1978 Pickup, giving her some love...

Started by Jims5543, January 20, 2014, 08:22:02 PM

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Jims5543

Yup have all the balls.. it is remarkable how much variation there is with these cars.

Got the brake line in, starting to think I should have done this with the engine out.



Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

Lol that last pic made me laugh.  My last brake line connector you're flipping off gave me so much grief.

Jims5543

Seems the coil over kit is a bit more involved than initially thought. Just dug into it and was a tad bit surprised but releived at the same time. More when I am on an actual keyboard.



Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MiniDave

I'll be interested to hear what you think of these as I was going to order some too.....did you get standard height or lowered?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

 I like to use something like the red bearing grease to hold the balls in place as the cv grease is often to thin then fill the rest of the boot with the proper cv grease. That pot part of the joint also comes out of the transmission if you want to assemble it on the bench and then put it in. It has one of those spring clips on it.


Jims5543

#530
Fukitall...

It may be weeks before I approach this truck again.

What was supposed to be a simple exchange has turned into a big deal.






2 bolts on the drivers side (RHD) have snapped. Fuckit I need a break.



Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring


MiniDave

Or buy me a plane ticket and I'll come down and fix it..... 
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jims5543

Both of you calm down and get you mitts off it.  ;D

I will get this sorted out, just hoped to make more headway over the 3 day weekend and I feel like all I did was make more of a mess.

I have some ideas how to make this work.   I was going to have to drill some holes anyway as the new brackets require 6 holes with 2 new ones above the  4 on there. I am just going to drill them out and use some beefier bolts to hold it in there with a backing plate on the other side. I hope otherwise some large washers at the very least where I can fit them.





Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

To make Jim feel better I sent a pic of a car I'm working on. 

MiniDave

Is that the other local car?

Not Rusty the Clubby then......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring


MiniDave

I thought it might be....even worse than the other one?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Yeah requires a whole front end among many other things.

Jims5543

I am sitting here debating pulling the engine back out getting the brakes and suspension done then dropping it back in. I am pretty sure I could have it out in an hour or less now.

Then I would have room to work on the things I should have done while it was out. I had no idea these items would be so hard to reach with the engine in.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

In the long run that probably is going to be easier.  Pulling and dropping in motors is pretty painless. 

jedduh01

Dropping Subframe with Engine inside would be the best of both. Less engine stuff to take apart= but All the suspension access for replacement and repair.

MiniDave

#542
I agree with Jedduh, drop them both, then you can get at everything you need to do easily, and going back in is a doddle.....plus if you want it's a perfect time to have the subframe powder coated or painted.

This winter I'll be pulling the engine on the green Mini to change the final drive and one thing I will definitely do is wrap the header, it takes all of the exhaust system heat out of the engine compartment, no more burning your arms or fingers when reaching in back of the engine for something, and no more hot bulkhead and floors. I bought a kit off Ebay for like $25, it has enough to do 2 cars or to wrap all the way back to the front muffler if you want..
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jims5543

Finally diving back into this thing over the last couple of weeks. I have the front brake lines finished. I did not have to pull the engine either, once I realized the solution I laughed at myself.

2 quick questions:

1. the CV shafts, I am trying to slide the outer hub on and cannot get it to go over the keeper c ring. Is there a trick to this? Or a tool I need?




2. The inner joint, what style is this and can I order a replacement? I ordered what I thought were the correct inner joints and they are wrong.

This is what the old and correct one looks like.


I am slowly getting the coil overs in, after some fab work I should have them in this week then if I can get these shafts done the front of the car is done, then on to the real coil overs.  Pushing hard to get her finished up.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

Jims5543

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MiniDave

If the entire axle shaft is out of the car, I start the outer joint onto the shaft, then turn it over and give it a good pop on the floor (on a board of course) usually they pop right on that way......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

The joint in question is the inner half of a "pot joint".  The outer half is likely still on the output shaft of the differential.

Here is what a complete one looks like: (link

The small shaft goes into the differential and the drive shaft inserts into the boot end.

The inner part in your picture pops off much like the outer CV.

Jims5543

If anyone crosses paths with this Skip fellow that is a renowned Mini guy, and owned this Pickup for years before I purchased it off Playle,  punch him in the nose for me and tell him I said that he should not be allowed near Mini's and should be relegated to owning Toyota Avalons.

Thank you.



Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MPlayle

Jim,

I've wanted to do that for you for a long time now.  Skip seems to have dropped out of the Mini community.  I've heard he sold off the other Minis he owned as well.


Jims5543

I pity any person that purchased a car he has touched.

Hope to have her back on the street by the end of the month.  She is finally back on 4 wheels. I need to adjust the front right coil over it is 1/2" too high vs. the left.  I need to get a punch out list together lots of little things now need to be done all the major crap is done.


Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson