167 replies to this topic

[minivanman]

Ha, this has taken me 3 days about now. And I've not exactly been working hard at it. Mind you, I've done a few now.

Today I pulled the interior, ordered a load from minispares (wallets still recovering) and scrubbed the hubs up ready for a lick of paint. Just couldnt summon up the energy to do anything else.

[minivanman]

Got my front subframe ready today. Its an Mpi one, so after I checked it was square, I took it to work and attacked it with the welder and grinder. Zapped up the engine mounting holes, and redrilled them further back in the proper position for a carb'd subframe. I also ground off the mounting lugs for the front mounted radiator, so now it looks like this:

Just needs a degrease and a paint.

My minispares order turned up today as well so I got one of my rear hubs assembled before I went out. Tomorrow I should get all the wheel bearings done and get the hubs all painted. Hopefully.

[minivanman]

Not got much done over the last few days - been putting a new fence up and generally tidying the place up. This afternoon I got the subframe degreased and painted, and the hubs all painted as well. I've fitted all the bearings and new ball joints as well - things are starting to come together now.

[roofless]

good progress old luv - I'll bring that paint over next sunday, or is the club going to cannon hill park during the day ?

[minivanman]

The others are going to cannon hill, I'll be at cadwell park with the mighty minis. I'll be at the club in t'evening though. Thanks for that Martin!

[minivanman]

Started bolting bits on the subframe tonight:

Tomorrow the paint should be dry on the bottom arm pins so I can fit them and the tie bars. I'm going to bite the bullet and buy some coil springs as well, after the disaster with the cones on the van.

Couple more crash damage pics as well:

Thats torn it... (note the bent teardrop mount as well )


Tie bar washers - should look like the one on the right

[minivanman]

Lots of shinies on the way

[minivanman]

The bottom arms and tie bars are on, top arms are painted, just waiting on a rebuild kit for one of them. I've done another scarily big minispares order, and bit the bullet and got some coil springs winging their way to me. I unsiezed the hilos today (god bless the 3/4 drive windy gun - my new favourite tool ) And got a few bits painted up. Minispares bits should be arriving tomorrow, so the whole lot should be looking a lot more complete by tomorrow night (having no work on does have its advantages)



And the painted bits:

[minivanman]

Toddled over to the unit today and did a spot of creative chopping and welding:

Put nuts on the steering arms to make it easier to adjust


The hilos were the cheapo type you can only adjust with a hex bar, so I cut down a nut and welded onto it, so I can do it without taking the top bolts out.


When I got home my minispares stuff had turned up, and I realised why it had cost so much:

21 bottom damper pins

Dave (icklemini) pulled the bearings on one of the top arms for me this weekend and I pressed the new ones in today and got that assembled. I also made a brake pipe up tonight for the front. Soon as the springs turn up all of this can go together and the subframe will be about finished:


Thats all for today folks...

[Pie]

Lookin good Tom. If you make this as good as your van, then ill take my hat off to you sir.

[miniallsort]

keep itup

[clubby]

hye mate, should be your mini is MK4 onwards right?

[minivanman]

Ta people!

Yup, think its a mk4, being 85.

Nice little parcel from minitastic this morning:


And all assembled:


For our next trick: wallop the bulkhead with the sledgehammer till it resembles something straight again.

[GraemeC]

Looking good!!

Hope you never have split steering rack gaiters though

[minivanman]

nah, that should be alright, theres a gator stretching tool in the garage.