1146 replies to this topic

[CLM]

Looking good Hugh! You better drive it before I drive my Moke! ;)

Chris

[grahama]

Great progress Hugh,  have you fired the engine yet??

[silve1999]

This project and the colour are great to see! keep up the good work dude!

[tino]

I've been following this from the start and its an amazing effort and project. Keep up the good work! 

[hughJ]

tino and silve 1999 thanks for the nice comments. I do appreciate. I seem to be getting more lethargic about it as I near the end! Graham I'm about ready to fire the engine - there's oil in it, not coolant and the electrics work. I think I'm avoiding! Chris from your video - you beat me hollow. Good for you. It looks smashing.

Shifty and Carlos you are kind but if you got close to it - its not that good. It's as I've always said a good tidy for an MOT.

 

I have been cutting grass, chopping firewood running children's clubs - probably anything to avoid the Mini. I have done a little. Using an external power supply I've got most of the electrics running. I ran the power cable under the car and routed to the starter motor.  I did a repair on the wiring loom - I had destroyed removing.

 

 

Repaired by brake fluid reservoir cap. Had to replace one of the conductors to the low level switch. I got the sheet of brass on Ebay £2.50. It was .5 mm I should maybe have gone thicker. It will do.

 

 

 

 

 

And it works

 

 

I know I should have bought a new one but I've just spent so much that I can't really afford on this and have a daughter still at university. I'm also Scottish!!

 

I took the glue off the headlining at the back yet again and made this to space out the bars. They keep dropping at the back and showing against the headlining. Not a conventional technique but I'm getting desperate!

 

 

 

The headlining is awful. I put it back and glued it. But I've taken it off again as the seams are starting to rip! I've put a few stitches in but don't think I can trust. No photos - can't be bothered and it looks awful. This is a Newton Commercial headlining and is made from a fabric with a vinyl layer on it. It's dreadful to work with. It must be for specialists to fit. I certainly can't.

 

Here's another - one of the contacts to the rear screen window came off as I took the glass out. I lost it! It looks though as if it has been repaired already. So I made up a new contact.

 

 

Should be something like this

 

 

So made this out of the same brass sheet.

 

 

And glued it on with a tube of Loctite Glass Bond that has been in my garage since my old Volvo 144 32 years ago! It stil could be squeezed out!

 

 

And used one of these wee bottles of conducting paint to repair rear screen demisters. Again it must be in the garage about 20 years.

 

 

And there's electrical conductivity between the two contacts. Hope it works in practice.

 

So economic repairs. Not much to show though the rear headlining has now been glued four times! The Mamoth tape is great - you can undo though it can take paint with it. The 12 mm tape split in half with a Stanley knife is ideal. Pity they didn't do 6 mm.

 

Economising along, Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 01 June 2013 - 09:07 PM.

[alex-95]

The repairs look good, I'd much rather repair them than buy them new.

[hoody99]

Good scottish way of keeping things cheap bud. Love it! It's all the little fiddily jobs that get to you but there light at the end of the tunnel which is visible for you at this stage lol. Keep cracking at it bud

[grahama]

Great bodgery Hugh, coming on nicelt

[grahama]

Great bodgery Hugh, coming on nicely!

[minimuk]

inspirational repairs Hugh, well done, yr taking refurb to another level.....

[AndyMiniMad.]

In todays modern world its so easy to just throw things in the bin and buy new, but you have shown us that the old ways of fix and make do can also give the same results. Fantastic dedication. most folk, me included, dont even bother that the brake switch isnt working, but you spent time and effort repairing yours to a high standard. You inspire me Hugh!!  

[jagman.2003]

Looking good Hugh. Nice repairs. How did you do the switch panels (especially the heater) on the dash in green? I've been looking at doing something with my heater panel. I hope you get to grips with the headlining soon. It took me a while to get my head round it. I did have to stitch some of the edges where it was trimmed. Luckily they should be mainly hidden by the roll bar as I won't be making embroiderer of the month anytime soon. I would happily give you a hand based on my own experience. But I suspect I may be a little too far away. If I find any literature that I used for tips I'll forward it on. Don't lose faith on the project now. Light is at the end of tunnel. If you get the engine running it stops being a garage ornament & starts to look like a car.

[minifcd]

Great repair on the level sensor Hugh. Might have to try that one myself.

[silve1999]

good work there, wll also be using your ideas on the sensor as mine is a bit funked!! :)

[hughJ]

Well you certainly are nice people. Its amazing what a trash cheapo repair can grab attention!! But glad it was of entertainment. As usual I am creeping along and doing things wrong but hey ho. I should really change my name to whining_hugh! Sorry for not being man enough!

 

alex-95, hoody99, Graham and minimuk I really appreciate the encouragement.  AndyMiniMad "fantastic dedication" shucks! If only you knew. jagman.2003 thanks again for your encouragement and your offer!! Wish you were nearer but then I'd pester you. The green transfers are from Sticky Fingers - http://martincull.create.net/. He is really helpful and will try and do any colour. Scott praise from you is humbling. You are the master of good repairs. silve1999 thanks a lot.

 

Sorry its been a while but that's the way it is at present. I have overcome a hurdle.

 

Repaired the damaged paint at front where headlining removals took it off.

 

 

 

 

I've got quite a few repairs to do like that round the car. I introduced a new one tonight when the old screwdriver slipped as I was trying to get a tricky bit of the sealing strip in! So that's the hurdle - I've put in the rear windscreen!!! I can't tell you what a relief that is. It wasn't easy but then nothing is on a Mini.

 

 

 

I've left a wee bit of the sealing strip out at the top for a couple of days. I've read it shrinks back a bit. So I'll cut back then. Use soapy water. Lots of it. And that tool takes quite a bit of strength.

 

The only other wee bit

 

 

The brackets for the air ducts and I've made up a couple of brackets to hold the main power cable to the front subframe.

 

Not much - but with the help of that rear windscreen surely I'll get the rest of the glass in!!

 

Whining along, Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 15 June 2013 - 07:27 PM.