1146 replies to this topic

[grahama]

All looking good Hugh. It's so much nice putting clean shiny parts back on the mini, so different to when we stripped them, full of crud and oil. Clean hands all the way to the key turn now my man !!

[Carlos W]

All looking good Hugh. It's so much nice putting clean shiny parts back on the mini, so different to when we stripped them, full of crud and oil. Clean hands all the way to the key turn now my man !!

Or cotton gloves!

[racingenglishcars]

You have, once again, my admiration, working in a cold garage and everything, and doing such a thorough rebuild.
I'm sure you know where all those engine brackets go. I don't think I recognise all of them.
Pretty soon you will have the engine in and running. That will be the day!
I hope you can get a helper sometimes. I find it difficult to do a lot of these jobs alone.

[hughJ]

A Good New Year to all of you. I do hope this is the year the Mini is finished. I don't think I'll make a resolution, though I'm still hoping Spring.

Jordie - thanks for trying to get me to do that headlining!! I will have to force myself.
Graham - hands are still filthy!
Carlos - maybe rubber gloves - probably sweat too much!
Don - you can admire me going to the cold garage, but not the thorough rebuild. Some bits are pretty dodgy.
I do thank you all for the encouragement - it does help. I did say at the start of this topic that I was putting it up to force me to keep going. If I stopped now I'd be too shamed!!

Still messing about with the engine

More fittings being cleaned and painted











Its never-ending!

I have got the distributor back together and the points re-gapped and the engine re-timed (statically for the moment, probably good enough anyway). I did the valve clearances - what a smashing engine to do that job on. No fancy tools, easy access and the exhaust and inlet both the same gap!! Lovely. Fitted new plugs and oil filter.



So we are heading the right direction but slowly.

Moving along (slowly), Hugh

[sonikk4]

Hugh your slow is a positive sprint compared to how we are doing on Erm and Paddy. And a happy new year to you mate.

[Marco1972]

Hi Hugh

I recently joined this forum and I have spent the last 3 days reading your thread really fantastic work takes me back to when I built my first mini all those years ago still having therapy for it lol.....

Keep up the good work.

Mark..

[jagman.2003]

Happy New Year Hugh, that's a lovely bright yellow for the engine. It's all those little painted brackets that make the final finish. I'm sure it'll be the year this mini is finished.

[racingenglishcars]

Good New Year Sir Hugh

[hughJ]

I'm trying to be a hero

Don - a very good new year to you.
jagman.2003 - a very good new year to you. I do hope it is the year of finishing!!
Mark - I do appreciate your kind remarks and a very good new year to you.
Neil - a very good new year to you. I have always value whatever you say. You are the one that got me going. I had hoped to see you finished as you do such fantastic work.

Cleaning and de-rusting radiator cowl







And had a disaster. The weather is miles milder and condensation is forming on everything in my garage.

This has happened to some parts I painted





Its one of these annoying things that hits the stupid Mini restorer.

I decided to make a start on the headlining as the weather is mild so I got a couple of heaters going in the garage. Its the first time sweating in the garage for a long time!! I fitted the new headlining rod to replace the one I broke and tensioned the lining. I also washed the old seals and put them roughly in place







And then went to try my Mammoth Tape!!



It is easy to use but its too wide so I'm cutting it up the middle - that makes it a bit trickier.



So I've fixed it front and back





So I'll let that settle 24 hours. I had a wee bash trying to look at the sides and round the pillars - that doesn't look like fun.

Lining along, Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 04 January 2013 - 04:54 PM.

[Andrew O]

Looking great as usual Hugh
Do you have any particular advice on doing the headlining as everyone says its very tricky, and as I will be fitting mine very soon I need all the help I can get.
Keep up the work anyway

Andrew.

[grahama]

Making a nice job of that Hugh.

Have you tried painting your smaller bits in the loft at all. This is where I am doing mine at mo, no extra insulation but no condensation. Just a thought.

Graham

[hughJ]

Sick!!!

Andrew - if you can get anyone else to do it that's what to do. It's an awful job.
Graham - that sounds wise. My attic is so full of rubbish stuff that I think that would be impossible.

I did the sides today of the headlining - a Hugh job - not quite right.





I knew I would do it wrong. Its rumpled - I can live with that. But the rear two support bars have turned about 90 degrees. Or, rather, I didn't notice and got it tensioned wrong. But its giving the rear a sort of flat look. That's just me. I'm leaving it at present. May try fitting another in a few years! If I try it again though it could be even worse. Take my advice - don't do it.

I will say the jagman.2003's advice is spot on - using double sided tape is good. Dear knows what I'd have done with glue.

Back to work on Monday. Not happy with my holiday's progress.

Sickening along, Hugh

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

That headlining is beautiful, nice work! Its a job that looks to somebody that hasn't tried to tackle it as something that could be quite easy but it really isnt!

How much did you pay for it dare I ask?

Nice work on the whole car. I've always followed this thread and the quality is always top notch :) You must be seeing the light now?

[hughJ]

Craig that is so nice of you but it is awful! I got the headlining on Ebay for £20 so I can't complain!! It is an unused Newton Commercial one. It is not just plastic sheeting but a fabric with a coating on it. I think that may have made it even more difficult to fit - there is not much stretch in it.

I actually wish I was back welding after that job!

Hugh

[ToM 2012]

great work hugh coming along nicely you have done a great job on the headlining the creases should come out after time? want to do mine i havent got patience ile end up burning it.