Camels Mini

[Camel]

Rear subframe is out! And so far it doesn't look in condition. Only seems to be surface rust so far and I've got parts of it down to bare metal with my wire brush drill bits. Should hopefully be ready for priming and painting some time this week if I do a bit after work each day.

[TIMELESS]

And so far it doesn't look in condition.

 

Can you be a little more specific? :hmmm:

 

 

:p

[Camel]

:damnit:

 

Doesn't look in bad condition. I have a feeling I might need a new drill once I'm done though.

[TIMELESS]

Ah good :hmmm: I think I remember my dad saying the rear subframe was something you need to worry about rust-wise... then again he could have said something else.. I don't remember.

[Camel]

Yea, they can get quite rusty because people don't think the rear one is important. They wouldn't think that if it snapped off when they were driving though!

 

Hope the weather stays nice today, I'd like to get all of the subframe back to bare shiny metal so I can prime it at least. I also found that the rear left mounting point had half rusted away. And that's the side under most pressure on roundabouts... Quite scary considering how much fun I had on roundabouts in it. Woops

[TIMELESS]

Quite scary considering how much fun I had on roundabouts in it.

 

Interesting how every Mini owner mentions how much they enjoy roundabouts... :hmmm:

[Camel]

Work has commenced! Albeit rather slowly.

 

 

When the weather gets a bit better I'm dropping the front subframe and engine from the car. The only things holding the subframe and engine in now is the steering column, speedo cable and subframe mounts. All of which *should* be fairly easy to undo and remove.

 

Along with painting the callipers(quick first coat, paint fumes will make me high if I do them both at once :lol:) I'm also cleaning them before getting them sandblasted and painted.

 

And I'm also going to do a full engine rebuild and rebore.

 

If I'm finished this year I'll be surprised. >.<

[Ryzza5]

Let's just hope the MG is reliable while you've got the Mini in pieces :lol:

 

Do keep us updated

[Camel]

Work has re-re-commenced!

 

Spent about 25 hours this weekend on the thing. Got the engine and front subframe completely separated from the rest of the car now. Just need a bit of help to pick the body shell up and lift it up and over the engine. It'll only weigh about 120KG when I take the doors of next weekend.

 

The interior is completely gone, anything that can be removed has been removed.

 

Got the head off the engine and stripped it down ready to take to the machine shop to have is acid dipped and some work done to the valves.

 

Will take some pics next weekend. And of course I also injured myself by using the grinder wearing a t-shirt. Hot flying bits of metal are hot and burny. :( And I also set it on fire a little bit with my blow-torch. Woops

[mau92]

Nice to hear the work on it again! (Not too nice that you caught fire...)

[Mb]

 

So you bacon'd yourself?

[Camel]

A little bit. I only burnt myself with the shower of red hot metal from grinding a bolt off the steering column.

 

It was the car that I set on fire with the blowtorch not me. :lol: Although I don't blame you for thinking I set myself on fire. Trying to heat up a seized bolt on the subframe mount in an awkward position, got the flame on the rubber and it set on fire.

[Camel]

Another day of good weather spent working on t'old Mini.

 

It all started with the doors falling off...

 

 

Which involved me getting my head stuck under the wheel arch with my back against a garage.

 

Then inside is completely gutted.

 

Dropped the engine and subframe to make it easier to clear the car over the top.

 

Picked the front end up and spun it around a bit.

 

 

And then my hands were too dirty to use my phone so no more pics.

 

But me and my brother picked the car up and put it on the lawn out of the way. Quite heavy by the way and really awkward as there's not really anywhere to get a decent grip to lift it.

 

Got the engine out of the subframe which was really awkward and involved dropping the engine a few inches by accident. Moved the car back onto the hard standing out of the way and then called it a day.

[mau92]

Great camel! I really like that blue ;)

[Camel]

Well, I needed to move the engine from behind the shed today and the person who was supposed to help couldn't because he didn't want to rip his stitches out. So me being an ingenious Camel did this.

 

 

There was no chance that I could pick the entire engine and gearbox up by myself. Not from the floor anyway. So I took off all of the ancillaries, split the clutch and flywheel housing from the engine to take them out. When the clutch and flywheel came off it's taper it jumped off the engine and landed on my foot. 10KG+ of pointy metal to the foot turns the air blue. :lol:

 

Managed to split the sump/gearbox from the engine block. Just the engine block with the cam and crankshaft in it is still bloody heavy!

 

Can't wait to move into my new house so I can get my Mini in the garage. Then the real work can start. :)

[Eudemon]

Your foot is alright yeah?

[Camel]

Bit swollen and bruised but I can still drive so it'll be fine. :)

[The Compensator]

How many times have you injured yourself while working on the Mini, mate?

[Camel]

Pretty much everytime that I work on it.

 

I didn't occur to me that the whole clutch assembly would jump off the crankshaft because it was a taper joint. Same effect as popping a ball joint, but much bigger. If it was on a bench rather than the floor then I would have been looking at a trip to A&E with a broken foot. :eek:

 

Lesson learnt for next time though.

[calster17]

Is the flywheel okay though?

 

;)

[Camel]

Yea, the flywheel is fine because my foot broke the fall. :lol:

 

Wouldn't matter if it was damaged anyway as I'm planning to get an ultra lightweight flywheel and rally clutch diaphragm.