150 replies to this topic

[daemonchild]

The headlights and rear lights are all sorted.
It turned out to be the switch itself. Don't ask me how, but something was earthing out badly!
As soon as I removed the switch and reassembled, it worked fine.
Weird as this occurred before I took it apart to clean it. I have a new switch somewhere...



I have also got her running again by replacing the ruined dizzy 'pigtail'.
She's running weak as she has no filter. I used my cupped hand to make a restricted airflow and the idle picked up perfectly.
(Ok, so not perfect to AC Dodd standards, but good enough!)

I also managed to remove one of the seized drums.
New cylinders required I think...

[Boycie]

Sounds like little Em is coming along a treat

Next step patching up the holes and MoT time?

[daemonchild]

Sounds like little Em is coming along a treat

Next step patching up the holes and MoT time?

Holes? What holes?! Nothing a bit of carpet won't hide... (joking!)

I've also just changed the sender over into the new fuel tank I got on ebay.

[leaky]

Do you need or want some windscreen seal inserts. I changed mine to black ones so have 2 chrome ones that are in a goodish condision that I no longer need so you can have them if you like. If not their going in the bin

[daemonchild]

Do you need or want some windscreen seal inserts. I changed mine to black ones so have 2 chrome ones that are in a goodish condision that I no longer need so you can have them if you like. If not their going in the bin

Might be useful mate. Cheers!

[daemonchild]

Today I haven't done anything actually round at the garage, but I have made a trip to pick up a few bits that will help get Em on the road.
I've got an HS2 airbox (thanks Nick!) and two air filters from Partco. They were a bit tricky to track down initially, so I bought two. That's a couple of years of motoring in the bag.



I've got a horn ready to swap out the dodgy one. (It goes ker-lunk).
And I've also got a brand new bagged headlight switch to go on.
All essentially free parts (ok, the filters were £3.75 each).




Oh, here is a picture of the broken pigtail from the dizzy in case anyone was wondering what I was going on about!
I have a spare dizzy now which I'll kit up with some points ready to swap should it break again.

[daemonchild]

Spent a bit of time on Em today.
Had a bit of a drama with fuel!

I've been using the fuel tank from my Flame, but Em ran dry today (as planned...) so it was time to swap in the new ebay 1973 sized fuel tank.
I set it all up, plumbed it in and started to fill it with fuel.
Easy right?
Except the fuel pipe must have had a tiny split in it.
Which grew under pressure and I had fuel *peeing* out.
In order to sort it, this meant pulling the pipe, removing the tank and cutting the end off the pipe.
Needless to say, we ended up with a boot floor swimming in unleaded.
Lucky it has drain plugs...

Still, we are sorted and running again on the correct fuel tank now.

I was given a suitable seat yesterday (cheers Nick) for free.
As you can see, it needs some work, but in the short term it's perfect.
Sort of fitting the gash-get-it-for-free style of the project!



I fitted the new head light switch - all perfect now.
Close up of the dash:



I changed the engine steady bush at the block end. Took all of three minutes.
It's more like an hour on my 1993 Rover Mayfair! No faff with the 1973 model though.
It only has one engine steady...



If you look carefully in the last photo, you will see a tiny puddle of water.
It's coming from the heater valve, right from where the pin goes in to pull it open.
You might be able to see that it's wet here.



Removed the other front brake drum using my patented method:
Also removed the brake shoes (they are ok-ish on the business surfaces, but very rusty behind).1




The brake adjusters are great on this side, but destroyed on the other.
This side, they respond to a 5/8ths spanner.
The other side is like a rounded off 7mm! No movement.

And, yes, those are cobwebs full of baby spiders waiting to hatch in my brake hub!

I use flickr for my uploads, so you'll have to click these for the videos.
I can't embed them.
Let me know what you think.
(There is a tinny rattle coming from the radiator cap. The rad bracket had two broken rivets, so it vibrates...)

Idle with some choke.
Idle with no choke
Exhaust note

Edited by daemonchild, 18 November 2009 - 09:14 PM.

