1843 replies to this topic

[Brams96]

Evening all, new to this forum so spend the last hour or so reading everyones posts. I have a 97 cooper 1275 gt sport.
image.jpg
It's the first mini I have owned. Fell in love with the car as soon as I saw it and went on to buy it there n then. It has started and run fine every time I've gone to it but had a little incident with a pot hole last week.
(Won't let me upload a picture in this post but will upload one in a post straight after) just wanted a little advice on how to go about replacing necessary panels. From what I can see il need a new wing,a panel and could do with a new panel below the windscreen while it's in the garage.
Any advice would be brilliant
Thanks in advance
Tom

New wing, A-panel & scuttle!? Must have been one hell of a pot hole!!

 

Awesome progress Pete, your thread is the most informative I've read I think, now if only I had time to get to the garage & continue with my build

Edited by Brams96, 23 May 2014 - 05:49 AM.

[Petrol]

This is one job that i am DREADING on mine.

 

Good progress with it though. I would still be sitting looking at it if that was me.

 

Ben

 

The best advice I can offer with the electrics is to make sure you have good earths and then sort out one circuit out at a time. I used a 12V supply to power everything up and test it. Also watch those bullet connectors and in line fuses, they are notorious for bad connections which is why I got rid of them all. if you're struggling when the time comes, drop me a PM

 

Awesome progress Pete, your thread is the most informative I've read I think, now if only I had time to get to the garage & continue with my build

 

 

 

Thanks and I know what you mean, these projects take up vast amounts of time.

 

 

Everything is progressing well, I have got a 12G295 head from a 1968 998cc Cooper so that's the start of the engine bits, also been working on gear ratios / final drive configurations. I also have a 5 1/2 gallon tank that I want to fit but don't know what brackets / straps I need. My main concern though is to make sure the shell has the right mounting points. I don't know if later models fitted with the 7 1/2 gallon tank used a different arrangement. If anyone could shed any light on it I would appreciate some help.

 

Pete

 

 

[Ben_O]

Not my picture but might be some help to see the tank strap arrangement for the 5.5 gal tank

 

Ben

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Edited by Ben_O, 25 May 2014 - 01:59 AM.

[will_]

Still watching & enjoying your rebuild. Awesome ! Great attn to detail
Love the s14a, I had 2, one I tuned to just shy of 400bhp. T'was a slight handful !

[RossKnight]

Read from start to finish, took bloody ages! But so very worth it. Amazing attention to detail. And very happy to see it's going on 10's

[Petrol]

Thanks Ben, I got some detailed pics so I'm sorted. Thanks very much to Nino for those.

 

400 sounds like fun will_ 1250kg and no driver aids FTW!!!!!

 

Thanks RossKnight. Again, 10's FTW

 

Bought the brackets and tank support

 

 

Also got a N/S 5 1/2 gallon tank but don't know what this connector is for

 

 

 

Anyone know?

 

Thanks

Pete

 

 

[henri1972]

Is it the breather is it on top of the tank

[phil hill]

Very early MK1 Mini tanks had a drain point, that's not it by any chance ??

 

I've got a 5.5 gallon tank and it's not got that on it.

 

Phil.

[Petrol]

No it's at the bottom of the tank henri1972.

 

 

 

Very early MK1 Mini tanks had a drain point, that's not it by any chance ??

 

Phil.

 

I didn't know early MK1 tanks had a drain point and think that sounds very likely, thanks Phil. If it is a very early MK1 tank, it's in unbelievable condition! Seems a shame to drill it out and plug it to use on my build but 5 1/2 gallon tanks are not easy to find.

 

Still spending lots of hours on the shell. I'm having to use high build primer in some areas where heat from welding has run up the panels and distorted them. The rear 1/4's are the worst affected but hopefully when it's done, it will look bang on. On the subject of heat distortion, I was looking at a brand new Heritage shell recently and the rippling on the panels was not good and that's putting it kindly!

 

Progress is slow and I seem to have an endless list of problems to solve. I guess it's no fun if it's easy

 

Pete

[Ben_O]

Nice to hear it is coming on still Pete.

 

when you split your seams to kill the rust, did you thoroughly split and check the seam between the lower rear windscreen flange and parcel shelf?

I only ask because i can't remember if you said you had and i have just bought the rear end of a 90's cooper and when removing the complete rear panel, there were shocking amounts of rust on the parcel shelf flange and its quite a tall one and the whole lot was quite bad on this one.

 

Thought it was worth a mention.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Petrol]

Thanks for the heads up Ben. I did split the seam between the rear panel and parcel shelf and it was pretty rusty. The only seams on the shell I didn't split are the rear seat upright to parcel shelf, the rear seatbelt upper mounts - the ones on the C pillar, and the floor X member. I did however force Zinc in them.

 

After lots of spraying and flatting with high build primer

 

 

Sprayed some Blue on. Things always look a whole lot better when its one colour

 

 

 

I'm trying to get rid off all the imperfections in the panels

 

 

 

This arrived today, it's an early 12G295 head

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete

 

 

 

 

[Ben_O]

 

Beautiful work mate.

[will_]

One of the best minis ever in the making !!

[Ben_O]

Still cannot believe that this isn't going to be the final paint job!!

[RossKnight]

Yeh, I'd be over the moon if I could manage to get my paint like that!