15 replies to this topic

[MaximMini]

Hi Everyone,

What is the most sensible thing to do if you have just to many projects on your hands and no time to finish any of them?

You buy another Mini .



A Mini that actually drives, is in no need of any immediate attention, has a folding roof and no choke (to make the best of all wifes happy) and two years MOT.

It is a bit of a parts box (do you say so in English) and not the prettiest one buy any standards but that's easily forgotten when you wizz down the b roads. The PO bought the Mini together with a mainstream Cooper in a deal. The Mini was supposed to cater as a donor for the Cooper but the PO found it to be to good to be scrapped and rebuild it with lots of rebuild used and new parts. Because the engine had been disassembled and stored in a wet garage, he put in a good used Cooper unit. The Mini has been registered as a 1992 car after the original documents got lost and there was no registration file available after more that 8 years of the road. I'm convinced that it is more likely a 1993 or 1994 car (and will try to find some prove). With the new registration, the Cooper engine has been mentioned in the documents with is obviously a plus.

I finally hope that it is okay to open a thread on a non-project Mini in the projects section .

But then there will be various bits and bobs which I will improve in the future ..


Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town

Edited by MaximMini, 07 February 2022 - 09:16 PM.

[MaximMini]

Hi Everybody,

 

Today I have started with the first improvement for the SPI. Since the Mini came with speakers in the parcel shelf and I really don't fancy a radio of any sort in my Minis, I have opted for a Bluetooth adapter with amplifier. This way I can connect my phone during navigation or else.

 

And this is what the installation looks like:

 

The amplifier module as well as the USB plug are from AMAZON while the bracket is home made.

 

Next on the list is deep cleaning the seats.

 

 

Cheers fro the Pied Piper's Town

[Avtovaz]

oh right! i was just wondering about this type of set up for my mini! that looks good, whats the sound like?

[MaximMini]

Hi Avtovaz,

My son was amazed by the sound of this little amplifier. According to the supplier information it is putting out 2x 50 W. And it's so simple.

[MaximMini]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have started cleaning the interior in the back. Here you can see the before / after situation on the rear bench:

 

And because the rear parcel shelf board has been really scrubby with the openings for the speakers hacked out with an axe , I have covered it with some leftover leatherette.

 

Next on the list was the steering wheel which I cleaned with some leather cleaner before treating it with some leather care cream. Before:

 

and after:

 

And finally I have designed a holder for my mobile phone. The base has been 3D printed while the holder itself is a part form LogiLnk which came with an adapter to fix it on the fresh air vents of a car.

 

Next on the list are the front seats and door cards.

 

 

Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town

[E23TFD]

Thought you were a Hamburg resident with that plate but realised it’s registered on the historic format. See so many minis in Hamburg, quiet surprised in the number that are used daily and parked all over the city.

Nice example and even better if it’s a useable project

[MaximMini]

Hi E23TFD,

Registrations for Hamburg start with HH. For historic vehicles (> 30 years) an H will be added on the left.

In the past it was mandatory to change the registration of any cars according to the owners residence. This isn't the case anymore and allowed me to keep the registration even though I'm not a Hanover resident.

Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town

[Gilles1000]

The Historic H will be added on the other left ;)

 

Like this then:

A:BC 123 H

 

Gilles

 

 

 

Hi E23TFD,

Registrations for Hamburg start with HH. For historic vehicles (> 30 years) an H will be added on the left.

In the past it was mandatory to change the registration of any cars according to the owners residence. This isn't the case anymore and allowed me to keep the registration even though I'm not a Hanover resident.

Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town

[MaximMini]

That's absolutely right. It's the left that's commonly known as right.

[MaximMini]

Hi Everyone,

 

When I got the SPI, it lacked the expansion tank as well as the electric fan. Both items are NLA and difficult to source second hand.

 

Luckily I finally got hold of a used expansion tank (which was in desperate need of a good clean) and an electric fan which unfortunately had a broken bracket (as so many have).

 

The frame for the electric fan I did from some scrap aluminium after trying stainless steel which proved to be too hard to machine.

 

Fitting both items was easy on the ramp / post.

 

While routing the cabling for the electric fan, I came across a plug which I don't have a clue what it is for.

 

Any information on this would be appreciated. It looks quite similar to the diagnose plug for the ECU.

 

 

Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town

[Spherix]

I've just gone through my entire SPI LHD loom (it's in a box) and did not see a plug like that. Heavy amounts of tape there suggests it could be something aftermarket or a repair with new plug on.

 

Did you find the original wiring/plug for the electric fan?

Edited by Spherix, 10 May 2021 - 11:01 AM.

[sonscar]

Looks like the dim/dip resistor plug and in about the same place?Steve..

[MaximMini]

Wires are two times brown with orange marking, originating from the main harness on the left hand side bulkhead (on my LHD Mini).

[cookie4343]

Nice project and excellent work, the electric fan bracket is just what I need if you fancy making and selling another please let me no. Thanks.

[MaximMini]

Hi Everyone,

 

With the show season having been started and the British Open having proofed to be lots of fun, it was time for a style upgrade.

 

The car is technical sound but have been bodged over the years which means that the appearance is lacking in more than a detail. One of those bodges are the stainless wheel arch covers covering all broken standard wheel arches. Since the standard black has never been an option for me, I have let a set of arches been painted in BRG (the car featuring all kinds of shades of this colour ;.).

 

The arches have been fixed to the car using M5 rivnuts and countersunk screws. This combination will never work as it doesn't allow for any wiggling room and will end up with broken plastic in the end. Bodging a bodge, I bored the rivnuts to 5 mm and glued in M3 rivnuts. This gave enough wiggling room and using some M3 rounded head screws and washers, I was finally able to properly fix the arches without breaking them.

 

Before

And after

The next change in style is already in the making and involves the wheels ..

 

 

Cheers from the Pied Piper's Town