73 Mini Innocenti 1300 Export

Started by MiniDave, October 23, 2018, 01:33:44 PM

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MiniDave

Got a start on putting the carbs together, but ran into a stoppage when I needed a couple of gaskets so (weather permitting - we're supposed to get 6" of snow tonight over the ice that's falling right now) I'll head up to Vicky Brits tomorrow and see if they have what I need.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#226
90% done, still have to center the jet and I'm waiting for new hoses to connect the fuel cross pipe - MiniSpares says they'll be here Monday. These were a challenge, I've never had carbs this stuck up and gooey.....I had to drive the main jet out of the holder with a drift! Fortunately Dan got me new repair kits that had almost everything I needed but literally everything was stuck in these carbs, throttles, jets, linkage, suction pistons - you name it.

And it's always fun trying to remember how all the linkage bits go back together!  8.gif 77.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Carbs finished, jets centered, air cleaners installed etc ready to mount on the engine. I have two short braided fuel hoses coming for them that will finish them off nicely.

Can't decide what to work on next - it's only mid 20's out for the next few days and it's cold in the shop. It's not just the air, it's that everything you touch - car parts, washer solvent, tools etc are all cold too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

The more you do the more you have to do!

You start off just doing a refresh of the suspension and brakes and before you know it you're powdercoating subframes, re-bushing suspension arms and then you find it difficult to find a stopping point. Jim ran into this on his Mini pickup, trying to figure out when to say "when"!

The latest example on the Inno.....the rear brake proportioning valve - I'd already cleaned or replaced all the brake lines and emergency brake cables, this is pretty much the last part on the rear subframe I'll need to do.

You can't buy a rebuild kit for this valve, and new ones are $75 so I took it apart....the rubbers appear to be in good shape so I just cleaned everything, put some rubber grease on the rubber parts, put it together and give it a coat of primer and silver paint. I would have done shiny black but I'm out of it. It's hard to paint anything when it's 20* out and snow on the ground - I just open the back door, shoot it real quick and bring it back into the shop, then hang it in front of the heater to cure. This works fine on small parts like this, it doesn't stink the shop up (or more importantly - the house!)  too badly.

Before and after.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

40 and windy here, I was just out painting parts also. Keep turning to keep the wind at my back.

That looks like it came out nice.

MiniDave

#230
As long as it works the way it should, I'm happy.

Another case in point - I built up the front uprights and hubs yesterday. First a thorough cleaning, then off to the powder coaters for sandblasting and coating, then when they come back you have to clean all the grit out of every place imaginable, and a few unexpected ones! I left the bearing races in when I sent it to the blasters so they wouldn't damage or raise the area where the race fits - and I knew I would be replacing the bearings and races anyway.

So once cleaned, then install the races, pack the bearings and install them and the seals, then on to the fiddly and very time consuming job of installing and shimming the ball joints. Probably 8 hours of clean and assembly time in these two hubs!

I haven't decided what to about the Hardy Spicer u-joints, these feel fine, and look almost new they're so clean but there is no way to grease them unlike most u-joints, so I'm concerned about getting the whole car built and having one fail 1000 miles from now or on a long drive (like to Aspen this summer).
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

gr8kornholio

Those look nice  4.gif   Is painting the hubs necessary, or is it for ease of cleaning / looking nice over time?
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

MiniDave

Hubs are powdercoated, but it's just for looks and of course, it won't rust. They will stay cleaner too I'm guessing. I've powdercoated all the major suspension parts and the subframes. I did all the arms in satin black and the subs in shiny black. I did the brake parts in silver as I didn't have any gold paint that looked correct. If we're going to sell it for big bux on BaT, it needs to look perfect as possible, like that green Moke that brought $41K

I don't know if I'd go the powdercoat route over simply a good paint job again, but it does look nice and there's no cure time. Once out of the oven they're done. If I had room in my shop I'd have a blast cabinet and an old oven so I could powdercoat small parts at home. I'd probably set up a plating station too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#233
Today I built up the rear radius arms, installed the backing plates, wheel cylinders, hoses and e brake linkage. I used my little tool to install the retaining clip for the wheel cylinder, seems like the more I use it the better it works.....one thing to remember the curve of the clip goes up, or toward you as you instal the clip. Also, these older wheel cylinders are different than the later ones I've been buying at Vicky Brits - I had to get these from Mini Spares - the only difference is the location of the pin that goes thru the backing plate. I also used the paper gaskets between the wheel cylinder and the backing plate as they were called for in the parts diagram.

