project Boris the '59 Minor.

[Joey spud]

14 hours ago, SiC said:

With the fan, the general consensus is that the Moggie radiator is massively overspecced. So you can get away with no fan in most conditions. The two bladed fan is small enough that it shouldn't cause much of any power loss either. I don't plan to go electric on mine tbh. Something else to draw a heavy current load from the alternator and probably decide to not work at the worst possible moment when I do really need it. Also the sound from the fan adds part of the characteristic classic British car sound to my ears. 

My radiator is an early one with extra capacity header tank compared to later cars and its also been modded with a uprated core (so the receipt that came with the car claims) so my thinking is with a mechanical fan running all the time the poor thing would take an age to get up to temperature on the local journeys i have planned for it.

 With a small electric fan (80w) and incorporating a 95c sensor/switch it should get up to temp quicker and save fuel and wear on the engine.

And if i find in really hot weather the fan is running near constantly i can always bolt the fan back on again.

[Joey spud]

44 minutes ago, SiC said:

On mine, the pipe on the top of the radiator is chopped off (by hand) and has one of these fitted:

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/cooling-system-heater-c52/radiator-cooling-heating-c53/radiator-top-hose-1275-only-reinforced-use-with-straight-top-pipe-radiator-p829664

I've ordered that exact hose to replace the one on mine. 

I have just read what you posted about Minor and Mini stat housings being different which i didn't realise.

My housing points up slightly and that's why my original small top hose was a such a poor fit i either need a flat Minor housing or mod the radiator to a short stub but ensure it retains the collar to hold the hose securely.

My scruffy ill fitting hose when the car arrived,i guess the 1275cc  engine may also be taller than the smaller variants.

[SiC]

7 hours ago, Joey spud said:

mod the radiator to a short stub but ensure it retains the collar to hold the hose securely.

Mine doesn't have the collar and presumably has been like that for quite a long time. Even at high revs, I don't think the water pressure is that high on these. 

[SiC]

I have just read what you posted about Minor and Mini stat housings being different which i didn't realise.
My housing points up slightly and that's why my original small top hose was a such a poor fit i either need a flat Minor housing or mod the radiator to a short stub but ensure it retains the collar to hold the hose securely.


My scruffy ill fitting hose when the car arrived,i guess the 1275cc  engine may also be taller than the smaller variants.

Yours is different again as it has the tapping for the temperature sender. Iirc yours is a Marina 1275?

[SiC]

8 hours ago, Joey spud said:

My radiator is an early one with extra capacity header tank compared to later cars and its also been modded with a uprated core (so the receipt that i came with the car claims) so my worry is with a mechanical fan running all the time the poor thing would take an age to get up to temperature on the local journeys i have planned for it.

I might be talking a load of bollocks here, but wouldn't the thermostat mostly regulate this? When the engine is warming up, the thermostat will only open when hitting it's opening temperature. Cool water will flow back in from the radiator, cooling the thermostat and closing it. So does an uprated radiator just allow the engine is able to regulate it's temperature better and prevent any chance of overheating, rather than overcooling it?

A fan obviously allows airflow around an engine and help dissipate heat from the block easier. I.e. the engine itself is a radiator. If anything a fan is useful to have sucking air through to prevent hotspots in an engine bay (e.g. around the manifolds) and help stop things such as fuel vaporisation when stuck in traffic. 

[Joey spud]

It's an old A series engine it probably doesn't matter what cooling system set up you favour.

That said they haven't fitted solid fan blades to car engines for about 40 years now.

[Joey spud]

I dropped in to East Sussex Minors earlier.

The workshop and the parts dept are in two different buildings and don't seem to have any ties other than their name and unbeknown to me the parts dept is closed on a Monday.

I don't think they get many trade visitors as everything is posted out now days but they still served me and gladly supplied what i needed without any fuss.

[Joey spud]

Lack of mojo = small steps.

Actually this isn't strictly true my limited spare time is being taken up by swapping over the engine/box and front/rear suspension from a rotted out but mechanically excellent Mitsubishi FTO into a totally rust free but tired FTO.

Despite having 12 months ticket this black FTO is absolutely riddled with terminal rust and the up coming revised ULEZ rules in its native London habitat meant its days there were numbered.

But i have had time to sort out the alternator wiring on Boris.

I purchased the correct plug and ran a fresh loom straight up to the battery via the starter solenoid terminal.

