723 replies to this topic

[stevede]

Hi Folks

Thanks for the kind replies and Spiffingly Good, No, Zoe hasn't driven it yet as she has stopped taking driving lessons. She'll be welcome to use it once she has decided to start driving again.

Just the quickest of quick updates and a solution that may help others.

We're on the track of water getting in the car. The doors are being sorted (no inner plastic liners at the moment) and we have a very cunning plan for the door check strap opening (keep watching), but this one concerns the bulkhead plate.

I'd re-routed the heater pipes when I put the centre dash in and because I was using the older style heater tap & heated manifold, went to 1/2" heater hose.

The grommets I bought for the (Smiffy's) plate were too big for the pipe and too small for the hole in the plate. I cut & played around with them but despite the best efforts of some silicone, water still got in.

I couldn't find anything from the mini specialists so I started to look around to see what other grommet options were available and ended up on an electrical website. About this point, my neighbours nephew called round, (who just happens to be a spark), and 2 minutes later from the back of his white van........ a 25mm cable gland that was a perfect fit for the OD on the pipe.

A quick enlarging of the plate holes with a file, bit of washing up liquid on the pipe to aid fitting, and Robert's your Mothers Brother !!



And one final note.

I made it into print !!!!!!

Pictures from Bingley car park in Mini World and there I am, with Ratty the next picture along.

Best regards

Steve

[yousmeg]

Looking good

[minimuk]

This mini is goind to be amazing when is done, you daughter is soooooooooooooo lucky!!!!

the Headlining is wicked, is it one of Retro retrims?? - i really need a new one for mine... and what did you use to stick it in place??

The rear screens i find are normally much easier to do than the fronts....

Hi Emalee

Yes the headlining is from Chris at Retro. It's the perforated material which I quite like.

It's fitted on the original metal bars whilst the edges were glued down using a spray adhesive (on to the metal left a minute and then fitted)

Took some playing about with to get the creases out but got there in the end.

I had a set of sunvisors done at the same time with a nice detailed turquoise stitching on the edges.

Give Chris a call I'm sure he can sort you out.

Regards

Steve

Hi Steve, great work you are doing, sorry to bud in but which Chris at What retro company, I just cant find him or the Retro company.

Thanks
Michel

[xBR4DLEY]

Hi Steve, great work you are doing, sorry to bud in but which Chris at What retro company, I just cant find him or the Retro company.

Thanks
Michel

Retro Retrims mate , bert998 on here
His website: www.retroretrims.net

Edited by xBR4DLEY, 20 February 2011 - 05:33 PM.

[myredmini]

Seen your mini in Miniworld this month

[minimuk]

Hi Steve, great work you are doing, sorry to bud in but which Chris at What retro company, I just cant find him or the Retro company.

Thanks
Michel

Retro Retrims mate , bert998 on here
His website: www.retroretrims.net

thanks Bradley, good to know !

[_mini1000_]

super work steve!

would you have any more pictures of the headlining as im going to order one from retro retrims but cant decide between perforated and plain vinyl

[stevede]

super work steve!

would you have any more pictures of the headlining as im going to order one from retro retrims but cant decide between perforated and plain vinyl

Hi Mini1000

The only pictures I have are those already posted sorry.

There is a picture of the perforated material on Retro's website. Failing that, give him a call and he may be able to send samples to you.

Regards

Steve

[stevede]

Afternoon fellow TMF 'ers

I have been thinking about a reverse light option for quite some time now. The original idea was a period Lucas item on the boot lid, and all the required wiring was installed.

As time has gone on, I have moved away from that idea and kept thinking about something a little more subtle to fit with the overall look of the rear end.

At the performace car show in January, I found a high intensity reverse light the same style as the fog lamp. looked a good option until the price was mentioned. £125 !!!!

Many of you who know me will be aware of my fondness for led's so it was inevitible that that was on the options list also.

I toyed with the idea of turning some more numberplate light pins with a single led visible at the back, purely as an indicator rather than functional. I also kept looking at the rear lamps and thinking what I could incorporate within. This option also had the ability to go back to standard with minimal fuss.

Well, a bit of playing around and testing and off I went..............

The before's





Marked up



Holes drilled



All wired up & rear holes sealed





Testing, testing



Hole drilled in rear lamp unit & grommet fitted



The finished look



Need the wiring fixed up yet, but just for show





Overall quite happy. The drill moved on some of the holes so they are not precise, but they are perfectly acceptable.

Hope you all like.

Thanks for looking

Regards

Steve

[leaky]

That is so cool. You've done a good job with those. Keep up the good work.

[yousmeg]

Great idea

[vincieshile]

Fantastic! You have given us (Mini Maniacs) more hints and ideas than the Haynes manuals.

[_mini1000_]

love all the subtle touches you have added to the mini!
something that makes it stand out compared to all the other Lucas reversing lights used
great work!

[stevede]

Thanks for the kind comments chaps

I'm still pottering away with the mini but as jobs get less and less, and time at work seems to be taking over, my updates are getting further apart.

The good news is that the mini is getting used regularly, having now clocked up nearly 1800 miles since rebuild and I've enjoyed every single one of them !!

One thing I am bitterly dissapointed with, is the deterioration of some of the parts I have bought. I have never deliberately bought the cheapest, yet already I have marks coming through on the new door handles and rust showing on the chrome headlamp parts. Considering these items have been fitted less than a year it doesn't bode well for the future.

The battle with water getting in still continues but I am winning. As I tackle each area, it becomes much easier to spot where the water is coming in and find a solution.

I managed, after much searching, to find some butyl strip for the doors and with some heavy polythene sheet, it was one job done



The door pillars and the check strap openings are still ongoing as yet.

Staying on the interior, you may remember that I was given a new original Smiths clock by a neighbour. I had been pondering for some time how & where to fit it, slightly complicated by the fact it is a positive earth unit.





Eventually, I decided on a non metallic plate under the heater unit

To match the interior theme, carbon fibre was the order of the day.

Bought a small piece from www.carbonmods.co.uk in Stoke, (very nice people to deal with), and we were off.


Cuts a treat on a tile saw



Marked out and corners drilled



Rest cut out and cleaned up. looks great !



A couple of brackets glued to the back and held on to the heater box with self tappers and the job was almost done




I just need to get another piece now to cover the front of the heater unit.


Wiring was straightforward except the light. As it is a positive earth unit I cannot wire the light normally as it would create a short circuit. My idea at the moment is to switch it via a small relay, triggered by the light switch but swithing the -'ve to the lamp holder. Any alternative suggestions welcomed.

That's all for this one. As always, thanks for looking and will update again soon.

Kind regards

Steve

[DaveVader]

Last four pictures aren't working for me.
But, from what I can see and read, more of the great work we have come to expect Steve.

Edit: Working now, looks awesome, as predicted!

Edited by DaveVader, 20 March 2011 - 08:16 PM.