Still have to replace oil pressure guage
feed line and tacho wiring
Still have to replace any other wiring crucial
to run (and fix the fuse box).
That should see it being able to key start
and take it for its first drive!
Well, its been a while, and after having
to sort out the wiring enough to get a key
start (with the help of Mini Forums, thanks
guys, specially Steve for talking me through
the last few homeless wires)...
ITS GOING!!!
That moment was huge! To turn it over and
then it Fired up! I was shocked, relieved..
absolutely overjoyed.
The Mini lives again :)
I had replaced the oil feed line to the
oil guage, it idles on 70lb. Thats great.
The tacho I didn't have much success with
so the auto sparky can sort that when he
has it next.
The joy was shortlived, well no I'm still
very happy, but there were a few issues
that need to be sorted before I could drive
it any distance.
Electrical
I drove it to the Auto Electricians to get
what appeared to be a short sorted out.
He went right through everything and now
the indicators and brake lights work. The
headlights work, but don't go off, so I
had to buy a new indicator stalk, find a
headlight switch, and get the alternator
serviced. After doing those things I'll
take it back to the Electrician to finalise
any loose wires or issues it may have, but
with refitting of the alternator and indicator
stalk, it should be "all good"
Electrically anyway :)
Overheating
But.... On its short journey to the Electricians,
it overheated. Not dangerously (about a
2km drive) but there was obviously a problem.
After closer examination of the radiator
I found brown sludge coating the inner pipes,
and on its removal there was black water
from the bottom outlet. So, after a proper
professional clean its now a fully serviced
and ready to go radiator. The cap was a
very poor fit, so the radiator guys replaced
the top cap housing and cap completely.
So now I get to refit the radiator, and
at the same time will give it a new bottom
radiator hose and fan belt, that unfortunately
werent included with the engine rebuild.
It took pulling the radiator out to find
that, but at least they'll be replaced now.
Brakes
The last major issue is the brakes. They
didnt work :(
They work yes, but the pedal goes to the
floor, and no effective braking is achieved
even after standing on them. They did pull
the car up eventually.. but sadly these
brakes can hardly be called "working".
So, I've booked it in to a local brake specialist
and they will give them a thorough bleeding.
Hopefully that sorts the brakes.
Fingers crossed that these problems can
be sorted quickly.
Gear selectors
The issue of the terrible gear change/selectors
isn't sorted, but it appears that the tightness
of the change is probably due to the new
longer bush that goes through the gearbox
casing. This is used to give the casing
a better chance of survival, but it is a
metal to metal bush and because its new
it will be tight. This explains the tightness
and what I call crunchiness, but Im still
not convinced that thats the only problem
here. Ive been told to drive it for a while
and see how it goes.. I can do that :)
I will try and get some sewing machine oil
into the bush though, it wont fix it but
it may help.
So, stay tuned for some pics of the Mini
on the road! I didnt get around to a pic
on route to the Auto Sparky, but I will
get one in here soon.
Licensing will be next, after I get all
the parts back on it (radiator, alternator,
indicator stalk, headlight switch) and find
and fit a windscreen washer bottle. I think
then, it will be due for paint before I
try for licensing.
7.3.05
Finally got the paint out this weekend after
many more hours of sanding, filling, priming,
sanding, and priming. I started with the
bonnet underside and engine bay surrounds,
the drivers door sill as that also had some
rust removal, and the rear door sills as
they were looking a little dodgy. But they
all look frigging fantastic now, just LOVE
the red paint, its so... Red :)
Pictures right: Jill painting the engine
bay surrounds, the bonnet underside, the
engine bay and the drivers door sill after
one coat. More coats to follow, but one
coat looks bloody marvelous :)
Hopefully this week will see more red paint,
but finding the time is proving difficult.
Ive found more things that need repairing
after removing for paint, like taillight
assemblies need new fixing bolts and the
rear number plate holder is too bent to
try and repair, so I'll get one made up
at the local metal fabricators.
But the paint is so nice I dont really care!
Ok, I'd been tossing around the idea
of a rear roof spoiler, and just happened
to be at a local wreckers that just happened
to have a rear spoiler that I thought
I could make fit.
So now the bodywork will take a little
longer than planned. The spoiler came
off a '92 Lancer, but after removing about
200mm from its total width, and a reasonable
amount from its base, it's now looking
like it will do the trick.
