1658 replies to this topic

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

great work as always fella uve been having fun then be careful when u take the clock part i broke the fuel gauage glass so now have a split across my dial

[Deathrow]

Another update:


Pair of brand new genuine rover mirrors that I got for £25. They're grey now, but they won't be on the car.


Perfect condition.


Overall look of the car now.


Lower rear quater repair after grinding back and giving a quick flick of paint. It looks alright in the pic but I'm not too sure if I'm happy with how straight it is.


First motion shaft in and secured with circlip.


Followed by laygear and center oil pickup.


How I left it today.

Also counted up teeth and worked out I have a 3.1 final drive.

Cheers for looking .

[tedmcedd]

looking good! are you just having the centre oval on your dash or are you planning on other things for your interior?

[Deathrow]

Few other things, nothing planned as such. I've got the center speedo, I'm wanting water temp and oil temp or something for either side of it.

I'm having a tachometer bang in front of me, maybe with a few other gauges, but I can add those later.

Not hugely sure beyond that, not even decided where the cd player is living.

[daveeeeee]

Good stuff! Are you building that gear box by memory of how it came apart or do you have a book? lol, you've really gotten stuck in.

[Deathrow]

I'm using the A-Series Engine Builder DVD by MiniFilms.

Sometimes I wish I hadn't got so involved but at least this way I've done it all myself and I've been carful so it should all work nicely.

[1987_ParkLane]

Looking good , does that DVD show you how to rebuild the gearbox then?

[Deathrow]

Looking good , does that DVD show you how to rebuild the gearbox then?

Yes it does, it's very good!

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

nice work getting closer and closer to being finished

[Deathrow]

Small update from yesterday, didn't work on anything big as I had a late night and had some work to do at home:



Grubby center binnacle.


Seperated.


Given a quick clean, still needs much more attention but it looks a thousand times better than it did.


Stripped the remaining electics from the back of the gauge.


Dismantled the gauge.


Scrubbed surface rust with wire brush.


Etched.


Painted.

I have started to put the clock back together but I'm going to have my sister do some work on the dial face as some of the numbers are smudged and faded but she's an absolute legend with fine stuff like that so I'll trust her to bring back the sharpness of the numbers.

If I get chance today I'm going to put the pistons and rods back in the block because until I find out what size the bolt is that holds the first transfer gear on to the first motion shaft of the gearbox, I can't continue with it. If anyone knows, shout up!

Thanks for looking.

Edited by Deathrow, 03 July 2009 - 02:21 PM.

[Deathrow]

Right ladies and gents, before I start I'll say, there are no pictures in this post so if you're just image scanning, I'm sorry to dissapoint! There will be some next time, I promise.

Right, we shall start with the good bits.

I passed all my Uni exams! So I shall be fine to go back next year, and without any need to do any resits. However it is a bit unclear if I have managed to keep my £1000 scholarship (Mini spoils), but that will be sorted on Monday with any luck.

And now the bad (but not that bad).

Because I need to pay for my Uni accomodation next year, it forced me to sit down and evaluate what I'm spending on the Mini and where and whether or not it's really worth the money, a bad idea I'm sure you'll agree. Fortunatly, most things, such as the MX5 seats and other stuff came up well and I felt that they had been worth what they cost. Now, the one thing that did come up as not being worth what its costing me, is the engine.

So now, the engine parts I've collected are being sold (see my signiture ), starting with the biggest first but then following on to the smaller bits I don't need anymore.

The new plan is to strip my 998 down, clean, paint and rebuild it so it's nice and pretty and then thats going back in. I might have a play with some mild tuning, I have a spare unleaded head that I might have a play with and try out just for a bit of fun, using Vizards yellow bible.

Now thats not the end of it, Elliot will still be going 1275, but only when I've managed to find a complete, running low milage engine which I can just paint up and install, rather than have to build, tweak, check, do a dance, check again, run in, have set up, etc. so thats the new direction.

