1980 Clubman Estate

Started by MiniDave, January 03, 2015, 01:51:07 PM

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Mudhen


MiniDave

Quote from: MtyMous on January 10, 2015, 08:11:58 AM
First thing I noticed. Haha. But the car is so cold! Temp gauge not working? Or did you just move it over to the one on the right of the cluster?
I installed a new temp gauge to the right of the cluster, so I could get some actual numbers as to what it was doing. I would like to get the in-cluster gauge working too, but it's difficult to do as the sensor needs to be in the coolant flow.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#27
Today I started building a flat tow bar for Buzz, if I'm going all the way across the country in the dead of summer to make an event, it might be a whole lot better drive in a MINI with A/C and cruise control - towing a Mini of course.....



It's a little easier on a Clubman, the bar doesn't go thru the lic plate brackets like it does on a round nose Mini. I couldn't find spacers like Dan shows in his DIY post, so I ordered some tubing from McMaster Carr today, it will be here tomorrow and I can get it buttoned up and try it behind the Audi. I used 2"x2" angle iron, I think Dan used 1 1/2" in his article.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring


MiniDave

#29
Yesterday the last bit of material I needed to finish my tow bar mount came in from McMaster Carr - some 1" OD X 1/2" ID tubing so I got my neighbor's chop saw and cut two 3" long sections. Once everything was de-burred and cleaned up I put it all together on the Clubby and it fit perfectly!



You hardly notice it from above.......



Next I need to find a round nose car so I can make whatever mods needed to fit their front end, then I can blow it all apart and take advantage of a rare warm couple of days in Kansas in January to get some paint on it - it's supposed to be 70° tomorrow! I also need to build some safety chains, but I have that figured out already.

Next I'll need to build some removable lights, my plan is to build them so I can set them inside the back of the car to shine thru the rear windows, that way they stay out of the weather and  theft proof. If I run a harness thru the car all I'll need to do is plug them in, if I get too lazy to do that I can simply run the harness thru the car and under the hood to the front to hook to the tow car. Still cogitating on that part.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Nicely done, glad it worked out for you!

MiniDave

So far it looks like it will work well, I still need to drag it behind a car too.....thanks for the tips in the DIY!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jedduh01

Much agreed- Tow bars are great!

Youll find great reward in yours with a +1 riding along!


MiniDave

#33
So Jedduh, no safety chains, no lights?

I've done the final design iteration on mine, I still need to make some brackets to attach the safety chains on Buzz, and buy some longer safety chains to hook to the tow car. I also had to raise the lic plate a little, the bracket was behind the plate and moving it up makes it easier to get the tow bar bracket on and off.



I also need to finalize my lighting arrangement, I bought some regular LED trailer lights thinking I would build a bracket to put them inside the car, but there's no good place to land a bracket that puts the lights in the rear windows.....still thinking on that one.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Here are the safety chain brackets I built.......and the shortened chains. All I have left to do is the lights then take it out for a road trial. However, we have some nasty weather bearing down on us, so it may be next week before I get to do that.....



Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Got a coat of paint on my tow bar bracket, found some more safety chains for the tow vehicle end, now all I need is for it to quit snowing so I can take it for a test spin around the 'hood. I had planned to take Buzz up to school tomorrow to balance the wheels and do a final alignment on him, but the weatherman says otherwise.

Got to get him ready for our trip in March, it's only a little over a month away now.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Next up, more electrical work......I thought I had all this sorted when I did the engine work, but on my last drive I found the following:

1) No heater fan - it was working,  I'm hoping I just didn't hook the ground wire up last time I had it down.
2) Brakes lights not working - they did. I don't know what's up with this....
3) Dash lights out - same thing, they used to work fine.
4) Turn signals - work but don't self cancel. I may have to make the cam if it's missing - I understand they were made from plastic and are no longer available.
5) Fuel gauge - wildly inaccurate. Fill the tank and it takes 75 miles to come down to F, in 75 more it's empty. I hope it's just a matter of bending the float arm.
6) Aim the headlights properly, they're close but need a bit more tweaking.
7) Move the fuel pump. Right now it's on the firewall, I'd prefer it's in the back near the tank.
8 ) Once the fuel pump is relocated, I can install the windshield washer reservoir and pump.
9) Install the Pertronix I bought months ago.

I also need to tidy up some of the wiring I did under the dash, and I'm contemplating swapping the spots in the dash for the temp gauge and tiny tachometer. I have a complete mix-match of gauges as it is, so it won't look any different to the uninitiated with a casual glance at the dash.

More as it happens....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

tsumini

Just noted that you have 1980 era fuel gages so yours is a different animal than mine. DKlawson on the other board has talked extensively on these that need a voltage stabilizer.He may be able to help.

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

tsumini


MiniDave

Thanks!

Yes, I'm aware of how the voltage stabilizer works, my Jag has one too.

Right now it's just too damn cold to work in the garage, this stuff may have to wait a week or more till things get back above freezing. I have heat out there, but when it's in the single digits it costs too much to get it up to a comfortable enough temp to work.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I'm down with the flu today, and I figured I could sit around all day feely badly or go do something in the shop, so I cranked up the heater and went to work finishing my tow bar.

I've got the tow bar itself finished, so now I'm working on the bits....like lights.

I could wire into the car's harness and just use the tail lights and turn signals in the car, but I wanted it to be easily removable, so when I show up at an event I can demount it with a minimum of bolts and fuss...and nothing would show to make it look like it had been towed.

