193 replies to this topic

[steven]

such a lovely mini good job !

[Skortchio]

Todd, the paintjob set me back a total of £52 which included about 1L too much blue paint and a 25m roll of aluminium oxide paper to cut through the factory lacquer with
The only hiccup I've personally had is that I tend to bash the hell out of the doors getting the chair in and out and the paint takes a beating, but that's likely to happen to any paint.

Sound deadening worked a treat, unless i'm hard on the gas the car is quiet enough to have a normal level conversation at 60mph or more.
The major factor in it was the mass loading, the flash band tape deadens the panels and stop those little buzzes and rattles. Well, most of them it is a mini!

[Skortchio]

New year already, 'eh. Better bring you chaps up to speed.

Last you heard the engine was in, it runs and with a little timing tweak goes okay too. At first I was feeling disappointed in it's go, barely touching on 85 seemed a little weak given the old block did better and was 13bhp(originally) lower powered. After a bit of pondering I figured it might be all in my head as it certainly felt quicker, phone based GPS - showed the speedo to be about 13-15% out on the low side... A look online told me it was the speedo drive, a 5minute job to swap with the engine out or a huge ballache with it in. Well that settles that, it's staying wrong

Another small hiccup with the new engine was the parking lock (remember it's an auto) didn't, stopping on an incline without the handbrake just gave an awkward clicking and the car rolling. Plus the inhibitor, didn't either - less of a pain as I habitually put it in P when I stop, but I hate things that don't work.

Some faffing about with the cable adjustment made no difference to either but in the process I noticed a nut on the selector arm was fouling the casing, as it turns out you can wind that in/out to adjust the gear position too.
That's fixed that then.
While in the process of fixing the bugs a long awaited want of mine came up for sale, a rear window louvre!
After a slightly convoluted faff around with couriers etc. it arrived and was Tiger Sealed onto the car with all speed. I may have used a touch
more than necessary but it won't be falling off that's for sure!

Lastly in a fit of boredom as result of the electrics failing in the garage and being scuppered for doing anything inside as it's too dark, I hammered out the dent in the bootlid.
It's far from perfect but it took 5minutes with a 4lb ball end hammer and the lighting was by head torch. I'll borrow some panel hammers at some point to neaten it up.

All set for a drive I fired up Ogy to check the oil level and make sure I'd tightened everything up, only to watch in disdain as the radiator cap started leaking... Argh!! As luck would have it, Dan was on his way to Minispares that day so picked me up a shiny new one.

That fitted, I got out in Ogy after his oil flush, gear selector tighten, damper setting adjustment and louvre fitting. The first gear changes coming out the driveway flicked the oil pressure light up but that stopped pretty fast so I'm pretty sure it was just the torque convertor filling up as I tend to be quite vigorous with my oil draining.
Everything seemed to go well, car feels spritely and smooth the suspension is a little soft but nothing that a tweak on the damper won't fix.
Next on the ever present list will be the new ICE install, enslclosures and some more mass loading - the new system is about 3 X the power of the current one.
In with that I plan to finally decide on a dashboard and get that in too.

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to fit the modified calipers and swap down to 10's!

Enough rambling, here's the pics!

[steven]

the window louvre just looks right !

[Skortchio]

Cheers, dude.

I'm well chuffed with it. Only slight downside is I was going to get the windows lightly tinted to really finish the top half off but that means windows out and consequently, louvre off. Which from the amount of Tiger seal on it, might not be possible...

[steven]

no worries

think that would finish it off really nice, does it obstruct the view much ?

[rally515]

Hmmm you've got me thinking with this louvre buisness,......................A louvre on the windscreen yeah check that out.
Would look pretty cool in my opinion.

[Skortchio]

I was a little concerned by the impact it would have on the rear view, but the fins are horizontal so you can see without any trouble.

I really should have thought it through a bit more carefully, wonder if any tinters will do them in the car...

[steven]

ohh right, i'm pretty sure there are some that do it in car

[rally515]

Louvres all round that close shut when you click the keyfob to lock sounds brill
jeeze my project may have just got alot more expensive

[Skortchio]

Louvres all round that close shut when you click the keyfob to lock sounds brill
jeeze my project may have just got alot more expensive

That would be amazing! Like blast shields.

[rally515]

Louvres all round that close shut when you click the keyfob to lock sounds brill
jeeze my project may have just got alot more expensive

That would be amazing! Like blast shields.

Ha ha yeah reminds me of the old type batmobile were he parks it up clicks a button & a telescopic body shield covers the car completely.

[Skortchio]

Yes! Outside Axis Chemicals

[steven]

Louvres all round that close shut when you click the keyfob to lock sounds brill
jeeze my project may have just got alot more expensive

[rally515]

Ahh if only i could afford to do this for a mini