'70 Mini - Rust repairs to Daily Driver (hopefully)

Started by Bahowe1, January 04, 2017, 12:48:55 PM

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Bahowe1

Hey fellas!  So it's been a couple weekends of trips and no mini work... but... in the first picture the car is actually running!!  After getting oil pressure, it cranked and ran smooth on the second try!  I rebuilt it almost two years ago and was advised to never turn it over until I am ready to run it, but instead wipe down cylinder walls and such with oil during the rebuild and just leave it.  Worked out great!!
Then I got the clutch and brakes bled back out and immediately took the family for a ride in the neighborhood!  Obviously, taking it very easy.  No windows, doors, etc and about 50 degrees out.  Eyes start watering in a hurry.  I think the first thing the neighbors saw was my teeth!
Since then, I started working the front end sheet metal.  The goal is to make it a removable front end by only taking out a few bolts (probably 4-6), the side seem strip, and the flares.  The hood will still function and that is the main access.  I want it removable in the case of doing engine work or tranny work in the future (hopefully, very very distant future). 
I've taken several test drives and I had forgotten how fun, and nimble it is.  It revs up and back down so quick.  I haven't gotten a chance to test out the LSD I put in it, because I plan to take it easy for the first 500 miles.
So... current status... finish the front end work, cut and flare a bit more for the fenders.  Get 500 miles on it while making all the other modifications (AC - hopefully, battery box mods, 3rd brake light, etc)
Then take it all back apart.

MiniDave

#101
How exciting to get it running and driving again!

Whose coilovers did you go with?

Do you have any pics of your engine steadies? I have to fix the ones on my buddies Pup and I'm looking for ideas....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

Dave,
I snagged some pictures of the engine mounts... there are a total of 4.  I was only able to get decent pictures of the three, the two sides and the one in the front lower.  let me know if you need a shot of the 4th, and I can try a little harder (it's tight in that area).  I recently moved the 4th one to get more clearance for the shifter (I think it was an earlier design and not the best).  It was not welded to the frame, instead, it was like a bolted clamp that mounted to the subframe, then used a rubber bushing with a bolt through the tranny bell housing.  The right and left ones just use stock stuff, the lower front one is custom.  These are all the standard ones from minitec - it's a minitec frame (an old one though).

For the coilovers - I believe they are QA1.  They came with the frame - which was with the car, when I got it.  I think I once identified them and this is what I am recalling. 

jedduh01

Mowie wowwie! Looking good!

Keep up the hard work!


MiniDave

Yep, Don's Pup has the same rear steady and the clamp worked it's way loose, there is no way to tighten it again without removing the subframe.

I also don't like the single bolt front one and I'm going to engineer something better. We took those red mounts out and went back to stock Honda mounts, cut the vibes by half right there.

Thanks for the pics!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

Dave,
Does that Pup have AC?  I think this is going to be a big challenge for me.  I just purchased Sanden's smallest compressor and we will see where it can fit when it arrives this weekend. I'm looking for some information on which condenser people are using, and then the system in the cabin.  As we all know, space is tight!!  I am thinking I will have to mount the condenser in the back because once I put in my headlights and turn signal, there is basically no more room in front of the radiator.

On a fun-er note... I took 'er out on the real roads this weekend (out of the neighborhood).  Ended up seeing what felt like every cop in town (who I usually never see).  No doors, only a front windshield for glass, no hood, no boot lid (and no tag).  Not a single cop even flashed brake lights.  20 miles (of 500) down.  I did have the tag laying under the back seat.  Several folks asked me if it was legal... I have no idea.  Around here you can actually display a wrong tag on a classic car as long as you have the right one for it.  I figure as long as I had it, I could hopefully explain problems away.  Although it isn't safe at all, it was VERY fun driving it like that.   

MiniDave

#106
It does have A/C, and it even works......occasionally.

