22 replies to this topic

[johnR]

What a beaut! Trouble is you won't want to take it out of the garage!

[Viktor]

Beatiful car indeed. Love the small details on it.

[LoftyMK2]

So the use of the Mini Mk2 has continued over the last few months and it's been driving fine, apart from a slight eagerness to get hotter than i'm comfortable with at cruising speeds. 

 

Initial investigations found a very old radiator fitted, Evans waterless coolant in the system and a number of rubber hoses that were showing some hefty surface cracking, so the decision was made to bring forward the engine bay refresh to now, and the deadline is the forthcoming Mini show at Himley Hall. 

 

I started by draining the Evans stuff out of the system and thoroughly flushing it from every water way before removing the old rad.

 

It didn't look too healthy..

 

 

Evidence of clogged fins, previous brazed repairs and general age.

 

I purchased a super cool alloy rad from Minispares, along with new water pump, top and bottom hoses, bypass hose, 75c stat and some conventional anti freeze.

 

Here is how the engine bay looked once all the cooling kit was removed.

 

 

Although the shell has been blasted and painted in the past i suspect the running gear was re-installed with no attempt to detail it back to something like factory new, and while i appreciate it's a slippery slope, i've always done things properly, so i stripped the rest of the ancilliaries off the engine..

 

Ignition coil, dynamo, horn, wiring, plug leads, rocker cover, and then started hours and hours worth of rubbing, scraping, priming, painting etc.

 

 

New water pump painted, thermostat housing painted, water pump pulley painted.

 

The rocker cover before was a hand painted mess...

 

 

Attached the rocker cover with power tools and enthusiasm.., and then etch primer, filler primer...

 

 

Followed by more sanding then a healthy number of coats of Mid Bronze Green

 

 

Once baked in the outdoor summer oven i rebuilt the rocker cover with the Austin badges 

 

 

I painted the block and fittings in situ, then started work on the ignition system.

 

I sourced some NOS Champion screw on plug cap fittings, and some OE colour green plug wires and set about making my own ignition leads

 

 

Then refitted the new radiator, shrouds, and the rest of the cooling system, heater hoses, new heater tap and this is how it sits right now.

 

 

I'm still waiting on a new short neck 7lb rad cap, and a new horn assembly, hopefully they will be here tomorrow latest, and i have also ordered new VIN plate, commission number plate and engine number plate, they probably will not be here till after Himley.

 

I'll get some proper pics when it's all back together

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[Sprinkler23]

Very Nice work!

[bpirie1000]

A true labour of love this car.

Brilliant work and you should be proud as punch to take the credit for this great example..

Keep it going and keep us informed..

[LoftyMK2]

Not a huge update compared to some of the excellent projects on here, but an update none the less!

 

The recent works on the cooling system have proved really successful, the temperature gauge now sits in the middle (i know they're not wholly accurate) and there are no spikes in temperature at higher speeds.

 

The full service and new ignition components have made a difference to how it drives as well, feels a little more willing to pull, even with its meagre power output.

 

I had ordered previously the chassis number plate, commission number plate and the engine number tag from Mini sport, along with the correct for period Bluecol radiator sticker and Lucas coil sticker. Tiny points but they help in my eyes.

 

Before - see old plates on slam panel..

 

 

 

After 

 

 

Engine number and scrivets...

 

 

Decals -

 

 

There has been one item of essential maintenance, on the return journey from the last Sunday car meet, i noticed the off side indicators stopped working, this was eventually traced to a failed indicator switch, so a new Lucas item has been bought and it waiting fitment. The reason it's not been fitted straight away is that while i was in the steering column area i'd look into the tiny bit of excess play in the column, and when i took the bushes out the top plastic one crumbled away and the lower felt one resembled a dried up old leaf.

 

New bushes are here now, but i've also fell down the rabbit hole of refurbing the steering wheel. It had been painted before, with a fire hose i think, and there was evidence of 2 small cracks so this is where i'm up to now..

 

 

The cracks have been enlarged slightly and filled with epoxy resin, the wheels now in primer and waiting the top coat of gloss black.

 

Hopefully all back together this week as we're at another meet on Sunday morning.

 

Matt

[johnR]

Excellent work - what a lovely little car.

[LoftyMK2]

Car is now back together, ended up replacing the top and bottom steering column bushes so that's firmed the feel at the wheel no end.

 

Done a few local shows recently, always fascinating to eavesdrop on what people are saying about the car, so many people who don't know that the MK2 was even a model, with comments ranging from "he's fitted the wrong rear lights" or "it's obviously a Mk1 with Mk3 bits on".

 

I just stand and smile