589 replies to this topic

[jamesquintin]

Hello all!

I’ve been a long time lurker on TMF, sometimes helping out here and there where I can and asking the odd question, but I thought it would be time to bite the bullet and start my own build thread. Here’s my pride and joy!

 

The day I bought it

A 1998 MPI Tahiti Blue Mini Cooper bought from Mini Sport back in 2002. It only had 1,500 miles on the clock and still smelt like a new car! The engine bay was spotless.

 

 

 

Shiny!

Obviously with 12 years of ownership and 90,000 miles later there has been a few bits and bobs done to the car:

Replaced due to rust in 2012:

• Both wings
• A Panels
• Front panel
• Both sills
• Both door steps
• Both door skins

This was all done by Darrel behind Minispares, who unfortunately is no longer with us.

Things that had to be replaced due to wear and tear:

• Exhaust
• LCB
• Accelerator cable (the wife’s heavy foot)
• Alternator
• Steering Rack
• Steering column
• Radiator Fan
• Rear subframe

Not too much for a car I’ve owned for 12 years! This is my daily driver and gets used in all weathers. The only time I’ve not been able to drive it was when I dislocated my knee (leg in plaster for a month) and when it was in the body shop a few times (3 accident repairs!)

The plan for the future is to get another Mini to either do up and learn on before I rebuild the Cooper to look as good as the day it rolled out the factory, or do the Cooper first… What I would really like is a Mini Rose project, as I’d like something for my daughters first car (she’s only 7…) and post ’89 cars have the servo and disc brakes (bit safer for her than the drums I had on my ’86 Mini Chelsea)

That’s it for now, I’ll be updating the thread with some little bits I have planned in the next few weeks.

JQ
 

 

 

The car today (well the 2014 L2B)

Edited by jamesquintin, 15 July 2017 - 02:12 PM.

[Rocket.]

Looks nice ! Will be watching this

[jamesquintin]

ok, first job to do, replace the Oil temp sender with a new one from SC:
 

 

 

Out with the old:

 

 

and in with the new:

 

 

Was a bit of a pain to fit as once the sender is in, there isn't enough space to get a socket on. Also do it when you're doing an oil change as a fair bit leaks out...

On to testing:
 

 

 

 

and it doesn't work... No idea why, but didn't have time to troubleshoot, so that can wait for another day!


 

[Steve220]

That's where mine sits most journeys. Only in traffic does it move to about 60-70 degrees.

[Midas Mk1]

That's where mine sits most journeys. Only in traffic does it move to about 60-70 degrees.

 Agreed only when sitting at 85 ish does my dial start to move, I thought mine was broke first at too aha

[jamesquintin]

Sounds like yours is broken... A broken oil sender will still read about 60. Mine isn't moving at all

[Steve220]

Sounds like yours is broken... A broken oil sender will still read about 60. Mine isn't moving at all

Do you mean mine? As it goes up when I'm in the revs higher and at speed.

[MaxAndPaddy]

Lovely looking car, always loving the Taihiti

[Minimad100]

ok, first job to do, replace the Oil temp sender with a new one from SC:
 

 
 
Out with the old:
 

 
and in with the new:
 

 
Was a bit of a pain to fit as once the sender is in, there isn't enough space to get a socket on. Also do it when you're doing an oil change as a fair bit leaks out...
On to testing:
 

 
 
 
and it doesn't work... No idea why, but didn't have time to troubleshoot, so that can wait for another day!

  

That's where mine sits most journeys. Only in traffic does it move to about 60-70 degrees.

  

That's where mine sits most journeys. Only in traffic does it move to about 60-70 degrees.

 Agreed only when sitting at 85 ish does my dial start to move, I thought mine was broke first at too aha

There's a thread floating about on here that shows you how to 'fix' them to allow them to reach the correct temperature rather than just slightly increasing as above!!

[jamesquintin]

On with the fixing...

 

My MPI seat had begun to sag last year, so I bought a new diaphragm. It was ok, but didn't really do the trick. It got worse and worse, so I took the base off again and re-drilled the holes.

 

 

Again this worked for a while until the new holes started to elongate (I'm really not that heavy!) So today I've tried a new trick... cable ties!

I thought as the metal hooks keep digging in, I'll try a cable tie around the whole tube. Here's what I mean:

 

 

I did this to both sides and put it all back together:

 

Did it work..? Sort of. Seat feels a bit firmer and doesn't hurt my back as much (3 herniated discs, go me!). Is this a suitable solution, or does anyone know of a better way to 'firm up' the MPI seats?



 

[69k1100]

I didn't want to pay for a new diaphragm for my mini k so I bought a couple of panels of garden mesh (made up of 3/4mm wire welded into squares) and cut them to shape. This makes the seats incredibly firm, I am a little concerned they may be too firm. Time will tell.

[jamesquintin]

Cool, did you have any pics...?

[jamesquintin]

Urrrghhhh

 

Someone reversed into the front of the car!

 

 

Needs a new grille and spotlight. Thankfully the next day they left a note on the car, so will hopefully get it fixed before the MOT next week...

[domdee]

Looks like a lovely mini!

[jamesquintin]

Time to prep for the MOT!

 

Got a few bits to sort out, first off was the headlights. Since the car was in for damage to the wing, the headlights have been pointing all over the place, and the levelling motors were working but the lights didn't move. Time for a trip to Mini Spares!

 

 

The headlights were starting to go a bit rusty, so time for a change.

 

 

Here's where I work my magic...

 

 

First job was the levellers. The left hand one wasn't doing anything. I swapped with the right one and it was fine. I traced the problem to the earth lead, which is in the pain in the butt earth connector behind the expansion tank

 

 

the earth lead for the motor is very thin, and it had snapped at the connector end.

 

 

The cable wasn't long enough so I had to make up a little extention

 

 

I didn't take a picture of it in place, but I was hoping I could stuff it into the back of the metal connector and fold the clamp shut, but I couldn't get any purchase on it. I ended up just stuffing the cable as far in as I could. Tested it and it was all ok, hopefully it'll stay put!