]

One very valid reason for having and reading a manual is there is no guarenty that the person you are following has any idea what they were doing.

[Cameron2310]

x

Edited by Cameron2310, 11 July 2021 - 10:58 PM.

[sonikk4]

I jumped in where angels fear to tread and started taking things apart, then went from there. Manuals are the way forward, however they are only as good as the person who complied and wrote them.

 

If in doubt, take pictures as you go then at least you have a fighting chance of putting things back together. Get your hands on a Mini workshop manual, this one is on fleabay. Also a Haynes manual as well.

http://www.ebay.co.u...uAAAOSwhQhY1XUd

[Stu1961]

As above the manuals are great be it Haynes or Austin/Rover/BMC factory manuals. Best to ask questions if you are not sure I do, but ask on here not places
like Facebook as I have found most to be a bunch of ******* whether they know what they are talking about or not, and only to willing to take the p%^s.
Have a go at it no matter what the issue is that you are trying to overcome, you will in all probability surprise and surpass you're own beliefs of what you
are capable of.

Good Luck

Edited by Stu1961, 02 April 2017 - 04:47 PM.

[Magneto]

I teach automotive courses at college, I find that a lot of my students have no mechanical aptitude at all - for those guys it can be frustrating and difficult, but if you like working on stuff it can be very rewarding.

[Haynes]

Mechanically the mini is fairly simple and there's lots of tips and advice to be had here and elsewhere on the net.  The magazines also do plenty of how to guides with plenty of pics.

 

However getting access to some bits is pretty awkward but the worst thing about tinkering with an old car is things that just dont come apart that easily; nuts, fixings, shafts that are corroded in place.  But its experience that helps eg soaking something in WD40 or plusgas a few days before, good decent fitting sockets, cracking a nut a little tighter to free it before undoing.  If its tight waggle it back and forth with more wd40.

 

I started by thinking its gonna cost me such and such to pay someone to adjust those ball joints but I can buy the large socket and joint splitter for less and have a go myself.  I assume you wont be fixing it one cold dark winters night to get it ready to get to work the next morning, as its a project you can take your time and just have a go, do little bits at a time.

 

But the biggest issue is bodywork, fixing this requires welding and other skills.  Regrettably I cant weld and still have to pay someone else.

[ukcooper]

started by taking plug socket peace 's at 18 months old with a knife and sparking the wires and according to mummy it went down bank from there washing machine did not last a year after that when I got hold of dads tools, then they used take me jumble sales and buy thing to pull peace's like non working TV's radios  or down the local scrap yard for a hour or two with dads tools. strange thing is never interested in cars and really still are not went in for mechanical engineering when I left school and trained as a safe maker ( locksmith) on lathes miller surface grinders then on to cnc millers lathes, programing setting running jig making  ect .found lot of people with a love for mini in the trade so I bought one and when I could had one ever since .

[nollyd]

I always watched when i was younger.a few years ago now.made my first 50 quid changing engine in a triumph acclaim.manuals definately.but one thing i always do on a new job is take photos and more photos of what im doing and you have before and afters to look at later for reference.

[Cooperman]

Remember the classic Mini is now really old technology and, therefore, is quite simple in engineering terms. It is nothing like a modern higher performance car and as such is simple to fix when you know the basics.

You do need a decent imperial tool kit, but that's about all in order to do the basic stuff. For things like engine re-builds you need extra tools for measuring plus a torque wrench, flywheel puller (and a big hammer)!

 

We are all here to help with specific jobs such as swivel pin ball joint replacements, clutch and oil seal changes, braking system overhaul, wheel bearing changes, etc. In fact we are quite a nice lot of Mini-enthusiasts!

 

Then we move on to bodywork. The classic Mini is well-known as a rust-bucket and to keep the costs of ownership reasonable you will need to be able to replace body panels by learning to MIG weld. This is not as difficult as it may sound and most of us on here can do basic body panel replacement and, sometimes, the subsequent painting.

 

The biggest investment initially will be in acquiring a good tool kit and a MIG welder. Metric spanners are no use as the Mini is on old car using imperial nuts & bolts.

 

Good luck with this and remember, we are all here to help.

[surfblue]

I suppose like lots of folk I had a natural interest from a young age and was car mad by the age of 2.

One of the reasons I enjoy car mechanics is that I really really hate to pay garage labour rates for jobs that I can do myself in my own time which doesn't cost me anything at all. I will happily buy a specific tool to do a job and then put it on a shelf in the knowledge that the next time I need to do that job its there.