dr.wylde

Long overdue update! I've been using this car as a weekend pleasure cruiser, done a few tow jobs here and there. Just enjoying the car In a more Legal manner. So we headed away for a weekend in June and took the Stato on its first maiden voyage-not too far just an hour and a half drive from Waimate to Twizel to see the inlaws. I absolutely loved loading up the car with the wife and kids and going on a drive up the high country but... it wasnt with out a few hiccups. We were 1 km out of Omarama when the whole car started to shake up and down and side to side. ( quite a weird shake really cant explain it!) limped into omarama went to put the spare on and that was a no go as it was bald and deflated I was caught with my pants down. the old whitewall had started to separate $120 later and a mediocre replacement fitted we were back on the road anyways made it to the inlaws house enjoyed my weekend even though it was freezing cold. all was good until we had to leave two days later. The car started to miss just outside of Twizel that then grew into a backfiring out the carb. rang the inlaws got towed back to their house and we borrowed the Mother in laws cressida. I said my goodbyes and left a big slut in Twizel I called John from South Island couriers to bring the car back to me 2 weeks later along with $250. I tell you what it was an expensive weekend. Since then its just sat in my Garage I've been at the point where I dont want to sink anymore money into it ( as its hemmoraged so much money already more than I've let on here at OS) I have even considered moving it on. I'd tested the waters on Facecrack and got some interest but then it dawned on me I just cant bear to part with it. The thought of some young fuckwit making it into a boozer makes me angry. since June Mrs Wylde removed the Right hand rocker cover and found the rocker arm on Ex #7 torn in half and a destroyed lifter the cam lobe survived the ordeal though. My intial thought was that It jammed a valve when we were up in Twizel. so Today I took the head off unfortunately I stopped taking photos at this point but I got the Head off and removed the valve spring. The valve was not stuck! I'm confused as to why or how this happened. Can I get away with replacing the lifter? or will I need a new cam too? Or just LS/Chev/Big block it? TL:DR - A new tyre and a fucked engine!

So Mrs Wylde poked the rusty bits until they became holes we then decided to pull the rear window out what we saw afterwards was pretty ugly rear cantrail is rusted out ! Will be needing a rear roof cut off another car for this.

I'm not really in much of a position to be buying a new engine at the moment. keen for this to stay small bore for max open throttle doorts everywhere !

Please! that would be great!

Brave or stupid? time will tell! overall its got good bones . compared to what the poms start with! have considered the engine conversion route still not worried over the running gear first things first is to get the body in order it will need a new front floorpan and rear valance.

chat about it here!

Discus------------> Well I gone and done it again I bought another Mini. This time I wont be selling it! overview: its a mini the plates are on hold! it hasnt been on the road since 2003! and its got some rust! I bought from a fella down in the catlins, what you see here is all It has Im guessing it was used a a bit of a parts car. the front floor pan has had a dodgy repair in the past Its going to be a big job and its going to take forever to do it its got a 998 motor however its not the original donk! plan is to see if i can get it going and go from there on wether I tickle the motor up turbo 998s are what the poms are doing these days so that may be where I go with this cheers for now

Oh wow I've never had a page 2 on any of my threads before must be going up in the world!!!!! After I got the warrant I did a couple of tow missions even though I have yet to pay the rego. Now before I go on I wil say that things thing has always read a bit hot on the temp gauge and I always thought it was just wonky Holden thing (many of my previous Holdens were like this). so a Fortnight after the warrant I I went to Oamaru to pick up a fridge with trailer in tow, was an awesome drive there1 well going anywhere is awesome when your in a big old car. Temp was good Sitting just on the edge of the "normal Operating band" on the gauge. I then picked up my fridge and headed back through town. In Town i noticed the temp gauge rising when sitting idle in traffic it would stop rising when on the move. but it would not go down. On the outskirts of town I noticed that the rear was making a grinding sound and the engine was labouring to maintain speed. shit gets hotter again!! heaters on full noise!!! this helped got home 15km later and she blew the water pump hose. fucking coolant goes fucking everywhere! unloaded and parked the old bitch in the garage. By this stage I knew that it was time to sort out the cooling system. and investigate the rear brakes again as I had not long fixed the dragging issue it had after failing my warrant last June. I had a spare radiator out of an hq so I hoaried that in along with some spare radiator pipes I had laying around But That had a hole in it and didn't hold water!!. FUCK! so much for a temp fix on another note I got sick of the chrome shit under the bonnet so I dug out some spare rocker covers and repainted them along with the chrome air filter in wrinkle black. cos all the cool kids wrinkle shit these days moving on I sent my radiator Up to timaru to be cleaned out turns out it was 30% blocked according to the radiator shop. still yet to fit this right and finally the brakes finally got round to looking at this today (Always busy with other things hence why I dont do as much car work as I'd like to) one of the caliper bolts had decided to go AWOL so I pulled its mate out looks like I will have to take a trip to the engineering shop for another bolt also Scored some other goodies I have an 85A Alternator off a VP V6 that with a pulley change a few wiring mods will go on to the car as its exactly the same as the Factory alt. And some Twin AU thermo fans that will go in at a later date if shit continues to run hotter than I like. On another not I came across an Photo of my old Mini from 10 years ago had a very hot cam, exhaust and a Sidedraught Weber. It went that fuckin' hard it was

The tan interior isnt that bad! actually I quite like it!

Hey Neal! Nice score. at least the body is tidy as fuck mate. looking forward to seeing this progress rad

Cheers mate I'll be doing a more detailed update soon I hope

Warrant status achieved only took over 2.5 years!

By Fuck This is Sweet! The Colour! ( you now need a horn that yells BLIIIIING! when you hit it..) The Wheels! Well done! High five mate!

Yeah, Bug Braps!

Hey mate, Good score . I love these euro trash commies nice and light! interested to see your results with the edelbrock carb (contemplated one myself)