Much better me thinks especially as the original (dynamo) single charge wire was showing sings of overheating.

I think i need to look at fitting a good quality replacement fuse box too as the lucas one is very baggy and tired.

And as the dynamos redundant regulator is  now only used as a convenient juction box i may well do away with that too and fit a modern water tight juction box in its place.

I am not a big fan of these battery cut off switches but i had it going spare and to save drilling mounting holes and finding another earth lead i bolted one of its terminals directly to the body of the car.

It can't hurt and might slow down a thieving shit a for a little bit (if i ever remember to use it).

So its a bit tidier under the bonnet now but I still need to find a suitable bigger carb at a sensible price.

[Joey spud]

I picked up a Clarendon Grey flavoured rattle can while at ESM on Monday and being an  impatient so and so i used it all up on my yellow front panel the same evening.

After leaving it till today to harden i have given it a wet sand with some 1200 grit paper followed by a cut back with 3M's excellent,but pricey Fast Cut Plus on a pad.

 

A totally pointless endeavour really when i have shit loads of rot removal and welding to be getting on with but i needed some shiny,shiny to get me motivated again.

[Joey spud]

I had a result with this damage.

The tear just about joined up once the metal was straightened up again.

 

A bit of paint and that'll do.

[Joey spud]

I have replaced the redundant regulator with a small junction box instead (£5.00 from Tool station).

And i have a modern fuse box and some decent spade terminals coming to tidy up the messy wiring.

While i still had my arse in gear i made a start on modifying the Marina down pipe to fit the Minors engine bay.

The front downpipe was easy enough.

The rear one is being a right bugger but i think i am getting there now.

I will have a dig through the scrap metal bins while at work during the week to see if i can find any preformed bits of pipe to improve its appearance further.

Once i am happy with it i will put it on the bench and weld it up properly.

And i have some exhaust wrap somewhere to lag it with to try and keep the heat off the fuel pipe directly above it.

[Joey spud]

#

Well i completed welding the down pipe and it looked really scruffy so i dug out a long forgotten roll of exhaust wrap to make it look more presentable.

Stupidly i didn't cover my arms or wear gloves when handling it and so had the joy of stray fibre glass strands irritating my skin for the rest of the day.

And i need to find proper cast iron clamps as these cheap pressed steel ones are total pants.

And i have purchased a bigger carb to replace the 1098cc currently fitted.

1 1/4" vs 1 1/2" SU carburettor.

My replacement carburettor's tag identifies it as originally being fitted to a 1275GT mini so it should do the job.

Ideally i wanted a later/bigger hif44 metro 1300 carb but they command around a £100 second hand and i won't pay that kind of money,looking in to the future i would like to have a go at doing a home brewed injection set up using a simple single point injector body from something like a 90's Pug 106/205.

I still need to find a suitable inch and a half carb spacer and mounting bracket.

Meanwhile my cunning plan to replace the sixty year old fuse box and regulator has mostly been completed.

But i now have this doubt in my mind that for simplicity and reliability i should of left the wiring well alone and just cleaned all the terminals and fitted a new Lucas twin fuse box.

[SiC]

I'm on a lookout for a HIF44 too. Especially as the throttle linkage on my HS4 is literally sitting on the downpipe. I have read that the HS4 can run a tad lean on a 1275 setup if tuned. Could go dual HS2 as per Midget, but I rather not have the hassle of dual carbs.

On the wiring, might be worth labelling which fuse does what. Or potentially sticking a label around each wire, so if they come off, you know what each does. I tend to do this by using a label maker and printing it twice so you can see it both sides when attached.

[SiC]

What's happened to your ID plate? Appears to be missing.

[Tickman]

Early ones don't necessarily have an id plate as the Vin number is stamped straight onto the bulkhead. 

[Joey spud]

32 minutes ago, SiC said:

What's happened to your ID plate? Appears to be missing.

I had to move it get the fuse box fitted so it'll get remounted on the n/s bulkhead instead.

[Fabergé Greggs]

35 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

#

Well i completed welding the down pipe and it looked really scruffy so i dug out a long forgotten roll of exhaust wrap to make it look more presentable.

Stupidly i didn't cover my arms or wear gloves when handling it and so had the joy of stray fibre glass strands irritating my skin for the rest of the day.

And i need to find proper cast iron clamps as these cheap pressed steel ones are total pants.

