Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 Discussion at : http://www.oldschool.co.nz/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=8800 I bought this mini with the intention of hoting it up into a retro race themed beast. With the amount of rust discovered it became much more sensible to restore it to original to retain its value and buy another project mini. Isn't this always the way.... Check out the photos of the progress so far. I bought it November 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 And here is the rust. Rust in both A panels (Infront of the doors), Rust in both sills which had been patched (see photo), Rust in the rear valance, Rust in the rear apron and Rust in the boot floor and in spots everywhere else. Looking at it now it would have been better to get a new mini body, but instead we strived ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 This is the engine, as removed from the car. And a photo of the new sills fitted after extensive work on the inner sills and floorpan on both sides, and both A panels and rear edges of the wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 While the body was sorted I rebuilt the suspension and subframes and checked out the engine. This is the engine before instalation into the car. Minis are great as you can just fit the rear wheels and roll the body over the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 Now its down to the nitty gritty little jobs. The valves were lapped and the head tidyed up. New shocks and rubbers were fitted all round and new bolts where required. I couldnt use stainless as in UNF the thread becomes to fine to retain any strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 This is how it stands now. Ive hooked up the brake lines using all new copper-nickel tubing and fittings, just to get some fluid in to protect those seals. The steering rack has been refilled with oil and the wiring loom is in. Ive used the old loom as a new one is quite expensive, but have carefully inspected it for damaged and rebound it. This is a project completed over holidays away from uni, the next of which should be in four weeks. Ive got a new shipment of parts coming so will post up a photo when I get them. Cant wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted May 31, 2006 Author Share Posted May 31, 2006 Got my latest shipment of new parts. Here are some pics. Radiator Other Bits and Pieces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 Ok. One of the best moments in any projects life. Ive got it started. Cant find the video right now but its here somewhere. Have wired it all up and installed the fuel tank and lines, starter switch etc. Had a few issues with the main battery cable - was pinched and cut through the insulation - but have replaced it. As can be seen in the pics ive painted up the fan all nice and yellow - am starting to think it will look a bit like a candy shop with blue, green, yellow and red the four main colours. Again, its packed away into a different shed while I continue at uni but will get back for a mad weeks work around the start of september. Am hoping to get a drive in, even if just down the driveway and around the paddock, all depends if the clutch plate has stuck solid after a year and a half of stagnation. Ive switched the tyres and rims for some good ones, am getting the orignals blasted and painted up in Old English White. The budget dosen't quite strech to Minilites at the moment. The fan all painted up nice (16 blade steel). The tank in the boot with bootlid bolted on. Mini in the shed with the grill installed to see what she looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted November 22, 2006 Author Share Posted November 22, 2006 Ok, am home for the holidays and work on the mini is progressing. Over the last few months have been surfing trademe and brought bits and pieces, complete carpet set etc. Also got underlay cause I want this to be a quite cruiser. Have been tinkering on the engine, just have the clutch slave cylinder to fit and then I might get to drive the damn thing. Built up my own blasting cabinet, works realy well, dont want to get cancer from breathing in silca dust and dont want to pay for proper metalic grit. Cabinet - Construction ply, sheet of glass, $30 blasting gun from supercheap, $20 light from the warehouse, $30 gloves from protector saftey (hard to find good long ones for cheaper), old vacuum cleaner, bbq grills and plate cut up for inside, old white paint and a bit of wood filler - keeps it tidy. Boot- Glued up old rubber, sprayed on a bit of tyre black, just hope it seals. Engine Bay - Still working on it, Looking for a good rocker cover, have to fit up clutch slave cylinder and make new brake pipes, air filter housing is painted just waiting for it to dry. Interior - Have cut out underlay and fixed to the firewall. Have left out the final trim for now. Fitted underlay to inner arches and then carpet over them, hoping it holds. Painted up steering column and fitted it. Steering wheel is a bit rank but its hard to find a good original one. Indicator switch is around $250 for a new one, might have to splash out tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted December 13, 2006 Author Share Posted December 13, 2006 Ok, got a bit of work done in the weekend. Had my first drive! Have to tune it up proper so was gutless and with no sycro on second its a little hairy on the box. Have had to roll it off the pit into another shed (ahh the beauty of having millions of sheds) to pull the power steering out of my dads daimler V8. That was the most iritating job ive every done!! The power steering guy in NP dosent touch old stuff so we are tackling the rebuild ourselves, very complicated with lots of ball bearings and around 30 O-rings and seals. Back to the mini, have mounted one door and its hardware. With the warmer temps im noticing a better finish in the stuff I paint. Also, the blasing cabinet is worth its weight in high grade oil, if ur contemplating blasting stuff, take some time and make one. Ill put up a pic of my air filter casing, i bought some decals from a guy off ebay, looks mint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 Ok, So its been a while since ive