346 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

I didn't have any problems with the brakes when the car was on the road, but of course i decided to refresh the hydraulic systems as part of the overhaul,.. fixing what ain't broke lol!

 

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is. 

[Retro_10s]

Small update. I received a seal kit + a couple of gaskets from Minisport.



The piston seals and washers were perfect, and allowed me to rebuild the M.cylinder pretty quickly. Both the minispares and Minisport kits come with a new dustcover for the bottom of the cylinder... Both are rubbish quality, thin and fragile.

After the initial success, I spent about half a day + this morning trying to get the flipping resevoir back on, the new seals are hard and almost impossible to use, the old lockheed seals were in great condition, I eventually gave up using the new ones, and after hot soaking the old ones I managed to force the damn things back on with a satisfying plop! Very very sore hands, but finally the M.cylinder is rebuilt.



The tank has been through the dishwasher, which removed all the gunk inside, I was tempted to use retrobright (peroxide based UV activated plastic restorer) to bring the whiteness back to the yellowed plastic but decided it's just not worth the extra effort in this case.

I think we'll have a look at the carb next and the plate for the brake/clutch cylinders to mount to

[Retro_10s]

Quick update, I wasn't going to bother posting this up but decided I would In the end as it was a bit of a surprise,.. I decided to have a quick look at the rear lights, as they were next in the pile of parts,.. I've got the lenses in the dishwasher awaiting their turn, but in the mean time I decided to wash the housings in soapy water


On the left is an untouched lamp, on the right is after a wash and polish using autosol on some cotton wool, what a difference! I'm very glad I can't help but fiddle with stuff 😂 maybe I've improved my lighting by 0.593% too, eh!

[1984mini25]

Next you'll be polishing up the lamp to body gaskets with cherry blossom shoe polish 

[Retro_10s]

Next you'll be polishing up the lamp to body gaskets with cherry blossom shoe polish 

Hey I probably would if they didn't have more cracks in them than a broken pack of hobnobs!

[1984mini25]

 

Next you'll be polishing up the lamp to body gaskets with cherry blossom shoe polish 

Hey I probably would if they didn't have more cracks in them than a broken pack of hobnobs!

 

 

I have these left over if I can remember witch box in the shed they are hiding in (probably the big one right at the back that's a pita to get to with all the other useless junk piled up on to of it) 

 2021-05-31 18.24.22.jpg   92.92K   0 downloads

[Retro_10s]

Next you'll be polishing up the lamp to body gaskets with cherry blossom shoe polish 

Hey I probably would if they didn't have more cracks in them than a broken pack of hobnobs!

 
I have these left over if I can remember witch box in the shed they are hiding in (probably the big one right at the back that's a pita to get to with all the other useless junk piled up on to of it) 
2021-05-31 18.24.22.jpg

I think I have a bag of the proper sized black rubbery wheelnut covers somewhere that I don't need, I'll have a look if you're interested ;)

[1984mini25]

 

 

 

Next you'll be polishing up the lamp to body gaskets with cherry blossom shoe polish 

Hey I probably would if they didn't have more cracks in them than a broken pack of hobnobs!

 
I have these left over if I can remember witch box in the shed they are hiding in (probably the big one right at the back that's a pita to get to with all the other useless junk piled up on to of it) 
2021-05-31 18.24.22.jpg

I think I have a bag of the proper sized black rubbery wheelnut covers somewhere that I don't need, I'll have a look if you're interested ;)

 

 

I have a set, but I'll have to see how many spares I have, as mine only get shined up and fitted for special occasions for fear of losing any or getting nicked. 

 2022-03-06 17.38.04.jpg   55.65K   0 downloads

[Retro_10s]

Haven't done an awful lot in the past two weeks, just fiddly stuff like evaporust treatment on various nuts and bolts, picked up some fittings and gaskets from 'Smiffys bits', things like that

Jumping the gun a bit, but i have got my HIF38 reset and ready for initial startup using ACDodd's YouTube video on initial settings, very useful! I will store that away now until it's time.

Other than those things, I did decided to sweep out the garage and move things around a little, decided to check the engine over. And move it to the side a little. All seems fine.

It has been rebuilt with new rings, followers, balanced con+push rods, new clutch, and then the usual stuff like 3-angle valve seats cut. Sticking with the 998.
Annoyingly it looks like my distributor is 180° out, the vacuum advance unit would be upside down when fitted. I'll reset/check the ignition timing since it's easy enough to do. Also noticed the timing marks for the cambelt cover are a bit,.. well.. s**t basically 😂 but again this can be checked.. I should fit a new timing belt before running the engine in anyway. I have a new waterpump to fit too.