I thought I had a set of rear wheel bearings in reserve but I must have used them on Clancy's Moke so I have another set on the way along with some other bits and bobs.....when I took a good look at the hubs tho I saw some damage - this is why I always use a brass drift both to remove the old and install new bearing races....the pic shows what happened, when driving the old one out they jammed the drift into the side of the hub. I used a rotaty file to clean up the nubs sticking up, the gouges won't hurt anything.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Everything is looking good. We're going to have a new car when it's all said and done.

MiniDave

Getting there, but still a long ways to go. I think the next step is to get it back on it's wheels again.....but first Ill swap out the rack, then put the front and rear subbys in to get it on it's wheels, then I can work on swapping over the pedal box, master cylinders, wiring etc. I think I'm going to wind up pulling the dash....I was hoping not to but I think that's what it's going to take.

I'm glad to be putting some parts back on for a change!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Just be very careful when pulling the dash - they have a reputation for being brittle and easily breaking.

Some years ago, there was someone reproducing the 6 gauge Inno dash, but I do not know if they are still around or available.


94touring

If and when you pull the dash, may be the proper time for me to install the new a-post covers.

MiniDave

I still have a lot to do before I get to that point, so we'll have time to plan for it.....

Michael, this one seems to be in good nick, won't know till I actually pull it out tho.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#239
More work accomplished - the rear subframe is in. I was debating whether to install the trailing arms before putting it in the car and decided since I'm working alone and the rack keeps me from being unable to use a floor jack to raise it into place it would work better to have it as light as possible. It was still a challenge, but once I got it in place all the bolts went straight in. Before that I ran a tap thru all the captive nuts to make sure the threads were clean, and I installed the brake lines and exhaust hanger as those parts are so far under they're difficult to reach.

Next up I'll install the trailing arms and outer camber brackets, then once the wheel bearings get here next week I can at least have wheels on one end!

Next up I'll drop the steering rack and clean up before putting the LHD rack in, then I'll build the front subby and put it in temporarily. Still have to move the pedals and steering column over and rebuild a couple of the master cylinders - I have a new clutch master to go in. It's nice to be putting some stuff back on for a change!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

Gonna pull the handbrake cables thru before installing the trailing arms?

MiniDave

#241
Yes, before I put in the rubbers and hi los, and I can still easily move the arm out of the way. I have new cables - since they're not attached to the hand brake handle I can go either direction. Thanks for the reminder tho!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

tsumini

I had the same debate with myself on whether to install subframe with installed trailing arms. I decide to build with trailing arms installed and brake lines so I could leak check on the bench rather than crawling under time after time. I did have some trouble with the proportioning valve gasket. But i knew the brakes wouldn't leak after subframe installation.

MiniDave

Radius arms installed, bearings and a few other bits and bobs will be here Tues or so, then I can finish it up. I still have to paint the shocks before I can put them in and it's just been too damn cold to do it, next weekend should be in the 50's. Might get them done then.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#244
Waiting for more pieces/parts, so I pulled the old steering rack out, it came out fairly easily. One track rod end was very trashed, the other looks almost new.

Next I'll start looking at how to remove the dash, so I can move the pedal box over. I'm a little stuck waiting for the weather to warm up as I can't paint anything till it does and a few parts need paint before I can go further, so it's back to disassembly.

My goal is to be finished with my part of the job by the end of Feb, then it can go to Dan for paint/polish/pretty-up and interior.

We decided to leave the fuel tanks out as the boot needs repainted from the ethanol fuel leaking out....this car is a great example of the damage ethanol fuel can do to classic cars - rubber hoses and paint both. The hoses are extremely brittle and just fell apart, one had cracked and broken and leaked fuel into the boot which then blistered the paint.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

So... you dipped the track rod end in chocolate sauce?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

Looks like it, doesn't it?   ;D

The driveshaft seals were leaking pretty bad so it threw a lot of oil out on the bottom of the car, the steering rack is well coated in good ol English rust proofing!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#247
I've gone thru and organized my Mini parts so that I can find them easily ....Ha!  ::)

I needed these two clear flat straps for the u-bolts for the steering rack and I new I had a set left over from Buzz, but as well as I thought I had organized my parts it took me over an hour to find the damn things! Instead of in wheels and suspension bits, they were in a box marked "body"....one I hadn't opened in a while. I guess in retrospect that makes sense, since I don't have one marked "steering".....still.........  :-[

I know most people don't bother with them and truth be told I don't really know why they're there - to make it easier to adjust the rack? To prevent galvanic corrosion between the steel u-bolts and aluminum rack housing? Dunno, but the factory uses them so, so am I!  77.gif

BTW, anyone need a good RHD steering rack? Despite the appearance of the tracking end, the rack itself seems tight.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

When I took my Moke apart, it did not have those.  I did put a set in when I reassembled it though.


MiniDave

Inno didn't have them either....or the gaskets between the rear wheel cylinders and the backing plates. It has both now....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad