Then I broke down (74 mini mild refurb)

Started by 94touring, May 26, 2015, 11:33:03 PM

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94touring

I have!  In fact I saw some of their engine bay bling items on Stan's car and have a few on my wishlist.  I also needed more trunions and since theirs are affordably priced I have some in my basket when I am ready to place an order.  I didn't buy any of these small items for weight reduction though.  I intend to buy their handbrake quandrants just because the last set of "original" ones were crap and one fell apart, requiring me to weld it back together.  They're not exactly cheap for what they are either!  For an extra 5-10 bucks I can buy the fancy ones, albeit you'll never see once on the car anyways.  Maybe all these things shave a pound lol.   

MiniGene

I remember needing a front rear trunnion for the mini I have in storage years back and the price was crazy.  Rick (Canadian gent on Mini Mania) sent me one for free--super nice guy.  Anyway, those ones from DSN look sweet and they're way cheaper than the originals. 

Are you going to reach the point where you start cutting holes in the sheet metal to save weight?  What about carbon fiber body panels?

94touring

No hole cutting or anything drastic like gutting interior.  I will convert the doors to slider and ditch the glass, that's the biggest body mod I plan to do. It also shaves the most weight in one shot, 75lbs give or take between doors and glass.  I have read where people cut holes in the front subframe and then seam weld certain areas.  Apparantly the front subby is way over designed to begin with.  I have a spare frame to do this on but I'm not sure if shaving 10-15lbs off the subframe by cutting and drilling out 100 holes is worth countless hours and presumably bits and cutting attachments. Still more research to do there.  I didn't do a rear beam because I didn't want to alter the suspension characteristics and plus the stock subframe provides crash impact protection as well.  It's really not that heavy of an item, but the arms and brake assemblies sure are! I am planning to do a carbon fibre boot and bonnet from arc angels.  I believe that's another 15lbs. 

gr8kornholio

Quote from: 94touring on February 07, 2018, 09:15:16 AM
Minispares has a universal heater for about $170.  Reading some writeups it's very compact and puts out a ton of heat.  Also 7lbs lighter. Considering mine rattles and spits out rust, may be worthwhile.

I have that exact heater for mine to go in when I put it back together.  It is nice and tiny.
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

94touring

The install looks clean and easy to do. Definetly frees up room. 

Bahowe1

Is that a four channel speaker amp?  Trying to offload it?  It looks like you are paying to lose weight and I am trying to buy weight!

94touring

Ha it is and it worked wonders! I ran an input right to my phone.  It will go in my clubman or pickup one of these days. Till then sits on the shelf!

MiniGene

75lbs to be cut from the doors and glass?  That's nuts, I would have never thought that. 

I have to admit, this is an exiting build.  I can't wait until you're done and have a final report, to include arse dyno stats.

94touring

Roll up doors are heavy as hell.  I'm doing alloy skins (6-7lb loss) and slider conversion, so a lot of door gets cut away.  If you've ever held a gutted door you know just how light they are with nothing on them.  The polycarbonate windows weigh virtually nothing.

94touring

This is what happens when I read and obsess about setups.  I end up buying an MED light verto flywheel.  I'll just stick the minispares light one on the 1098 build for the pickup.  This particular flywheel is 4.82lbs lighter than stock vs 3lbs for the minispares one.  I misspoke earlier in here cause my math was bad thinking the minispares item was 4lbs lighter. In retrospect a pre verto setup would have given more options, but the turbo verto setup on a heavy duty pressure plate, 190mm disc, and lighter wheel giving more clamp force, is more than up to the task of my setup. Also the turbo disc are non sprung which after reading gives a better feel allegedly on a mini, much like pre verto? Anyhow 4.82 times 11.22 for 54lbs of rotational weight loss effect.  Should be fun comparing the two flywheels as well.

MPlayle

Interesting that the ring-gear is being held in place by that series of what look like allen head bolts.


94touring

#161
I noticed that as well.  From reading it sounds as though MED modified this verto flywheel as the earlier design had some problems with the ring gear staying within tolerance, perhaps this was part of the solution. 

Also worth noting that a super light verto flywheel is comparable to a street lightened pre verto, as a verto is just plain heavier all around.  Though should give better pedal feel in comparison to say a stiffer orange diaphragm pre verto or the extra stiff grey.  There are only 2 options I've come across for verto, the spares and MED style. 

94touring


BruceK

1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

94touring

Yeah spun aluminun.  Found them on MED.  They sell brackets too but for the price I'd just make my own.

94touring

#165
Well this came in quick.  I forget how tiny mini flywheels really are.  Edit: on the scale is 4.5lbs lighter than stock.

94touring

Engine is out.

Also 4.85lbs shaved by removing the washer bottle, electric fan, metal fan with plastic fan (1lb rotational), and steel trunions with alloy.  Every time I remove something I set it on the scale.

MiniDave

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Once I yank subframes off tomorrow I'll open the engine up.

gr8kornholio

How much weight did you save by pulling the motor?  ;D
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

94touring


MPlayle

I think the thread title has become a bit inaccurate.  It is going far past a "mild refurb" at this point.


94touring

Quote from: MPlayle on February 12, 2018, 09:29:59 PM
I think the thread title has become a bit inaccurate.  It is going far past a "mild refurb" at this point.

I read through the entire thread the other night.  It was a fun journey of fixing things as I drove it, then suddenly it evolved into major rebuild.  ;D

94touring

#173
Subframes are off. A bit grungy and seen better days but both will clean up well for the pickup.  Found one small spot in the rear that needs a patch and the overcills have created some rot, but I knew that already.

Weight items today: boot and bonnet weighed against the carbon fiber on the way should yield 17.5lbs.  Will confirm once they arrive.  Took off the front plate, brakets, and all vent hoses and affiliated parts for 8.45lbs. Total of 26lbs rounding up.

Time to dig into the tranny now...

BruceK

So what is the running total of weight loss so far?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara