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#91
Maintenance and Modifications / Qs about What machine work is ...
Last post by DarkHelmet - April 07, 2026, 01:57:07 PMGiven the masters of the dark arts are all...restricting their work..., I'm left with sourcing various shop labor from multiple vendors who specialize on only one thing here or one thing there. I have questions on what exactly is critical in engine work and what is just fine as it came from the factory.
I'm getting two small bore heads worked on, both 12g202. one a wonderfully ported head from the 80s for an SCCA midget that needs exhaust seats installed (available easily) and the other head is so pitted it needs both seats and valves all around. The intake seats are not found anywhere for the 12g202 size intakes, however I see the 1275 exhaust valves are the exact same size of my 12g202 intake valves.....so....can those available seats be used on my intake side of the 12g202 head? ( i would assume so since same size valves...here's no way around it) or are seat inserts available from any machine shop because they have boxes of all sizes like o-rings..? I dont know.
I'm finding places to bore a 1275 block I have. It's already .040 over but it's been used in that state a while and the bores are a bit ovalised and i think on the outside edge of too large for re-honing and re-ringing what i have. I'm learning as long as the bore spacing between 2 and 3 is .120 or more i can safely go to .060, without offset boring. I don't think i can start offset boring if it's already at .040, but if that's the case, and i have the room, i can go 60 over...but that leads to the next question.
Rods. I have the big square bottom heavy rods. They're good. But heavy, so what. However they have press fit pistons and they have the 40 over AE pistons already on there...and if I'm going 60 over, i need to remove the pistons...well, how? Just heat everything up? I see lots of vids on installing omega pistons, but nothing on removing them. (I have a set of same rods with 30 over AE's on there if anyone's interested)
And more rod questions. In the chase for making sure everything is round, assuming the crank is prepped and the bearings are properly sized, should I only need to slap bearings in and bolt it all up? Or is there a process of making sure once torqued up the rod big ends are actually round....as I see total race shop guys doing, is that important here or something that's fine to go as is as it came from the factory as long as my plastigauge checks out? (BMC made all of this with fine precisions hammers...so we can trust it right?)
Typing from a hotel room...not near the yellow bible.
Coming up, the hardened seats going into the mystery midget1100 race head i sourced will go on the mystery 1098 in Winston right now that i think has a metro cam (ill know for sure when the head comes off and i can look into the tapped chests). Should breather better now it wont have crazy pitted valves and carbon build up.
I'm getting two small bore heads worked on, both 12g202. one a wonderfully ported head from the 80s for an SCCA midget that needs exhaust seats installed (available easily) and the other head is so pitted it needs both seats and valves all around. The intake seats are not found anywhere for the 12g202 size intakes, however I see the 1275 exhaust valves are the exact same size of my 12g202 intake valves.....so....can those available seats be used on my intake side of the 12g202 head? ( i would assume so since same size valves...here's no way around it) or are seat inserts available from any machine shop because they have boxes of all sizes like o-rings..? I dont know.
I'm finding places to bore a 1275 block I have. It's already .040 over but it's been used in that state a while and the bores are a bit ovalised and i think on the outside edge of too large for re-honing and re-ringing what i have. I'm learning as long as the bore spacing between 2 and 3 is .120 or more i can safely go to .060, without offset boring. I don't think i can start offset boring if it's already at .040, but if that's the case, and i have the room, i can go 60 over...but that leads to the next question.
Rods. I have the big square bottom heavy rods. They're good. But heavy, so what. However they have press fit pistons and they have the 40 over AE pistons already on there...and if I'm going 60 over, i need to remove the pistons...well, how? Just heat everything up? I see lots of vids on installing omega pistons, but nothing on removing them. (I have a set of same rods with 30 over AE's on there if anyone's interested)
And more rod questions. In the chase for making sure everything is round, assuming the crank is prepped and the bearings are properly sized, should I only need to slap bearings in and bolt it all up? Or is there a process of making sure once torqued up the rod big ends are actually round....as I see total race shop guys doing, is that important here or something that's fine to go as is as it came from the factory as long as my plastigauge checks out? (BMC made all of this with fine precisions hammers...so we can trust it right?)
Typing from a hotel room...not near the yellow bible.
Coming up, the hardened seats going into the mystery midget1100 race head i sourced will go on the mystery 1098 in Winston right now that i think has a metro cam (ill know for sure when the head comes off and i can look into the tapped chests). Should breather better now it wont have crazy pitted valves and carbon build up.
#92
Cars for sale/wanted / Re: Mini Wanted
Last post by Brit_in_TX - April 06, 2026, 10:49:08 AMI have a Mk1 Countryman I am looking to sell.
#93
The Lounge / Re: What did you do in your sh...
Last post by 94touring - April 06, 2026, 07:53:51 AMHere's that electrical work table from random scraps. Bought a round block that fits perfectly on the rolling fuel barrel for the lathe area. The other rolling tool cart has the crate lid from what the lathe was shipped in sitting on top. Nice because if I need to open the top of the cart for some reason I can pick up the lid and set it aside without having to clear off whatever I might be working on.
#94
The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon
Last post by 94touring - April 05, 2026, 01:14:21 PMYep, A 100lb hunk of metal that only serves 1 very specific purpose isn't likely to be stolen.
#95
The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon
Last post by MiniDave - April 05, 2026, 12:00:15 PMseriously doubt anyone's going to just carry it off!!! 
#96
The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon
Last post by 94touring - April 05, 2026, 10:10:43 AMWas trying to think where to put this heavy thing. Don't really want it in the shop to have to move around. Got a 12 inch lag bolt and cut off the head after I drilled it into the post. The tow bar can live with the trailer.
#97
The Lounge / Re: What did you do in your sh...
Last post by 94touring - April 05, 2026, 08:03:30 AMI spent all day organizing and cleaning yesterday. I had some large metal shelves from my old downtown garage sitting in pieces the past 2 years I finally decided to utilize. Quickly loaded it up with parts, tools, wheels, and panels. I also have been running out of work bench space with different projects I always have going on. I have one massive roller table made from wood that Justin gave me for painting his truck bed forever ago serves as everything VW. It has an engine project and parts on top and carburetors and other engine parts on the bottom. My smaller roller tool cart usually has a bunch of electrical projects but it's become a big pile heap of random things. The main work bench also has electrical items I've stored on it the past 10-11 years. Since I had a 2x4' piece of chopping block counter top from a coffee table I made at the old house, and I have 4 (yes 4) mini shell dollys, I decided to combine a dolly with the chopping block and make another roller work table solely for electrical parts and projects. Today I need to finish that off and I think make or buy another small table for the lathe area which also has a variety of project items that need a place to sit.
#98
Shop Tools And Equipment / Re: Vevor 84" ramps
Last post by MiniDave - April 04, 2026, 12:08:02 PMThey look the business! Now you need to weld some brackets under the trailer so they don't have to go in the bed of the truck!
#99
The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon
Last post by 94touring - April 04, 2026, 09:35:46 AMNo because they look goofy sticking out there. I thought about it though. Also I have to have the bolts loosely fitted anyways before things slide together. It's a very tight fit.
#100
The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon
Last post by MPlayle - April 04, 2026, 09:32:46 AMAre you going to "permanently" mount the frame pieces for the outer arms?