Tommy's A-series Misery - Mini Action (plus bonus Aggro)

[MJK 24]

On 31/10/2023 at 10:31, Bazfr69 said:

I ran across a lovely Mexi a couple of weeks ago, year 2000 model and the tidiest I’ve seen in the metal. 
My own rather less glamorous motor behind it when I parked for a nosey. 

I’d have yours any day of the week!  The wheels on yours are perfect…

Has it got its own thread?

[bunglebus]

18 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

I didn't even know that was a thing! Not sure why it would be missing but given the age of the car anything could have happened to it.

Mine was missing from my '68 - well most of it was. Think one of the arms remained but that was it.

Think they help prevent swing axle tuck-under too but I could be wrong

[Bazfr69]

On 14/01/2024 at 14:51, MJK 24 said:

I’d have yours any day of the week!  The wheels on yours are perfect…

Has it got its own thread?

That’s very nice of you to say, thank you. 
 

No thread on mine though. 

[Tommyboy12]

So I'm starting on rebuilding another A-series for my brown project Mini. A 998 built on a budget. I'm not aiming for anything other than a running engine.

I bought this engine for 100 notes in pieces. He said it probably needed work which means he knows what was wrong with it.

Crankshaft has a few rings in it but not too scuffed up

Conrod shells aren't too bad. No major wear but it's dragged something metallic through the journals

First main bearing was not so good...

I've made a bit of a shopping list. I'm going to spend a bit of time properly measuring the crank with calipers to make a call on regrinding it

[High Jetter]

Any history on that lump?

[Tommyboy12]

8 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Any history on that lump?

Supposedly about 60k miles on it which is probably about right looking at the bore wear. Bearing shells are standard size too and original. It's not in bad health and I've pulled apart worse.

[Matty]

Be interesting to see how someone who knows what they are on with goes about it. Big write up please pal.

[Tommyboy12]

Time to pick up my recent AS roffle win!

The noble steed for the trip is ready. The wind is high. I'm sure it'll be fine!

 

 

[Tommyboy12]

First off a stop for fuel!

[Tommyboy12]

We have arrived!

[Erebus]

Enjoy!  Nice to meet you.  Good to know the roffle Rover is in safe hands

[Tommyboy12]

Made it home! What a lovely car. No point in any piccys as it's dark and miserable. I'm looking forward to ownership!

[Tommyboy12]

In other news today. I have been trying to sell my Megane 225. I had a guy come and look at it today but he went home in a different car...

It wasn't 100% my intention to sell it this soon (it was on the cards around March) but I gave him a slightly inflated number and he was happy with it.

The Mégane is still up for sale...

[garethj]

On 14/01/2024 at 15:22, bunglebus said:

Mine was missing from my '68 - well most of it was. Think one of the arms remained but that was it.

Think they help prevent swing axle tuck-under too but I could be wrong

The z bar helped handling a lot but it was used in conjunction with softer rear torsion bars.  It’s the softer torsion bars that make the rear grip better, the z bar acts as an assister spring (like you could get for cars in the 70s when you tow a caravan) and also, as Asimo said it works to induce rear roll.

You know how a front antiroll bar increases roll stiffness and gives understeer (reduces front grip), well this does the opposite and gives more grip to the axle it’s fitted to.

The pressing for the z bar was always on the inner wing, but it was only fitted to 1500s and some 1300s which had the torsion bars to match.

[Tommyboy12]

So I have a spare Mini 998 auto I am stripping for spares for my budget build. I was told it was seized. Needless to say I didn't expect it to be *that* seized.

I'm hopeful the crank is salvageable as it's only a 44k miles engine but I'm not 100% convinced. Things like the timing cover and bracketry will be used as well as the manifold.

I've got to source a carburettor and build a shopping list of engine parts when I'm done stripping it.

 

[N Dentressangle]

Not sure there's enough cola, diesel and magic potion in the world to get that moving again.

Not a long term relationship with the Beetle then - what did you make of it?

[grogee]

2 hours ago, Tommyboy12 said:

 

That reminds me of this, the Chernobyl Elephant's Foot

[Tommyboy12]

3 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Not sure there's enough cola, diesel and magic potion in the world to get that moving again.

Not a long term relationship with the Beetle then - what did you make of it?

Really enjoyed working on it. Something different to my usual projects. Nice enough to drive. It's a bit slow and methodical to drive vs. something like a Mini. I liked it overall. I wasn't intending to sell so soon but I got a decent offer and it was always a fling rather than a long termer.

[N Dentressangle]

Yes, it's character is completely unlike the sometimes frantic little Mini, isn't it? Slow and deliberate seems to be the way a Beetle prefers it, which is ironic when you think of the 911 it formed the basis of.

[Tommyboy12]

Busy day of MG Rover licking. I started on the MGF. I swapped the lambda sensor (again) and fitted new exhaust gaskets (again). Now it runs even worse! It's gone from hosing fuel into the bores to running on 3 cylinders. I suspect the plugs are fouled up. I've ordered another set rather than clean them up as I don't know the age of them anyway. Failing that the coil packs are buggered. Why that has happened after changing the lambda I don't know but ho hum.

After much cursing I moved onto the Rover. I continue to be impressed with how clean it is considering it's a communal bike, I am the 17th owner! 

First off I was told about an oil leak from the cam cover. Which I can 100% confirm that was the case.

Thank you for whoever fitted three different bolts on the coil cover. I salute your efforts to find bolts that fit. An 8mm, 10mm and a star head! 😂

The cam cover leak might have something to do with the fact that every bolt removed in this image was finger tight. It was held tight by 4 of the 15 bolts for the cover...

I did change the gasket as it came to me with one anyway. I also tightened all the bolts so it hopefully won't leak anymore!

Then I set about making the car 'worse' by refitting the sports* exhaust it came with. It's got no mid silencer and a much smaller rear silencer and it sounds very rorty! Really easy job compared to some cars I have done this too.

Big boooore

Don't worry. I'm not throwing the other exhaust out, or any other parts I remove. It'll go to the next unfortunate soul winner of the roffle.

I also fitted a hot air intake for extra intake roar.

Again, I'll keep the standard air box for whoever has it next.

A productive if not 100% successful time on the MG Rover fleet.

Finally I tried to strip the automatic A-series a bit more. Unfortunately, I don't have the correct puller for the torque converter so I've got to wait on a auto puller arriving.

[Tommyboy12]

The weather was half decent today so I cracked out the welder on the brown Mini. I'm meant to be driving this to Germany in 112 days. It needs a lot of welding and an engine building for it first 😬

Started at the back cause it's a fairly easy repair. The subframe mount is in good nick it's just the floor around it that's gone. Same on both sides. It's had a new valance and closing panels in the past so they're pretty solid. Its also taken a knock on this corner at some point and the panel is dented. Thankfully the car came with plenty of panels.

In progress

 

It's not finished but it's water tight again. It needs a bit of weld dressing, filler and paint and that should see that corner done. It needs the centre hinge panel replacing as well as grinding some of the paint off revealed plenty of holes. But for now I only had time for the corner.

Next is the centre hinge panel and left side. Hoping to do that done over this next week. Then I need to move onto the rear floors.

Had to sweep up after myself also. Typical Mini...

[juular]

Satisfyingly weldy. Good job.

[grogee]

18 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

The weather was half decent today so I cracked out the welder on the brown Mini. I'm meant to be driving this to Germany in 112 days. It needs a lot of welding and an engine building for it first 😬

Started at the back cause it's a fairly easy repair. The subframe mount is in good nick it's just the floor around it that's gone. Same on both sides. It's had a new balance and closing panels in the past so they're pretty solid. Its also taken a knock on this corner at some point and the panel is dented. Thankfully the car came with plenty of panels.

In progress

 

It's not finished but it's water tight again. It needs a bit of weld dressing, filler and paint and that should see that corner done. It needs the centre hinge panel replacing as well as grinding some of the paint off revealed plenty of holes. But for now I only had time for the corner.

Next is the centre hinge panel and left side. Hoping to do that done over this next week. Then I need to move onto the rear floors.

Had to sweep up after myself also. Typical Mini...

Wow there must be hundreds of pounds worth of Mini spares in that dustpan

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Tommyboy12 said:

I'm meant to be driving this to Germany in 112 days

Tell me more

[Tommyboy12]

15 minutes ago, Matty said:

Tell me more

@sharley17194 and I are attending International Mini Meet in Germany in June. I set myself the challenge of a £1000 roadworthy Mini to take. Quite a tall order nowadays but buying a project helps! However I'm £850 into my budget now and I need a new set of tyres 😅

[Matty]

4 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

@sharley17194 and I are attending International Mini Meet in Germany in June. I set myself the challenge of a £1000 roadworthy Mini to take. Quite a tall order nowadays but buying a project helps! However I'm £850 into my budget now and I need a new set of tyres 😅

Awesome. I hope we will be getting a full write up of you and Sharleys adventures. I'm on a foreign road trip in summer as well, but only to Ireland. Still daunting in a near 60 year old car with an engine I put together 🤣 

[2flags]

Just how much is Eruopean breakdown cover these days? Might just need it. 😆

[rob88h]

Your brown Mini is truly excellent. I think I prefer it to mine 🤫  

Keep up the good work. I love seeing it, it’s  mismatch dull brown paint (and brown metal) is an AS masterpiece. Hope you stay enthused and continue to post on its progress.  

[Tommyboy12]

23 hours ago, 2flags said:

Just how much is Eruopean breakdown cover these days? Might just need it. 😆

Nearly £200 for a week... I am taking a fair amount of spares and winging it!

[2flags]

Good grief! and I thought car insurance was bad! At least with the Mini there is no computer to worry about. It's all very simple.