Thanks Harvey, I'll fine tune my toe out when I get my mini back from painting. Maybe I'll bring the toe out to even.

 

Finally, the mini is at the paint shop. I'll get there early tomorrow morning to take care of few things. It just never stops. I needed today to take care of that windshield rust properly and finish masking. After dropping off the mini, I went to the shed and dug out my bicycle. That will be my new mode of transport for the next couple of days; including getting to the paint shop. This should be fun.

earlier you mentioned the toe out you probably know this but this setting is a starting point. If inside tire wear becomes excessive then re-adjust, not needing the 1/16 toe-out. My tire wear is perfect with zero toe-out. I learned this tip from a wheel alignment shop 50 years ago . Always examine the patient (ie, look at the tires)

You are amazing! Can't wait to see it done. 

 

I don't know if it would work on that goop, but I have seen on-line a body shop use an eraser wheel to remove the decals and goo[p used to stick emblems to cars. It can remove all the glue without damaging the paint. 

 

My later Mini has two widely-spaced holes in the boot-lid for European plates that a North American style plate does not come close to covering. I resorted to a careful dab of clear silicone to seal them. I thought about putting ywo red LEDs in them connected to brake lights or turn signals, just for fun. May yet do that.

Yesterday was a very busy day. I'll get into that in a little bit. The mini was loaded on the flat bed and I just climbed into the cab when I get a call from my painter. Can I come tomorrow at this time? Needless to say the driver was pissed. Me, not so much as I still had things to do.

 

Siphoned a couple to 3 gallons from the tank. It's been decades since I tasted gas. I felt it wasn't as strong as in the past. Out come the tail lights.

Towards the end of the day I pulled the windshield and found rust hiding under the rubber seal. Out comes the welder. It was a mad rush to address that issue before the flat bed arrives. I'm not going to pull the rear backlight. I replace the rear window 5 years ago and did not find any rust then and will have to trust none developed since then. But you never know.

 

One thing, that will be a pita, is to remove the goop the English put on the boot lid to attach the rear European plate. The todo list is much smaller for today. 

 

Should be a good day. Will be a good day. Stay tune.

 

 

 

Today's the day. The mini will be flat bedded to the paint shop late afternoon.

 

Yesterday, I finished wet sanding the entire mini to 600 grit. I plan to give the top a quick sand again this morning. Then another wash. I'm removing the windshield, side windows, headlights, siphon gas tank down a couple of gallons (made the mistake of filling tank) so I can remove the tail lights. Covering engine and grill area. I would remove the rear window, but it is so hard to refit. Takes two people. The front windshield is easier and I can install that by myself. For the rear, I think I will try to put a wire in between the rubber seal and the body. I will be putting cardboard templates in all the voids.

 

That should be it. It will be another full day. Hopefully, I'll have a few minutes to spare. Then it's off to the paint shop.

Learning new skills. Hope you took notes. Photo looks good.

I went to the see the tech guy at the library this morning. He was able to show me how to do this.

Well today was the last of the engine swap segment of this rolling restoration. Found the oil leak. I replaced the oil pipe and the oil filter housing that was on the engine with the one from my original engine, cleaned and painted parts. Put the Bonnet back on and washed the min. All this took 19 days.  I was extremely fortunate with the weather. Dry and warm with a few sprinkles but no rain. Everything was laying outside. It looked like a ghetto. And, It was raining down leaves, so blowing leaves became my morning warm up ritual. I was doing all this outside on the driveway. Hopefully it stays this way until I paint the min.

 

The mad rush is still on. I will continue working on the body, sanding it up to 600 grit. Yesterday, when I saw the guy that is going to paint the mini, he said to me that he has to move out of his illegal paint shop setup. Yikes! He is a master at metal flaking. Just to remind me and you guys that have been following along, the color is going to be Jaguar Racing Green sprinkle with green metal flake and white top with white metal flake.

 

For those that want to look up the color. This Jaguar Racing Green (HGZ) color came out in 2004 with the Jaguar X Type. It looks exactly like the traditional BRG, but in the sun it really pops. It also has a hint of yellow pearl in it. For the metal flake I am using a company called FlakeorDie.com. I'm using Leprechaun green metal flake and moon dust white iridescent metal flake. It's going to look Fab. I sprayed the Mini Beach Car with the JRG and it came out beautiful. I might have to do the roof at a later time because of this guy's impending move and the northeast weather might not hold up much longer. 

 

I cannot post pictures because my iphone has too much info, I will have to learn how to compress, but will try. Thanks for reading and your support. Jim

Willie B, how do I reduce the size? I have an iphone.

 

Yesterday, ended 17 days my mini was off the road. It is my only mode of transport. Yeah. Was able to go to the market for food. I did vote, went with my neighbor.

 

Still working on a oil leak at the filter. The list down to single digits.

The error you got trying to post a photo is most likely that the file size was too large.

This morning I aligned the front wheels and tires. My latest haynes book ( up to year 2000) never ever mention the 1/16 toe out. It was something that was  stuck in my head. How is some novice going to get that info?

