steve Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Decided to start a project thread for my new daily driver. Got it last week and gave it a clean and a service over the weekend. It's fairly tidy - no rust, but the engine is burning oil, CV's are clicking on lock (both ways), and a few other minor bits and pieces. Here's a photo of what it looks like. It used to belong to a bar called Winnies down in Queenstown and they had stickers on it and when they took of the stickers they took some paint too. So Bonnet need some heavy touch ups and there are a few other marks here and there. They also put a personalised plate on it so now I have a crappy new rego. Any suggestions for a clever/witty personalised plate? Template for build: I'll put up a project discussion when I figure out how to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 Recieved my first parts deliveries last week. Got an internal bonnet release An electric fuel pump so I can immobilse the car a little better New rear door seals as the ones on the car are starting to perish and the rear doors are bad for rusting out from water leaking in through these seals. And some rusty as cooper wheels LP918. I will get them sand blasted and probably powdercoated, or maybe 2K paint. Got a clutch spring return bracket and spring as they were missing when I got the car. Cleaned up and painted the bracket with some matt black because it was rusty. Also rolled out my old 1100cc engine. I think i'll give it a quick rebuild and drop it in as soon as possible as the traveller is running a bit hot, and I think the piston rings are getting a bit worn because it is giving blue smoke signals as I drive it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Small update: I have dissassembled my 1100cc engine and checked it over for wear. It wasn't too bad but there is movement in the top piston ring, so I have decided to bore the engine +20 thou and put in new ACL pistons. Might do a few small engine mods but I intend to drive it everyday so I don't want to go to extreme on it. Got my new wheels sand blasted and primered with 2K. I'll get them finished soon, but I need to save up for some tyres for them. The mini is starting to over heat so I ripped out the radiator and replaced it with another one which I had reconditioned, also put in a thermostat as it was missing, and rebled with new coolant. Started to fit my bonnet catch, but found lots of wiring tucked up by the old latch. The wiring looked a bit crap in places and I have some Hella H4 bulbs to put in so I am re-wiring the front of the mini. Hopefully it will be all done by the end of the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Well, I haven't updated this in ages but this is whats been happening on my rebuild. The wiring is all finished with new Hella H4 headlights installed. Got rid of all the crappy house wiring and twisted together and unsoldered joins. Also replaced the front indicators to being orange lenses and replaced the bulb holders and the rubbers for them. Installed my Moto-Lita steering wheel that I had been given at Christmas (I had to get a boss kit for it). Installed a new gear shift lever and lever extension - new old stock Speedwell parts. No photo's of the engine yet, but I have been working on it at Lynn Rogers Engine Reconditioning shop. Cross drilled the crankshaft. Have got the crankshaft assembly from the front pully to the clutch diaphragm balanced down to 0.3 of a gram. I'm still on the lookout for a 12G295 Cooper Head for the mini because I found out that you have to notch the tops of the cylinder bores to allow clearance for the valves if you put on a 12G940 1275 Head. Also got a 70 Amp alternator to put on - not sure exactly what will be required to change out the current generator and fit an alternator, but I'll work it out. Found the paint mixing codes on the internet for Old English White so will get my Cooper rims painted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted June 26, 2011 Author Share Posted June 26, 2011 So I have been feeling pretty guilty for a while now about not doing enough work on the Traveller, but here's a quick update about what has been done. I have had the wheels powder coated and got some new rubber on them. Put the back ones on the car already but I decided I would paint up the engine bay while the engine is out and I didn't want overspray going through and onto them. Finally got the engine back together (well most of it anyway) and I got Lee at Minibitz to rebuild the gearbox to paint the assembled engine up for me. Also purchased some Maniflow extractors for it. Didn't end up finding a Cooper cylinder head for it however Lynn Rogers did port and polish my existing head for me. Replaced the valve guides, got hardened valve seats, head was milled 0.105" to change up the chamber volume. Got Cooper inlet valves - 1.215". Rollmaster duplex chain. New bearings throughout the engine, new oil pump, and put in my MG Metro camshaft. I ended up replacing the pistons with ACL +0.020" standard pistons and getting the block bored and honed to suit Found some Mk1 Cooper trims that I will put in at some stage. I'm not a massive fan of brown interiors. Also got some classic Speedwell gauges to put in - found a tacho that I thought was okay, only to find a even better one a month after. Got new C.V.'s/driveshafts to match the diff and put new boots and new C.V. on where required. Got some twin carbs and gave them a quick clean up. Not sure what needle they have, but I can sort that later when it's tuned. Hopefully I will finish the painting soon and get the engine back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.