The good news is though, that the bonnet
is back on after finally fitting the 2nd
engine mount complete with custom built
bracket to attach to the block, and the
overflow tank is finally mounted on the
original washer tank bracket, repositioned
near the radiator, just behind the grill.
The wipers are finally reinstalled and
after testing I can confirm I now have
2 speed wipers wooo hooo!
The temp guage is also fitted after having
to fit a bigger flange housing bolt, so
that the temp guage sender probe doesnt
hit the block internally.
So, after getting the bonnet back on I
was able to start it up and see if the
overheating problem was sorted.... :)
Seems so. I can't take it for a drive
as all the lights are out ready for painting,
but I did run it in the garage for a good
15-20 mins and there wasnt a sign of overheating
or leakage from either the new temp guage
or the new engine mount (bracket sits
under the thermostat housing, possibility
of not seating perfectly).
I do believe ALL the mechanicals are
now sorted, hopefully painting will be
complete within 2 weeks.
The only other thing I would like to do
before taking it to licensing is install
a set of HiLos. Adjustable ride height
will mean I can lower it, and that will
help bring the front wheels in a tad at
the top. At present the wheels stick outside
the flairs about 25mm on the fronts and
18mm on the rears. Licensing won't like
that, so HiLos should help. A set of adjustable
Konis might go in at the same time, depending
on availability.
Stay tuned...
'92
Lancer Boot Spoiler
After cutting and positioning ready for
attaching to Mini - not yet rejoined, still
in 3 parts, and may be lowered further before
attaching to roof.
25.3.05
Well, now I'm officially out of primer surfacer
(hence patchy finish to roof spoiler) and
still have to fit the spoiler to the roof.
Looks like one more litre is on the shopping
list.
The roof spoiler has been rejoined and all
smooth ready for paint after a (hopefully)
final sanding.
After attaching it to the roof, I'll prime
it properly before FINALLY paint all over,
hopefully this Easter long weekend.
28.03.05
Roof spoiler fibreglassed on, sanded and
primed. Another sanding then some body filler
to finish off and it should be just about
there.
30.3.05
The last batch of body filler for the roof
spoiler was the dregs of the tin, and unfortunately
didn't go "off". But rather than
wait until I could remove that unset application
and then reapply a final body filler to
finish off ... I decided to paint the rest
of the car.
This is after the 2nd coat, subsequent coats
will be wetter and hopefully more glossy,
but it doesnt matter.. as long as theres
plenty of paint on it I can polish it until
it has the gloss finish I'm after.
Ordered the HiLos today
(adjustable height so I can lower it and
get some bonus negative camber), and adjustable
Konis (shockies) are next. A couple more
coats to the body, then finish the spoiler
and paint the roof... :)
The
HiLos, hopefully will be installed next
weekend, or as soon as the adjustable Konis
get here :)
These extension bars were 246mm long in
this pic. I later trimmed 9mm from each
of them.
The
Konis arrived, finally got the rears in
a week or so ago, but with the Hilos wound
right in there didnt appear to be any lowering
to the ride height...
So....
I shortened the extension bars by 9mm which
effectively lowered the ride height 37mm.
:)
Its now lowered at the rear, will hopefully
get the fronts done within the week, as
well as finish painting the roof!
The
roof spoiler is getting closer. Hope to
finish the roof completely next weekend.
There was another application of body filler
and more sanding since this pic.
After
deciding to paint the flairs and mirrors
red, I got into prepping them today along
with finishing touches to the roof spoiler.
Tommorow will be red paint to the entire
car.
Wooo hooo!
Yes red paint finally to the whole car :)
I painted the flairs, mirrors, roof and
rear spoiler as well as a light coat to
some parts of the already painted body with
the two pots of paint left of the 2L paint.
I'll be down to get another 2L in the morning
to finish off the painting, hopefully tomorrow.
Its all looking really good, and with another
2L its going to be just beautiful :)
oh and the thing hanging off the back of
the car (rear view pic) is the LED brake
light lens suspending from the garage door
so I could paint around it. I had only made
a small hole in the roof to get the wiring
through and I didnt want to risk not being
able to get the wires back through it so
left the wiring attached.