updated. Better get a good one up. Ive been working slowly in between christmas stuff, a trip away at new year and work full time. Firstly, Around the 28th of December i fitted some new universal joints i bought of trade me. They aren't waht most people call uj's but they are what Mk1 minis have. The old ones in the pics and cast with a rubber cover which wears real quick with oil and stuff all over them. This is the old one: And the new nylon one which never wears: Thought idd also put up a pic of where they go. I put the old ones in just to get it going and was on the look out for the new ones for a reasonable price. To fit them you have to undo the steering arm and bottom ball joint and wiggle the hub around. The driveshafts (halfshalfs) also have a little movement in and out on a sliding splide joint. Its a pretty easy job but way easier with two people. Old one in: And the new one: Ok, ive been tinkering with little bits all the time, have fitted up more wiring, just need some grommets to get the headlights in permantly. Have had the starter motor out and apart to clean and oil the bearings, very simple and it makes a huge difference. Have fitted up the rear numberplate, which swings so you can drive with the boot open and still have the plate showing!!! Will get a pic sometime so you can get what im saying. Have Polished up bumpers and grill and bits, gonna have to get a new rear bumper and maybe evetually a front one but the slightly rusty one will do for now. (Only rusty on the back). Have fitted the windscreen, took a while with a length of nylon string to pull the lip over the glass and a lot of dishwash liquid to get it in there. Have a chrome strip to go in the rubber but am getting the panel beater to do that as its a pig without the right tool. Putting the windscreen in. Am still workig on the interior, carpets are being fitted slowly, getting the headlining in next week (very easy in Mk1 minis). Got the switched to wire up, there are only 3 so that wont take long. Interior Finally, just put in another rear quarter window tonight, have some final pictures, looking very 60's with the chrome hubbies, Got sliding window glass on the doors, just need to find good catches. Im hoping to get a wof before Feb 6th as there is a car show in my town and wouldnt mind showing it beside my dads massive limos. Would look kinda funny. Here are soe final pics of it tonight, Bloody long post but alot to cover. (Im in the process of painting the rocker cover so that is a temp one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 Been working on the mini every evening after work till 10ish. Got the rear windscreen in, just have to fit the little chrome filler strip. Wired up the headlights, got a little niggle with the dip being a little to dull. Fitted door cards, gear lever rubber seal, hid wiring in front valance, put heat shrink over old spade terminals. Got the rims to the shop today and got the old tyres off. Got some Old English White paint put in a spray can, and will rub the down and paint them up sometime. Finished wiring the indicators tonight, flasher was buggered but I had a new one just in case. Things to do for warrent: do up hub nuts and fit split pis find 2 more wheel nuts get dip working brighter fit seatbelt clips and clean up and put in seats tie up front to rear battery cable and fit grommets check all the nuts and bolts fit some ties on boots on cv's finish screen installation fit front number plate and few other bits and pieces got a new rear bumper ($100) and other bits coming hopefully tomorrow, will put up pics. have started clearing out old mini stuff from the shed and putting it on TM. If any of you guys need any standard bits give me a email. n.axten@gmail.com - you can have it for free if u pay for postage. Mini after its first partial wash, just to get off suds from fitting screen and dust from the shed. Wheels before they got striped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Ok. Worked for the last few days doing up stuff for the WOF. Took it through this morning. I take it to a friendly garage so they explained what needed to be done. I didnt connect the headlights because one of the wires was heating up when they were on, which isnt good.... Stuff to do for WOF Brakes - Mini brakes are very average (full drums in 10inch wheels) so the guy reccomended a full set of drums machined, a set of shoes radiused to the drums, and a set of new cylinders. Ill do the machining and shoes. Not sure about the cylinders, ive had them all apart and fitted new seals so they should be good, might have a second look. This is the two minis in convoy for the warrent. Next. So i got it home (back roads) extra 10k's or so . I had noticed the timing chain had become noisy all of a sudden so off came the cover which means out comes the radiator, radiator cowl, generator. And decided that at the same time idd do the water pump as well. The tensioner on early minis is two rubber rings either side of the teeth on the crank drive cog. Turns out one of mine had broken so thats why it got noisy all of a sudden. I took one off another engine I have, might be alright buy will get the local mini expert to check it out. The left hand one is the original, the right is the replacement off my spare engine. you can see where the missing rubber tensioner ring was. My nearly stuffed waterpump. So this is the mini now. All the brakes are apart and drums will be at the shop tomorrow. The radistor is out, along with the generator, starter motor (so I could lock the engine to undo the crank bolt), water pump is out, timing chain cover and timing chain is out. Lots to do and not much time, hence the rush... Other stuff for the WOF. Work out whats going on with the headlights. repack a wheel bearing oil a door lock fit a new pin in the handbrake cable Almot on the road... Will update again sometime when I get to tired to be out in the shed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 Been working on it again. Lots of New Stuff Photos.. Some of the new stuff including. -Fanbelt -Brake pipe fittings -Heater Hose -Water pump -Timing chain cover oil seal -Gasket paper Got my drums back from machining. Also new front wheel cylinders and full set of new brake shoes (radiused