1974 Mini Marcos - tidying up

Started by MPlayle, May 25, 2019, 02:13:33 PM

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MiniDave

What is the eye for on the panel by the rear downtube of the cage?

It's really starting to look finished now. Where's your first run with it going to be?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

The eye bolt is just as a "handle" for the carpeted cover.  The covers on both sides are held on by velcro.  I used the little eye bolts and some fender washers to make "handles" for pulling up on the center while peeling them up.  The handles sit over the access hole in the fender cover for reaching the top of the shock.

I may redo those covers as I am only "okay" with how they turned out.

I have not determined where my first run with it will be.

MPlayle

#27
Progress report - no pictures today as I forgot to take the camera out with me.

I redid the top covers for the shock towers.  I found some button plugs/caps in my leftovers from the Moke project that were just the right size for the access holes.  So I cut some new pieces of carpet the right sizes and shapes for the tops of the shock towers and glued them into place with holes over the access to the shocks.  I then took the eye-bolts and put them through the caps (putting the carpet plugs on the caps as well) as handles and inserted the caps into the tower access holes.  Looks much better - no gaps.

I also have and 75%-80% of the headliner material glued into place.  I have been working from the back to the front.

Since I am past the rear side window openings with the headliner, I also reinstalled the rear side windows.  Paying attention to various discussions on this forum about installing windows paid off in getting them in without major frustrations.  I used recycled popsicle sticks to work the glass into the seals along with slightly soapy water.  I also had gotten one of the heavy duty locking strip tools.  The tool and generous use of the soapy water worked great.

I also reinstalled the rear hatch cover and adjusted it.  I may need to make a slight additional adjustment at the hinges for the edging I added.

My goal is to have the headliner finished this week and the new seats installed by next week.

I can tackle covering the A-pillars with the seats back in.

Edit: Added pictures showing this progress level.




MPlayle

Finished up the headliner today.

I also began test fitting the new seats.  I have to fabricate some mounting adaptations.  The mountings for the new seats are on wider spacing than the old seats.  I think I can make some sections of 2"x2" square steel box tube work nicely.  I just have to find some and cut the necessary lengths and drill the appropriate holes to mount the tube to the existing mounts and the new seats to the adapter tubes.


tmsmini

Looking great. I am assuming someone told you that Mike K. had his at Snowmass.

MPlayle

Dave mentioned there was another Mini Marcos at Snowmass. 

tmsmini

There is another "brand new" one in the SF Bay Area. My son and I helped move the shell when it arrived, that was a few years ago. The owner bought a new shell from who ever is doing them now. It has been a long process for him, but it is now roadworthy.
Terry

MPlayle

I knew about the "brand new" one in the Bay area.  The owner's first name is Brian.  He had some posts on the Mini Marcos Club's forum that I followed for a while when I contemplated doing the same thing.  Brian's is a light blue to resemble the old Gulf livery colors.

Glad to hear his is now roadworthy.  I hope he gets to enjoy it.  I read somewhere that some of his delays were due to a growing family.


MPlayle

Well, I get to figure out a "plan B" for mounting the new seats. 

The slider brackets with the new seats have 90* ears for mounting.  I was going to use 2" box tube to create a "standoff" to mount to the old mounting points and permit the side mount of the new seat sliders. 

Unfortunately, the extra 2" rise added to the height of the seat bottoms and my head hits the roof.


MPlayle

"Plan-B" works!  The driver's seat is fully installed and I now have about a 1" gap between my head and the roof.

I'll get some pictures tomorrow as I work on the passenger seat installation.


MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Both seats are in!  Next is reinstall the battery box and battery.  Then it will be back on the road for enjoying a bit while I template the A-pillar covers.


Willie_B

Nice looking seats. They look comfy.

MiniDave

yes, what are those from? They look new!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jimini II

They look like a similar shape and size to Austin America seats but way too nice for 40 year old ones.


MiniDave

I bookmarked those for a future build, they look great, comfy and I like the cloth......I'll wait for your review after you've put some miles on them.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

#42
I took the Marcos out for a short drive today.  Handling is a bit twitchy - probably need to have the alignment checked.  Otherwise it drove fine.  It keeps up with traffic nicely and gets lots of looks.

