Bolt ons

 It was high time the car was tagged, the vin plate had arrived and I knew where the pop rivet gun was. Carefully offered up the plate to double check the marked but blank holes lined up, drilled and riveted it on.

I moved round to the dials after that. I had twin dials with mounting frame but the triple didn't have the frame. Lots of checking, measuring then off to the friends work shop to cut and fold some metal. Then round to father-in-laws to Rob some rivnuts in stead of welding in captive bolts as per the original, easier to line up and a little tidier in the engine bay. 

A little paint and ta dar, dials and set back so at 6' I should be able to see the dials through the steering wheel, with the bonus that the sun shouldn't blot the dials out. Something I suffered with 20 years ago driving them.

The mini specialist had finally visited and been subjected to a lot of routing questions, also he pointed out a nice list of parts (correct varients) I need to finish up the engine bay. He checked over the engine loom, replaced some potential bad terminals, supplied correct nuts for a few items .... and spotted the speedo I borrowed from the twin cluster was the wrong colour (grey background instead of black) which he had a spare for me to swop with him. Nice.

Today has been wiring up the starter motor and using the standard set up for marmite, a wing mounted solenoid, but converting it to a junction box as the solenoid is now on the starter motor. New feed wire and ignition wire extended then taped I to the loom, in what can only be said as a very smugly tidy manner.

The loom could be a little bit less flappy, but I was told an extra earth is often added to the wing and seems like a good chance to add a P clip while the bolt is out to mount the earth to engine, and pin the loom down at the same time. Earth ends cleaned up and area that will not be bolted is painted. So time to get that on.

The lower front engine steady was next, nicely powder coated already and new bushes fitted, wow that was a bit tight and largely done by feel!

Then axle stands are out again to take the front hubs off, only fitted to check wheel scrub on the new wide wheels. Then take the hubs to work and swop over the studs ready for the new spacers... then they can stay on and I can finally fit the brakes, yay

Mini engine in, is a go

 With the rad finally attached after a bit of messing around getting the fan spaced correctly, the correct top bracket (which was one I hadn't already cleaned up and painted!) And of course falling short of bolts, the rad cowling this time. The alternator and belt was fitted. At this point it is really start to look like a proper engine !

On the run up I couldn't help but notice a lot of dust, dirt and cat hair (yes cat, it snuck in with out me knowing and I locked it in for 24 hours) all over the engine bay. With out think much of it I got the house hoover and gently hoovered the engine bay .... who hoovers an engine bay ..... 

Um, me..... then  wash it, oh we'll why not get the shammy out as well..... Nerd! But looked better, and was easy with no engine there. So I don't  care, job well done.

Engine mount bolts were gathered up and a chat with a local mini nut who wanted to help drop the engine in, and a date was set. I trundled off to my parents with the trailer on a wet Saturday morning to collect the engine hoist. Dropped  that straight to my garage and then pushed the engine on it's  dolly from the front of the house round to the back alley. Some idiot put a big wooden shed/garage accross the back gate so it can't  be used any more.

So a few hours later the engine had been delicately placed in and bolted in, just the bottom to allow some more bolts ons to be done.

On the Sunday the drive shafts came out of storage, cleaned  and greased then shoved in their holes. Then the hubs were bolted on and the shocks

I had to stop at putting on the hub half with wheel studs in a mild moment of dought over the stud length/ need for spacers which would need longer wheel studs. With some birthday cash burning a hole I phoned a great local chap who had been holding a set of wheels for me... for 2 years. Arranged to collect them so I could check alignment.

Oh, just look at them :)

Yes I had to see how they looked on the back as well, nice. Much better arch fill over the mini lights.

 That evening it was attack the brake servo, well fit the braided clutch pipe while I could still get to it and fit the freshly made copper pipe from master to the braided pipe. 

Then onto the brake pipes from front/rear manifold to servo. Wasn't happy with one of those coppr pipes so re made that one which came out much better, the first was just a little short giving a bad route. It's great when your neighbour says hi, and then ends up lending you a pipe flaring kit saving a run to my friends work shop.

Tonight the servo vacuum pipe and accelerator cable was fitted, really starting to look a but proper in the engine bay. Yay

I had a brief moment staring at the steering wheel I had to get out from the loft so I could straighten the hubs and check the wheels. Really do like it, but hang on, it's  dirty and NOT  shinny!

 

Hang on .....

That's better.

I'm thinking I now have more bits on the car  than waiting to go on it. Now that does sound like progress, still a way to go but it's  good.