I think his compressor is off a Suzuki Samurai...it's tiny, although you don't need a lot for such a small car. His condenser is mounted in the rear, under the bed - I think it's a very poor design as it's mounted flat - and even tho it has a fan blowing downward, it doesn't seem to me like a whole lot of air gets moved across it, plus it gets all that heat from the pavement blasting up on it, I also wonder if on the highway the movement of the air under the vehicle stalls the air blowing thru the core, cause above about 50 mph it really stops making cool. About the only time it's effective is in town driving, the other problem is that it makes the engine run really hot - why or how I have not figured out, since the heat is all back under the bed, not being loaded onto the cooing system. Just my thoughts and observations so far......

We had a local guy who built his own Vtec frame and so on and he was able to get a condenser in front of the radiator - don't know how he did it and he sold the car so I can't go look, but I will ask him about it when I see him next. His was originally an MPi car, but he had to use the radiator on the side just like others.

Don's compressor is mounted on the front, down low and required the grill to be modified - it stands out at the bottom a little on buttons, the alternator is around the back side of the engine, also down low. Some guys mount he alternator in the fender, turned around and put the compressor where the alt was, that gives more room in front and doesn't require the grill to be modified.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

Thanks Dave. It sounds like the current setup is the same. Thanks for the info about the rear condenser. Thanks, I'll let you know as I proceed how I go about it.
Something I found that you might want to check- there is a bolt that mounts the rear half of the upper arm that was touching the body of the alt (on mine). I ended up shaving half the head of the bolt down and it drastically reduced vibration.

Bahowe1

Dave, could you send a couple pictures of the grill modification that was done? 
Last night I received the compressor in the mail and took a look at fitting it up.  It's going to be really tight.  I think I know the position it has to be in, but I MAY have to make a little room in the back side of the grill (or use similar to what he has).  I will say... the compressor is tiny... but so is the spot.  I think my bracket will start from the two lower bolt holes near the oil pan (one has a screw sticking out of it).  But then the middle of the body of the compressor would be about where those 4 upper bolt holes are.  Maybe I will get to play with it this weekend.
Also, I am looking at the Hurricane inside unit made by Old Air.  Their inside unit is pricey... but, the dimensions are the best for what I need.  I would like to try and fit it all in the area where the old heater goes.  Most units are sort of spread out under the dash, but I would prefer a 'box' type design due to where I want my fuse blocks and relays.  This 'box' is 11.5 width, 8.5" depth, and 11" height.  It should go where I want it, but was wondering if anyone had personal experience with these units?  My goal is AC/heat/defrost.     

jedduh01

Tidy!

I'm sure you've handled it more but it looks liek the compressor will go  outward towards the pulleys more than the block mount points that are there. Hopefully giving clearance behind with the manifold and tucked in close enough for the nose...   but then the hoses are on the bottom . Ugh!@ goodluck
   

SomethingNew71

Ben what steps did you follow to paint the block? Was it raw metal when you painted it? I had the machine shop acid wash my motor last time I did work then repainted and its already starting to flake again. 

:-(

MiniDave

#111
Yep, that's where Don's mounts - it may be a couple of days before I can get you pics of the grill mounting, Don's unavailable right now....

I'll see if any pics I have show the area, but instead of mounting direct to the body, there are some little clips that stand it out - just at the bottom. They just used some little Z clips made out of sheet metal - I made him some better ones but same idea.


Don's hoses go out the top of the compressor, and I had to make a steady bracket because the engine movement between the body and the car caused the hoses to vibrate loose at the compressor. Once that was done it quit leaking all the Freon out.....

Where did you get that header? I made one for Don's car by taking a cheap $50 Ebay SS header and modifying it - I had to take 5/8" out of the length where the pipes meet the flange and weld it all back again. Works a treat now tho but it was a bugger to put on in the car!

I did find a couple of pics that show how they did his.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1


Cole, yeah, it was raw metal. I forgot the name of the paint, but honestly, I hated it. While it is now adhered really well, it stayed gummy for weeks. It probably needed a really long cure time and thankfully it got it while the engine sat for a year. I brushed it on. If I'm not mistaken, it was POR15, but it acted very different than the black stuff. I will check when I get home... currently in flight to D.C. 