 

I'm having a slight oil leak issue, which I think is coming from the oil filter housing. I made a new gasket, but that did not help. It must be cracked or something. I took the one off my old engine and will try that tomorrow.

 

I took the mini for an inaugural ride to see my car painter. Setting that up for next week. Things are moving along nicely.

I tried to post a picture but it said error. What could it be?

 

 

 

 

IGOR, it's alive!  It's alive.

 

Break for lunch. It is running rough. No replies on my other post about timinig. Going to look on youtube.

 

Willie B. thanks for the  part number.

 

 

 

 

 

Update- running rough was because I had the spark plug wires 3 & 4 backwards.

Alternator plug kit form our host if you feeling brave. https://www.minimania.com/part/GEU250/Classic-Mini-Alternator-Plug-Kit

Otherwise just search for the part number listed online for other places that have it. https://www.lbcarco.com/parts/plug-kitalternator-540-280.htm

Dan, we are constantly learning from our assumptions.

 

Today is the day. Fluids are going in. And I am positive the min will start.

 

Yesterday, I finished with connecting all the remaining electrical components to the loom (coil & alt). I discovered that my plastic housing to the alternator had melted. I took the female receiver spade connectors out of the holder. I had to reshape connectors and sand/file & clean the brass, also cleaned up the male spades on the alt. The loose connections was the reason for the melted plastic. If anyone knows where i can buy the plastic spade housing for the mini alternator, please let me know.

 

I placed the distributor in the approximate location for the start. I used the screw driver method to find TDC with the valve cover off to make sure I was on the power stroke. On another thread I will ask how to time an SPI.

 

I think I'm good to go.

"Update- I just came from the mini. I took my 6mm socket to check the other hose clamps nuts. They are 6mm. Thank you God."

Whew! That was a close one! Now I gotta check which wrench I've been using. My Suzuki daily driver has a 1/4" gas line from the firewall to the fuel rail. It is fine until cold weather arrives, when it weeps where it connects to the rail and needs its clamps tightened. It seem that under the plastic head cover, there's enough heat to make the hose relax. This fall it is time to replace the hose. I leave a 1/4" nut driver in the door pocket for when I detect vapours. Now I'll need to find a 6mm one. 

I'm getting real close to firing up the mini.

 

Yesterday I spent a lot of my time redoing things. How so? Well the wiring loom is all over the place and I'm bolting things like the big brake booster. Of course there is a tiny space between the booster and the exhaust shroud. The loom belongs below the booster. Will the loom fit between - No. Like wise the cables heater and accelerator cable  and the various pig tails that go to the TBI.  All this is over under etc.

 

But the big one happened late yesterday. I put on the bottom hose on the radiator. For anyone that has done this, knows how difficult it is. I'm using all the hose clamps that came from the original engine. I go to tighten the clamp nut and it is spinning. WTH. I've been using the 1/4 socket and this one is spinning, of course, all the way down in the bowels. It turns out to be a 6mm. How did this happen? I said screw it. Tighten the screw with the 6mm socket and finished putting the rad shroud and the alt on. I woke up this morning and thought, I'm going to change the clamp. Why? I probably won't remember many years from now when I have to change the bottom hose. Should I do it?

 

Update- I just came from the mini. I took my 6mm socket to check the other hose clamps nuts. They are 6mm. Thank you God.

Thanks Alex. I live in Southampton, NY. The first English settlement in New York back in the year 1640. It is mostly rural twisty roads, but being in the northeast has many pot holes, but urban sprawl has taken hold. Everyone wants to live in "The Hamptons". With the quick rack I might be able to steer away from the depressions. Only time will tell if I hate it; I first have to experience it. I will share my opinion at a later date,

 

About 6 years ago, I was sitting at a traffic light in my min. The guy next to me motions me to roll down my window. He said that he had some mini parts to give away. Immediately, I followed him home a short distance away. He gave me a brand new minispares steering rack that was never installed and a new front seat adjustable mount.

 

Since my original rack needs a new bushing, I thought I would try this new rack as a plug and play. It's in the mini now and I won't be taking it out anytime soon. I will heed your warning about backing up and will make sure to keep going forward.

 

 

I've been making great progress with the restoration. The mini is back on all fours. It has been fun cleaning, painting and reassembling  the parts for the past two days. Things have been coming together quickly after getting over the greasy mess of the drive shafts. That grease gets on everything no matter how neat you work. I started another post " how to properly start an engine ". Today Hope to get the intake and all the other engine bay stuff in today. 

 

My guess is you'll hate it...
I ran one in my road car back in the 90s, and it was occasionally nice but most of the time it was miserable, especially when reversing.  Very twitchy on uneven roads.

Dan, the no shim bj's have been on the market for at least 4 to 5 years. Japan and the UK market. 

 

Progress has been moving along. The other drive shaft installed along with the clean up and painting of the hub. Cleaned and repack wheel bearings,  cv joints w/ new boots, and the no shim ball joints.

 

Today removing trans steadies from original engine, clean up, paint and install. Also tackling the exhaust system from manifold on back.

I've never heard of those no-shim ball joints????

When did they come on the market?