301 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

Recently popped off down to the brooklands show last Sunday and ended up losing/spending 70 odd quid
Although not in a mini, as the 25’s making a metallic knocking noise (similar to a failing cv joint) that I haven’t had time to fully investigate.

Although I did buy some new doorcard backings, so the 25’s door cards are now sorted, just need to round up all the clips and re-fit them. A bit more bling in the shape of a braided clutch line for the Mayfair, as I’ve never like the half copper and rubber hose combo as standard. As well as a load more random bits and bobs, its always the small items that really start to add up though

I’d also won a filing cabinet off ebay for about a tenner, as I’d worked out the sides would work perfectly as my new inner door panels. As apposed to buying 2 sheets of thin steel or alloy for around the £60 mark.

So after being armed with a drill and suitable bit and drilling out a few rivets, I made short work of reducing it back down to its component parts. I’ve kept the sides for now and already made a start on one door panel, just needs a bit more finishing and I can then use it as a template for the other door.

[1984mini25]

as the 25’s making a metallic knocking noise (similar to a failing cv joint) that I haven’t had time to fully investigate.

Well today I finally got round to investigating what the knocking noise was. Turns out my front offside wheel bearings is very, very close to collapsing/failing apart completely and the front subframe mounts are all shagged. Just a pain I now have to wait for the parts to arrive, as I didn’t know before brooklands.

[Pitcrew6464]

Glad you spotted that! how was Brooklands?

[Pitcrew6464]

oo forgot to ask, hows the 25? still motoring along?

[1984mini25]

Glad you spotted that! how was Brooklands?

oo forgot to ask, hows the 25? still motoring along?

Bit disappointed with brooklands to be honest, wasn't as much trade as i was expecting, although it was my first ever visit to that particular show.

The 25 is currently sat on the drive (bit of mud/grass next to the drive) as is really not safe to be driven and I’m waiting on my new bearing to arrive. I’m trying to resist the temptation to rob the Mayfair of its hub/bearing, that and the fact I’d have to jack it back down and turn it around first.

I’m guessing the bearing is pretty much knackered though, as I had play in both left/right and up/down, it had also been knocking and I’m sure I could smell a sort of burning greasy smell the last time it was driven.

The really odd bit though is I didn’t feel anything or any excess play through the steering.

[1984mini25]

The 25 is starting to do my head in what with trying not to spend anything with the insurance due for renewal at the end of the month.

I swapped over the wheel bearing a few days ago and found this on the cv joint, I couldn’t feel anything though. So haven’t bothered changing it.





I also swapped over the track rod end from a spare I had laying around (still need to replace it for a new one asap) even though the one the car wasn’t that old, as the dust cover had fallen off letting in all the road grime and stuff.

So obviously the steering/tracking is now out, but it doesn’t pull to one side or anything, but is something else I need to sort out. Even so the car has now developed some really weird handling issues since doing the bearing, I can’t pin point what, but I just don’t feel like I can chuck it around like I used to safely.

I’ve got some new subframe mounts to fit, even though the ones on the car are no more than a few years old anyways. Plus I’ve also got to sort out some new rubber on the front as the drivers side (the side I did the bearing) looks to either be sitting at an odd angle or looks flat even though it isn’t.

So I’ll be swapping that for one of my spares asap, but none of my spares make up a matching pair. But running mismatched fronts obviously won’t be helping until I can find some that do match.

What bugs me is it drove perfectly fine with a wheel bearing that was about to fail, wheel fall off completely and a slightly worn track rod, but doesn’t now.

[mini_mad69]

Time for another e-bay special, this time it was this… A genuine, complete (hence why I paid a little more than I would have liked) mk1 golf centre console.

Soooo stealing this idea. Did it take much to fit?

[1984mini25]

Time for another e-bay special, this time it was this… A genuine, complete (hence why I paid a little more than I would have liked) mk1 golf centre console.

Soooo stealing this idea. Did it take much to fit?

I did take quite a bit of trimming; mostly the sides though, witch on mine I’ve left open.



Mine is currently held in place by the heater front panel and a mounting bracket by the crossmember. If I hadn’t of chopped off and glued that section back on I would have probably just got away with a screw/bolt thought he original golf mounting and into the crossmember, but oh wells.

[mini_mad69]

Time for another e-bay special, this time it was this… A genuine, complete (hence why I paid a little more than I would have liked) mk1 golf centre console.

Soooo stealing this idea. Did it take much to fit?

I did take quite a bit of trimming; mostly the sides though, witch on mine I’ve left open.



Mine is currently held in place by the heater front panel and a mounting bracket by the crossmember. If I hadn’t of chopped off and glued that section back on I would have probably just got away with a screw/bolt thought he original golf mounting and into the crossmember, but oh wells.