And i have purchased a bigger carb to replace the 1098cc currently fitted.

1 1/4" vs 1 1/2" SU carburettor.

My replacement carburettor's tag identifies it as originally being fitted to a 1275GT mini so it should do the job.

Ideally i wanted a later/bigger hif44 metro 1300 carb but they command around a £100 second hand and i won't pay that kind of money,looking in to the future i would like to have a go at doing a home brewed injection set up using a simple single point injector body from something like a 90's Pug 106/205.

I still need to find a suitable inch and a half carb spacer and mounting bracket.

Meanwhile my cunning plan to replace the sixty year old fuse box and regulator has mostly been completed.

But i now have this doubt in my mind that for simplicity and reliability i should of left the wiring well alone and just cleaned all the terminals and fitted a new Lucas twin fuse box.

Though I do love carbs, I’ve always been interested in experimenting with injection setups. Wouldn’t a Mini SPI setup be the natural choice or would you get better performance from a Peugeot throttle body? 

[Joey spud]

3 minutes ago, Fabergé Greggs said:

Though I do love carbs, I’ve always been interested in experimenting with injection setups. Wouldn’t a Mini SPI setup be the natural choice or would you get better performance from a Peugeot throttle body? 

I am guilty of overlooking the obvious of course a SPI Mini set up is the easiest route to go down.

Even just using the Minis manifold would save a lot of aggro.

[Isaac Hunt]

50 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

But i now have this doubt in my mind that for simplicity and reliability i should of left the wiring well alone and just cleaned all the terminals and fitted a new Lucas twin fuse box.

 Very neat.  You’ve pissed of Prince Lucas, he will no longer be able to bring darkness and smoke to that set up.

[Joey spud]

I purchased some flash spade terminals which crimp on lovely but need a 2000w heat gun on full chat to get them to shrink snuggly onto the cable.

[Scrubworks]

That fuse box looks fantastic. I'm using a very similar setup in my Moggy but your install is far far neater. The junction box to do away with the regulator is an idea I will definitely nick as I also have an alternator :).

[High Jetter]

55 minutes ago, Joey spud said:

I purchased some flash spade terminals which crimp on lovely but need a 2000w heat gun on full chat to get them to shrink snuggly onto the cable.

I'm not sure they're designed to shrink like that.

[Joey spud]

What have I done in the last five months ? Not a lot to be honest he's still up the end of the sodden garden under his shoddy cover.

I've done a bit more welding to the floor and sill but then killed my phone and lost all my stored images.

For ages I have been looking for a pair of cheap early Lucas side lamps to use as front indicators and recently found a pair and with an amber led bulb in them they are bob on and just what I was aiming for.

For the rear I am still looking for a reasonable priced pair of 1200 Beetle lamps that I can use with a U.S spec all red lens.

I have knocked up the final two Focus/Minor wide wheels and they just need better weather to get the Paint to flow out nicely.

And I didn't notice that the 1275cc mini carb I got from ebay didn't have a throttle actuator on it.

I kept looking out for a second hand carb to steal one from but they all seem to cost upwards of £30 now days and I am way to mean for that but then one day I was skimming through eBay and found a guy selling all sorts of SU carb bits who he had the correct handed lever for £8.

So I've done a little bit nonest.

 

 

[Joey spud]

I have made a simple aluminium shield to protect the carb and fuel pipe from the heat generated by the exhaust.

I also bought a gauze filter meant for a Mini but it was really poorly made Chinese tat so I sent it back.

So a plan B was required.

[SiC]

Is that a HS4? Should be plenty of filters for MGBs and the like. 

[SiC]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-of-MGB-GT-air-filters-with-new-elements-/134026309427

This would be a traditional paper airfilter route. Maybe chop one of the curved arms down.

[Joey spud]

[Joey spud]

Plan B involved fitting an old aftermarket Toyota Supra Cone filter with a 70mm flange on to a carb with an inch 'n' half orifice.

A couple of bits of 1.2mm Zintec and some cutting,drilling and weldage produced a half tidy adaptor.

P.S is it just me that can't get the phone app to let me post text between images anymore ?

[Noel Tidybeard]

if you want powah go 1¾ s.u

[Joey spud]

1 minute ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

if you want powah go 1¾ s.u

I want to go homemade/bitsa fuel injection at some point when he's back together and on the road again.