524 replies to this topic

[Jared Mk3]

At long last! 

[Vinay-RS]

I'd given the exhaust manifold to the electroplaters a little over a week ago and I had a chance to pick it up yesterday. I'd requested just nickel plating, to keep the costs down, but they added a chrome plating too (for free :) ). I'm so chuffed with the results. They look amazing. Almost too good to fit... almost. 

 

 

If I can work out how to split the welded join on the existing manifold, I'll try and get these fitted soon. 

 

[Itsaminithing]

Now that's just showing off

 

How does the overall cost compare with buying the same bits in stainless?

[Vinay-RS]

Now that's just showing off

 

How does the overall cost compare with buying the same bits in stainless?

It's not significantly cheaper, saving of about R500 (~£30). At the time of purchase I wasn't even considering plating the manifold, but after chatting to folks, apparently high heat paint flakes off after a while and then the manifold starts to rust away. The plating is apparently a better long-term solution and would have been a good idea even if I'd gone for stainless steel. 

[Vinay-RS]

Small updated. I decided to make some boot boards, as the ones in the car were in really bad shape. The plyboard had delaminated and fractured. Got some offcut plyboard from the workshop, marked it up with the old boards as a template and cut it with a jigsaw. 

 

Wrapped them in some carpet that I got from a local upholstery place.

 

And fitted to the car. 

 

The finish isn't great, but it looks a lot better than they did before and it was a relatively cheap job.

 

Next up, I'm hoping to fit the interior sound deadening that I got a few months back and then the old stock Leyland front carpet. Now just wondering how to remove the old carpet.  

[Vinay-RS]

Got a headrest for the Mini's seat :)

 

 

Gave it a wipe down to remove the dust, but I think the leather is faded and needs to be dyed again. 

Edited by Vinay-RS, 08 August 2018 - 08:33 AM.

[GraemeC]

Did you get the servo bracket sorted?
I’m selling a couple off at £35 +post

Edited by GraemeC, 08 August 2018 - 09:24 AM.

[Vinay-RS]

Did you get the servo bracket sorted?
I’m selling a couple off at £35 +post

Hi, Graeme, 

Yes, I made the two brackets out of mild steel, bent them with a pipe and a vice and painted them :) 

[Vinay-RS]

Not much of an update. The Mini broke on Sunday morning (refused to start), after a bit of checking, I determined it was the alternator. So, ordered a new one. While waiting for it to arrive, I bought a bunch of bits and tried to fix the old one, with no success. 

 

Anyway, here's the new alternator and another pic of it fitted. Voltage problem seems to be sorted.

 

The engine bay looks so much worse with a nice new part fitted to it. Keen to do something about at least the wiring. Bought some loom tape, and I'll make a start at tidying that up. Is there a guide on that subject?  

[Bat]

Hi,

Just cut the old tape off an wrap the new on. There's usually another layer of tape anywhere the loom branches so the loom shouldn't fall apart.

Cheers 

[Vinay-RS]

Hi,

Just cut the old tape off an wrap the new on. There's usually another layer of tape anywhere the loom branches so the loom shouldn't fall apart.

Cheers 

Haha! There's so much tape on this loom... especially in all the places where someone has spliced the connections. I did get some loom tape, so the parts that are in good shape can be cleaned and then taped up again. 

[timmy850]

Good you got it all worked out with the new alternator

One benefit of having to drive your car everyday is that you definitely need to fix it straightaway. You can’t just push it into the garage and leave it till another day. The days turn to weeks and next thing you know you haven’t driven the car in months..

[Jared Mk3]

Good to see it's sorted 

[Vinay-RS]

Good you got it all worked out with the new alternator

One benefit of having to drive your car everyday is that you definitely need to fix it straightaway. You can’t just push it into the garage and leave it till another day. The days turn to weeks and next thing you know you haven’t driven the car in months..

Thanks, man :) Yeah, it definitely does get you into "fix it" mode and I guess I'm learning to fix/fit parts properly now. Which helps.  

 

 

Good to see it's sorted 

Thanks, dude :)

[Vinay-RS]

So, I gave the Mini a clean, polish and wax last night and got to attend a British classic car drive this morning.

 

A Morgan and MG TC were company for my Mini at the meeting point and this little Clubman joined me for most of the drive (as we were either ahead of some of the convoy, or behind the rest of the convoy).