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Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: bASeman's Spot of the Year award.


BorniteIdentity

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As for the Mini? Well no real surprises. It’s a 35 year old Austin that was taken off the road 20 years ago. We have replaced all brakes front and back, hoses, brake master cylinder and water pump. Every single task has been marred by complications and frustrations, and after nearly 3 solid days on it we are still off the pace.

 

Rear subframe mounts on the front have been changed and I’ve just had four new tyres fitted. Just as we were bleeding up the brakes the front-back pipe popped. Grrr. I also seem to have stripped a wheel stud and nut thread.

 

I briefly had hazard lights functioning, but the addition of the second new relay for the indicators caused everything to stop working. Suspected earth and/or fuse issue.

 

We’re going to get it over to Alf892s house where he has all the correct tools and kit, and still hope to get it in for a test in the next few weeks.

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Oh, and thanks for the kind words. It’s been the toughest of tough months, but I’m just about out the other side.

 

The head of Toyota UK PR wanted to buy the Avensis this time last year, but his colleagues didn’t see the value in adding it to the fleet. I think, personally, that will change when we pass 300,000 but, by that stage, it’s unlikely I’ll part with it easily.

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Oh, and thanks for the kind words. It’s been the toughest of tough months, but I’m just about out the other side.

The head of Toyota UK PR wanted to buy the Avensis this time last year, but his colleagues didn’t see the value in adding it to the fleet. I think, personally, that will change when we pass 300,000 but, by that stage, it’s unlikely I’ll part with it easily.

My 1.8 is on 235k but there’s a receipt for a new “short block” in 2007, replaced under warranty, and a gearbox overhaul the year before so has had more than its share of parts to keep going

 

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My 1.8 is on 235k but there’s a receipt for a new “short block” in 2007, replaced under warranty, and a gearbox overhaul the year before so has had more than its share of parts to keep going

 

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The short blocks were all done because of oil burning issues with the VVTi engine. I think you had to complain first and pass Toyota’s (stringent) standards of burning more than 1 litre of oil per 500 miles I think.

 

Great that this one has been done. The MPG is far superior to the 3sfe that mine has.

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Good to see you back on here. I've been following the Mini shenanigans on Twunter, but always prefer the detail and chronology of a decent build thread.

Avensis sounds like minor detail considering the sterling service the old girl has given you. If it were a modern derv, it would have shat out its DMF, DPF, injectors and the rest several times over.

I think the Avensis is allowed a couple of small toy/pram issues.

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Avensis back from the local garage. Not my preferred, but all that was available. He’s a lovely bloke but a bit dear. Anyway, the pipe was an absolute wanker but has been replaced with nice Nickel stuff that should outlast me. Irritatingly the other side isn’t far behind; in a way I wish they’d have given me a price to do it there and then. Meh. Front flexi done too. Tyres on Monday and then retest time.

 

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The new plate turned up for the Mini from A1 Showplates. Again, it’s quite thin compared with the old DMB stuff but what can you do? I went for an oversize plate as I saw it once on a MK4 and it looked fab.

 

I’m delighted.

 

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Well I like the oversize one. So there.

 

I remember seeing them like that in period. Something I've wondered about before is why some dealers used to fit them and some didn't, I remember it used to be a thing with loads of 80s jap stuff. I changed the regular size rear plate on my AE82 Corolla for an oversize one as they look crap without one and again, most of them were like this (but not all?).

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Yay glad to see your back BorniteIdentity :)

 

as i may have already mentioned in this thread already

 

my mum owned a Mini before I was born, and she has told me many interesting fond memories/stories of it, so I look forward to seeing more work on your Mini :)

 

(especially notable that she liked it, because she grew up around/driving 1950s-1970s American land barges and prefers cars of that size normally)

 

mum said she sold it to an enthusiast in the end, so I wonder if its still out there somewhere...  (Sadly I dont know its reg)

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If this Mini is ever going to get finished, it needs to be:

 

A) in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing

2) at a 'tooled up' location

D) actually worked on.

 

With this in mind, the executive decision was taken to move it from mine (where continued frustrations have thus far hampered progress) to the executive home of Alf892.

 

Unwilling to pay £120-£155 to Shiply couriers to move it 30 miles, new tyres were fitted and I A-Framed it last night with Alf following "convoi exceptionnel".  It was surprisingly simple with not a single drama (even when I hit a slalom a bit briskly, completely forgetting there was about 15 foot of metal still behind me!)  We used a borrowed EZYTOW™ system which was fantastic.  Worryingly, the Mini didn't do a lot of steering, but it did the job and it's now lowering the tone of Alf's neighbourhood, no doubt adding a frosting of brake fluid and 20w50 oil to the morning dew on his 'high end' driveway.

 

Have some photos.

 

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Could have done without stopping for diesel en-route really!

 

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I keep telling Alf to get this bastard thing sprayed up (or at the very least Rattle Canned in Matt Black) but he needs more persuading.  Might just turn up one day and Hammerite it for him.  He'll thank me I'm sure...)

 

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