409 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

considering how much crap is loaded up into the boot on a weekly basis it doesn't look too bad.

 

 

and one of the new battery.

 

 

I'm just hoping it starts to cool off so I can get into the garage and start welding as it almost up into the 40s in the garage earlier today.

[Down&Out]

Did that roofing tape do the job it was supposed to? ive always wondered if its a worthy replacement for dynamat..

[Steely]

 

Really nice looking work so far, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as I own one myself. What are you doing with the original wheels and trims if your not using them? Why aren't you using them, I think they look better than your standard minilite's.

 

As for the original wheel trims, even though I have this pile of ones I’ve cleaned up and refurbed along with a box full or others I haven’t got round to, I don’t have a full set of 12” steelies with matching legal tyres. But given that the front n/s is already starting to wear quite quickly (too many roundabouts) it might not be long till I need a tyre or two anyways.

 

It would be nice though for it to look like it once did again in 2009, even with it's rather rushed paintjob just to make smarten it up a bit for the 50th that didn't sadly really last being left outside all year round. But then I also kind of miss the long summer driving around to and from shows, etc with the now ex gf at the time.

 

 

 

 

Wow! You have a lot there! I have a spare set of trims that need refurbing and the set that I have on at the moment aren't looking too great. My steelies need to be refurbed aswell. So maybe minilites aren't such a bad idea just whilst I do them. Your 25 looks like it was once a show winner! 

 

I'm still trying to find parts for mine to get it back to standard, got the engine refurb on its way and due to be put in, in the next few months. I think I'll be trying to spend less once those 2 things are found and done.

 

[1984mini25]

It was in no way a show car, as it was sprayed with rustoluem using and earlex spray satiation from argos for less than £100. Witch did what I wanted it to do covering up the temporary rattle can patchwork from sorting out the first lot of rust issues, before the lacquer started crazing and lifting and ending up with the paintjob it has now.

 

 

even so you'd hardly be able to tell that it was the same mini from 4 years earlier.

 

If you look closely you'll notice the sides have lost the mini25 decals, the stonechip sprayed to hide all the filler in the doors and the missing front wing seam that's yet more rot/filler.

[1984mini25]

Just to prove the 25 doesn't get much of an easy life, one 1 ton engine crane...

 

[1984mini25]

I did also get the green one running again.... briefly. After swapping the carbs over and shortening/playing with the choke it coughed into life. Although every time it was revved hard it would stall and need almost full choke again to restart even once it had warmed up. After trying a few things with the timing and mixture I ended up swapping the whole dashpot assembly of the hif38 and using it on the hs4, witch seamed to do the trick. But I also discovered that the oil had a whiff of petrol to it, so the fuel pumps leaking and I'd also spotted after it had been running for a while that fuel was also leaking from the jet under the carb.

 

That and while playing around trimming the front wings fro more clearance for the new arches I noticed a bit of play on the n/s, witch got worse after tightening the cv nut up a bit more. so for the moment at least I'm fed up with it as I now have leaky carb issues, a knackered fuel pump, wheel arches to fiberglass back on and the mysterious play in a 'new' wheel bearing.

[1984mini25]

Just what's the point? I recently replaced the boot handle just over a week ago for the second time this year as some mindless idiot keeps trying to force/turn the boot lock open (no damage to the lock itself), witch all it does is rounds the square end off and just spins in the catch mounted on the boot lid. Clearly a small toolbox with a few random screwdrivers, odd spanners, a crappy jack and maybe a small bottle of oil is just far too tempting for some people.

[Ben_O]

 Clearly a small toolbox with a few random screwdrivers, odd spanners, a crappy jack and maybe a small bottle of oil is just far too tempting for some people.

LMFAO!!

Seriously though, some people just can't keep their hands to themselves. was anybody about when you fitted the new battery? if so, perhaps that's what they are after??

Hope they keep away now.

 

Ben

[1984mini25]

 

 Clearly a small toolbox with a few random screwdrivers, odd spanners, a crappy jack and maybe a small bottle of oil is just far too tempting for some people.

LMFAO!!

Seriously though, some people just can't keep their hands to themselves. was anybody about when you fitted the new battery? if so, perhaps that's what they are after??

Hope they keep away now.

