308 replies to this topic

[McMini 22]

Well that plan backfired. Agree to a trip to York and I can sneak in a visit to Minispares. Wife finds Mullbery shop and wants a new handbag.
On the plus side I will be spending a lot less on my mini bits than the price of a handbag!

[McMini 22]

I knew that at some point I was going to have to buy some tyres for getting this on the road. The tyres on my mini special wheels were the old good year 165 70 10. They have loads of tread but have been lying flat for 17 years so have big flats and are cracked.
Yokohama A008 were on the cards then a set of new Starmag with new Yokohamas appeared on Ebay for 250 quid so I have bought them. There is a wee bit damage to the rims but it saves me refurbishing either my mini special wheels or sorting my KN mercury ones.
Plan is to run it on the starmags for a bit and change to the mercury wheels later. I like them and they are pretty rare.
And seing as I was splashing out I didn't spend too much at Minispares. Just cylinders, springs and shoes for the back brakes.
Roll on payday!

[McMini 22]

I didn't like the crimp type cv boot clamp as space on the left hand driveshaft is so tight. So I bought the band strap type and the correct tool. Much better now.



Left hand side is all built up and just need to move engine about to give best clearance.

[McMini 22]

I spent about 2 hours last night moving the engine about to try and get best clearance. The bad news is that there is only about 3mm clearance between the dif and the steering rack. So the engine needs to come forward a bit on the LH side. Sods law that the engine mounting hole on the subframe is the only one I didn't slot!

So engine mount needs to come back off and get busy with a round file.

That is the easy bit as moving the engine forward will probably make the inner left pot joint touch the subframe. If it does then I have to take the engine back out and modify the subframe with an angle grinder.

This is a bit of a set back but I will just have to get on with it.

[McMini 22]

I slotted out the front engine mount on the subframe but can't get the engine forward enough as the pot joint is hitting the subframe in the area shown.  I was hoping that lower the engine at the rear would help but no chance.

 

I

 

It looks like fairly major surgery on the subframe as I need to cut out the pocket and replace it with a bigger one.  It's my fault for trying to make things too neat and tidy.

Make new pocket

Mark up subframe

Engine out

Cut out old pocket

Weld in new pocket

Grind and paint

 

That;'s at least a weeks work at my pace.  Bummer!

 

[l_jonez]

Now that's a pain in the rear

[DomCr250]

I slotted out the front engine mount on the subframe but can't get the engine forward enough as the pot joint is hitting the subframe in the area shown.  I was hoping that lower the engine at the rear would help but no chance.
 

I
 
It looks like fairly major surgery on the subframe as I need to cut out the pocket and replace it with a bigger one.  It's my fault for trying to make things too neat and tidy.
Make new pocket
Mark up subframe
Engine out
Cut out old pocket
Weld in new pocket
Grind and paint
 
That;'s at least a weeks work at my pace.  Bummer!

That frame is lush, really nice bit of work.

[McMini 22]

Yes it is a bit of a pain. A good looking subframe is only any good if it works!

As the old saying goes - the man who didn't make a mistake didn't make anything!

Just need to get on with it.

[l_jonez]

Damn right, I did learn on my first frame to tack everything together and trial fit repeatedly

[McMini 22]

What I should have done was to completely build the car and get it running.  Then strip it and paint it.

I was trying to cut corners and speed things up by assuming things were "good to go".

 

To be fair to myself, this is the only biggish problem I have come across (so far).

[micraminiman]

Aah, bad one. Thats why Im leaving it all unfinished until its all running, then strip and paint it all up.

 

 I already had to strip and cut out the bottom arm on the drivers side after the front end was fouling it as it flipped forward. Some amount of work, but its worth doing right.

 

 Hope it all goes to plan. All e best.

[thelegg]

Have you thought about grinding off some of the steering rack ?

[McMini 22]

Yes I did think of a wee bit off the rack and possibly a wee bit off the dif casing.
Even when the engine was right back an hitting the rack there was not much clearance on the pot joint and the rubber boot. The last thing I need is shredding inner boots when it's up and running so a mod to the subframe is the best option. I did modify the area with oxy/acetylene and a big hammer before I painted it as the boot was just hitting the bottom edge of the pocket. Obviously still wasn't enough.

I may still modify the rack and dif housing for a few mm more clearance. Is it safe to grind a bit off the rack?

[McMini 22]

 

There are ribs on the rack as shown above and it's the one on the front of the rack that is the closest point to the dif (obviously).  A steering lowering bracket makes matters worse by rotating the rack.  I will look inside the old rack to check that it is safe to grind off a bit of the rib (don't want a hole in my new rack!).

[thelegg]

I'm not sure, I was going to grind my rack down as I'd like a few more mm of clearance. My plan was to grind down an old steering rack first to see how much could be removed