524 replies to this topic

[Sleeping Park Lane]

Rats - pics seem to have gone missing Vinay

[Vinay-RS]

Rats - pics seem to have gone missing Vinay

 

Yeah... Photobucket decided that we can't use their service anymore :\ 

Now to figure out how to fix this. 

[Ben_O]

Looks like you need to update your account to enable 3rd party hosting.....

 

[Vinay-RS]

Looks like you need to update your account to enable 3rd party hosting.....

 

I think I will wait for TMF to allow me to use google drive links. It's strange that it doesn't. I actually have my main photo back-up on Google drive. 

[Vinay-RS]

Edited by Vinay-RS, 14 July 2017 - 12:03 PM.

[Vinay-RS]

So, since TMF isn't a fan of Google Drive, I decided to take the plunge and put all the photos on imgur. Wasn't too much effort, but now, at least this thread is mostly complete. I need to add the pictures from the various Mini Meets/Runs that were on this thread still. 

 

I'm not too sure if it's worth going back and finding all the threads with pictures and updating them... I might look into doing this in the near future too. 

 

Now to get back to fixing the Mini :) 

[Vinay-RS]

I've been considering a set of Lucas Square 8 spot lights for my Mini, since they were a optional extra on the 1275 E back in the 80s. I couldn't find a set locally and another problem was that, those on eBay listed at decent prices didn't offer international shipping and those with international shipping were rather expensive or were new. So I started looking at other Lucas spotlights. I really wanted to stick with Lucas, as they would have been a period mod in the 60/70s too. I then found a set, made a bid and by a lucky chance, I won the item at a really good price. Shipping was also decently priced and the item arrived within a week of it being shipped. Here are some photos:

 

 

 

 

The paint on the back is a bit worn, so it might be worth getting them resprayed. 

 

 

The actual spot light is also a little big, when compared to the size of the grille. I'm not too sure that it will look good when mounted, but looking at some of the similar clubmans with large spotlights, it might actually look cool. 

 

[Jared Mk3]

Nothing wrong with the size. Should look quite nice on the front of your car 

[Vinay-RS]

Nothing wrong with the size. Should look quite nice on the front of your car 

Thanks, Jared. I'll look into how the brackets will work and then get some of these jobs done. 

[Jared Mk3]

 

Nothing wrong with the size. Should look quite nice on the front of your car 

Thanks, Jared. I'll look into how the brackets will work and then get some of these jobs done. 

 

Look for a second bumper that already has holes, or that you're willing to make holes in. Or make some brackets to work with the bumper/bumperette mounts.

[Vinay-RS]

So it's been a while since I've done work on the Mini and he's been sounding increasingly sick over the recent while. Turns out I hadn't tightened the engine steady nut properly, so the engine was juddering badly. There was also a really loud squealing, the source of which I couldn't identify. This combined with the bad weather meant I've not really looked at these problems. 

 

Fortunately, Abri had suggested that we might be able to get the carbs sorted out and fitted this weekend (which we actually didn't get to fit due to spending too much time trying to get them correct). So since I was there, I asked him for his advice in finding the source of the squealing. Turns out the lock nut for the jet had come loose, and was whining when I pressed the throttle. We also adjusted the clutch and sorted out the loose engine steady. The engine compression on three of the four cylinders was good and on the no. 1, it was a bit low. Also water seems to be leaking from between the head and the block. So Abri re-torqued the cylinder head and I'll check it everyday to see if there is still water coming out. 

 

Since we adjusted the clutch, the close driving position of the S buckets was really making clutch control a pain, as the pedal was sitting a lot higher. So I decided to pull finger and fix that problem by fitting one of the extender brackets that I'd been given. 

 

The biggest pain is that the nuts holding these seats in place were welded in, so I removed the seat from the car, and took a hack saw to the nuts and cut them off. Then, it made sense to wire brush and paint the brackets. They won't get seen, but it's nice that at least now they're a shiny black colour and not rusty brown. 

 

 

 

This has definitely helped with the driving position and the feel of the pedals. Next up will be the passenger seat. 

[Itsaminithing]

Are those SA seat mounting brackets? Totally different to the UK version.

Hate the design of those extender brackets -they don't look very safe. Move to the UK & i will make you some better designed ones ( i'd better learn to knit fluffy jumpers till you acclimatise to the UK weather).

[timmy850]

They look like the basic style of seat brackets that were also fitted to early cars. The later Aussie cars had the adjustable holes on an incline for some reason, while the UK ones are flat



UK type
http://www.minispare...|Back to search

http://www.somerford...age=page&id=132

Edited by timmy850, 31 July 2017 - 07:24 AM.

[Vinay-RS]

Are those SA seat mounting brackets? Totally different to the UK version.

Hate the design of those extender brackets -they don't look very safe. Move to the UK & i will make you some better designed ones ( i'd better learn to knit fluffy jumpers till you acclimatise to the UK weather).

I believe these brackets are specific to these S bucket seats. The seat itself sits quite a bit higher than the standard Mini seats, and the actual frame is also different. 

 

Yeah, I agree, the brackets are only made from 3 mm thick aluminium, which doesn't sound particularly strong. I did get a set cut from armoured steel, which I'm hoping will be better. That said, I only got one set made and so for the other side I will have to use the aluminium ones, or try and get another set made. 

 

It would be a hard sell to move away from Cape Town That said, Mini spares would be so much cheaper without worrying about exchange rates and shipping costs 

Did you redesign the seat brackets? Different material, or completely new design? 

[Vinay-RS]

They look like the basic style of seat brackets that were also fitted to early cars. The later Aussie cars had the adjustable holes on an incline for some reason, while the UK ones are flat



UK type
http://www.minispare...|Back to search

http://www.somerford...age=page&id=132

Yeah, it's the one in the front of the photo. Perhaps an easier solution would have been to use the later car brackets. Sometimes I am quite dense... especially since they would basically do the same job as the extender brackets.