 

Ben

 

Only my next door neighbour that tried making wise remarks about the mini not starting and needing a new battery, as he probably thought that because it hadn’t moved in 3 days that the battery was knackered. Along the usual bull that how he could get a new battery in Halfords cheaper and if he leaves his ‘modern’ car parked up for more than a week the battery is flat etc, etc.

 

When all I was doing was changing a perfectly fine 075 battery that I’d paid £30 for off the daily and back onto the mayfair, as the 7 year old 35ah Halfords battery the car came with finally died over winter (it was showing only 12.2v for a while but was still starting first turn of the key). Then replacing that one with the £32 eBay buy and messing around with making new bolts from threaded road and battery clamps, earth cables, etc.

The old battery is also sat in the garden ready for when I take it down to the tip. But I’m sure if left 2 similar items one new and one knackered, with the knackered one chained/locked up in some way I sure I know which one would mostly likely go walk about.

 

But then nothing surprises me, a few weeks back someone tried ripping off/nicking the rear number plate of the other car on the drive failing to notice that there screwed on. Or a few years back when someone else (I’m 99% sure who, just can’t prove it) tried drilling the main lock on the garage a little bit each time (as if I wouldn't notice) and then failing to notice the 3 other additional bolts/padlocks. Not that anything in garage would be worth or easy to nick anyways with most of it being either cheap or second hand and all locked away or chained up to something. That’s of course unless they simply couldn’t do without a box full of random, worthless box of mini stuff (random small stuff) and a few half used tins of paint and spray cans.

[Ben_O]

Makes me wonder why. just bored kids I guess.

When I first got into Mini's years ago I had an 85 Mayfair in a council garage on a block and I went up there one night to pick up a tool to return to the mate that lent it to me and as I was walking up the access road, I heard a loud banging. as I got nearer I noticed some kid kicking the hell out of my garage door. I crept up in the shadows, tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he needed a hand. Needless to say, he tried to run so I swiftly grabbed him and punched him in the face. I didn't get a good look at him but two days later when I was walking to the garage I saw someone walking past with a load of his mates and he had a cast on his nose! so I guess I now knew who it was! LOL

 

bloody vandals! the Bain of my life!!!

 

Cheers

Ben

[1984mini25]

Replaced the o/s knuckle joint and painted up the suspension while I was at before admitting defeat and retreating from being rained on. The hi-lows proved to be a bit problematic being as I somehow didn't have any open ended spanners that fitted, so I ended up taking the grinder to a 30mm spanner I'd picked up at a classic car show a few months ago. Also at the same time I've also now found out that there's a lot of play in both top and bottom ball joints and the cv boots split, so it's off the road until I can find some new balljoints asap.

 

Hopefully if it doesn't rain (or I keep the bonnet shut) tomorrow I've got the leaking crank seal and the n/s knuckle joint to do.

[1984mini25]

Finally finished 3 full days of replacing both knuckle joints thanks to the rubber dust covers disintegrating, a wire brush and paint up of all the suspension and subframe on both sides, a bottom balljoint replaced (done without taking the hub off) the timing cover/crank seal oil leak fixed and a full repaint of the radiator side and front of the engine. Just a cv boot and wiper blades and it's good for the mot, providing nothing brakes before then. The only downer is now the timing cover isn't leaking it now also appears there's still an oil leak at the speedo housing/ mount, but as that means the radiator and stuff needing to come back out I'll put up with it for now.

Edited by 1984mini25, 07 August 2013 - 08:35 PM.

[1984mini25]

A few picks now I've been able to upload them from my phone...

 

[1984mini25]

It turned out that the oil leak was in fact from the timing cover again, so I spent a 4th day stripping it all back down and sealing the cover up this time with some black sealant type stuff. Threw it all back together and was letting it run up to bleed the cooling system when the new (few months old) alternator belt started to shred itself. so I fitted a rather crusty and worn spare to get me to mitp where I could pick up a new one, along with a couple of spare boot handles, wiper blades, a cv boot I've yet to replace and an mpi bonnet catch for £2 I just need a cable for.

[1984mini25]

Cleaned up the bonnet catch I'd bought...

 

 

and made up a bracket using two kitchen angle brackets and some bolts, I just need to buy a cable now.