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Post by clambod on Jan 19, 2010 9:19:59 GMT
now the cold weather has abated somewhat, I had a play in the garage on Sunday. Originally it was to drill the holes on the front subframe to take the new engine steadies from the gearbox to the back of the front subframe. Instead, I took out the hubs and drive shafts and the gearbox remote linkage. After that I thought why not take the engine out as well, so that is what I did. Here are a couple of pictures of the empty engine bay and engine. Just to get the front subby out now. As it is an earlier type it is held by two bolts in the tops of the towers. Mini Sport said "Don't shear them off as none are now available". I tried on Sunday and they are really tight. I've been dosing them with WD40 since then. I'll have another go in a couple of days with the big impact wrench
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Post by clambod on Feb 10, 2010 11:11:30 GMT
I managed to drag myself in the garage last night, first time for weeks. I did manage to get the two nearside tower bolts out with the big impact wrench but the offside ones are proving to be a bit recalcitrant. Dosed them with more WD40 stuff and I'll have another go tonight. Fingers crossed
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Post by clambod on Feb 11, 2010 9:16:52 GMT
Oh Dear, I was in the garage last night trying to get the offside tower bolts out. I finally managed to one out but the 4th was proving re markedly stubborn. Yep, you guessed, it sheared off. At least I've got the subby off now and have managed to drill most of it out but it is still refusing to move. I've left it overnight soaking in WD40 and I'll apply more heat and then the stud extractor. Fingers crossed I'll get it out. I've just ordered 4x 4" x 3/8 high tensile bolts as Mini Sport say they can't get them !
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Post by clambod on Feb 14, 2010 15:56:20 GMT
The broken bolt will just will not come out I've drilled it out to 8.5 mm and that is the tapping size for 3/8 UNF. Just ordered an helicoil kit as I may have to resort to it. Got all the rust off the subby now and it is ready for painting. I'm half way through prepping the engine bay prior to painting with acid etch paint. I could not get the accelerator pedal bracket off. The nuts kept turning but would not come off. As the subby was off I ground away the weld studs off till I could punch them out. I'll weld in a plate with two bolts welded.
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Post by clambod on Mar 2, 2010 15:07:52 GMT
I bought a pair of 3/8" UNF taps. taper and plug. The taps have done the job and the threads look nice and sharp, so one thing less to bother about. I've sanded down the engine bay and subby and managed to get a coat of etch on in the engine bay, both sides of the inner wings and the front subby. I'll be back in there tonight spraying on the primer.
I have just committed my tired old 1275 block and gearbox to specialist components for the BMW conversion. I'll be taking it down on Wednesday 17th. Can't wait to get it back all nice and shiny.
I'll get some piccies up when I finally get round to taking some.
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Post by clambod on Mar 3, 2010 7:59:21 GMT
Spent some time in the garage last night. I got the 2k primer on just got to do the other side of the subby now but I ran out of paint. going to get some more today and finish it tonight. I had the extractor fans on and after I'd finished and come out of the garage it stank of paint in the garden. Hope the neighbours don't complain.
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Post by clambod on Mar 13, 2010 15:57:48 GMT
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Post by Admin/Founder 2 on Mar 14, 2010 11:38:12 GMT
This is looking Fabb Youve come an aweful long way cant wait to see it finished its going to be a well sorted,Solid,Clean little Mini Keep up the good work Thats another Mini Saved and given a brighter future
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Post by clambod on Mar 14, 2010 11:53:24 GMT
I'm still learning about spraying. I was quite pleased with yesterdays effort. I got good coverage and no sags or runs. I usually add a little bit of thinners but didn't yesterday. I think it would have flowed a little better if I had. All part of the learning curve.
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Post by clambod on Mar 16, 2010 17:39:37 GMT
this looks like a rear engined Passat No, just the Greenies engine loaded in the boot ready for the trip to SC tomorrow. It will look abit different on it's return
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Post by (minisniper) on Mar 16, 2010 18:13:42 GMT
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Post by clambod on Mar 17, 2010 6:34:32 GMT
Hi Lea, It will take 6 to 8weeks for engine conversion to be completed, which should give me enough time to get the subby and all the front panels back on ready for it's return. My other half is away this weekend, so it's a long garage weekend. I'll have a chat with SC after lunch, with regards to the diff ratio and things.
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Post by clambod on Mar 18, 2010 8:17:17 GMT
Safely delivered the engine to SC yesterday. I should be ready mid May, so gotto get busy getting the panels on now.
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Post by notamini on Mar 18, 2010 23:51:57 GMT
This is a really long thread so I will just ask instead of reading the whole thing over. What do you mean by a BMW conversion?
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Post by clambod on Mar 19, 2010 7:42:35 GMT
The BMW conversion is where the A series head is removed and a cylinder head from a K1200 BMW motorbike is also modified and fitted to the A series block, which has also had water ways and oil ways modified and bored to 1380. This is a 16V DOHC,8 port crossflow head with 4 injectors and 4 throttle bodies. This engine when finished will rev to 7,800 RPM and deliver 130 BHP, with a theoretical top speed of 150 MPH, on an A series 4 speed gearbox. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFz0iyT1zkY&feature=player_embedded/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=974kBWoZfhs&feature=player_embedded/youtube]
Crank up the volume on these
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Post by clambod on Mar 20, 2010 17:54:09 GMT
I've managed a bit more today The subby was back in before 10 And the front panel was on by lunch And all the rest, Wing and A panels were back on by just after 5. Got some bits of welding left todo but I'll do them in the morning
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Post by clambod on Mar 21, 2010 5:39:54 GMT
This what the engine will look like when it returns.
