hello new to site, vtec automatic swap

Started by joakwin, November 25, 2017, 12:26:06 PM

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MPlayle

#275
I believe the later MK-IV+ style tail lights with the built-in backup light fit the same openings as the MK-II/III style.  I may be wrong - perhaps someone can measure them and report back?

A couple alternatives:
http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Electrics/Lamps/Rear/RL014.aspx?090906&ReturnUrl=/product/Classic/Electrics/Lamps/Rear/XFB101210.aspx|Back%20to

http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Electrics/Lamps/Rear/RL015.aspx?090906&ReturnUrl=/product/Classic/Electrics/Lamps/Rear/XFB101210.aspx|Back%20to

joakwin

Quote from: MPlayle on October 14, 2018, 01:28:36 PM
I believe the later MK-IV+ style tail lights with the built-in backup light fit the same openings as the MK-II/III style.  I may be wrong - perhaps someone can measure them and report back?


yeha the mk2 style tail lights fit the later bodies

my cars a 85 and i got mk2 tail lights in it,

the mk2 tail lights are a hair smaller then the later models, the seals are different sizes





D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

#277
not much has been done on the mini for a few days

I started to build some internal boot hinges, the plan is to remove the outer hinges aka shave them

i have the middle section built but i haven't made the mounts yet

i plan to work on those mounts next weekend


boot hinges by joa kwin, on Flickr


D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

Has it cooled off enough to start thinking about painting it?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

joakwin

#279
Quote from: MiniDave on October 24, 2018, 05:21:28 PM
Has it cooled off enough to start thinking about painting it?


yeha but I have to get a vin inspection done on the car to get a new plate sticker on the car before I can paint it and I want to get a plate with the old brit reg number on it
i took the car off the road in the dmv system a few years back after i had my hip surgeries, (couldn't drive a manual trans with a heavy clutch anymore)

im going on terminal leave from the Air Force starting 2 Nov and if I re-do my paperwork for the new sticker, I can get it tax free and not have to wait in line at the DMV


so im going to get the car together real fast as a temp thing, get the level 1 inspection done and then get the new plate and sticker on the car

and then take the glass out of the car and paint it


I have a new front glass for it, I haven't got new rear glass yet but by the time im done painting it, I will have it


ive been thinking about going to a lighter spring up front, i have 350's right now, i was thinking of trying 300's or 325's
i haven't been able to find a 325lb spring in 2.5 inch dia by 8 inch,
so i was thinking about getting some 10inch springs and cutting them down
they are $40 each plus the ride, right now the car has qa1 350lb springs up front, and they are just a hair on the stiff side,
i have to play around with the springs up front to figure out what size will work the best

i have some of these springs in the back of my car, i think i have some 200's or 175 or 160's, i dont remember right now but the back rides pretty good,
and doesnt really have the weight transfer problems and torque steer issues that the higher powered cars are known to have
i would love to go to an air ride up front, but thats going to be way to costly right now, some shockwave bags would be awesome
https://www.southwestspeed.com/?sec=view_part&id=50




D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

Since you're going to refinish the holes for the original boot hinges anyway, why not weld some studs where those holes are, then attach your plate there?

Probably in the wrong place tho, now that I think about it......

Be interesting to see how it turns out. Gonna use a popper or keep the latch/lock assy?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

joakwin

Quote from: MiniDave on October 27, 2018, 09:17:35 AM
Since you're going to refinish the holes for the original boot hinges anyway, why not weld some studs where those holes are, then attach your plate there?

Probably in the wrong place tho, now that I think about it......

Be interesting to see how it turns out. Gonna use a popper or keep the latch/lock assy?

going to keep the latch lock assy,


if I mount the hinge to the bottom, the seal will get in the way and make it super tight to close the lid or just be a pain and I think the body will be in the way also


ive only seen this done one time on a mini and that was on the mini forum, but I think that mini went up in a fire


but I saved the pictures from way back in the day when I seen it

I like the idea and always wanted to try this out

makes the boot lid real clean
D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

I went to the local dmv and asked them what I need to do to get the mini registered and they said I need a level 2 inspection, they said since the del sol was already in my name, the inspection should go real fast, since they know that the drivetrain isn't hot


I have a 11:20 appt tomorrow with them
D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

the mini has collector car insurance on it and I'm going to the AZ Mvd here in about a hour


I'm thinking about waiting till tomorrow to do the registration on it, so it will be due in Nov vs Oct

they open tomorrow at 07:30, so i can go straight over to the mvd and make it a Nov car
not unless they give me Nov today but i dont think it will happen





D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

mk1 mmetro floor mat by joa kwin, on Flickr


even got my mk1 metro floor matts in the car


still need to put the carpet on the inner fender wells.....I have to find them, or find some nice black carpet to use

