9645 replies to this topic

[joyce1bro]

Sorting a new mount for the new Haltech dash

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[Hunter2]

Getting ROO the 1973 Leyland Australia Mini Window Van ready for this summer's ALCAN Rally, involved a complete removal/refresh/reinstall of the rear bits.  We have 5,040 Miles/8,000 Kilometres to cover in 10 days Aug. 23 - Sept. 1, 2022.

 

Original fuel tank came out, was washed out with hot water & Sunlight Liquid detergent, rinsed, drained and dried with the aid of a propane torch.  Then sealed and lightly blasted before epoxy primer and 2 coats of POR 15.  With new sender and output pipe, new body to tank buffer & new filler neck surround, it was reinstalled using the original plugs (shop felt they were better material than new replacements).  Nevertheless, two straps, with closed cell foam strips, were mounted under the tank, and bolted into the rear closing panel and subframe.

 

The fuel line & hoses from tank to filter & electric pump in the subframe, to the 2nd filter and HIF44 were all new.

 

The rear subframe was cleaned, blasted, epoxy primed and also got 2 coats of POR 15,  The trailing arms, backing plates, trunions were also blasted, epoxy primed and painted before reassembly.  The shafts and bearing were in very good condition considering the years..  New brake lines were prepared for the subframe, to the front, installed on the arms and connected with new braided hoses.  Parking brake cable got new boots at the backing plates.

 

Hubs got new Timken bearings and a 3rd hub with Timken bearings was assembled to carry as a spare.  Trunions got new neoprene bushings, new Grade 8 hardware.  And new adj camber brackets went on the outer ends of the arms.

 

I hand chiseled the gravel guard from the rear wheel arches, washed with brake clean, brass wire brushed the bare arches (original primer survived - no rust!) before they got 2 coats of POR 15 and new gravel guard.

 

Turning to the front end - one upper arm & knuckle has been replaced and one rack rod end with almost completely split rubber boot has been replaced.  Because almost every new rack rod end I see has pretend rubber boots that fail quickly (2 failed after install by being rolled up onto a trailer and unloaded 2 miles later FFS), I have taken to removing the crap rubber, packing the joints and using old thick ball joint boots.

 

The front end still needs a complete servicing/replacement of all remaining perishable items, greasing of outer CVs, Timken wheel bearings and importantly, addressing the failed speedo cable, which end partially unraveled in the speedo pod.  New tie-rod bushings, Wiggly pin bushings and engine steady bushings will be installed.  Also new since 2018, alloy cupped u-joints for the drive shafts (from Heritage Garage in Costa Mesa, Calif.)

 

Have wrestled over replacing the windscreen.  At 49+ years and all of its travels in Australia and North America, the glass has typical pitting...but with so many miles of dirt and gravel to come maybe a good cleaning, polishing with Silvo/Brasso on buffing wheel will serve well for the HD wiper arms & blades. Note: I did rescue a badly gouged windscreen in 1992 that is still in our 1st restoration now in Oregon, USA.  Unless you knew what I had done/were a auto glass expert you would not notice.

 

To be done:

 

Fabricate a new fuel basked for three10 litre containers on top.  We carried 20 extra litres in 2018, but face a Stage and Transit covering +425 miles from Fort Nelson, BC to Fort Providence, NWT.  If there is no fuel in Fort Liard, we'll have to make the distance on our own.  With 6 Imp. Gal. in the tank and 6.5 Imp. Gal. on top, we should be able to get there averaging 33-34 mpg.  Actual average speeds will depend on the gravel - dry/packed, loose or wet.  We will also be carrying Octane Boost to address low octane fuel availability in small norther communities.

[cal844]

When you applied gravel guard (coating?) did you paint over the top or just leave it exposed?

[R32Egor]

What did i do this week?? -

 

Put my SPI back together after Diff problems and today was switch on day - Started perfect then noticed fluid dripping😯 turns out it was brake fluid coming from the front LH side at the subframe union. Found out my nice NEW braided brake hoses for the front are LH and RH sided (did not read the mini spares explanation) - so now have to swap them over while everything is installed😒😒But it started first time and ran😁😁😁😁😁😁. Just a shame after a hard weeks work. 