Jedduh, in the picture, I was just holding the compressor flat, but it is actually sort of upside down. The ports will be on top. Yeah, the bracket will have to extend out to the right past the mount holes. Thankfully, it is plenty short to where the manifold will give me no problem, the problem lies in lining up the pulleys, forces it into a position where it hits in the grill area of the front clip. I've got a bit of work to do.

Mini Dave, thanks for the pictures, all of them. When I was looking last night, I am thinking I will end up running the condenser in the back as well. His grill is the older style, so I guess I'll have to do some figuring to see what mine will look like. I am actually considering shaving a couple manufacturing dimples off the compressor to give me just enough room. We will see. 

Bahowe1

Sorry, I missed a couple questions. Dave, I'm not sure about the header, it came with the car. I did high temp paint it though because it was ugly.

Cole, now that I think some more, I think when stuff comes back from acid, you still need to clean them really well. I think I used por15 degreaser and then windex to clean off residue from the wash. I do know reading reviews led me to brushing instead of spraying.


SomethingNew71

That's almost definitely where I messed up.  SIGH


Bahowe1

Started working a bit on hanging the compressor (little by little).  I think I know the approximate location, so I started making the lower bracket.  Started with square stock and washers and then adding some risers.  It's sort of tough when you only have two hands...  It's just tacked now (except for the risers which will eventually weld to the lower piece).

MiniDave

Are you going to adjust belt tension by moving the compressor or by using an idler?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

#117
I plan to use an idler pulley.. like the one used on the alt.  If I move the compressor, it'll start to touch things (probably already does now - that I'll have to remedy).  Actually, I plan to mount the pulley on the end of the lower bracket.  I am having a bit of trouble sourcing what I want though.  I'd prefer the exact same kind used on the alt, it's a flat (not ribbed) with flanges on the sides.  Only a couple inches or so in diameter.  Anybody know where to source??

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

Thanks Dave, no, I didn't try Honda because it is just some generic pulley I am trying to match.  The closest I have come is some of Dayco's pulleys - but the one I am trying to match is like a type of plastic pulley (they call it 'glass filled polymer'), flat (like the one you found), but it has flanges on the side to make sure the belt doesn't run off.  This weekend I will have to see if I can find any writing on the one in there now. 

Murton

#120
Quote from: Bahowe1 on December 13, 2017, 05:49:08 AM
Started using Gold Standard whey protein and working a bit on hanging the compressor (little by little).  I think I know the approximate location, so I started making the lower bracket.  Started with square stock and washers and then adding some risers.  It's sort of tough when you only have two hands...  It's just tacked now (except for the risers which will eventually weld to the lower piece).

You're doing a great job if you can do this all by yourself, Bahowe. I know exactly what you mean when you say this part is tough when you only have two hands. Looking forward to the next update.

MiniDave

The flanges are unimportant, if the belt is running true and square the driving ribs will keep it on the drive pulleys and aligned, the idler doesn't need flanges. I know the pulley you're talking about tho, check with MiniTec, that's what they use - they can tell you where to get it or even sell you one.

bj@superfastminis.com or 706-246-0072
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Bahowe1

Thanks murton, I'll take a compliment any day.

Dave, I've been thinking about your Buddys pickup and the condenser. Is that mounted truely flat??  If so, I can't imagine it to be very efficient (or work at all). I would expect it to have some drop so the condensed cooler fluid is at the bottom for the compressor to take suction from. Right?

MiniDave

#123
You don't want your compressor pulling liquid! The compressor pulls hot gas from the evaporator and pushes it to the condenser, then from there the liquid goes thru the receiver dryer and into the evaporator, controlled by the expansion valve.

It seems to me to be completely flat, with a couple of small fans mounted on top and blowing downward, that's why I think it doesn't work on the highway, I think the air flow over the fins stalls.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Seeing how it is tucked into the center area of the rear subframe right next to the large muffler, it appears to me to be in a heat trap.  On the highway, the muffler will generate significant heat in that pocket and that will result in the fans drawing hot air to try to push through the condenser.  Pushing hot air through the fins will not produce the required heat transfer to cool the gas again.