The seats do seem comfy.  Being new, they are firm.  The driving position is a bit different from a regular classic Mini - more laid back, sports car style than the upright of a normal Mini or my Jeep.

The only other drawbacks: a) not the greatest cabin air circulation; b) like almost any other Mini, it does not like 100*F temps and stop-n-go traffic.

a) I will likely add a fan inside (under the dash maybe?).

b) I do not know what thermostat it has, but will likely put in a 160*F.  I may also look into other cooling system upgrade options.  It does have a front mount radiator (of unknown origin and specs) and a temp controlled electric fan with a manual override switch.  It also uses what looks like some sort of "swirl-pot" tank.  The thermostat housing goes to the swirl-pot along with the heater return and then out the bottom of the swirl-pot to the radiator.

Jimini II

Quote from: MPlayle on July 20, 2019, 01:38:43 PM
I took the Marcos out for a short drive today.  Handling is a bit twitchy - probably need to have the alignment checked.  Otherwise it drove fine.  It keeps up with traffic nicely and gets lots of looks.

The seats do seem comfy.  Being new, they are firm.  The driving position is a bit different from a regular classic Mini - more laid back, sports car style than the upright of a normal Mini or my Jeep.

The only other drawbacks: a) not the greatest cabin air circulation; b) like almost any other Mini, it does not like 100*F temps and stop-n-go traffic.

a) I will likely add a fan inside (under the dash maybe?).

b) I do not know what thermostat it has, but will likely put in a 160*F.  I may also look into other cooling system upgrade options.  It does have a front mount radiator (of unknown origin and specs) and a temp controlled electric fan with a manual override switch.  It also uses what looks like some sort of "swirl-pot" tank.  The thermostat housing goes to the swirl-pot along with the heater return and then out the bottom of the swirl-pot to the radiator.

I was going to ask how the windows rolled down (i am sure they do) as in the pictures you posted i didn't see any window cranks or mechanism.
On FB today i saw a two fan set up with a 12 volt port plug on it. I is supposed to attach to the front head rests for rear passengers but with the brackets it had it could easily be adapted to work in the dash area of a Mini.

MPlayle

The door windows on the MK-4 Mini Marcos are three sections of lexan.  The large center section slides up and down - no winder mechanism.  There is a thumb-screw arrangement on the front channel to act as a stop by wedging the edge in the channel.

Due to the window shape, the back portion sticks up about 3 inches when the thumb screw is at the top of the leading edge.

I may relocate the thumb screws to the back channel to get that little bit more opening.

I know the MK-6 Mini Marcos uses modified Mini window winder mechanisms for its windows.

I had the alignment done this afternoon.  They struggled to get it close to the desired numbers.  Afterward, I took it for a short highway run.  It is bit less twitchy.


Jimini II

When I owned my pick up I removed the sliding windows completely in the Summer months to help with the air flow, it helped but with the rear glass so close to the back of your head there was a constant buffering going on.

MiniDave

#46
So the quarter lights at the front of the doors don't open?

Of course, when it's 100* out it really doesn't matter how far the windows open or how many dash vents or fans you have, it's still hot!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

The front quarter lights of the doors do not open.  The previous owner added the racing style circular push-out vents into the front quarter lights, but they really don't seem to do much.


MiniDave

#48
Yeah, I didn't notice those before.....so it will mostly be a cool weather car for you? Does it have a heater? What is the round thing at the right end of the dash?

After you sell your trailer, are you planning to buy another, or a tow dolly or??? so you can go to some runs?

Are you planning to do the Mini 60 in October with CMU?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

I have thought about looking for some sort of fan to install for added circulation or taking it over to Vintage Air and seeing about a custom a/c.

It does have a heater tucked up in the dash.  I have not yet investigated its installation for how it is plumbed for were air flows.  One of the rocker switches in the dash turns on the heater fan and it blows air out the demister vent.

The round thing at the far right of the dash appears to be a fresh air vent with a hose running out to behind the grill.

The plan regarding the trailer has been to get a longer one once the folding trailer sells.  I may investigate a tow-dolly as an option, but the low ground clearance in of concern.  I measured under the body the other day and it is only 5" at the floors (less under the exhaust and rod-shift housing).

I had not planned to do the CMU Mini 60.  It may be too late to make arrangements for it now.