I'm pretty active on the forum over in the UK, but since I'm in New York I searched around for a US-based forum and I'm happy to find one with so many active posts!
My restoration project has been underway for a few months now, and the Mini which started off in life as a 998 automatic is currently sitting as a (mostly) empty shell - dynamatted and carpeted waiting for full kit from Superfastminis and a set of toffy seats of a 2010 Mini from eBay. Here's a few pictures of the before and current, plus stock images of what I have going into the car.
[wait, how do I upload images here? 9.gif]
Rich, I'm on TMF as Magneto, Welcome to Restoration Mini!
Welcome! To attach pics you can either click "attachments and other options" when you post or click the little mona lisa icon and insert a link within this: [img ]http://image here [/img ]
Hi and welcome! Looking forward to learning more about your project.
Quote from: 94touring on January 27, 2018, 06:19:40 PM
Welcome! To attach pics you can either click "attachments and other options" when you post or click the little mona lisa icon and insert a link within this: [img ]http://image here [/img ]
I'd love to post some photos but besides limiting me to six, it times out if I try to post as few as 3. Let me sort out a 3rd party host before I keep going.
You can upload pics in our media gallery as wel if you need a host. Should be a feature for mass upload.
http://www.restorationmini.com/forum/index.php?action=media
You need to resize them, I use 600X800, works perfectly.....
Okay, I've resized everything. Sorry about that. Back on topic now - here are a few photos of before.
1. Carpet cleaning.
2. When I moved down to Nola. (The bike rack worked great, the bag on top got shredded in the elements and everything ended up inside the Mini for the second half of the trip.)
When I got down to New Orleans, I blew a headgasket and the car sat for a while. I took it to an MG mechanic who charged me a whole lot and didn't fix anything. When I got it back to New York, it had blown its 3rd headgasket of the year - I was done with that engine.
Since I'm not going for authenticity here, I went with a non-Mini specific color, international blue with a metallic. Here it is right after paint.
Dynamatted, carpeted, doors on, handles fitted. I was going to install a 1275 automatic (It runs great and has a beautiful new paint job if anyone would like it!) but decided after paint to go with the Honda conversion. With all the engine components I was going to have to buy, the completed kit from Mini-Tec was actually a more economical option, especially considering future maintenance costs. Unfortunately that means there's going to be a bit of cutting done to the beautiful new paint.
That's a nice looking blue.
Photos will auto-resize but if you start off with huge files it may time out. If you use your phone download an app called reduce photo size, which will also solve any orientation problems certain pics have occasionally.
Undercoated, smaller parts sprayed and reattached.
One other note, the handles are all new, but the black boot handle in the photos is the original - they needed something to keep the boot on while waiting for the Minispares shipment.
Also, if you are looking for any parts, please let me know. There are so many things that aren't going back onto this car (including a full interior, extra engine, 2 HS4 carbs) that I'm sure many would be interested in.
While waiting for the engine to be completed in Georgia and shipped to New York, there's still a lot of work to do.
The dash will be modified from the modern-style 3-clock dash. A double DIN is getting cut in the center for a CarPlay compatible head touch screen head unit. The gauge area will be filled in and recut for a digital version of the 125mm magnolia Mini speedometer. I'm currently looking for two 80mm gauges to flank it - one tachometer and one combo water temp/oil pressure. Hopefully both will be magnolia Smiths gauges. The dash will be color-matched to the body.'
Seats - From a 2010 MINI Mayfair edition, I'll have to fabricate a bracket and probably do some cutting to make sure they don't sit too high. The eBay sale came with a rear seat, which I'll try to use but I'm not expecting much.
Headlights - I was blown away when I found out that Jeep headlights fit right into a Mini, so a pair of LED projector headlamps with halo daytime running lights are awaiting fitment.
Aside from that, all the black painted parts have been replaced with stainless steel but they're all sitting in a box because, as excited as I am to see it on there, it doesn't make sense to put it on before I have an engine.
I remember sending you some parts a year or two back. A starter maybe? It is looking great. If I was closer to NY I would take the auto off your hands.
How much are you thinking you'd want for that engine and carbs?
Quote from: richgilberto on January 28, 2018, 07:41:49 AM
The bike rack worked great, the bag on top got shredded in the elements and everything ended up inside the Mini for the second half of the trip.)
"In the elements"? Or... maybe the material simply was not engineered to meet the demands of the warp speed velocity encountered with a Mini 998 automatic?
;D
Very cool project by way!
Quote from: 94touring on January 28, 2018, 09:15:21 AM
How much are you thinking you'd want for that engine and carbs?
