73 Mini

Started by MiniDave, November 03, 2016, 04:19:39 PM

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MiniDave

OK Dan, I think he'll keep these anyway if my trick on the seat gives him the extra headroom he needs.

John, I appreciate your confidence in me!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

My 60 has those seats as said by others they are very early seats and worth money if he ends up not using them I wanted to replace one of mine but ended up just repairing it as a correct early seat frame was $500.00 on e bay at the time.

BruceK

Quote from: MiniDave on November 18, 2016, 04:44:16 PM
I've never seen so many wire color changes, scotch locks, wire nuts and multiple add-ins in one car before....none of it fused.
Wire nuts??!!  On car?   Holy crap.  That's a new low.

Quote from: MiniDave on November 18, 2016, 04:44:16 PM
And the radio wiring? Nothing but hodge podge and wire nuts.....I hope he can find a wiring diagram for it.
Radio on Mini?   Why?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

I think the guys that did the restoration did NOT do the radio and fog light install....and yes, we both laughed about the absurdity of a radio in a Mini, but he wants it wired so it will come on with the key off - so I guess you can hear it then  ;D

Ran into another issue with the steering column. The older shafts used a felt bushing at the bottom, the newer ones use a plastic bushing but - the outer column has a ridge inside (I think to keep the felt from riding up the column) and the new plastic bush will not go past this internal ridge. My guess is I either need to take a die grinder and remove it or send the new shaft out and have the lower part machined to match the old one and use a new felt bush. Since the owner has a lathe in his company I'm thinking we'll do that.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

I listen to music in my mini everywhere I go.  I don't see what the big deal is.

MiniDave

#55
When I was building my 1970 Dino Ferrari, I went to great expense and trouble to put the latest and greatest Blaupunkt stereo and really good speakers in it - the only time I could hear it was when the engine was off!  ;D

But, I never listen to the radio in my MINI either, and I can hear it just fine.

I like to listen to the sound of the motor and all the mechanical mayhem going on.

These cars don't have an accessory "on" position in the ignition switch do they? Seems like it's locked, unlocked, on and crank.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

They have an on afaik, unless I'm crazy.  My fuel pump and "stereo" power up with one turn over to what I assume is on.

MPlayle

Will the outer tube even go over the lower end of the new shaft?  It look like the welded on end with the pinch-bolt slot is too large diameter for the lower part of the outer tube to go over.

The old shaft appears milled down to let the tub cover where the felt bushing rides just above the pinch-bolt slot.

Perhaps the later outer tubes were shorter so the plastic bushing rides in the higher position and the un-milled portion stuck out below the end of the tube?


MiniDave

Could be......the lower part of the new shaft does go into the end of the outer column ok, it's just that the bushing has to ride on that narrow part, and that part is past the ridge....so either the ridge has to go or machine down the end of the shaft to match the older one. Since we have a lathe and competent operator available, I think that's the way we should go.

We'll see what the owner wants to do... but when I got the bushing into the outer tube it was really stiff to turn the shaft. I mean like requiring pliers to move it stiff......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

How does the outer tube look when compared to your green Mini?  Same length, same ridge?

MiniDave

#60
I'll go look....but I think you're onto something - maybe I could just cut the outer tube off at that ridge as the bushing is so much further in......

Edit: nope, 89 looks exactly the same as this one.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

#61
I'm having a hard time remembering back to the last late model Mini I had where I paid any attention to the lower part of the steering column (was about 9 years ago).

That Mini was a 1991 Japanese spec Mini that had spline issues at the lower end.  I am wanting to say it had a shorter outer tube and the inner shaft was like your replacement which would have the plastic bushing riding higher than the older style felt bushing.

My orange shop manual describes the lower bushing as only the felt style.  I will check my Haynes manual (covers the later years) to see if it indicates when the lower was changed to the plastic bushing.  The shop manual does mention that a plastic bushing can replace the upper bushing.

Edit:
Checked my Blue Haynes manual (1969 -2001) and it also refers to the lower column bush as only being the felt bush.  It references the upper as being a plastic bushing to be lubricated with graphite grease.

