329 replies to this topic

[Kam]

Nice going Kieran, a lot of changes there 

 

Good to see the mini in a new bigger home, I know when I got a little more space the mini was loving it as much as me 

 

Hmmm smoke on vtec, exhaust valve seals gone, change seals - or rebuild whole engine in your case! 

 

I like your crank pulley tool, I ended up buying the proper one but I used the excuse "tools are an investment" to justify it as they weren't as cheap as I thought they would be. I'd be surprised if you can get the pulley off with the engine in place. I've managed to change the cambelt on mine with just the front end off and even that proper tool was too close to everything with it getting in the way of the frame...

 

Still 50/50 on your rocker cover, not sure if the blue or white suits it...

 

Looking good though

[KieranB]

Nice going Kieran, a lot of changes there 

 

Good to see the mini in a new bigger home, I know when I got a little more space the mini was loving it as much as me 

 

Hmmm smoke on vtec, exhaust valve seals gone, change seals - or rebuild whole engine in your case! 

 

I like your crank pulley tool, I ended up buying the proper one but I used the excuse "tools are an investment" to justify it as they weren't as cheap as I thought they would be. I'd be surprised if you can get the pulley off with the engine in place. I've managed to change the cambelt on mine with just the front end off and even that proper tool was too close to everything with it getting in the way of the frame...

 

Still 50/50 on your rocker cover, not sure if the blue or white suits it...

 

Looking good though

 

Ye the photo doesn't do it justice because it's more a silver colour and matches the roof quite well, I would ideally get it powder coated a fancy colour but the rest of the car is in such a scabby state I couldn't justify it

 

In other news, the mini passed it's MOT but not without it's issues. The heater matrix exploded in spectacular fashion whilst on the MOT ramps and the handbrake was shocking on one side but locked on the other so passed. I got it home and locked in the garage ready for a day of tinkering ready for the open road.

 

It does run well though and picks up quickly, considering I'll get the inside wheel spinning in third going round a corner it's safe to say it will be a handful once again. I hope to get a few trips done this year including Skipton's classic car show on the 7th June and hopefully a trip to a track somewhere

 

Will keep ya'll informed as the year goes on

 

Kieran

[SamFoster]

Wow I have just read this from start to finish and now need to find a mini to do this to! 

 

You have done a cracking job on it mate! Is there a reason people don't go for the type R engine?

 

How much should the average mini cost? what things should I be looking for if I was to try and buy one?

 

My ability with a spanner ends at simple maintenance like oil changes etc.

 

Many thanks

 

Sam

[KieranB]

Wow I have just read this from start to finish and now need to find a mini to do this to! 

 

You have done a cracking job on it mate! Is there a reason people don't go for the type R engine?

 

How much should the average mini cost? what things should I be looking for if I was to try and buy one?

 

My ability with a spanner ends at simple maintenance like oil changes etc.

 

Many thanks

 

Sam

Hello Sam,

 

Thanks for the kind words, in answer to your questions a lot of comes down to budget. A Type R engine will be nearly double the money of a b16a2 and for the additional power most people see the B16 as a perfectly good alternative.

 

Cost of a mini? I havent looked at the market recently but last time I looked everything seemed to have been doing up unless someone can correct me? I think there are two approaches, either spend a fair wack and get a running car or spend little and have a fairly rusty shell that would need fixing during the build. I would suggest asking elsewhere on mini buying advice as I'm well out of practice here.

 

Finally experience with a spanner is dismissable, like you I could do oil changes and maybe change some suspension stuff but because stuff is so well documented on here and in general you will quickly learn what is right and what is wrong.

 

In other news! The mini is running well, I attended the skipton car show which was a very successful and sunny day. The mini got loads of attention, some bad attention may I add. The car has had some problems though, sticky throttle, no fan, clutch pedal bolt fell off, crap brakes and the starter motor nearly fell off. All things that have been fixed but they can't dent the enjoyment.

 

Well I say that but one thing that is really bugging me now is the final drive. Kam, if you are reading this, what RPM does your car run when doing roughly 60mph? This winters job is gonna be the gearbox, I'm getting bored of high rev motorway driving.