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Post by (minisniper) on Mar 21, 2010 13:03:10 GMT
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Post by clambod on Mar 22, 2010 8:50:05 GMT
Yes,I can't wait to get the engine back but it comes with a large price tag. got quite a bit to do before I'm ready for it. got to run new fuel lines and brake pipes etc before it's ready and even then it probably wont run for a while. I'm going for a 2" stainless exhaust on it, as that is the recommended bore. Still practising the spraying though. By the time the boot and interior are sprayed I should be ready for the body.
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Post by clambod on Mar 31, 2010 15:04:44 GMT
I've done a little more since the weekend. Just to remind you what the bonnet looked like. Behind where the badge had been it was badly perforated. So I cut it all out, along with the bonnet lock and let another piece in. It needs a bit more cleanup work and the lock rewelding on but it gives you an idea. and here is the inside I've also cut away part of the rib under the bonnet and welded the ends to the bonnet skin. This is to prevent the rib touching the cambelt when the engine goes back in.
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Post by clambod on Apr 3, 2010 7:54:39 GMT
I did a bit more yesterday. I had to cut more of the bonnet rib away so now it looks like this. As I will be using 13 x 7 wheels the front arches needed modding. I made a template and clamped it on Then I "tickled it" with the plasma cutter, much easier for curves than an angle grinder and this is what it looked like after the cut. Rather than reform the lip I modified the one I had just cut off and welded it back in, up againgst the new curve. This is what it looks like now. The other side is exactly the same
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Post by clambod on Apr 9, 2010 6:46:20 GMT
I managed to get a coat of etch primer on, in the boot and under the front wings last night, hopefully I'll get the primer coat on tonight.
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Post by clambod on Apr 12, 2010 13:33:34 GMT
I've done a bit more on the Greenie. I've managed to get the 2k primer on under the wings and in the boot. Here's the boot with the primer I managed to get the top coat on last night as well. I was not happy with the boot top coat as it was very slightly patchy. I popped in their at lunch time and got another coat on the boot and under the wings. This is what the boot looks like now. . It might look a bit uneven but that is the reflections and shadow areas. I can now start to reassemble the front suspension and hubs.
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Post by clambod on Apr 20, 2010 10:00:23 GMT
I have not got round to the suspension yet as I decided to strip the door skins off and replace the door bottoms. I've just the N/S door bottom to replace and they will soon be ready for painting on the insides. I got two new door skins at Uttoxeter last year and I've just found that the rivnuts for the door mirrors are too close together. I'll have to modify them and weld the holes up.
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Post by clambod on Apr 22, 2010 7:32:54 GMT
I've managed abit more over the weekend and evenings. I've stripped off the door skins and replacedboth door bottoms. The bottoms were not too bad really it is just the edge that holds the bottom of the door skin. Here are the piccies of the doors. This is the N/S door with skin removed. I cut the bottom off after taking this. Here is the O/S door with the new bottomin and other repairs They will soon be ready for some etch primer, after I get the paint stripper out to remove the rest of the paint, and a bit of filler.
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Post by asahartz on Apr 22, 2010 15:34:36 GMT
I got two new door skins at Uttoxeter last year and I've just found that the rivnuts for the door mirrors are too close together. I'll have to modify them and weld the holes up. Are they designed for the 90s-style plastic mirrors? If so you can get an adapter plate, just a little piece of aluminium with two countersunk holes and two tapped holes. They come with the fitting kit for Tex mirrors IIRC. Car's coming on well; like my Mini Sky which is getting close to completion - but I haven't done an engine swap. That will come later when I get my 1275 Megajolted.
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Post by clambod on Apr 23, 2010 7:06:56 GMT
I'll just alter the position of the rivnuts, now I've bought some, just waiting for the rivnut setter to arrive. I know one or two people with the megajolt set up and they seem very pleased with the system. Welding is almost complete now just the "Spot welds" in the door skin when they are fitted, then the angle grinder and welder go in to hibernation.
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Post by asahartz on Apr 23, 2010 15:32:08 GMT
then the angle grinder and welder go in to hibernation. It's always nice when you get to that stage!
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Post by clambod on May 1, 2010 7:50:19 GMT
I'vedone a bitmore this week, involving stripping the paint from the doors,bonnet and dash rails. Sanding is much better than paint stripper. SC sent some photos of the engine so far, yesterday. Here are a few of them; Gearbox has been rebuilt, although they said it was in pretty good condition this is the 3.1:1 diff, which was already fitted in the box. Here areacouple of the crankshaft that has been wedged and bladed and centre main strap. Here's the built block and gearbox and here's the top of the block showing the new holes and the original ones plugged and of course the pistons. Pistons have been "Pocketed" for the valves.
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Post by asahartz on May 1, 2010 11:03:21 GMT
Mmmm, that's some serious engine! Looks tasty.
I have a pocketed 998 block (because it has a 12g904 head!) in my shed. Unfortunately my daughter ran it dry and shagged the crank - I'm debating whether the crank from my spare block will fit or whether just to pocket the spare block.
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