1978 Pickup, giving her some love...

[94touring]

Finally getting to that radiator huh?

[Jims5543]

Was going to wait until new engine. Decided to just do it.

[94touring]

Speaking of spare radiators....minidave needs one for his engine runup setup he's putting together.  Maybe you two can work out a deal on shipping your old one.

[John Gervais]

Reading a thread like this really encourages me to clean the garage. 

[MiniDave]

Mine, before and after.....I had to clean it up, I just couldn't work in there anymore.....

[John Gervais]

That's pure luxury.  I'll take a picture of my shrinking cave, and wonder why the simplest tasks take forever.  Yes, it bothers me that mine's a mess, heck, it's downright dangerous; but garages in this city are few and far between.  Buying parts and improving the car has been an addiction/obsession. 

If I can somehow land a job (got 4 more rejections today - 1 x sales, 2 x product support, 1 x English language translator (go figure...)) - anything at this point, or even get to an interview - then I'll move to a place in the country.  Hyacinth wants to move; I don't want the financial liability of having a mortgage.  I'm really glad I went to school...   50.gif

[Jims5543]

After putting the Big Ass LED lights in my garage I realized it was a mess. The old lights were so dim you did not notice how bad it was in there.

Because I do not have enough to do I have been slowly remodeling the place.  I now have a TV complete with an Amazon Fire box, an old laptop and new sound system for tunes while working. Oh, and I had an old wine fridge I tried to sell unsuccessfully. I threw that in the garage too and stocked it with Beer.

I will grab a pic this weekend.

Quick question, I obviously have to remove this top engine mount / stabilizer, do I need to jack or support it? Or is the function purely to stop twisting?

[94touring]

It's just there to limit the engine rocking back and forth.   

[Willie_B]

It is only there to prevent the engine rocking. It does not hold anything up. Unless you drive really hard you really do not need it as long as you have the one on the clutch end.

[Jims5543]

Well, I drive like a lunatic so I will keep it on.

[94touring]

I added a lower stabilizer and really like the improvement.

[John Gervais]

If your garage had a sofa, I'd ask if I could move in for a while!   4.gif

I added a lower stabilizer and really like the improvement.

Agreed - I added the pair of stabilizers that extend backwards and bolt to the lower subframe legs and they did make a difference.  The more the better, actually.  Personally, I use 4 stabilizers - the standard dogbone over the clutch housing, 1 lower from the oil drain area forward, 2 x diff. housing backward to rear legs.  Rock solid.   77.gif

The single biggest problem with the type that mounts on the thermostat housing is that it becomes impossible to change the thermostat.

[94touring]

I hadn't thought about adding more but maybe I'll try it out.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Which lower stabilizer?

[John Gervais]

Links to the ones I'm using:

MSSK  Kit for lower R/H rearward.

MSSK001  Kit for lower L/H rearward.

KKU10080 Heavy-duty bracket for lower R/H forward.  I'd broken 2 of the original thin NAM3760 brackets.  The thicker one works well, but I needed to install longer studs to mount it.

FAM2758 - Lower R/H forward adjustable dogbone.  I've the original-style 'fixed' dogbone installed here, t'was less expensive than the adjustable type back in the day.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Awesome, thanks!

[John Gervais]

Possibly overkill?  I don't know, but the engine doesn't move. 

[Jims5543]

Being shorthanded at work and being really busy does not afford me much free time lately.

I finally pulled the water pump and thermostat, man what a mess.

Found my slow water leak.



I had a hell of a time getting the housing off too. It was more than glued on there, fused would be a better term.

[94touring]

Very mini.   ;D

[MiniDave]

Looks like the coolant hasn't been changed in like.......... forever.......

When I rebuilt Buzz the coolant looked and had the texture of liquid mud.

[Jims5543]

Well....

I am learning a lot about my truck through this process.

I have the wrong water pump and I have the wrong lower radiator hose.

Water Pump - I thought I had a bypass engine, it seems I do not I have 2 bypass water pumps now. LOL!!


Lower Radiator Hose, by accident, I purchased a no heater one.  LOL!!


I was expecting a new thermostat cover today, UPS would not deliver because I was not home... WTF???

Now I may have found a 1275 to swap in so all this may be for naught.... well the radiator will not be.

[94touring]

Dang.  Well on the pump you can put a rubber cap on the bypass at least.

[Jims5543]

Might have a gone over 1275 manual in good shape on the hook locally so this engine work is on hold for now, I see an engine swap coming up.

Then I am tearing this engine down and rebuilding it to my liking.

[Jims5543]

I think I love chaos and this upcoming weekend will be no exception. : wink   

Disclaimer: I have had a really shitty day, drank some 90 Minute IPA's that I grabbed on my way home and this post may or may not be coherent.



The backstory:

A member here emailed me about my pickup truck, asking if he would fit, if I liked my truck, would I sell (LOL) etc....

I found him a MINT pickup in Miami for sale and emailed him the link for the for ad on MM. It sold as fast as it went up.

Then I noticed the ad was from GB Motor Parts in Miami who I use for all my parts now and decided to email Sergio, the owner in an hail mary attempt to find an engine for my Mini.

Their website found here:        http://gbcarparts.com/

Well, as luck would have it Sergio had a 1275 that had been gone over (not rebuilt just checked out) that he was going to use in his car but fell upon a 1380 that he liked more. So lucky day for me. I typed "SOLD" to him and promised to be there 1st thing Saturday morning to pick up the engine.

I asked if I could arrive at 0800 which meant I  would have to hit the road a 0600 to be there but I would avoid the Miami traffic. In fine Miami fashion* he asked if 0900 was o.k.? Who was I to demand I said fine.

I ran out of time Friday and the bank closed before I could withdraw cash. So I planned on getting cash in Miami at the nearest branch of my bank then rolling in. I told Sergio that I would be 20-30 minutes late and he was o.k. with that.

So we meet at 0930 Saturday morning and I have to say, he is legit, he is the most chill and down to earth car parts and car salesmen I ave ever met in real life. You get a vibe off people and Sergio is the real deal, he loves Minis and his kind soul is VERY evident. He is good people and I was at ease dealing with him.

We loaded the engine into my Toyota Pickup, I snapped some fast pics that turned out blurry of his space and off I went, by noon I was back home with a very solid 1275.  I was more than happy.

Sunday was family day so no car stuff occurred.  Then things heated up by Monday, and this is what I came home to in the garage after work Monday plans are in place to fix this.



On to pics.

This is the GB Auto Parts shop in Miami I urge you guys to use Sergio, I was blown away by his kindness, he is a good guy who I hope may be a member here soon.









I got the engine home then had to assemble the engine lift.  Which took a lot longer then expected.




The engine:





Stuck in garage next to the Mini waiting to be stuffed in.



I hope to get up at the but crack of dawn Saturday to pull the old engine and swap the new one in.  I may take some time to detail the engine bay. I decided to not in stall the AC for now and put it back in when I put the 1283 engine back in.


* Miami - clubs are open until 0600 things do not start to happen in Miami until 2300 so no one is awake at 0800 hence my desire to be there early.

[Willie_B]

Hope it runs as good as it looks. Good luck on the swap. 4.gif