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

i had drums on the front of mine adjusted them still found they were poo thats why i ended up with discs

[cookie4343]

i had drums on the front of mine adjusted them still found they were poo thats why i ended up with discs

Drums are great if maintained properly, been running mine over a year without fail.
daemonchild nice mini mate, keep up the good work.

[leaky]

I have drums all round. Their not to bad in the dry but in the went they are rubbish. I do have a disk brake set up in my garage to go on but I just need to find some time to do it.

[daemonchild]

I intend to stay on drums with this car for now at least.
Funds are tight for this car - remember, it's a £100 car and we're trying to keep the 'on the road' cost as low as possible.
So far, I've spent:

Mini: £100
V5C: £25
Rear lights: £5.60
Front lights: Free
Head light switch: £2
Horn: £6
Oil: £16
Air filter: £3.75
Air filter box: Free
Glass: Free
Seat: Free
Seat belts: Free
Fuel: £5
Dizzy Pigtail: £4
HT Leads: £9
Plugs: £7
Coil: Free

Obvious additional costs to come:

MOT: About £50
Tax: £125 for a year
Insurance: £250 maybe? Won't be a lot.

Edited by daemonchild, 20 November 2009 - 02:32 PM.

[daemonchild]

Today I had a couple of hours to go and play with Em.

I did the following today:

- Checked the fuses 100% with the multimeter and cleaned the fuse box contacts
- Plugged in my super brand new horn (2 terminal type) HONK!
- Indicators (what flasher unit?! - we have a piece of wire doing the job nicely at the moment)
- Rear lights - realised I made a mistake wiring them up. I had red indicators. But I can't fix the petrol tank side as the wires are too short even if you move the tank quite a bit. I'll fix that when the tank runs dry enough again. I need them off to fit the rubber gaskets behind them anyway.
- Windscreen wipers. It was the switch wired incorrectly and filthy. Thanks to the Haynes wiring diagram (for those following along in their books, it's page 218 in the light blue on). Now working, but I have no wiper arms. (Well, I do, but they are in the post in a wicked and very cheap ebay job lot win!)
- Fixed the ignition switch. Was wired wrongly at the multi connector and also filthy. Now I can hot wire her in style.
- Removed the steering column, brought it home and have drilled out the steering lock sheer bolts. The key refuses to turn and it's essentially a sealed unit as far as I can see. At least I could replace the steering lock/ignition switch with something now. And at least I can turn the wheels. Is it a legal requirement to have a steering lock? I can't see why it would be? A good idea, yes.



- Gave her bonnet a clean.





The flash makes Damask red look much brighter than it is. The middle picture is a much more faithful representation.
Still considering BRIGHT YELLOW though....

[olds_kool_lews]

doin well mate! u gonna be keepin it battered and abused/thrown together look? will look smart and definatly eye catching! wont cost thousands either, u should have a mismatched interior, all odd seats, odd door cards... basically what ever it needs as cheap as possible!

[daemonchild]

doin well mate! u gonna be keepin it battered and abused/thrown together look? will look smart and definatly eye catching! wont cost thousands either, u should have a mismatched interior, all odd seats, odd door cards... basically what ever it needs as cheap as possible!

EXACTLY! Bodgetastic!
Might even use some odd doors and the boot lid from my Flame as it is dented and needs replacing for the nuts and bolts project car anyway.
Hmm. You've got me thinking. Scrapyard, here we come!

[daemonchild]

Progress: None.
Long work days plus weekend filled with playing with the kids (not complaining!!) mean that I've not been round to see Em recently.

But! I have managed to get a MK3 steering column lock and ignition switch on ebay for a song.
I've also bought a box of bits for £11 that includes two complete headlights to replace the ones stolen from Dante (bowls, gaskets, sealed beams - the lot), some rear light gaskets and two wiper arms among other bits.
So that's a bargain.

Hope to get round there and fit the steering lock this weekend.

Edited by daemonchild, 09 December 2009 - 09:54 AM.