MiniDave

The owner decided to take the shaft with him and have it machined to match the old one......

He also found a few more jobs for me - relocate the speakers from the back shelf to under the front edge of the back seat.

The left window is out of the track on the lift, so I get to disassemble the left door and fix that..

He wants me to add a 12V power socket with a USB port.

He's going to make a small bracket and put some switches in for the fog lights, then I'll wire it up.

He had the hub machined and it's much better, but he's waiting for the roll pins to make the turn signals cancel.

I'm sure he'll come up with more before the car leaves...he did bring back the new tires all mounted and balanced.

He gave me the steel spare wheel and tire if anyone needs one.

Oh, and the dome light doesn't work, so I get to fix that too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

John Gervais

I installed a pair of 6 x 9" triaxial Clarions under the rear seat using this attached template - if you didn't have one already.  I cut the MDF, used some spray adhesive to cover it with some felt from the car stereo shop, then fitted some 3-sided square aluminum profile strips to the top and bottom edges to finish it off. 

To fasten it to the floor, I used a couple o'right-angle bent strips screwed to the board's backside, cut a couple o'slots in the carpet for the anchors to pass through and screwed it through the floor under the carpet.  Up front, I've a pair of 3½" Polk Audio coaxials in small cheapo Phillips enclosures that I carved out to accommodate the Polks (the crappy rear-parcel shelf surface-mount boxes that came with the car's original push-button radio) and mounted them under the corners of the dash.

I can't really listen to the stereo when driving along, the engine and exhaust is quite enough, but the Alpine does have bluetooth, so if I get a phone  call, I can answer it without breaking the law.
- Pave the Bay -

MiniDave

These are Bose speakers, self enclosed, so I'm just going to find a way to mount them and run the wires under the carpet to the amp mounted under the radio. Right now they are held down with double sided tape!

I spent most of yesterday dealing with knee deep oak leaves in my front yard, today my allergies are killing me! Ahhhh, life in suburbia!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Do the speakers have provisions for mounts? 

If not going to make a surrounding face, you could mount them hanging to the underside of the rear seat pan?


towjoe

I thought you might be interested in my enclosures for front speakers.
Regards
towjoe 77.gif

MiniDave

#67
Thanks Joe, no front speakers in this car......

Mike, I made some simple brackets and will hang them under the back seats...pics to follow. Originally these speakers were "attached" to the fabric on the parcel shelf with Velcro...wires strung everywhere.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Those look very similar to some surround speakers in my parents' home rather than auto shelf speakers.

:-\


MiniDave

Yes, they looked that way to me too, but my job is to mount them and wire them, whatever they sound like is not my department!  ;D
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle


Merlin

Quote from: MiniDave on November 19, 2016, 11:16:16 AM
I think the guys that did the restoration did NOT do the radio and fog light install....and yes, we both laughed about the absurdity of a radio in a Mini, but he wants it wired so it will come on with the key off - so I guess you can hear it then  ;D

Ran into another issue with the steering column. The older shafts used a felt bushing at the bottom, the newer ones use a plastic bushing but - the outer column has a ridge inside (I think to keep the felt from riding up the column) and the new plastic bush will not go past this internal ridge. My guess is I either need to take a die grinder and remove it or send the new shaft out and have the lower part machined to match the old one and use a new felt bush. Since the owner has a lathe in his company I'm thinking we'll do that.

I have the same issue with the felt/plastic. Can you give me some dimensions on the new shaft diameter to get it to work?

Engineering the Impossible

MiniDave

Yes, he took both shafts to work and his machinist turned them down to match, when he comes over tonight I'll measure them and post it up. I don't think since it's a felt bushing that the size is critical to the thousandth.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

OK Merlin....the shaft size is just a smidge under 3/4"......  .735 to be exact.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Merlin

Is that dim from the original shaft or is that what it got cut down to? Like you said I don't think it will matter too much as it its plastic, but just curious of that was taken from Rover or if that's what was done to make it fit.

Engineering the Impossible