|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:06:37 GMT
|
Well I thought it was high time I started my own thread cataloguing the dismantling and rebuild of my 1986 Mini I bought late summer last year. I spend time on this forum reading my mate's (Darkspeed) posts about his several cars, so it seemed to make sense. I bought the Mini from Bristol, borrowing said mate's trailer and brought it home to , hopefully, do a bit of welding to make it fit for my wedding in October. Needless to say, being a Mini, it was never going to be so simple. The rust worm had really taken hold and it was decided to do a complete rebuild and restoration job. At least it would help develop my welding skills, if nothing else. It was soon apparent that a jig would be a good investment and so one was purchased off a Mini forum. I had a Mini as my first car back in the 80s so mechanically I had already done an apprenticeship by rebuilding the gearbox and building a nice 1293 with fast road cam (Megadyne 276) LCB and RC 40 etc etc. It was a great car, but as was often the case, I wanted a better, more up to date mode of transport so the Mini was destined to be left, untouched, until it was finally towed away. Who knew that these many years later, Minis would have such a following as a classic car with daft values placed on all manner of model and condition. Anyway, enough of my prattling, here are some photos if I can work out how to post them. |
| |
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2019 20:17:38 GMT by sean1965
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:33:45 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:35:53 GMT
|
|
|
| |
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2019 20:39:05 GMT by sean1965
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:37:27 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:38:00 GMT
|
|
|
| |
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2019 20:41:20 GMT by sean1965
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 10, 2019 20:39:57 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are you posting this in somewhat real time?
That jig is cool. John.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nice. I love a Mini build. I'm along for the ride. Oh, and can you explain the the title of this thread too please?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 11, 2019 19:10:29 GMT
|
|
Real time? Not quite. It's the progress over about the last month or so when I have not been playing with my kit car. The name comes from my address, Cemetery Road. At the mo I have my Mini, Phaeton V8 and Darkspeed's Ginetta G27, so the garage is quite full of cars and bits.
The jig is great. A bit of a trek from me down to collect but worth it as it is also on castors and has a self loader (not used as a trolley jack does the same).
|
| |
Last Edit: Apr 11, 2019 19:10:57 GMT by sean1965
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2019 19:13:53 GMT
|
Front subframe out today but now need to prise out the pedal box as the bolts foul on the cross member of the jig. Shouldn't be too much of a problem (he says). Hopefully, all I need to do is attach all the brackets and then load the front onto the jig. Still, I did start stripping the subframe, which as per usual, self oiling has preserved reasonably well. It should clean up fine and ready for some strengthening. Perhaps even get it shot blasted along with the rear  The yellow overspray is everywhere. |
| |
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2019 19:15:11 GMT by sean1965
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2019 19:15:34 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 21, 2019 10:14:01 GMT
|
|
Top arm pin seized so that's to add to the list of replacement parts. I am sure it will be a long and expanding list....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 25, 2019 17:07:43 GMT
|
Well the Mini is now on the jig. I just need to sort the balance point to allow for easier rotation. Upper arm pin had to be cut off but at least both subframes look serviceable, so that is a bonus. There is a shot blaster down the road, so that may say otherwise as to whether the rear one is as good as I hope. Doors are also off revealing some not so impressive welding along the hinge panel. This could explain the poor fit. That and the moveable door skin that has a mind of its own. It seems the M.O of most of the welded panels. Blobs of weld rather than making use of the original spot welds.    |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 29, 2019 18:03:58 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Darkspeed
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,681
Club RR Member Number: 39
|
|
Sept 30, 2019 17:36:12 GMT
|
That is pretty ugly - get your  in gear and get some dates sorted for a work party so we can get some good steel put back in. |
| |
Last Edit: Sept 30, 2019 17:36:43 GMT by Darkspeed
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 30, 2019 17:56:42 GMT
|
|
The plan is to replace the boot hinge panel, then the lower section under the lights. Then the rear boot half and closing panels, and lastly the rear valance. Not surprisingly there are panels for all these, so some good practise. After that it's time to move forwards. It does appear that the front rear subframe mounts are okay, although the sills and floor are generally shot.
Back to the .6 mm wire in the MIG I guess. Oh how lucky you are with all you lovely clean metal to TIG and MIG. Still at least the jig makes it all easily accessible by just spinning the whole car.
|
| |
|
|
rickygolf83
Scotland
Mk2 Golf 8v & 16v, VR6, Nova Antibes, Mk4 1.8t & mk4 Gt Tdi 130
Posts: 560 
|
|
Sept 30, 2019 18:25:33 GMT
|
|
Fair amount of work you have found there!
Subscribed!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 30, 2019 18:34:02 GMT
|
|
It would appear so. It should keep me busy for a while to come. The more I touch, the more holes seem to appear. And to think, when I collected it I thought I would get away with a few patches so I could use it as my wedding car. Could have been a short marriage!!!
|
| |
|
|
Darkspeed
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,681
Club RR Member Number: 39
|
|
|
|
Over at the Cemetery workshops today checking in on my G27 and to assist with hydraulic lifter pre-load setting on the warm 3.9 in the B-type. First off I had a look over the rot box mini project - Oh my! - l Lets have a decent decent groove as accompaniment         That's going to absorb some welding hours Quality spray job in the past   Anyway - before we get stuck into that box of rust we have a V8 to sort out. I can't recall what cam is in this - Real Steel Viper Hurricane ? 390 Holley with the essential mods of secondary metering plate and quick change vac housing. Heads have had the throats taken out and the valves back-cut - heads skimmed to accommodate composite gaskets and up the compression a little from stock. Baffled trap door sump - The lightweight steel fly that came from my G27 with the uprated AP clutch. Specification is not much less than the 3.9 in the G27 so it should move the flyweight along nicely.   On my old G27 motor I had adjustable pushrods for lifter setting but on this engine we are setting the pre-loads on the Rhodes lifters using the rocker shaft pedestal shim kit. Stock lifter pre-load is set at about 1mm when sitting on the cam heel. On the Rhodes the absolute minimum pre-load is 0.8mm and preferably the lifters are set between 1.6 and 3.2mm. After a bit of faffing about we found that the thickest shim in the kit gave us around 2.0mm of pre-load - Sorted. We then stuck the valley gasket and inlet manifold on to seal things up.  A few more parts required and we can fire it up and see how much of the Cemetery we can get to rise.......  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welding a land rover is a great apprenticeship tbh!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
