66 cooper S full restoration

Started by 94touring, November 05, 2016, 07:15:00 PM

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BruceK

Good solution.  There is always inside the rear "door" pocket too.  That's where newer Minis have them.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

#201
If by "door pocket" you mean the companion bins in the back they won't fit there, the early cars have an ash tray in the rear companion bins, If I mounted the reel in there the belt would rub on the sheet metal around the ash tray and quickly wear thru, plus I'd be worried that it wouldn't work correctly in a crash. Lastly, the belt would be twisted 180* between the reel and the clip on the B post.

The newer cars don't have the ashtrays in the companion bits, they have one mounted on the floor between the two rear seat positions.

Believe me I looked at everything trying to figure out how to mount these - there are captive nuts welded into the body on the B post and on the inner sill, but no mounting locations on the companion bins or in the center tunnel. Had to just figure those out and drill the holes.....and my first effort on the reels was wrong as I did them with the doors wide open and didn't check properly after I mounted them. The good news is that the reel covers the holes I drilled wrong.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

The last parts came in late today, so I got them installed and decided to see if it would run. Took a bit of persuasion but it finally fired and ran,..,..but it has a noise that I couldn't decipher from the driver's seat. I'll see if I can get Don over tomorrow to help me pinpoint it - it sounds kinda like a really bad exhaust leak but I'm just not sure. Besides, I was pretty careful when I put the exhaust back together to make sure it wouldn't have leaks - it almost sounds like a broken header....tomorrow should be a lot warmer too so I can open the garage door and give it a good run....

More as it happens!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#203
Mystery solved.....and it wasn't the exhaust! 71.gif

Turns out it was the fan blades (metal fan) hitting either the shroud or the radiator.....haven't fixed it yet, but I took the two top bolts out of the shroud allowing it to move away slightly and the noise stopped.....so at least I know what it is now.

I was really dreading the idea of pulling that exhaust system off to weld up a cracked header or something.... 62.gif

It will be getting warmer out the next two days, so the snow will be melting off the street and I can take it for a run around the block once I solve this small issue.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#204
It's. A. Live!

I drove the 66 Cooper S around the block a couple of times....I had to do some fettling with the accelerator linkage and managed to get it better, but it's still over- responsive to me. Also the clutch needs some further adjusting or bleeding, I'm afraid I ground 1st a couple of times...odd that it went into reverse OK tho.

Engine is very strong, Weber carb is really loud! The carb will need some tuning on the rolling road, it goes lean under load then clears out and pulls like a train.

I took a video and up loaded it to the Tube of You, but it's unwatchable.....it works fine on my computer but it's all messed up on the Tube.

I'll have to try again..
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

So, pretty soon you and Dan will be sending that "Franken-Mini" home to its "master"?

It has been a "monster" to get finished.

:D


MiniDave

#206
Yep, it goes back to Dan on the 1st, and the Inno comes back to me for final workup and tuning.

Dan is doing the interior - carpet, door panels etc and trying to get the brakes to hold fluid on the Inno today.....

Oh, I fixed the fan hitting the radiator on the 66 Cooper S  by swapping the metal 6 blade out for a yellow 11 blade plastic one. Problem fixed.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

OK, lets try this YouTubey thing again....you can skip the first 50 seconds or so, it's just me fiddling with the camera....the noise you hear is not the exhaust, it's the Weber carb!

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

OK, all you early car experts - how does the dome light attach, or more precisely what does it attach to?

I've pulled the lip of the front half of the headliner down and peeked inside but I don't see anything but roof. I can't
feel anything to the back of the split to screw to either. Anyone have a pic of where it goes pre-headliner installation?

I found one pic online that shows it in the middle of the car, not on the B pillar like the later cars, but I sure don't see any way to attach it.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

I am trying to recall back a number of years when I did the interior of a 1961 Mini.  I seem to recall a couple of tabs leading forward from the back edge of the front headliner frame.  It may also have been just a couple screw holes in that same back edge.

With the material folded over the edge, it may be hard to find the tabs/holes.


MiniDave

OK, on the headliner bow, not the roof itself?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle


MiniDave

#212
Michael was right, there is a flat plate on the middle headliner bow where the wires came thru. ...I had to get a bright flashlight and a small mirror, then carefully pull the rear bow down so I could find the holes in the plate, then it was fairly easy from there to locate the screws and attach the light. Job done.

Now that the clutch adjustment (lock nut came loose) and carb linkage adjustments are done I'll take it for one more short run around the block to make sure everything still works and my part will be finished.

Next Wed John, Susan and I (and maybe Don) will load up and head for Ramona and drop the 66 and bring back the Inno.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Don't show up too early the 1st.  Our new years party goes till 6am.   :(

MiniDave

My expectation is around 12-1 pm.....will that be OK?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Maybe lol.  If not I have a key hidden to let yourself in.

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#217


Second test drive....steering wheel straightened, clutch and accelerator sorted.... speedo seems pretty accurate too. It will still need to go to someone who knows webers to sort out the carb jetting. I had to bleed the clutch AND, I found out why I was grinding going into 1st - this is a 3 synchro box! Once I stopped completely before I tried to put it into 1st, it never ground once.
Temps and oil pressure were spot on and I REALLY like the smooth a ride cones, this car rides SO much better than my 89, I'm tempted to buy a set for it.

When he gets the car back Dan is going to double check the alignment and finish up a few small details and it's ready at last to go back to the owner. I hope he enjoys it.....it's fun to drive but man is that carb loud. In this video, the bark when I downshifted was the carb, not the exhaust.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

The dual SUs in my Mini Marcos sound similar.  The fiberglass firewall transmits all the sound into the cabin.

MiniDave

#219
Fired the 66 up today and drove it around the block again - to get ready to load it on the trailer - and left it on the curb idling while I moved the other cars out of the driveway. Came out to find it dead......tried to start it and no joy. I decided it wasn't getting fuel and as I had just put 5 gallons in this morning I knew it wasn't out of gas, so I changed the solid metal fuel filter in the engine compartment out for a clear one so I could see what was going on. Turned the key and it immediately filled with gas and started right up. Drove it around the block again and all was fine.

When John got here with the trailer I tried to go around the block again to get lined up so I could drive on but it died on me halfway. I've decided it must be the small metal filter in front of the fuel pump that was clogged up as no fuel was getting to the filter even tho the electric pump was running.

I walked back and John and I drove the trailer around to the car - luckily it's pretty easy to push a Mini up onto the trailer, so it's loaded up and ready to go, when we get to Dan's maybe we'll pop that filter out and clean it and drain some gas and see what we get.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#220
Back to Dan! Car started right up and drove off the trailer!  grrrr.......  ::) 8.gif :-[ 62.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Any day now......should be done and back in the owner's hands. Be sure and take a pic when you hand him the keys and of him driving it off. Hope he has hearing protection!   ;D ;D
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Told him Saturday to come get it.  I've dedicated enough time to color sand and buff between my studies to get it done before I'm 100% off the grid.

94touring

Away it goes!  Had his whole family out to see him drive it home.

94touring

#224
A little update to this car and owner.  He had reached out towards the end of last year with a list of things he wanted worked on but indicated his health was failing.  I never did hear back from him.  Found out earlier today he passed a few months later at the age of 78.  He owned this car when he was a young man and it sat in garage for another 30 years after it was no longer road worthy.  I was trying to find the picture of him with his family driving it away from my shop with a big smile on his face.