Sweet. Looks so much more professional than the 'custom console' type ones.

[1984mini25]

Time for another e-bay special, this time it was this… A genuine, complete (hence why I paid a little more than I would have liked) mk1 golf centre console.

Soooo stealing this idea. Did it take much to fit?

I did take quite a bit of trimming; mostly the sides though, witch on mine I’ve left open.



Mine is currently held in place by the heater front panel and a mounting bracket by the crossmember. If I hadn’t of chopped off and glued that section back on I would have probably just got away with a screw/bolt thought he original golf mounting and into the crossmember, but oh wells.

Sweet. Looks so much more professional than the 'custom console' type ones.

And even having to pay a little extra than I wanted to (I hate spending a lot on something I have no idea on if it will fit or not), it still works out at less than half the price of one of custom consoles ones.

[1984mini25]

I’ve got some good new and some bad.

After borrowing a nearby garage and working flat out for whole week, including 3 days or 10 – 11 hours days doing all the sanding by hand, the 25 is now wearing a fresh coat of paint.





It’s not perfect, but considering it was a bit of a rush job and it’s a roller job, it’s not too bad considering.

You might also notice that the wheels have also been replaced. Unfortunately after 27 years the original standard hubcaps had pretty much had it. The tyres weren’t much better either, with both rear having fixed punctures and the fronts dating back to 2004, it was finally time to change all 4.

The simples solution would have been toe find a set of wheels with a decent set of tyres, as 145 tyres are near impossible to find locally. So after winning a set of tatty rover minilights with decent tyres of e-bay for £56 what could go wrong? How about collecting them, getting home and then finding the tyres weren’t as good as they first appeared/advertised. So I was now stuck with effectively 2 sets of wheels, both of with tyres that were past there best.

But after doing a bit of wheel/tyre swapping I was able to get £46 for set of steelies with tyres on ebay. So at least my new wheels only effectively cost me a tenner. Just the slow and boring job of picking away, sanding and repainting them before finding some new tyres.


That’s and average one before.

During with the worst sanded and the rest of the wheel keyed for primer


Primed


And finally painted before lacquer


In totally I’ve worked it out at costing just £47 to repaint all 4 wheels, not counting the sandpaper as I’ve already had loads left over. So that just left sorting out the round rubbery things and after hours of searching I finally found a deal for a set of 145 falkens at £28.36 each and £121 delivered the next day with blackcircles. So that’s the 25 all tarted up now, I’m still undecided as whether or not to put the stripes back on, but I’m also put off that there £28.50 the set.

Now unfortunately for the bad, I’m seriously considering selling the Mayfair.

Few reasons, the main of with is I simply cannot afford to have/keep/run both minis. But also due to more resent personal events, I might just need some monies to help move onto bigger and better things. Unfortunately if I don’t get what I would like/need for it, I will have to make the decision to strip it back down of all the nice shinny parts and sell as parts.

Edited by 1984mini25, 28 May 2011 - 09:20 PM.

[Bluecray]

Cool man - you've been busy I see !!!

Hope to say Hello Monday - we have a club stand - the Mini Rebels Club.

[1984mini25]

Cool man - you've been busy I see !!!

Hope to say Hello Monday - we have a club stand - the Mini Rebels Club.

Lol just a tad. What with the 25, doing some welding/paint prep to a 66 elf, landscaping the bottom half of the garden, laying a dozen or so slabs and putting up a new shed that was a little too diy for my liking. I’ve been pretty much knackered for the last few weeks what with all the rushing around as well.

[grahama]

Hi,

Not sure if the CV joints are ok, look knackered but if not rough then maybe fine. Better to ask in the problems section??

Graham

[1984mini25]

Hi,

Not sure if the CV joints are ok, look knackered but if not rough then maybe fine. Better to ask in the problems section??

Graham

Would be a tiny bit late, as I’ve been driving it around for the best part of 7 weeks since, plus there was no play in the new bearing.

I did try asking, but I kind of get fed up of replies suggesting change everything to new (everything from a new hub to even the brakes) regardless if it has anything to do with the problem in the first place. If something doesn’t need replacing, then what’s the point in replacing it? I’d personally prefer to know why something has failed and then replace it, at least that way you know why and if possible can be avoided.

That and the quality of some ‘new’ items is more like ******* it that will do. The last pair of cv joints I fitted from a well know mini spares supplier, didn’t slide through the bearings (they had to be forced) the hub nuts were a metric 35mm and the rubber boots/ ties supplied with them didn’t even fit.

Edited by 1984mini25, 29 May 2011 - 07:12 PM.