242 replies to this topic

[country clubman]

Started putting the car back together now, bellow some of the bits I've been up too, but also taken the engine out to give it a once over, more to follow on that one.

 

The handbrake bracket was getting a bit bent, so straightened this up and welded the gap to give it extra strength, don't know if the gap was a design part or just how they was made and left with a gap, looks like a cost efective way of making them, but you can get heavy duty versions of these so thought this was a good way of re-using them with added strength.

 

 

Then the inside rear, painted the inner panels and riveted them in, I should have checked the fitting of them first as they was a pain to fit and ended up knocking the lip back a bit, so needed touching up, was rather anoyed, but it will be under carpet them bits anyway so didn't need to be perfect.

 

 

I've also got the windows in the doors, and fitted the stainless scrapper strips, not that pleased with the size of them. If I fit them so the stainless fits on the door nicely there is a massive gap.

 

But if you move it closer and cut down the stainless end and try and bend the end bit nicely, pair of pliers works best, tried hammer and gently tapping it but metal is so soft, I haven't done other side yet but I'll do better job on that one(hopefully).

 

But then it just moves the gap to the forward edge, but that doesn't seem as bad there because it's under the angled frame, also it isn't in the direction wind/rain will be blowing whilst driving.

Been a while since had a wind up window mini, and not something you pay attention to when at shows, so anyone know if this is a normal size gap, or minispares suplier been bit tight with the rubber seal? I know they are on the clips they only suply 4 per strip when every other place recomends 5 per strip.

[GraemeC]

I don’t think the repro ones are anywhere near as good dimensionally as the originals, either the chrome section or the rubber.
And would you believe they have actually improved from what they were!

[country clubman]

Well school hols slowed progress down again, but back to it now and engine work, so next photo's probably a familiar site on this forum but thought would go ahead anyway.

 

Stripping the engine and box, the engine needs boring or a different one, but the box is workable so started on that whilst deciding what to do with the engine.

 

Well as with any box strip this is how it starts.

 

 

Then it becomes one big puzzle. Not all from the same box, I had some A+ stuff knocking about thought could use some of that, the helical gears are different so can't be mixed, as with layshaft, but some of the other stuff can, so with some of them bits all good apart from the 2nd gear as this is chipped so need to sort one of them out. 

 

 

Then some new bearings I think, I did try the minisport genuine gearbox recon set, but all that's included in that is one RHP and rest are KOR?! who are KOR, probably ok as even minispares have succumb to them, think they specialise in rarer bearings, so no doubt there is one on your mini somewhere! maybe ok but didn't want to risk it if could find a different make. Sent it back they are so slow on refunds still waiting after 2 weeks!

 

So usual place to find rare stuff ebay, managed to pick some new old stock up, RHP main stuff still make so easy to pick up, it's the smaller stuff hard to get genuine now, INA for idler gear, the layshaft and the speed gear bearings leyland/mg rover, these came from UK, US, Germany and Greece!

 

[country clubman]

Rebuilt gearbox, as fitting new drop gears really needed to check the thrust washer, I did the other gap checks but this one was the furthest out, problem is getting new thrust washers for the drop gears are getting harder, thankfully there was a seller at London to Brighton run that had some, and thankfully I managed to get the correct size. I thought it was even further out when I first checked as used a rather thick gasket, but a better sized gasket helped as well. Just got to wait for the engine to get back from engine shop now.

 

 

Also been busy putting all brake pipes back and fuel pipe, and all the other little bits like air intake pipe, even the intake box needed repairing.

 

 

It was the internal bracket that had rusted, so knocked up new one out of stainless, here is old and new photo, don't think you can buy these anymore hence me making one

[country clubman]

Well been a whiles since last post but slowly getting it back together when I get time.

 

Got handbrake cables/lever back on, but I did notice there are three stages of quality in these cables regarding the fitting on the rear plate bracket with the spring, the newest one has no nipple on the cap so can slip off very easily! middle one has partial nipple which manages to hold it on the bracket well then there is the original one. Hopefully the pic bellow shows what I'm talking about and something to watch out for when buying something as simple as a handbrake cable.