So today I built some brackets to mount some LED trailer lights, they bolt on with only two bolts and I'll make the harness easy to unplug too. Still have some finish work to do, make some stiffeners so they don't vibrate and then get a coat of paint on them, but I think the concept is going to work fine.

I built them so that they'd be inside the car on purpose - out of the weather and not a theft target like the magnetic ones.







I only got in about 2 hours work before my feet got cold and I ran out of steam, I should be able to finish them tomorrow and build the wiring harness.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#42
Still down with the flu, but I decided to tackle one of the items on my Buzz list - why don't the turn signals self cancel?

Once I got the steering wheel off, I found the screw for the clamp for the T/S switch and pulled it off the column - with the switch off I saw the reason for yet another rattle - in this pic you can see a white plastic bushing between the column and the steering shaft - it's turned and not in the right place, that notch in the side is where the turn signal switch is supposed to locate. I have a new bushing so I'll put it in before I re-assemble the column. I can't say anything nice about the last guy who worked on this car, so I guess I just won't say anything.....



Once I had the switch off and studied it a bit, it became apparent why the self cancel didn't work. I didn't get the "before" pic, but this next pic shows a yellow part - that's supposed to be where it is now - before it was sitting on top of the switch. The yellow part has a nubbin that engages the works in the switch and it wasn't where it needed to be to make it work. Now how to fix it.



When I took that gold plate off of the switch all the little bitzas went flying, of course, so it took a few minutes to find them again and then a few more minutes of study to figure out where they all went, then it took about 3 extra hands to hold everything in place while I put the yellow cam back in, oriented it correctly and screwed the cover plate back. It still didn't work the first time, so back apart again. I made some helpers out of bits of wire and what have you to hold things in relation, then carefully worked the plate back on again.......success! It now cancels.

But that brought up the next problem.....my steering wheel is non-OEM, so it had no engaging lugs to fit into the slots on the cam to turn it with the wheel. I could have welded something fancy up with a couple of lugs and a flat plate to attach to the wheel's hub, but I went simple, and tapped a couple of 6-32 holes and locktited in some screws - there's very little force on this part to make it work so I think this will do, but if it doesn't it's right on top and I can get out the welder and fab something better up.



So, that's several mysteries solved all at once.....while I had the column out I replaced the upper bushing and lower felt bushing with new ones I already had, once everything was in the correct place the column tightened up like it was brandy new. Once I get it all re-assembled the signals will self cancel too. While I have the column out I'm going to re-install that blue hose - it feeds fresh air to the heater core and with it loose like it is it brings huge amounts of cold air right on my feet, not what you need on 30° or colder days like we've been having. Before I do any of THAT tho, I need to get my head up under the dash and see if the  brake switch wires are undone, if that's not what's keeping my brake lights from working, I'll want to dig deeper before putting everything back together again. Oh, and see why the heater fan stopped working too.....

At least I made progress......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jeff10049

Nice. I decided to tackle my steering this week also.
Should the felts be oiled?

Jeff

MiniDave

#44
Yes, the felt at the bottom should be soaked in light oil overnight, then squeeze out the majority of the oil so it doesn't drip on the carpets, then put it in.....I don't understand why they they use the felt on the bottom and not just put in two bushings like the one at the top, but they musta had their reasons. I also took the shaft to the fine wire wheel on the grinder to polish it up a bit.

I used PTFE on the upper nylon bushing, not grease. If it goes to squeaking (which I don't think it will) after some miles, it's easy to get at to get some spray lube into it.

One other interesting note, the large nut that holds the steering wheel on was finger tight........ ::)

I'm also going to see about switching the turn signal lever over to the left side of the column, I think it's easy on this car and that way it'll be like all my other cars and I won't occasionally be signaling a turn with the wipers.  ::)
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

tsumini

Quote from: MiniDave on February 23, 2015, 08:09:38 AM


I'm also going to see about switching the turn signal lever over to the left side of the column, I think it's easy on this car and that way it'll be like all my other cars and I won't occasionally be signaling a turn with the wipers.  ::)
That I found out was the hardest thing about RH driving in Australia.

MiniDave

Today I replaced my clutch master cylinder, which seemed to fix my hard shifting issue. I'm pretty much ready for our fun run that starts next week!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Mudhen

Quote from: MiniDave on March 07, 2015, 04:12:04 PM
Today I replaced my clutch master cylinder, which seemed to fix my hard shifting issue. I'm pretty much ready for our fun run that starts next week!

4.gif

Lots of pics, please! 62.gif

MiniDave

Not much too see, the hardest part is getting the clevis pin off the pedal linkage, I had to enlist a younger, more bendable guy to help me with that. We still had to remove the driver's seat so he could get contortioned into place to get it.

Other than that it's remove the line and two bolts and she's out. Installation is the reverse as they say!  ;D

To bleed it I just run a tube up from the bleeder screw into the reservoir and pump till I don't get any more air - then she's good to go.

I may get some static for not using the period correct metal can reservoir instead of the plastic one, but my main goal was to get it driving properly.

Job Done!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Today I tackled the next project - when I did the engine and subframe work I put all new bushings in the control arms, but lately it had started to pull slightly under braking, and I wasn't happy with the alignment - I think I found the culprit on both problems.

These bushings are new OEM rubber, 9 months and 3K miles old......I'm going to replace them with poly bushings. This is the right side....



And the left side wasn't much better. Next up, back to the alignment rack!

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad