409 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

Still no progress on the clutch issue, but a pair of rear lenses I'd bought for a tenner arrived in the post today.

 

 

The reason why buying them soon becomes apparent when you look at the ones they have just replaced.

 

 

 

The one on the right is an original 84 lens and the other is a replacement from a 93. As unfortunately about a year ago the n/s was reversed into witch completely smashed the original rear lenses and whole light unit. But as the new second hand replacement light unit and lenses was from a much earlier car, the shades of red of the lenses didn't match and it's just been one of those things that's bugged the crap out of me since.

 

The only other thing I would like to do is have the new lenses etched as per the original.

 

 

Witch is proving harder than I first thought, as it seams no one has there reg/vin numbers etched into the windows, lights etc. anymore.

[1984mini25]

The new clutch slave cylinder arrived about an hour ago, can you spot the problem...

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1497.l2649

 

 

 

 

 

To say I'm pissed off is a utter understatement, as not only do I now have to pay yet more money out of my own pocket to return the item, but the useless (insert your own word hear) also want to take off there postage and a 15% restocking free for sending me the wrong item.

Edited by 1984mini25, 07 January 2014 - 11:18 PM.

[Ben_O]

That is shocking! get back on the phone to them and demand them to let you off. Other than that, involve eBay to see what they say (unless it says on the terms on the item page about restocking fees etc)

 

Some sellers are terrible. When i used to sell on ebay, i always only charged the return postage if it was unwanted. never if it was not as described.

 

actually, you could open a claim on eBay choosing the option 'item not as described'

 

Good luck mate.

 

Ben

[Twincam]

Don't bother trying to resolve it with the seller if hes not going to play ball. You've been sent the wrong one, they SHOULD cover postage and remove any handling/restocking fee unless it was your fault. If not, whack a dispute via eBay and see how it pans out.

 

Keep up the good work, I'd grab a copy of car and classic etc and have a look at the advertisement pages, someone might be offering etching. Theres bound to be someone doing it these days.

[1984mini25]

As soon as I'd finished posting on the forum I did open an 'item not as described' claim via eBay, with pictures attached of the wrong item and demanding that the incorrect items wasn't being posted until I had the correct one first. Within about half an hour I then got a rather abusive phone call from the seller trying to claim that the item I'd been sent matches that of the listing and was the 'correct' one for a vetro clutch/84 set up. Witch anyone who knows minis, knows that's a load of crap and even the part numbers comes back as for a mk1/2 mini/austing allegro.

 

Reluctantly he did finally agree to send the correct part (don't hold out much hope) and pay for the postage to return the wrong one, witch should arrive tomorrow morning. But he did also seam more interested in wanting me to close the claim (witch I'm not doing) PayPal withholding the money (not my problem) and not to leave negative feedback, witch as I tried to explain until I'm happy its been resolved then I'll leave feedback as I chose.

[Twincam]

Iirc the longer you leave the issue open on eBay, the less his "score" will be as they get penalised for not resolving it in a short space of time. Good on you! Lets see if he sticks to his word.

[1984mini25]

Well it's now at least half 11, I've had no email commination for delivery like yesterday and the 'correct' replacement hasn't arrived either.

[1984mini25]

This finally arrived around 2 o'clock...

 

 

 

And with all the hassle, it only took 20mins to remove the old one and fit the new, thanks to some well greased bolts.

[Ben_O]

I'm glad you managed to sort it out.

Some sellers will try anything to get away with this.

 

Nice one

 

Ben

[1984mini25]

Few picks of the new one fitted. I've bleed it up, but the pedal still seams a little soft to me. So I'll see how it goes before trying to rebleed it again.

 

 

 

And looking at the old one, it's quite clear why it failed/needed replacing.

 

 

[Twincam]

Don't throw the old one away, buy a rebuild kit and rebuild it :) glad you got it sorted bud!