D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

Are you driving it much? How does it run? I think the auto trans would be well suited to this lightweight car, smoother power delivery and plenty quick. Does it torque steer much?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

joakwin

Quote from: MiniDave on October 31, 2018, 10:49:15 AM
Are you driving it much? How does it run? I think the auto trans would be well suited to this lightweight car, smoother power delivery and plenty quick. Does it torque steer much?

it has alittle bit of torque steer but that could also be because I need to get the alignment done


I do need to check the cooling system, make sure its full of coolant with no air pockets now that I drove it for a good amount

I got up to 60mph today


on the way back home from the dmv, it started to get hot, a lot more then I would like


I can always add a heater core under the hood and put a fan on it, for extra cooling
or change the t stat to one that will work better

because i know the summer time here, the thing isn't going to like the 100 plus temp

its probably around 75 here right now





D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

#288
the inspection side went good.....kind of.....

it took longer then it should have

but what saved my tail was the vin number being stamped into the cowl area

because the vin plate has the regular rivets in it, and they say those aren't the correct rivets
so I looked up mini spares on my phone and showed them the oem number for the rivets and then they were like oh ok

and then the engine number came up belonging to a 1994 honda civic......the inspector called his boss to help him figure it out

I pulled that engine out of the 1995 honda del sol, but I know at some point in its life, the car fax report said the del sol had its engine rebuilt, less then 20k miles ago,
of course I didn't have the car fax report with me

and then that 1994 civic was stolen for a few hours back in 1996

and then the boss asked me if i cut my car up to make it right hand drive
so i told him its british spec, he had no idea what that meant, so i told him they drive on the other side of the car and road in England

so they made me fill out some paperwork telling the story of how i got the car

and they gave my mini a new vin number and put it on the car

and made me pay $25 for the inspection

and i was good to go

what scared the sh$t out of me, i went to go back inside to pay the $25 and a few Tpd cars pulled up and went inside the garage to look at my car,
and at this point, i had to wait and couldn't go back into the garage

and then 5 mins later they come out and saw nice car


D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

Whew!

I know it can be tough to register a car in some states, and others are ridiculously easy - Kansas is that way as long as the vin matches the plate they're good to go.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Quote from: joakwin on October 31, 2018, 12:33:28 PM
and then the boss asked me if i cut my car up to make it right hand drive
so i told him its british spec, he had no idea what that meant, so i told him they drive on the other side of the car and road in England



It's just scary how ignorant some people are.   
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

joakwin

oh yeah I forgot about this part

the inspector asked me,
"what make is this car" (while looking at the V5)
so I reply " Austin"
inspector "oh you mean Aston Martin"
me "No just Austin"
inspector "any relations?"
me "probably, i think it is its much older miniature brother"
inspector " oh okay"

so i asked him if he was a car guy, he said no

probably thought i was a big A hole for messing with him, if he even realized i was joking with him




D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MPlayle

Actually, there is no relationship between Aston Martin and the old Austin names in British car manufacturing.


joakwin

Quote from: MPlayle on October 31, 2018, 04:40:17 PM
Actually, there is no relationship between Aston Martin and the old Austin names in British car manufacturing.
I know I was joking
D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

1st drive with the new AZ plates on the car

maybe the car didn't like the new plate number

I still need to go back down to the dmv to get the plate changed to the original UK plate number on his car

the crank pulley broke, but it was the og one from the del sol with 203K miles on it

the other pulley was on my itb d16 motor, im swapped it out and will buy another one for the itb motor to keep that complete

crank pulley by joa kwin, on Flickr
D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

I think I need to cut the exhaust tip off, I think I went with a 2.25 or 2.5 inch pipe, that mug acts like a megaphone and the exhaust is pretty dang loud, at idle its not but when I get into it, I know its super loud and its only a matter of time before Tpd notices how loud it is

the idea of sticking my brand new twin box rc40 under the car and having the exhaust come out the back of the car has crossed my mind,
I like the look of the side exit, but maybe I went with to big of a dia pipe?

I need to measure the dia of the pipe for the twin box rc40

D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

My buddy's D16 has a 2" pipe all the way back. I'd be curious to see how it sounds with an RC40 box on it. My buddy has never been happy with how his sounds - it sounds too much like a Honda!   :D
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

joakwin

exhaust by joa kwin, on Flickr

modified twin box rc40 out the right side in front of the wheel

twin box so I can pretend the front box is a cat, lol

the 90 bend is 2inch pipe

sent the wife to the store to get me some high heat paint,
I plan to paint the exhaust tonight and install it tomorrow

i'll see how it sounds


D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

joakwin

exhaust painted by joa kwin, on Flickr


exhaust painted and almost ready to go


going to install it tomorrow
and see how it sounds
D16z6 Automatic, 4 wheel disc brakes, deseamed shell

MiniDave

Can you do a vid? I'd love to hear what it sounds like with that exhaust......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad