Author Topic: 73 Mini Innocenti 1300 Export (Read 63946 times)

MiniDave · « **Reply #250 on:** January 31, 2019, 12:57:06 PM »

Today's work so far.....

Rear bearings installed - I used the press to push the races in rather than tap them in with a hammer and drift. It's easy to do this on the rear hubs as both sides are square to the bore, but you can't do this on the front ones as the hub is curved on the inside.

Next up install the drums and tighten the shoes to their starting point, after they bed in a bit I'll need to do them up a little more as I'm using the old drums and I didn't have them turned.....probably should have but we'll see how they do. as long as they stop smoothly and don't grab they should be fine.

Still need to do up the em. brake cables, but I think I'll feed them thru and attach them to the handle first, then I can set the tension correctly on the drum end with the cables taut and not loose as they are now. Where the cables pass thru the body there are two fairing plates on the bottom and top, and a rubber gasket of sorts in between. I have new rubbers and screws, but it's a two man job - one in the car and one under so I'll need to get some help to button that up. Still really cold in the garage, even tho it's about 20* outside now. I'd like to get the shocks installed first to set the droop and that way I can do a preliminary setting on the hi-los, then do the em brakes but the shocks are waiting for a coat of paint and it's just too cold right now to even attempt to paint them.

This afternoon I want to get the new steering rack installed, but first I have to do a little cleanup on the bulkhead with some solvent to cut the oil and grease. Once the rack is in I'll go ahead and build up the front subframe so it's ready to go in too.

MiniDave · « **Reply #251 on:** January 31, 2019, 07:34:25 PM »

Front suspension mostly installed....more to come. While I was in there I drilled out the front mounting bolt holes to 1/2", so I can use my towbar if needed at some point in the future.

MiniDave · « **Reply #252 on:** February 02, 2019, 07:01:37 PM »

Calipers installed, CV's repacked and new boots installed, and I changed the u-joints in the Hardy-Spicers. I wasn't sure I needed to as they felt fine, but as there's no provision to grease them I thought it would be a good idea rather than have to do them 100 miles down the road - shouldn't have bothered tho - they were like new inside.

I was hoping to be able to paint some of the ends and odds I still need to do today, and it got warm enough, but the humidity was about a million per cent and it spit rain all day.....I'm hopeful it will be nicer tomorrow as I have to work on Monday.

MiniDave · « **Reply #253 on:** February 04, 2019, 06:16:01 PM »

It's always sumthin…..I started pulling the steering column and pedals, there are two nuts that hold the accelerator pedal assy to the firewall - I got the one off easily, then noticed this.....apparently the other stud broke off (when they over-tightened it I'll bet) so they just welded it to the firewall!

gr8kornholio · « **Reply #254 on:** February 04, 2019, 08:18:19 PM »

Grinder wrench time. Lol.

MiniDave · « **Reply #255 on:** February 05, 2019, 06:49:04 PM »

Work continues, I cleaned up the firewall where the rack will fit, added the small foam seal around the steering shaft stub on the rack, and finally got to put another part back on the car!

Two parts actually, as I installed the new LHD accelerator too. Haven't cut the old RHD one off yet, needed to get the steering column off first, but that will require some more unwiring yet.

Speaking of wiring......why does every radio installation look like this?

gr8kornholio · « **Reply #256 on:** February 05, 2019, 07:25:23 PM »

Laziness. And the desire to hear it sooner. That’s how my friends would do it then wonder why they had problems. So I’d have to go in and clean it up. It’s funny how a lot of “car” people are horrible with wires.

MiniDave · « **Reply #257 on:** February 06, 2019, 08:08:57 PM »

Still in dis-assembly mode for now, but getting close to the end of it...…

Today it was the master cylinder's turn....for those who don't know, removing the master cylinders on a Mini is a stand on your head kind of job anyway, but it becomes significantly harder if one of the clevis pins is rusted into the pedal and won't move. The clutch master was easier, the pin slid right out, so I pulled that out and looked down into the hole - I could just see the brake master's pin, so I got a long drift and a hammer and after a couple of taps it came free. While I was deep under the dash I got the die grinder out with a small ball end burr and ground off the weld holding the RHD accelerator to the bulkhead.

Then I moved over to the other side of the car and with Don's help we took the heater hose retainer plate bolts and nuts out. The heater was full of very clean looking coolant, no rust came out of it at all so I'm hopeful the matrix is OK.

Next we removed the wiper motor and gearbox assemblies, they just need clean and paint....more good news there.

I also removed the manky old front seat belts, the webbing was badly faded which means it has no strength in an accident - and the left side was pulled out and would not retract. We have new seat belt assemblies to go back in.The retracting mechanism is mounted to the companion bins almost at the floor so it's very difficult to even reach the bolts, and the wrench or ratchet will only move a few degrees at a time, so they took a while to remove, especially since the nuts used were nylocks..

Lastly, I took the obnoxious 80's rear parcel shelf speakers out and pulled all the wiring too - our plan right now is not to install a radio of any kind....so we'll cover the speaker holes with a new parcel shelf mat.

Next up, I'll carefully remove the dash assembly to get access to the bolts holding the pedal bracket in and remove that. I should also have access to the wiring for the steering column so I can get that out of the car too, then look at how to re-route the wiring for the left drive components. The turn signal switch lever is broken off, so I need to figure out a repair for that too as I doubt a new T/S switch is available.

Then it will be back into clean and paint mode again till I can bolt all those bits back in place on the left side of the car.

Dan and I are discussing how and when to get the car back to him for paint/polish and interior and then final assembly. In the meantime I have the engine and transmission to do.

MiniGene · « **Reply #258 on:** February 06, 2019, 08:53:19 PM »

Kind of speakers are those?? Those things are fugly--I'm glad you're getting rid of them!

MiniDave · « **Reply #259 on:** February 06, 2019, 09:05:33 PM »

Pine?

94touring · « **Reply #260 on:** February 07, 2019, 11:47:26 AM »

Let's see if I can make this work...

MiniDave · « **Reply #261 on:** February 07, 2019, 12:05:43 PM »

Did you get new rubber diaphragms? That one looks torn at one of the attachment points.....

94touring · « **Reply #262 on:** February 07, 2019, 12:57:23 PM »

Rubber has been discontinued.

MiniDave · « **Reply #263 on:** February 07, 2019, 01:46:42 PM »

Looking very good! I use a dry cleaner's bag over the foam to allow the covers to slip on easily - works a treat!

Today I cleaned and repainted the windshield wiper motor and linkages. To paint in this cold weather (11*) I warm the parts up in front of a heater, and warm the paint up in a bucket of hot water. When I'm ready to shoot I step out the back door, do a quick spray, then right back inside and hang the part in front of the heater. The paint flashes off quickly so the fumes are reduced and then I hang it from a rafter to cure at least overnight, sometimes for several days. I always give it a coat of self etch primer before the topcoat so it will adhere well.....that self etch really sticks!

The plate on top the wiper motor is dated 12/73 continuing the confirmation of the production date of the car.

94touring · « **Reply #264 on:** February 07, 2019, 03:50:35 PM »

Well this is as good as it's going to get. Wasn't easy!

MiniDave · « **Reply #265 on:** February 07, 2019, 07:06:45 PM »

This afternoon I managed to get the pedal assembly out without having to pull the dash, but the wiring for the radio and required immobilizer for England were wired so poorly I may have to pull the dash anyway to straighten it all out. Then I spent some time cleaning up the engine compartment, I couldn't believe how much dried, oily dirt was on this thing.

tsumini · « **Reply #266 on:** February 08, 2019, 07:10:21 PM »

I kept an eye out in Craigslist for a free electric oven. I ended up with a free (Harvest yellow) double oven which I put in a corner and used to dry/cure small parts. Worked great. Just hang the parts with a wire set the temp to about 250-275* for about 20 minutes and let cool. All cured.