[1984mini25]

After originally looking at replacing the brake and indicator bulbs with led replacements, buying some led brake bulbs and finding that they really aren't as bright or as good as standard bulbs (I still need to take some pics) I've since decided to stick with standard bulbs. But the once advantage with the led indicators is the much more consistent on/off flash rate, witch could also be down to the new relay needed for them to flash correctly.

 

So a quick eBay and Google search, I found a universal electronic flasher relay designed to work with standard bulbs for £6.50 posted.

 

 

 To replace the original flasher unit and the occasional lazy indicators.

 

 

 

Fitting couldn't have been simpler. Well as simples as working upside down under that dash can be, with just the relay just requiring an extra earth.  

 

[1984mini25]

Well in the last month or so I've only had to replace a rather old speedo cable, witch was a right pain in the arse (literary, as I did my back in) as when the engine and gearbox were both out a few years ago, someone stupidly did the gearbox end up with a pair of pliers. How and why it failed I'm not too sure as the old cable hadn't snapped. As it happened while I was ragging it back from a club meet a few weeks back (as the roads were pretty much empty), got to about 4.5k in 3rd and suddenly saw the speedo bounce a few times and then drop dead, with a horrid screaming noise from behind the clocks for the rest of the journey home. but the new cable has seamed to fixed things and the speedo needle doesn't bounce anymore when traveling at a steady speed.

 

 

It could desperately do with a proper wash and hover out inside, but it's either been far too wet or windy of late, I have got one plan though. A mate that I've been doing a lot of work to his mgb has kindly offered the loan of his garage while the mgb is off for paint. Witch would leave me 2 weeks to pull the mini apart and replace all the panels I've had piled up in the garage for the last 17 months.

 

I'm just trying to work out how doable it is to replace the front panel, both wings, drivers inner wing in sections, flinch repairs, scuttle ends, drivers a panel, drivers door/a post, drivers door and door step all in less than 2 weeks and thats not including paint, witch I haven't quite worked out yet.

[1984mini25]

Now some might consider this particular mini to be a quite nice, clean, solid with the odd rust scab, it had even been suggested that all it needed was a bit of filler by someone who clearly didn't know what they were talking about.

 

And id agree that yes it is a lot less rustier than most (or at least when I first bought it) but the last lot of proper panelwork the mini had was 2006, near enough 8 years ago. And this mini is far from being a trailer queen, so that's been 8 years abuse in all weathers, sun rain, snow etc. also the odd 'little' rust scabs that have appeared have been rapidly getting worse over the last few damp months.

 

So with a mates garage now empty with his mgb sent of for paint first thing this morning, it was soon filled with something mini shaped.

 

How it looked this morning with most of the trim and headlamps removed.

 

 

And after a bit of poking...

 

 

 

So there was only really one thing to do...

 

 

One wing off, closely followed by the other.

 

 

 

As you can see the inner wings don't look too bad, but you'll soon see that they aren't. Similar to the drivers a panel, witch looked solid, but once removed and the flinch panel behind it chopped off revealed this rot. All of witch will be chopped out and replaced.

 

 

And that hole in the passenger wing/scuttled has resulted in this... the closing panel and inner wing are all paper thin.

 

 

Although one bit of news I'm really happy with is the condition behind the drivers damper bracket that I've previously repaired. I've since chopped it back to check behind and redo.

 

 

And behind the original untouched passenger side.

 

 

Witch has cleaned up back to bare steel nicely and need no repairs whatsoever, witch isn't bad for a 30 year old known rust trap.

 

 

Tomorrows job is to finish cutting of the rotten panel work and try and source a passenger a panel asap as it's got a bit more rot in the wing to a panel flange than previously thought. Oh did I also mention that not only do I have just over a week to get the mini done, but today I was also working with a ear infection and tail end of a cold I've been suffering with for the last week already.

Edited by 1984mini25, 09 March 2014 - 10:16 PM.

[Archived4]

You're a soldier! Makes me look like a wimp haha! Ace work and keep it up. Always love the budget updates on this