Munster Mini - '98 Cooper Restoration

[Tony Cooney]

And I've a soft tooth brush complete with a fully illustrated instruction manual.........


Tony

[keith]

i've had good results cleaning carpets & sponge filled upholstery using a power hose. if they are stained as well as grubby, work some detergent into the stain, leave for a while and rinse. repeat as needed.
the sponge will dry in a few days, less if this weather keeps up. chase the moisture from the frame & springs with WD40.

[Billy]

A good day for washing and drying:



All part of being ready for the bodyshell's return.

Billy

[The Marcos Graveyard]

That's gotta be good for the headlight lens.

[Billy]

That's gotta be good for the headlight lens.

I'll be changing them. I don't like the flat lens and whatever way they were doctored previously, the light height adjustment didn't work.

[keith]

where are you putting the huge Guinness stickers?

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Earrings for Majella.

[Kenneth Murphy]

where are you putting the huge Guinness stickers?

i taught they were new fancy hubcaps for the mk1???

[woody]

There the IMOC IMM'11 door badges but only for members DRIVING there

[Tony Cooney]

I'll be driving there Ro.... From Geneva Airport!!

Tony

[Billy]

My old wooden dash had been damaged by water getting in behind the wide widescreen rubber and looked like this:



I bought a 2000 dash from Emma (Em1) and a clock from Bert and transferred everything over so now I'll be using this:



The original MPi oil temp gauge doesn't serve any purpose and as Woody said earlier, they never appear to move so I've to think of something useful to fill that gap.

Brake fluid spills had badly eaten paintwork on the bulkhead and the servo so repainted the servo yesterday:



The seats looked like this:






and now look like this. It's not a great photo but the Lidl cleaner made a big difference, especially once it was hoovered afterwards:



Hoping to collect the Mini in the best few days but it's been great to be able to prepare some bits so that they'll be ready to bolt on.

Billy

[Tony Cooney]

Coming along nicely


Tony

[Billy]

A more useful gauge?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... ink:top:en

[CLUBMANGT]

Looking sweet Billy , I would be interested to know what you think of the smootharide system over your old standard cones . Do you want to push on the old dash . I am after a damaged one for a project(if its cheap)

[keith]

A more useful gauge?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... ink:top:en

naaahh.. fit that and you'll need to pull the engine every 18k to change all the belts..., and bits will suddenly cost like bankers pensions.

[kerryminigringo]

It is a sad state of affairs when Billy is at more spannering than me these days,I have to get the finger out and get back into the garage now that the garden is done.By the way good progress Billy but mind you dont crack a nail.

[woody]

The problem with that gauge is getting a matching sensor with a unf thread.Stick with Smiths

[Billy]

Looking sweet Billy , I would be interested to know what you think of the smootharide system over your old standard cones .

I was a passenger in darhutch's '99 Cooper over some bumpy Kerry roads last week and I am storing ZakGT's '98 Cooper. Both are Sportspacks and both are on Smootharide. The difference in ride quality is incredible and makes a Mini way more comfortable for everyday use. I've read reports that it does adversely affect handling but that's the compromise I'm prepared to live with.

[Billy]

The trusty wheelbarrow is put to use again, this time for engine de-greasing:



I've removed the diff housing to take a look inside. Mpi's came with a 2-pin diff which has a reputation for shattering as I know from when the original gearbox calved (local technical term) last year. This was due to Rover specifying a lighter oil than 20w50 which increased wear in the diff. Even though this diff looks fine, I'm changing it for a stronger 4-pin diff for reliability. Call it preventative maintenance.




Billy

[Darran]

Coming along nicely Billy! If you need a loan of an engine jack when your putting it back in, i have one up here,your welcome to it.

Darran.

[Billy]

Thanks for the offer Darran but I have my own hoist. We must organise a date for using that other piece of equipment you have sometime after MTM (and I can hear Kilbane thinking up a suitable smutty comment already).

[Darran]

Thanks for the offer Darran but I have my own hoist. We must organise a date for using that other piece of equipment you have sometime after MTM (and I can hear Kilbane thinking up a suitable smutty comment already).

No problem Billy,whenever suits let me know and not to add fuel to any possible comments from Mr Kilbane, i'll charge up the batteries

[Tony Cooney]

Sssshh, I can hear a moderator coming....


Tony

[macker]

Sssshh, I can hear a moderator coming....


Tony

Talk about lowering the tone!!!

[Billy]

4-pin diff, alternator, bearings, gaskets and a whole bunch of other bits now ordered.