517 replies to this topic

[benjy_18]

thought its probably about time to stick a thread up.

i bought frumpy this time last year with the intention of doing little cosmetic touches in time for me passing my test, which obviously was a bad idea as winter didnt treat her too well. but i started driving her at the end of march and getting some miles on the tyres going to college, then came time for the L2B. surprisingley she made it the whole way with no troubles at all!
some of you may have noticed her mainly because of the sticker.

about a month ago she went round the clock and decided to start misfiring and spluttering so me and the guys at college decided it would be best to rebuild the engine and subframe. (i do motorsport engineering at brooklands)

so me and a friend started taking the front subframe and engine out one morning and had it like this a few hours later.



all was perfect until i decided to repaint the front where i had debumpered it, all i found was filler so with help from my dad this happened



i havent got any more photos but there has been some welding done to the offside damper mount as that was rotten away totally.

hopefully i can do a lot more over christmas.

[benjy_18]

not much has happened but ive got a growing pile of parts in the bedroom so hopefully over the christmas holidays ill be able to get some things done.

[Teapot]

If your 'rents complain about using your bedroom as a garage remind them that some dreadful people put gearbox parts in the dishwasher. Or maybe you do anyway.
Good luck with the project after Xmas.
I can see why you call her Frumpy but you may have to change that because minis are very touchy about what you call them.

[wardyxxx]

If your 'rents complain about using your bedroom as a garage remind them that some dreadful people put gearbox parts in the dishwasher. Or maybe you do anyway.

TEAPOT!

Why didn't I think of this earlier. AND the dishwasher has just finished!

*Legs it to the kitchen*

[SomethingNew71]

How loose are your control arms on your subframe? I feel like mine a really tight maybe its just cause they don't have the weight of the car on them yet....

[Danny_California]

Good luck mate, I've just started motorsport engineering at UWE, first year What year you in?

[charie t]

I feel like mine a really tight maybe its just cause they don't have the weight of the car on them yet....

Good, loose bushes mean they are worn out. Tighter the better really obviously not locked solid

[benjy_18]

Good luck mate, I've just started motorsport engineering at UWE, first year What year you in?

thank you, whereabouts is UWE? im in my second year which is dragging on a bit. probly just because id rather work on frumpy but never mind.

[benjy_18]

quick update, ive maganed to get out in the snow and get some bits done.

first job was to get the rotten rear subframe out.
all 4 or the rear bolts were rounded off by the previous owner which made the process horrid. but with some swearing and persistance we managed to get them out. then onto the front 4 which came out pretty easily besides one shearing.

so off came the subframe.

this is probly the worst area.


deffinitly not worth using again so ill be buying a new bare subframe over xmas.

can anybody tell me if these little felt pads were standard as they have rusted a hole into my rear seat



so with that out i moved onto the a panels and flitch panels, as usual found some nasty repairs which will have to be fixed





next job was to try and finish off repairing the damper mounts but to be honest it got so cold i didnt want to do anymore
so this is as far as i got

nearside rust cut out ready to be replaced -


and the first layer on the offside -

[Danny_California]

UWE's in Bristol, first year is dragging a bit, not enough tinkering so far. Did a foundation in engineering there last year, so a lot of it's all the same!

[SomethingNew71]

I can say for sure my mk1 didn't have those felt pads......course my mk1 didn't have a lot of things.

[charie t]

can anybody tell me if these little felt pads were standard

Yes they are, a great idea by austin to start rust building later cars had a rubber pad

[benjy_18]

ah great okay, do anywhere like minispares sell the rubber pads?

[benjy_18]

okay small update, the metal i had ordered hasent come through yet because of xmas and bad weather so i started building a spit for frumpy to sit on so that i can work on the floors and boot easier.
if anyone wants any more photos of the spit let me know and ill take some more.



managed to get her onto the spit, spins free all though slightly bottom heavy

the worst of the rust is around the boot floor but thats fine because ive got plans for the boot floor anyway.
the damage is the same on both sides and allog the ugly repair of the boot floor by previous owners

[malcs_miniturbo]

im also waiting on panels lol