It might seem a step back to some people, but I genuinely feel a great deal better with this decision as I think I'd bitten off a bit more than I could chew in one go.

Thanks for reading (if you did and didn't just skip to the bottom, haha) .

[daveeeeee]

that's a fair decision batman. =)

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

sounds like me with my old fiesta i had sooo many plans when i got it like a 2.0 engine never actaully happened although i did in the end seize the engine due to hose failure and scrap the car

[Joloke08]

Congratulations on passing all your uni exams
For a heart sinking minute i thought you were going to say you were going to sell Elliot

Ive been keeping an eye on this from the start and think its a fabb project,theres soo many projects where peeps just throw their cheque books at them and never lift a finger,but not yours

Ive seen others because of Uni etc they sell their Mini and buy a boring Eurobox Hatch thinking it will save them cash but in the long run you never get back what youve put into your mini so you loose out and then want another one anyway.

I think what your doing putting the 998 back in is the best thing and your insurance will be cheaper too
When the time comes for a 1275 maybe look around for a one owner (little Old Lady) mot failure 1275 Metro with 20k or less on the clock

They do come up,then use the engine strip off all the bits you can sell on ebay and scrap the shell

Good luck with the rest of the project and i cant wait to see this Earlex/Rustoleum Paintjob

Huggz
Jodie

[Deathrow]

that's a fair decision batman. =)

Cheers Dave, I'll be popping over your thread later this evening and having a good look at your project, not had much time to have a good look lately.

sounds like me with my old fiesta i had sooo many plans when i got it like a 2.0 engine never actaully happened although i did in the end seize the engine due to hose failure and scrap the car

I don't think I could bring myself to scrap Elliot, if I killed an engine I'd have to save and buy her another haha.

Congratulations on passing all your uni exams
For a heart sinking minute i thought you were going to say you were going to sell Elliot

Ive been keeping an eye on this from the start and think its a fabb project,theres soo many projects where peeps just throw their cheque books at them and never lift a finger,but not yours

Ive seen others because of Uni etc they sell their Mini and buy a boring Eurobox Hatch thinking it will save them cash but in the long run you never get back what youve put into your mini so you loose out and then want another one anyway.

I think what your doing putting the 998 back in is the best thing and your insurance will be cheaper too
When the time comes for a 1275 maybe look around for a one owner (little Old Lady) mot failure 1275 Metro with 20k or less on the clock

They do come up,then use the engine strip off all the bits you can sell on ebay and scrap the shell

Good luck with the rest of the project and i cant wait to see this Earlex/Rustoleum Paintjob

Huggz
Jodie

Oh I don't think I could sell her! She keeps me going when I'm feeling a bit down .

Thanks Jodie, I must say, I have spent a fair bit on this project so far, but I do prefer to do the work myself so that I can make the money I do spend go as far as I can, I'd rather spend the money on parts than labour, so the labour is my own.

On the view of a different car, a MK1 Golf was looking pretty nice the other day! But now I've got this financial trouble off my mind I feel much happier about Elliot, and at the end of the day, she was still alot of fun as a 998 so I can live with it for a bit longer.

That metro idea would be ideal, it'd just need to have tax so I could tow it. We'll see what comes about, I've no time restrictions on the engine now (aside from getting the 998 back together when Elliot is ready for an MOT, which shouldn't be too hard) so I can happily sit on my hands and wait for the right 1275 to come up at the right price .

I'm not sure if I'm using Rustoleoum on the outside anymore, I'm definitly using the Earlex though, but it may be with some cellulose, I want Elliot to be like a mirror!

In good news, someone has already got in touch with me about the cylinder head. Also someone offered me £150 for the cam kit, lol, on your bike, if I don't get alot of interest I might just send it back to Swiftune and pay the restocking fee. I'd get about £190~ back for it, then I just need to shift the short engine.

Righty, I'm going to get some breakfast and a shower and head to the garage to do some work on Elliot's lovely rust!

Thanks for all the kind words guys .