403 replies to this topic

[Asphalt]

Thanks Luke!

Spend the day driving & tuning the engine - replaced spark plugs with BPR6ES (from GSP2111). Now runs sweet as ever! And acceleration is better than I imagined! Whole different world to the 50HP engine

Fine tuning yet to come. But it's big big fun now!!! Noise is good too

Runs so good, that I decided to give her the first wash with shampoo ever




It's alo fun to have a temperature gauge... Never had a working one before... It it normal that the needle stays just before 'N' and climbs up to 'N' if in city traffic (stop & go)? I suppose it is?

Cheers,
Jan

Edited by Asphalt, 05 August 2009 - 05:11 PM.

[AndrewJ530]

Well Jan, you never cease to amaze me with your work. Interior looks the bees knees .

My temperature gauge stays just above the bottom line on my gauge and then goes up to half way between that and N in city traffic :S. Mind you, i'm starting to think the guy who sold me it was a right numpty so it could have some bad wiring or a faulty gauge.

Anyway, back on topic. Your car looks gooood!

Andrew

[mighty mini jack]

Good work Jan, glad to see it all back together and working (for now )

[scoticus]

Mikra fixed (what an awfull job!) und Mini finished. Engine still needs a good tune (needle profiling), will do that after vacancies.




Cheers,
Jan

OH MY GOOD LORD!!!

i love the clocks!!!

very nice mini

[Asphalt]

Whoah - thanks heaps guys! Glad you like it too!!

Cheers,
Jan

[Asphalt]

Installed the Smiths fuel gauge, changeda bit or the wiring and put the indication lights into the switch panel. It's a quad light from a 1950's (or 60's) tracktor ( ). I think the alloy ring needs to be flattend and polished a bit and then it'll look good. It's a bit too chunky at the moment - but works great.



So yeah - not as nice as I thought - but pretty OK. Making the ring thiner & flatter will work to make it look over-OK!

Then I drove to my local Mini specialist to set the ignition timing (only set it roughly by ear and wanted to get sure it's not too advanced). Ofcourse he went for a test drive - and returned with a big grin (one of the very rare occasions I've heared my car from the outside! Sounds great!!) and said "That's good. Makes lots of fun. Loud and uncomfay - but makes lots of fun". I take that as a big compliment from someone that experienced (he's into Minis for decades).

Then I decided to rev it a bit - PHWOAR! Awesome!! It's not brutal, but pulls very strong and keeps on reving after the point I had to change gears with the previous engine (50BHP 'Stage1' Sprite engine) - awesome awesome awesome!! It's exactely what I wanted. Strong, but not brutal. And totaly 100% fit for city drives. Perfect!

Same for the steering with the new lowering bracket. It's very nice as you realy can grab on the steering wheel, and it's so direct, column doesn't wobble around - awesomness²!

So all in all it's bigger fun than ever! Will take her through th first longer journey through the black forrest tomorrow



Cheers,
Jan

Edited by Asphalt, 14 August 2009 - 07:05 PM.

[Asphalt]

Little update/resumée:
MPG looks promising, fuel gauge reads... You know what Maybe I can sort it with the correct voltage stabilizer, as the current is probably not the correct one (Rover SD1 maybe). Engine pulls strong, but I will try a different needle nevertheless. feels still a bit hesistant in mid-range.

And to heat it up quicker (and also cool the oil a bit once it's warm), I got this today:



Oil/water heat exchanger from a Metro. The theory behind it: water gets warm very quick, the oil needs far longer. So this thing uses the hot water to heat up the cold oil. And if the oil should get hotter than the water, it starts to work vice versa, i.e. the oil gets cooled. Of course the cooling effect isn't as good as with an oil-to-air oilcooler, but OK. It's main purpose is to heat up the oil quicker, which reduces wear and probably aids economy. Subframe needs a little triming on a Mini to make room for the oil filter which comes forwards to the front and down lower a bit.

Will see what to do with the oil pipe. I probably need an adaptor piece to fit the flex pipe to the filter head. Oil cooler fittings will probably do

Cheers,
Jan

Edited by Asphalt, 20 August 2009 - 09:58 AM.

[Asphalt]

So. Mocked up an engine today to test the fitting of the Metro heat exchanger.

Surprising: All that's missing are 5mm. I think that's perfectly doable with a smal spacer, about 5.5-6mm thick! The Metro filter head waste such a huuge amount of space...! Looks promising. I might get away with only a wee little bit of cutting to the subframe (maybe looking different on a post 1990 car when they moved the engine towards the front). That means: 5.5-6mm towards the front and 50mm down for the filter. Trying it tomorrow on the car... Looking good!

Mini filter head:



Metro filter head:


The Metro's filter head is considerably longer than the Mini's equivalent...



Cheers,
Jan

[Asphalt]

Sooooo - fine tuning the engine is completed.
Again it made a major transformation.
Acceleration is amazing now, much less hesistant and imediate.

The centrifugal advance of the distributor has been limited and ignition timing advanced.

Carb's now runing wihtout any oil or damper.

Edited by Asphalt, 29 August 2009 - 07:52 PM.

[Rosslin Racing]

Nice job Jan. ( Geil. Tip Top)
the wrinkle finish: after spraying put it in the oven at 180 the paint will wrinkle fast and dry quicker.

[Asphalt]

Nice job Jan. ( Geil. Tip Top)
the wrinkle finish: after spraying put it in the oven at 180 the paint will wrinkle fast and dry quicker.

Thanks muchly!

Now that you mention it - there's something writen on the back of the can

Cheers,
Jan

[Asphalt]

Not only did I just get the engine tuned, but collected the basis for the next engine. You may remember from page 1 that I have a set of std. bore 1275cc high comp (Cooper RSP) pistons with rings. But no suitable block. Well - that has changed now. I got a very good usable SPI block. There's no step in the bores, only a very few minor scores (negligible). Should be fine with a fresh hone.




Needs new cam bearings, thought. Well chuffed!

And as a bonus I too collcted a set of arches which should cover the Momos quite perfect, without hiding too much oh the tyre



Huddersfield Group II. I like them for various reasons: they are nicely curved (not as 'flat' as many cheap Gr.IIs!), fit std. holes for std. arches - and most important they run down the rear valance (which all other GrIIs don't - which looks awefull IMO).

And:





Cheers,
Jan

Edited by Asphalt, 30 August 2009 - 08:41 AM.

[Asphalt]

TRial fitted Huddersfield Group II arches. They should be fine to cover the Momos. The arch lip is about 8mm wider than the std. arch, plus 3-4mm for the chrome strip & piping, shoukd give the required 10mm+ over the std. arch.




The arch of course will sit in a different position once the std. arch is removed. But I'm not going to use the chrom strip, but a subtle black one.

I realy like those arches - they run down the rear valance and don't end abrupt where the bumper starts... Plus they'r nicely shaped and not as 'square' as many group 2s you see (pay attention on the next meet - many Gr2s are awefully square and not curved/round at all...).

Cheers,
Jan

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

nice i like it the mayfair sport is awesome

[mini_mad69]

What width are your new wheels? They look pretty chunky!


Ben