I'd be checking out the steering issue first.

OMS can help with that and with dating the car. (A '62 would not have a light flashing stalk.)

Yep I made it, Phew!  Got up at 3:00 am and got home at 10:00 pm.  I left San Francisco about  9:45.  Over to Napa and up the twisty road to Lake Berryesa and down to the freeway. The weather was great, sunny until I got to Medford where is started to drizzle.  Nothing worse than that all the way to Eugene where I left my truck and car trailer at the airport.

Basily a 700 mile test run.  She does need a little work.  No headlites, could be a fuse, I had to drive from Medford to Eugene, 3hrs, holding the headlite flasher on and trying to stay a half mile behind the next car.  I don't know where the fuse panel is and didn't want to look for it in the dark. the clutch needs adjusted up.  Either the tie rod ends are worn out, he gave me two, or the steering box is the problem.  Left turns nothing happens until about 10 o'clock on the wheel, right is not so bad. And then I think the timing is off because when you turn is off it wants to continue to run.

Other than that she ran ok, that 1380 has lots of power, no problem pulling up the Syskiyou mountains.

If I can find the headlites and adust the clutch I'll try to make the Portland Club dinner meeting tonight.

are you home yet?

I'm in Medford.  Shoot me an email if you need help or a pit stop; I'm five minutes from I-5.

Trenton

If you run into any problems post here or moasf.com. I'm in SF proper but we have members all over NorCal. Best of Luck!

-Shawn

Towing my car trailer down to Eugene then airlining down to San Francisco.  If all goes well I'll stop in Eugene on the way home, load her up and tow home.  If I have a problem I just need to get back up to Eugene for my truck and car trailer.

SFO is an abreviation for the San Francisco, CA airport.

Not sure what SFO is so don't know how far of a drive you're in for......just make sure your cellular is fully charged!

I'd also get a couple names and numbers from that Oregon club in case you need a rescue along the way

Good Luck

Well I'm picking her up Saturday morning and driving, hopefully all the way home to McMinnville, Ore.  If all goes well I'll try to make the Oregon meeting Sunday

Now I'll have to mix my Oregon Porsche/RGRUPPE and the Mini club together, but since I'm retiring this month I should have lots of spare time!!!!!!

Here's the link to the Oregon Mini Society. Our next club meeting is Sunday, Nov 8th if you're interested in meeting more Mini folks.

http://www.oregonminisociety.com

"so long travel trips are probably out when it is hot out.  (Tow it!) "

 

Alternatively - just open the back windows to get a nice breeze through the car and drive it

 

Does it have roll up windows and internal door hinges?

Yes...what Clup Lake said is pretty much what I meant....lol

 

 

(I can act 10 as well..ha)

Allow me to elaborate on Splitz's "Hmmm". Some of us would consider it a sacriledge to hack out the fenders of a 62 to istall 13" wheels. But there is no accounting for some people's tastes and when it comes to Minis anything is possible. A alternative possibility is you have "a 62 that is completely rebuilt to a 90's Rover Sportpac model" which has 13" wheels as standard. The words in the quotes are a euphemism for a so-called reVIN wherin the VIN tags (and registration) from an old rusty or wrecked Mini are applied to a late model Mini. This is a common practice in Europe done to circumvent the rules for importation of cars into the USA. ReVINs are quite common in the USA but they seem, for the most part, to go unnoticed by the authorities except in California where reVINs have been discovered and crushed. If you live in California you need to keep a low profile and DO NOT post a picture a picture of your car here. One of the posters here works for the Ca DMV.  

Don't know much about 13" tyres...but I think the 60's will be too tall for the inner fenders and outer.

Get it home, change front calipers out, and put 10" back on it.

I've never seen a "62" with 13".....hmmmmmm

Everyone

Thanks for the tips.  I'm gathering up the requiered items to put in my bag.  I was supposed to go get it last Sat but the owner didn't have time to take it by a shop to check it out for my 700 mile trip and he was running some half marathon.  Just as well because it's been raining up here all week.  Maybe I won't need the wipers.

Another question: Tires?  It has 175x 50x13 Toyo's  Like my Porsche, any somewhat performance tire is hard to find.  I was planning on a set of Toyo Proxes in a 60 series instead of the 50's for a little more ground clearance.  I have the same problem on my porsche, 50 series on 15" wheels and the car is lowered.  

My experience with my late fathers '59 1380cc no interior mini (murph) as a passenger only.  For freeway travel after you are used to the car earplugs/noise canceling is a must.  My dad was very good at being able to identify RPMs by listening, so probably want to suffer when autotossing and just learning.  If you care about what is behind you the standard mini rearview mirror is useless.  He would be suggesting some sort of racing setup that goes pretty much from side to side inside the car.  I am not as much of an expert as he was, but I think 62 means sliding windows.   I doubt aftermarket AC has been fitted so long travel trips are probably out when it is hot out.  (Tow it!)  

One trip he made once while I was following was about an hour away to Mid-Ohio.  The scariest part of the trip was a gawker.  She kept on pulling up next to him to get a picture on the freeway.  She almost ran him off the road 2x.  So be vigilant with the MORONIC PUBLIC and have someone follow.  (When possible.)  Another heads up, you will get pulled over a lot.  Especially if you live in an area that doesn't have many classic minis.  (That pretty much covers every area in the US.)  Don't stress out or get annoyed, chalk it up to curiosity unless you do something bad/silly/stupid.  

I remember one time when he was driving through the local metroparks and he just finished the whole cooling system debacle and the speedo cable broke.  (Even though it was off 5-8mph when working.)  We took a turn in the park and there was a ranger coming the other direction. (Remember this car is designed be pretty close to a go-kart!)  Sure enough fake woodland barney turned around and pulled us over.  He said you were going pretty fast around that sharp corner but didn't get a speed on his radar.  (He just wanted to look at the car.)  Dad and I laughed about it all the way back to the house.  

Now here is what being young and stupid does in a similar situation.  I used to have a 94 honda civic hatchback.  (Almost handled as good as the mini as far as I can tell.)  I was driving though the same park a year or so earlier and I was going close enough to the speed limit to not worry about.  But, as I was turning into a parking space all I heard was screaching tires, this barney was roaring up the hill around turns to try and catch someone speeding.  So as "couldn't make it as real cop" passed me I gave him a stink eye.  Turns around and nabs me for not using my turn signal after I told him why I gave him stink eye.  I didn't react very well and now realize that I probably should have ignored the issue.  

Good Luck and happy MINIing

(I will be MOKEing spring and summer of 2016 and beyond.)

picture of said (62) mini?

Welcome and congratulations, Kent.

other things to watch for:

• almost every trip, especially the short ones will take longer than anticipated. There's usually someone who wants to chat about it, the conversation usually including "my _____ had one...." and "what mileage do you get?" and too often "my _______ just bought a brand new one". You will have to be diplomatic and patient, as you are now an ambassador to Mini-dom.
• big trucks, SUVs (especially white ones), etc.
• little kids, often in strollers, starihng with big eyes and smiles.
• jealous muscle-car (etc.) owners whern your wee Mini draws more attention than their toys (-see Air2Air's comment about women)
• gaps in traffic only a Mini will fit into

Post a picture.