 

Regards

 

Kieran

Edited by KieranB, 29 June 2015 - 08:11 AM.

[thelegg]

Glad your still enjoying it :)

[Shukran]

Bad attention? in what way?

[KieranB]

Bad attention? in what way?

 

Just pureists not liking the fact that a classic mini has a honda engine in it.

[Shukran]

 

Bad attention? in what way?

 

Just pureists not liking the fact that a classic mini has a honda engine in it.

 

Purists? That is another word for cocks, right?

[mini_matt_106]

Great project! I've just read your thread after a friend offered me his b16 that's say in his garage :) I assume you has to get a fair amount of Honda loom? Or was the loom you bought specially made? Just wondering if it would be worth buying a complete car?

[thelegg]

Done anything else to this recently ?

[Kam]

 

Well I say that but one thing that is really bugging me now is the final drive. Kam, if you are reading this, what RPM does your car run when doing roughly 60mph? This winters job is gonna be the gearbox, I'm getting bored of high rev motorway driving.

 

Regards

 

Kieran

 

 

 

Sorry for the insanely late reply 

 

5th gear its about 3500/3750

 

Hopefully you are sorting out the gearbox, bad gear ratios can make or break a build once its out on the road when it starts to hamper your enjoyment 

[Kam]

 

Bad attention? in what way?

 

Just pureists not liking the fact that a classic mini has a honda engine in it.

 

 

 

Haha you will very occasionally get this

 

I always say, when I bought the car it was a purist car, then I changed it but whenever I decide to sell, it will only be sold once I change it back to a purist car, there is no way I am selling my hard work

 

Only ever had to say that once and he was happy with that

[KieranB]

Done anything else to this recently ?

 

Now then,

 

Erm not a massive amount really, it got some additional LED light bars on the front, looks quite cool and are quite bright. Other than that I've just been tidying it up. It's still on the road with the hope of taking it for a spin during these crisp, dry cool winter days but mother nature has clearly had other ideas. MOT is due in March and I'm probably gonna buy a spare gearbox and rebuild it with the addition of a different final drive sometime this year. I wouldn't mind lots of little additions like roof bars & box but I've mainly been concentrating on other projects last year so the mini has sort of taken a back foot. I've got a few photos so will put them up when I get it back out the garage

 

To fair it got used quite a lot last year, at one point I stayed at the girlfriends house for 2 weeks which meant commuting which I did in the mini, it seemed to suit this role very well. It also hugely humilated a bloke in a brand new corsa, I have no idea what engine was in it but it had "turbo" on the back, he had been overtaking cars heading towards a roundabout and I'd just been following but then he left the roundabout quite hot as it was a clear road but his face was a picture when I overtook him accelerating away from a roundabout.

 

Kieran

Edited by KieranB, 11 January 2016 - 10:55 AM.

[KieranB]

 

 

Well I say that but one thing that is really bugging me now is the final drive. Kam, if you are reading this, what RPM does your car run when doing roughly 60mph? This winters job is gonna be the gearbox, I'm getting bored of high rev motorway driving.

 

Regards

 

Kieran

 

 

 

Sorry for the insanely late reply 

 

5th gear its about 3500/3750

 

Hopefully you are sorting out the gearbox, bad gear ratios can make or break a build once its out on the road when it starts to hamper your enjoyment 

 

 

 

 

 

Bad attention? in what way?

 

Just pureists not liking the fact that a classic mini has a honda engine in it.

 

 

 

Haha you will very occasionally get this

 

I always say, when I bought the car it was a purist car, then I changed it but whenever I decide to sell, it will only be sold once I change it back to a purist car, there is no way I am selling my hard work

 

Only ever had to say that once and he was happy with that

 

 

Hmmm mine is around 4000rpm mark, probably worth the effort, it's not undriveable but would certainly benefit from longer gears.

 

Ye at the end of the day VOB wasn't a particularly special edition car, yes it's a Cooper but it wasn't standard when I bought it, I would agree with them if I'd altered an original Mk1 Cooper S.

[thelegg]

Fair enough man glad you've not sold it or anything silly! Going to any shows this year ?