Ordered an old 52mm tachometer of eBay, hoping it's RCV, but we'll investigate that once it arrives.

*Edit* yes the water pump pulley is a disgrace 🤣

Edited by Retro_10s, 23 October 2022 - 03:07 PM.

[Retro_10s]

Picked up a few more bits and bobs: cap, rotor, points and condenser for the 59D4, from Powerspark. A double relay block which will be used for the headlamps, and a new blanking plate for the heater hose,it came with the rubber gasket I wasn't expecting to be included, thankyou Minimine! I do wish there was a grommet I could fit to the hole before the hose goes through



I have repaired along the seam of the toeboard and bulkhead,but I'm not happy with it, so will be cutting the repair out, and starting again with some thicker metal. I'll include photos of this when it's done

Edited by Retro_10s, 03 November 2022 - 10:50 AM.

[GraemeC]

1/2”’hose? Use this grommet (you may need to enlarge the hole in the plate):
http://www.minispare...|Back to search

[Retro_10s]

1/2”’hose? Use this grommet (you may need to enlarge the hole in the plate):
http://www.minispare...|Back to search

Cheers for the advice Graeme, I'll have to check the O.D,... But I have that exact grommet so I suspect you're right,.. I like how the heater tap side of the system goes through the bulkhead with a nice grommet, but the blanking plate side just goes through this hole,.. it's clearly been an issue in the past as I have a nice big rusty patch underneath where the hose has rubbed through on the plate.

Drilling out and fitting a grommet sounds a great idea. I think I've seen someone elses project using a double ended hose connector going through this section too.

Cheers!

Edited by Retro_10s, 03 November 2022 - 12:30 PM.

[JonnyAlpha]

Without looking properly (so sorry if I confuse or repeating anything) With mine being an 84, but one of the first with disk brakes they used the same yellow band master cylinder for both drums and disk brakes. With the top of the master cylinder feeding the rear brakes and the bottom one feeding the front.

 

But in Nov 85 a new stepped bore/yellow tag master cylinder was used witch have the feeds for the front and rear brakes the other way around and different internal bores. From what I'd found it was more to do with the standard fit 8.4 disk brakes, and requiring more pedal effort than with the servo effect with drums. 

 

This is also the only master cylinder available, so for fitting to anything pre Nov 85 the pipes need switching round (there is a kit available) as failure to do so sends the braking force that would normally go the front to the rear brakes and reduced rear braking to the front. 

 

I am restoring the engine bay on my 82 HLE 1000, fitting 7.5 Discs, I bought a new Yellow Tag Brake Master Cylinder, someone suggested my old one was a Black Tag?

I need to remember which pipes feed which brake when I put mine together!!

 

@Retro_10s 

You seem to be doing the engine bay around the same time as me, great job on restoring those MC's what did you paint them with, looks nice. I have new ones but to prevent them rusting up, I was going to paint them black, but your's looks nice.

[Retro_10s]

@Retro_10s
You seem to be doing the engine bay around the same time as me, great job on restoring those MC's what did you paint them with, looks nice. I have new ones but to prevent them rusting up, I was going to paint them black, but your's looks nice.

Cheers pal! I have used some wheel silver paint I had laying about and some aerosol 2k lacquer. I will just have to be careful not to spill or splash any when filling up the reservoirs.

Eastwood make a can of paint called 'brake gray' which is resistant to brake fluid and leaves a sort of cast-iron appearance. It's not cheap but I think it could look okay.

I'll be keeping an eye on your engine bay!

Edited by Retro_10s, 05 November 2022 - 06:42 PM.

[Retro_10s]

Have been doing little odds and ends here but not much of substance, however I have collected a few more bits and bobs for the rebuild.

Block to filter oil feed, I've never had a problem with the standard solid line, but I've always wanted one of these hoses, and this came up on eBay with a very low price.


I also needed a temperature gauge, and I want to run it off the 10v supply from the voltage stabiliser on the back of the center clocks. Again I managed to find a very sorry looking gauge on eBay. Case is rusted, glass is manky:




Bezel removed and cleaned, glass cleaned up really well with some autosol on a cotton-wool pad. The gauge needle moves freely, but I'll try to strip it right down to clean the case and inspect the internal gubbins.


The gasket between the bezel and the glass is completely dead, I think it would've been cork once?


I must sort the rust between the toeboard and bulkhead this week, rather than work around the job!