32 replies to this topic

[bpirie1000]

Good work with the first and second resto..... well done..

2 additional wheels for your fun these days.

What else are you planning to change on this second resto?

[bpirie1000]

Good work with the first and second resto..... well done..

2 additional wheels for your fun these days.

What else are you planning to change on this second resto?

[bpirie1000]

Good work with the first and second resto..... well done..

2 additional wheels for your fun these days.

What else are you planning to change on this second resto?

Also loving the tandem push bike in the background...

[miniGTS]

Thanks, the extra 2 wheels have been parked for too long as well. I plan on getting to that once the mini is sorted.

Changing the colour to bright red, getting the GTS arches fitted (these are the same as the Australian GT), chrome mirrors and I'll be going with the standard GTS decals and the engine will be mostly standard. Then interior I plan on getting some cooper s style bucket seats. Also have a mountney steering wheel.

[miniGTS]

It's been a while since I posted about the progress... it's been slow but getting there.

 

I started with the front subframe rebuild. I sprayed the subframe and upper and lower arms with black hammerite and fitted new MS Evo rubber cones, Hi-Lo trumpets, new knuckle joints, rebuilt the upper arms, replaced the lower arm bushes (which split when I tightened it up - very disappointing), heavy duty adjustable tie bar rods and new bushes.

 

Some pics of progress:

 

 

 

Before fitting I adjusted the tie rod bars to the same length as the standard ones and ended up with that space before tightening it up. Is that normal?

 

 

The split/cracked lower arm bushes:

[miniGTS]

I'll be fitting the front hubs later this month or early next... The bearings that came out were new when built years ago but it wasn't used much before it stood for many years so the bearings are good but the seals are not. I found a local supplier that can get seals but the inner seal won't have the lip. How necessary is that lip? I'll likely reuse the white nylon water seal.

 

The hubs will be fitted with the minispares 7.5inch conversion kit (instead of the 8.5inch setup that I already rebuilt) to accommodate the 10inch x 6J cosmics and yoko A008 tyres.

[miniGTS]

The bodywork is coming along slowly as well. I visited the workshop a while ago for an update and they recently sent some pics of progress.

 

Rusted wiper panel removed:

 

 

replacement fitted:

 

 

Old parcel shelf was removed and a replacement is ready to be fitted:

 

One side A-panel removed:

 

 

Boot floor is looking pretty bad as well:

 

 

There is still a long way to go...

[miniGTS]

It's been a while since I updated with the progress. I haven't had much time to work on suspension and other bits so not much progress there but the bodywork is getting on and nearing colour stage.

 

These are some pics I got from the guy doing the bodywork:

[miniGTS]

Some more pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[johnR]

It's been a while since I posted about the progress... it's been slow but getting there.

 

I started with the front subframe rebuild. I sprayed the subframe and upper and lower arms with black hammerite and fitted new MS Evo rubber cones, Hi-Lo trumpets, new knuckle joints, rebuilt the upper arms, replaced the lower arm bushes (which split when I tightened it up - very disappointing), heavy duty adjustable tie bar rods and new bushes.

 

Some pics of progress:

 

 

 

Before fitting I adjusted the tie rod bars to the same length as the standard ones and ended up with that space before tightening it up. Is that normal?

 

 

The split/cracked lower arm bushes:

You definitely don't want that gap! Also have you used the recommended combination of standard rubber bushes on the inside and poly on the outside of the bracket?

Edited by johnR, 07 November 2023 - 09:37 AM.

[stuart bowes]

were the lower arm bushes the correct offset type and fitted the right way around, that would affect the angle the bottom arm sits at (i.e. pulling away from the tie rod towards the rear of the car instead of angled slightly towards the front)

 

It looks like you did get the front bushes right to me.. the black one is the normal rubber (inside) and the poly outer is purple (or at least it is in the kit I bought)

Edited by stuart bowes, 07 November 2023 - 09:48 AM.

[miniGTS]

 

It's been a while since I posted about the progress... it's been slow but getting there.

 

I started with the front subframe rebuild. I sprayed the subframe and upper and lower arms with black hammerite and fitted new MS Evo rubber cones, Hi-Lo trumpets, new knuckle joints, rebuilt the upper arms, replaced the lower arm bushes (which split when I tightened it up - very disappointing), heavy duty adjustable tie bar rods and new bushes.

 

Some pics of progress:

 

 

 

Before fitting I adjusted the tie rod bars to the same length as the standard ones and ended up with that space before tightening it up. Is that normal?

 

 

The split/cracked lower arm bushes:

You definitely don't want that gap! Also have you used the recommended combination of standard rubber bushes on the inside and poly on the outside of the bracket?

 

Yes, I have the rubber on the inside and poly on the outside. The gap was before tightening anything up. So after tightening the nut a bit it pulled things together and closed the gap. 

[miniGTS]

were the lower arm bushes the correct offset type and fitted the right way around, that would affect the angle the bottom arm sits at (i.e. pulling away from the tie rod towards the rear of the car instead of angled slightly towards the front)

 

It looks like you did get the front bushes right to me.. the black one is the normal rubber (inside) and the poly outer is purple (or at least it is in the kit I bought)

As far as I know, the lower arm bushes were the correct ones and fitted correctly but they split after tightening it up. I decided to change them with the poly ones from MS and those fitted and tightened up without any issues so those have also been sorted now.

[miniGTS]

I got some updates from the bodyshop. They've sorted out the standard arches for the GTS. These are the same as the Australian GT. Then they have also given it a 1st coat of MS primer and will hopefully be doing colour soon.

 

Some updated pics:

 

 

 

 

[Sir_Swish!]

Coming together nicely!