81 1000 Project

[StevenR]

Hi all, this is my first post here. A few of you might recognise the project from miniresource but thought i'd stick it up here 2. I got this car years ago and started on it but i got distracted for a while by women and drink and got a bit of travelling done 2. Anyway long story short no longer distracted so thought i'd finish her once and for all and get her on the road for the winter. She an Irish car with 54k on her, i think its snapdragon yellow(feel free to correct me if i'm wrong)
Here are some photos for you.

As i had left her

and some paint stipper and rattle cans later

Front subframe about to go back in.

And as she sits now.


I've bought a lot of stuff for her in the last few months with new parts arriving nearly every week. The front and rear subframe have been rebuilt with new bolts bearings and bushings aswll as hi-los and Gaz adjustable shocks and minifins on the back. I bought the wheels and tyres second hand of Buddy.
There are new window and door rubbers waiting to go on along with a set of group 6 arches. Theres loads of other little bits 2. Another big order on the way and i'm picking up a new engine, 'box and disc brakes next week. Will just then need to sort out the body work and give her a bit of a spray paint, will get it done by a pro in the winter. I hope to have her on the road in the next couple of months, and enjoy some summer driving

[Billy]

Steven,

Welcome to the forum. Does this mean you've taken up celibacy and become a teetollar?

Billy

[StevenR]

Thanks Billy, it just means i'm in between women and drink a lot less because i work shift.

[Tony Cooney]

Welcome Steven.

Nice colour Mini. Keep up the good work!

Tony

[Goose]

Hmmmmm.....Britax replica maybe ????

Nice colour alright.....Good luck with the build.

[StevenR]

Had thought of that before. The Britax cars look deadly. Am going down to have a look at Eamonn Harte's replica this weekend in the Irish Mini Racing Challange this weekend at Mondello.

[Tomini]

welcome to the fourm stephen. keep us posted on your progress

[StevenR]

Thanks for all of your replies guys, no progress in the last few days, but picked these up today.



and Cooper S block and gearbox


The engine is a 1275 Cooper S which has been rebored to 1340cc with Omega Pistons, En40B crank, an unleaded 12G940 head, Duplex timing gears and chains and a Kent 286 cam. There is other work done but can't remember. Its pretty much finished just needs an oil pump, bell housing, rocker cover, a respray in the origional green, some carbs and cooling system put on. Will probably put a 4 pin diff in it 2 (i have everything but the oil pump and diff)

Not many parts left to get so need to get cracking on ths again.

[StevenR]

I got the suspension back on


and some more parts arrived


I've decided to stay away from the remote box that i got with the engine and stick a rod box on, so just cleaning that up now before i stick it on.



Also i got the underside of the shell cleaned and painted, just need to repair some small patches and change the sills.

[rhys mate]

looks like a mad project keep it up!! you'll be ripping up the road in no time!!

[StevenR]

I got a bit more done on the car. Got the wings cut and the arches on. Here's how much i cut off. Have put a lip on it 2 to strengthen the wing again and this gave me more space again for full lock.


I'm well happy with how the arches look on the car


I also got the grill and surround on as i need to drill the holes before i give the front end a respray.


And the engine is very nearly finished. Just waiting for the final last pieces to arrive, so today while the weather was nice i resprayed the block. Will do the silver bits in the next few days. Should have the engine running by next weekend.

[joebe1]

super work looks fantastic, when do u think u ll be finished

[StevenR]

Cheers Joe. Was hoping to have it finished by now, but seeing as its my first project its all taking a little longer than i thought it would.
The engine is now fully sprayed and built


but is tight after the rebore so have been just cranking it over trying to free her up a bit.
Other than that i repaired my doors and they actually turned out ok. Will replace them in the near future tho.

[StanO'Toole]

With the amount of parts you have brought we can tell your staying away from the women and drink with the amount of money you must have spent! I posted a thread on a web site for the colours of Minis so you can look up the exact colour of your car there.......And are you having more thoughts on the Britax Mini??



StanO'Toole

[D.M.G.T]

looking good!

[BlackSe7en]

At the Donegal show yeaterday , there were two road Minis done up like Britax Coopers. The Britax colour scheme seems to be a favourite with a lot of Mini owners. Luckly I haven't seen a B**i done in them yet, but i doubt it will be too long before I do (if anyone already has and has a picture, don'y post, you'll only ruin my day).

[StevenR]

@Stan, will probably stay away from the Britax replica, and yes a lot of money and time has gone into the car as everything is new or reconditioned. I made a list before of everything i bought up to 2 months ago but that has probably doubled since. Am not going to add up the price untill i'm finished as it will probably scare me. A rough estimate is about 4 grand in the last 4/5 months and thats with most of the work being done by me and my dad.
I found that site before and is where i got the paint code. I have the paint in the garage so will find out soon if its the right one.

I want to finish this soon as the projects are starting to build up. My daily Mk3 Golf is getting a bit tired so could do with an engine transplant, the Bug only needs minor work and the brother has a couple of cars parked up waiting for work.

and

[StanO'Toole]

Well it seems like you know were your head is at and were your headed! Something we like to see in Mini owners! As I seen on the forum before ''better to put money into the car instead of pissing it on a wall''!

Thats a tasty little golf you have, theres not many around these days, let me know how you get on with it.

StanO'Toole

[StevenR]

Work has started again after taking a break for the last few months, pulled the engine out of the garage yesterday and got it running. Wanted to make sure everything was ok and give it a fair few runs to loosen it up before dropping it in. Will give it an oil and filter service before hand 2 to check for any metal.
Anyway heres a video clip of it running,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLioy-7M24c

[StevenR]

Right haven't updated this in a while,
Still not finished yet but hope to be done by Christmas

today saw all the brakes set up, only the copper pipping and bleeding left to do. Also got around to putting the doors on so no need to push the car back into the garage when it rains



Whats left to do:
2 new sills to go on,
2 small patches to be welded into the floor
Engine wired up
Fit new rad and hoses
Fit carpet
Fit bumpers, wipers and arches
Fit Gear linkage

More soon.

[mustard]

great progress steven. by the looks of it ya should definitly have her on the road by the xmas run. whats happening with the gti

[StevenR]

Cheers Paul, The Golf has neverending issues, fix something and something else breaks, its getting on in years so its to be expected. This time it was the coolant temp sensor which was causing over fueling. Changed it along with the MAF and rotar arm and its running much better. Still a few things need sorted on it so a soon as the mini is finished it'll be used as a daily for a week or so and the Golf can get more attention.

It'll be nice to get the mini back on the road, its been a while

[CLUBMANGT]

Watch out !! I dont know what year your car is but if it requires an NCT that cam will give you a lot of trouble on the CO front been there done that its a good cam but an old profile and so not designed to be emmission friendly i had to swap mine to an sw5/07 now that cam IS the the dogs danglers!! all singing all danceing in all engines . Your call mate but now would be the time

[StevenR]

Thanks Tony, the car will be exempt from an NCT from Jan 2011 so will bear that in mind. I do have the old engine still there 2 so push come to shove thats one way around it. My brother still has that thing i was telling you about when i was up with you the other week, so can go down that route either.

[mustard]

i think i may be venturing down a vw route, i could be getting a mk1 caddy pick up for very little money so that could be interesting...