[IronmanG]

What did i do this week?? -

Put my SPI back together after Diff problems and today was switch on day - Started perfect then noticed fluid dripping😯 turns out it was brake fluid coming from the front LH side at the subframe union. Found out my nice NEW braided brake hoses for the front are LH and RH sided (did not read the mini spares explanation) - so now have to swap them over while everything is installed😒😒But it started first time and ran😁😁😁😁😁😁. Just a shame after a hard weeks work.

Yep I found that out the hard way. So did someone else a couple of months back.

[R32Egor]

I don't think the hoses are labelled either - that would have been useful.

[MiniFanGraham]

fitted new carpets to my rally mini, seats back in
Lesson learnt - fit carpet before heater and cut off switch - very hard getting carpet in, round custom seats fittings, rollcage and internal wiring, brake, fuel lines
not a perfect job but it will do :)

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then went for drive in minivan to celebrate a good job done
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[IronmanG]

I don't think the hoses are labelled either - that would have been useful.

Seem to remember 1 has a yellow sleeve on?

[R32Egor]

 

I don't think the hoses are labelled either - that would have been useful.

Seem to remember 1 has a yellow sleeve on?

 

Yes - i have checked and the yellow sleeve says OS fitment. (i am in a LHD mini - so in theory I fitted them correctly

[Gilles1000]

Done a good list of jobs on Frankie.

Sorted the oil leaks (both diff outputs gaskets leaking, and small drips from gear lever). This means driveshafts out (I also changed both inner pot joint boots), cleaned the pot joints and reassemble (yuck... old grease...). I could save some time and energy by changing the oil seals in situ with the diff covers still on the car.

Gear lever cotton reels also new, gear lever feels much better now!!

I also done the much needed Oil change, now it has the correct 20w50 after having some random mixture to clean the engine and ca. 400km running in.

Ignition breaker and condenser have also been changed for new ones, still have to fine tune it as it does not run as good as before.

 

few... that was a great weekend's job :)

[Cooperman]

Today - nothing! It's too blooming hot!

[Hamstein]

Got my scuttle welded on at the weekend, - Yay!  Today I've been sitting removing the stickers from the scuttle closing plates and wings. - Do you think there's a competition at Heritage to put the stickers in the most awkward places?

[Cooperman]

Hotter today, but my 'S' had started running very rich.

I took the K & N filters off and the stub stacks, then removed the mounting plates. On close checking I found that the choke was stuck on, almost fully on the LH carb and 1/2 on on the RH one. 

They are H4's, so I took them off, still on the manifold, and cleaned and freed off both of them, then re-set everything and refitted them.

It got a bit too hot, so I have left final reconnection till tomorrow. The problem with the H4's is that they have a horrible 'stirrup-type' choke lever set-up and whilst that was moving properly, the actual choke tubes were a bit stuck.

Maybe my plugs won't oil up next time I drive it.

[Gilles1000]

Continued on rebuilding my Gearbox I will use for the project.

played a bit with the synchro hubs before installing the laygear. Resulting in 3 balls and their spring to wander around (luckily inside the box). Did not knew that the synchro hub is blocked only later by the layshaft...

Tried to reinstall the balls in situ, no success yet.

Checked the clearance between the lyshaft and the housing, and ordered shims at Guessworks. And three new springs as the new one show already some wear. Bugger.

[KTS]

Continued on rebuilding my Gearbox I will use for the project.

played a bit with the synchro hubs before installing the laygear. Resulting in 3 balls and their spring to wander around (luckily inside the box). Did not knew that the synchro hub is blocked only later by the layshaft...

Tried to reinstall the balls in situ, no success yet.

Checked the clearance between the lyshaft and the housing, and ordered shims at Guessworks. And three new springs as the new one show already some wear. Bugger.

 

..it's a bugger to get them back in with the shaft installed.  my tip is to use a tie wrap around the synchro hub to hold the balls/springs in place, then slide the collar back over