MiniDave · « **Reply #267 on:** February 08, 2019, 07:17:05 PM »

Great idea if you have A) a way to plug it in (220V) and B) a place to put it. You could also use it for doing small powder coat jobs.....I have absolutely NO room in my shop for anything more, even something useful like that. What I really could use is a small blast cabinet, but I don't even have room for one of those, even a bench top sized one.

BruceK · « **Reply #268 on:** February 08, 2019, 08:19:35 PM »

Quote from: MiniDave on February 08, 2019, 07:17:05 PM

....I have absolutely NO room in my shop for anything more, even something useful like that

Unless... that big rounded black thing from Coventry moves away via the random Craigslist inquiry...

MiniDave · « **Reply #269 on:** February 08, 2019, 08:41:27 PM »

Yeah, not holding my breath on that one!

tsumini · « **Reply #270 on:** February 12, 2019, 08:04:41 PM »

Quote from: MiniDave on February 08, 2019, 07:17:05 PM

Great idea if you have A) a way to plug it in (220V) and B) a place to put it. You could also use it for doing small powder coat jobs.....I have absolutely NO room in my shop for anything more, even something useful like that. What I really could use is a small blast cabinet, but I don't even have room for one of those, even a bench top sized one.

I hear ya. I just vacated my 40x50 shop and had to leave it there. My 16x24 shop wont handle it.

MiniDave · « **Reply #271 on:** February 17, 2019, 01:11:49 PM »

Quote from: BruceK on February 08, 2019, 08:19:35 PM

Quote from: MiniDave on February 08, 2019, 07:17:05 PM
....I have absolutely NO room in my shop for anything more, even something useful like that

Unless... that big rounded black thing from Coventry moves away via the random Craigslist inquiry...

Which did happen, but I still would not have room for more stuff in the shop, if I wanted to use that space for parking a car again.

However, I've been hatching a plan to move some of this equipment down into the basement - it's only 5 steps down from the garage level and even tho I will have to do a massive cleanout and re-arrangement - it's a possibility. I would also have to either install a sub panel or increase my electrical service to 200 amps, as it is I only have a 100 amp service and it is completely maxed out.

But, then I could get a larger compressor (mine is 30 years old and very tired), I could have a small blast cabinet, an oven to do powder coating, and maybe set up a small zinc plating arrangement for small parts. The only thing I can't do down there is paint - in fact powder coating may smell it up too much too.

Plan B (which the wife so far will not go along with) was to build a shop annex on the back big enough to have an actual 2 post lift in and be separated from the main house via a roll up garage door - so I could be both noisy and smelly without having it affect her in the main house. Bonus - she could park her car in the garage again as I would have room for at least 2 cars - maybe more if they're Minis - in the annex.

94touring · « **Reply #272 on:** February 17, 2019, 01:23:14 PM »

I like the idea of creating usable space in the basement and having a compressor down there, among other items. How big of a basement is it?

Still stinks you aren't closer. You could build out either car port I have into a full garage and have at it.

MiniDave · « **Reply #273 on:** February 17, 2019, 01:29:05 PM »

I would have to live about 180 miles closer! And no way she'd live in Ramona....

I have looked for years to find a small shop like that within say a half hour's drive of home to absolutely no avail. I tried to buy a former gas station in Desoto where I used to work, but while the building was somewhat affordable at $80K, the taxes on the property were $11K a year! no way Jose....

It would be fairly easy to add a shed style room on the back of the house, my neighbor behind me did it, except he uses it as a den instead of a shop.

94touring · « **Reply #274 on:** February 17, 2019, 01:33:32 PM »

No way I'd live in Ramona either lol. It's exactly 30 mins from my house though which is just right.

Taxes that high everywhere up there?

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Author Topic: 73 Mini Innocenti 1300 Export (Read 63946 times)