 

Mainly been working on the engine, made sure the crank was polished nicely before refitting, can see difference between unpolished journal on right.

 

Once back together, got to get the timing gear aligned properly, I've decided to go for an adjustable belt set up. Belts don't seem to be fashionable if look into them but I'm going with it, and maybe a good thing as got this at a reasonable price of ebay, the fact could easily adjust made it so easy to set up.

 

Last photo making sure everything is cleaned up and checked even the rockers.

Edited by country clubman, 25 September 2018 - 10:46 PM.

[Risky]

Looks very nice. How did you polish the crank? By hand? If so, is this difficult to do, as I'm looking to rebuild my own engine but don't want to spend a fortune at machine shops.

I do have some mechanical skills (as my daily job is repairing and rebuilding F-16 engines).

[country clubman]

Looks very nice. How did you polish the crank? By hand? If so, is this difficult to do, as I'm looking to rebuild my own engine but don't want to spend a fortune at machine shops.

I do have some mechanical skills (as my daily job is repairing and rebuilding F-16 engines).

The crank polishing I did by hand as was trying to cut costs too, it is easy to do but very time consuming, just google/youtube search crank polishing for tips, looked like most people started around 600grit wet'n'dry, but the crank wasn't too bad to start with and wanted to take minimum material off so started with lowest 1500, 2000, 2500(with wd40) then autosol metal polish and I went further with 3m fast cut/finecut polish. So maybe the time it took might have been worth paying a machine shop with the proper tools, but these things are worth a try I think.

[Risky]

Thanks for your answer. Looks like something I could do myself! Can you use new non-oversize mains like this?

[country clubman]

Thanks for your answer. Looks like something I could do myself! Can you use new non-oversize mains like this?

No probs, I don't like to advise on what can and can't be done as I'm no expert on these things, last time I built a mini engine just put crank in as was, this time trying new things, I can't see any issue with the new mains done like this and you could skip wet'n'dry straight to polish compound, unless you mean new main bearings? in which case I'm using this with standard size new bearings, hence me not wanting to risk going less than 1500, if you have scores that need to go less than 1500 then could get risky of taking too much out and reducing size of journals, this is just what I have learned from researching and stands to reason. But best asking someone with more experience on these matters if you need more technical advice.

Edited by country clubman, 01 October 2018 - 08:19 AM.

[country clubman]

I got to the ignition switch only to find it had a problem, 71 ignition switches are rare or so I was told. Anyway sorted it made a post in technical due to the fact thought it might be usefull not just for variant mini's, link below, but also thought it might be usefull to post here incase info was needed but didn't notice my post in technical. Link below.

 

http://www.theminifo...ger-hens-teeth/

 

If your steering lock set up is like this then worth checking the post out.

 

[country clubman]

Slowly getting the engine back together, getting the engine in was a pain as did it from above had to tilt it, the remote diff housing sticks out so much, so much easier droping an engine in with rod gearbox.

 

Looks bit of a mess wires everywhere, decided to see how the dynamo set up goes as that's what it came with.

 

[morley]

Should have said if you wanted a hand getting the engine in Dave! On the road by Xmas? 

[country clubman]

Should have said if you wanted a hand getting the engine in Dave! On the road by Xmas? 

It was a pain to get engine in but I think help might be more hinder with something fidly like that! tar for offer though. Don't want to jinx it saying by Xmas but would be nice. Which Xmas will yours be done by?

[will_]

Just spent a couple of hours going through your build.
**tips hat** awesome work - really nice standard, I only hope I’ve as much patience as you when I get mine back up and running.

[country clubman]

Just spent a couple of hours going through your build.
**tips hat** awesome work - really nice standard, I only hope I’ve as much patience as you when I get mine back up and running.

Thanks for that, but trust me my patience is wearing very thin with it at the moment, seems like an issue with every turn, just got to keep calm and carry on, excuse the old war slogan that's been used to death!