to individual drums) Decided to replace the rubber tensioning rings, as I found the local mini guy has them in stock. The old ones were really solid. Glad I did them. Old one at the top, duhhhh So. - other new stuff -Timing chain -Rear wheel cylinders - Made up new copper nickel brake pipes. So everything in the braking system is either new or totally rebuilt. No more WOF failures for the next few years. Waterpump and timing chain on. I also found this ColorPAK sprayer at the local panelbeaters supply shop. If you dont have a compressor and spray gun its a good alternative. You just thin up the paint, and spray it. Pretty good spray fan. Might even be good for people with all the proper gear to do small jobs. Think it cost me around $17. You buy new gas cans when they run out, but im still on my first. Anyway. Progress again. Will be rebuilding a wheel bearing and fitting up all the brake bits tomorrow. The fanbelt I have seams a bit small so might have to switch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted March 11, 2007 Author Share Posted March 11, 2007 Ok. So I had to head back to Uni but the rush to get it done was huge. I will find pictures when I can, think they are on my parents camera at home. The wheel bearing that it failed the WOF on was actually the radius arm pivot. So I took it all off and had it machined and refitted with a new roller bearing and brass bush. Fitted that all back and she was sweet. Fitted up all new cylinders all round with the machined drums etc. Put in more new brake pipes, the old ones had swelled at the ends. Took the complete front loom out and went over it again, found the problem, The braiding on the feed to the front headlights had worn off hugley and it was black underneath so I had plugged it straight into the earth!!! Shit!!! So that fixed the headlights seamed to work OK. Also, tightened up the handbrake, loosened up a door lock with some WD40. So I had to head back to uni but left my dad to finish getting the formal stuff. Got the brake shop to blead and adjust the brakes and the auto electrician to check out the headlight wiring, just to be safe. It now has a reg and wof. Finally!!!!!! Still needs a wheel alignment but otherwise it can be driven legally!!!! Will be heading home over easter maybe and pack it up for a few road trips to get some K's under my belt. Cant wait. 2 and a half years since I had a proper drive!!! Will try and get some pictures up this week. Now on the hunt for something cheap and new. Maybe a mini, maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted April 25, 2007 Author Share Posted April 25, 2007 Ok, update time. As I said, got a Warrent, time for a wheel alignment. My father took it in and they told him it was riding low in the front, which we had been suspecting. Took it to the mini specialist in New Plymouth, turns out you cant use a hydrolastic subframe with dry cones. Doh!!! So, have to replace the front subframe. I put the hydro frame in on the advice from a stalwart of mini racing (Swift auto in Chch), so maybe he forgot or something. So annoying but anyway... Picked up this subframe with hubs, drivshafts and steering rack for $30. Just stripped it, gotta degrease it and then drop it off for sandblasting in the Hutt where you guys have been recomending. Then a quick weekend back to Taranaki to fit it. That will be a marathon. Pics: Subframe after striping Crack which ill have to weld up: Bends ill have to bash out: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 Got some more doors just for the chrome trim, interior handles and chrome kick plates. These are what i bought These are the kick plates Also got the subframe cleaned up, gotta weld and panelbeat it then get it priced up for blasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 Got the subframe sandblasted and painted. $90 for blast, prime and 2 topcoats of black paint. Got it done out at seaview, very happy. Anyway, this is the clearance on the front with the hydro subframe in, remember, this is for originality so its way too low. So out came the old subframe, not too much trouble, lifted the body up over the subframe and sat it back behind. This is the old subframe as taken out of the car. So i set it up and transfered all the parts to the new subframe. Isn't it bliss to have a 16 x 12 m shed.... This is the difference between the old and new subframe, notice how the top of the hydro is higher than the dry. This was approx 20mm of extra room for the spring (See. Rubber Donut) to sit up in. Meaning when you start working with lever angles you get an amplified ratio. Hydro Tower Dry Tower More to come from today.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 So, I fitted up the engine and suspension to the new frame. No problems at all with that. Time to refit to the car, set it up, rolled the car over and dropped it down. Took a bit of fiddling to get it in, now 1st problem.... The tower bolts are different, the dry frames bolts are bigger the the hydro. And thet are also a bugger to line up and get in. So ive got some bolts to get, but can fit everything else up over sunday. This is the new clearance, looks massive but it hasen't settled down yet. Anyway, no more scraping on the grass down the driveway (There are many stones stuck in the cooling fins on the bottom of the gearbox, lucky they wern't too solid). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mk1Mad Posted August 29, 2007 Author Share Posted August 29, 2007 So I got my first drive in today with a the right ride height, wheel alignment and everything connected up. Was very fun, worth the wait... got little list of things im not happy with but theres no rush on these: Need one more RH chrome sill strip (on order soon) Get new indicator switch ($300 for Britian - no rush) Have steering wheel refubished (gone slightly tacky and small cracks) New smaller period exhaust (soon - the current one is noisy and centre exit) Track down some good metal (chromed) sliding window catches New steering column shroud Get 2nd set of wheels done in OEW Better hubcaps There is other stuff but at least it can be driven regularly now.. Anyway, pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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