I'm trying to think of a good price but there's not much to go on for comparison so let me know if this sounds ridiculous to you.
The 2x SU carbs are not matched. The first was original to the 998 auto, the second was for a dual carb setup I wanted to do on the 1275 auto. They're both in very good condition - how's $85 each?
And I'd really like if I could get $2500 for the engine. I have an automatic shifter and linkages that I won't be using so I can include those as well.
Quote from: Willie_B on January 28, 2018, 09:12:59 AM
I remember sending you some parts a year or two back. A starter maybe? It is looking great. If I was closer to NY I would take the auto off your hands.
Yes! It was a distributor and it was more like six years ago I think. I got so upset and frustrated with the project and the amount I paid to be back at square one that it ended up sitting on the side of my house for a few years before I could get back into it. I also joined the Army and moved into Manhattan in between it all so there was a lot going on besides.
I think I owe you a distributor. I think I've acquired 3 in trying to find what was going wrong with my engine - would you like them?
Quote from: BruceK on January 28, 2018, 10:02:07 AM
Quote from: richgilberto on January 28, 2018, 07:41:49 AM
The bike rack worked great, the bag on top got shredded in the elements and everything ended up inside the Mini for the second half of the trip.)
"In the elements"? Or... maybe the material simply was not engineered to meet the demands of the warp speed velocity encountered with a Mini 998 automatic?
;D
Very cool project by way!
That's gotta be what it is. Funny thing about driving down I-95 in a stock '84 Mayfair is that you go so fast there's an optical illusion that makes it look like everyone is passing you.
Quote from: richgilberto on January 28, 2018, 07:51:23 PM
Quote from: Willie_B on January 28, 2018, 09:12:59 AM
I remember sending you some parts a year or two back. A starter maybe? It is looking great. If I was closer to NY I would take the auto off your hands.
Yes! It was a distributor and it was more like six years ago I think. I got so upset and frustrated with the project and the amount I paid to be back at square one that it ended up sitting on the side of my house for a few years before I could get back into it. I also joined the Army and moved into Manhattan in between it all so there was a lot going on besides.
I think I owe you a distributor. I think I've acquired 3 in trying to find what was going wrong with my engine - would you like them?
Don't need anything back. Just wondering if it was the same person. Glad to see you are still interested in minis.
I'm going to get the electric magnolia speedometer with fuel gauge designed for a center binnacle, but I'm trying to plan out the layout of the rest of the dashboard. I made a few templates in photoshop using exact measurements and came up with a few ideas. Pretend the gauges are authentic Smiths magnolia with chrome rings!
What do you think?
Cheers,
Rich
I found that after a few days I would not look at the tach much. So a smaller tach is what I would want. Number 1 or 2.
Quote from: Willie_B on February 07, 2018, 05:39:56 AM
I found that after a few days I would not look at the tach much. So a smaller tach is what I would want. Number 1 or 2.
For #3 there's also the option to put a 52mm tach and combo gauge there instead (they would look exactly like the David Brown minis) would could look great, but I haven't been able to find an electronic version of that dual oil/water gauge and I don't like the idea of having 100psi of oil sitting inches behind the dash of my new restoration...
The last two look kinda cool, especially if I were to put buttons to the right of the speedo, but it's looking a little MG-ish for my taste (which is great for an MG, don't get me wrong...) so I'd like to keep it simpler.
#1 was obviously my first idea, but I'm kinda digging how the small gauges look when they're not all in a square which is why I tossed #2 up there...
I don't know if these diagrams are making it easier to make a decision...
A couple things to note:
- The glovebox will be the same color, I just changed it up to more easily visualize. The box in the middle is double-DIN for a CarPlay head unit.
- The blue will be color-matched to the body and have the same high gloss finish.
Another thing to factor in is what size and where the steering wheel will be. It may block a part of a gauge. That will be a challenge to figure out. My gauges are in the center so not a problem.
I like number 2. I agree with Brad - a big tach isn't really needed. I used a 52mm tach in a Traveller I owned and it was perfectly easy to read. On my car I had the usual central speedo sitting in the oval flanked by the tach on the right and a combo oil/temp gauge on the left (It was RHD) so it looked mostly stock.
Quote from: BruceK on February 07, 2018, 08:30:48 AM
I like number 2. I agree with Brad - a big tach isn't really needed. I used a 52mm tach in a Traveller I owned and it was perfectly easy to read. On my car I had the usual central speedo sitting in the oval flanked by the tach on the right and a combo oil/temp gauge on the left (It was RHD) so it looked mostly stock.
I like that combination of gauges, but I cannot find that combo gauge in an electric style. I don't want to be running an oil line to my dashboard...
Quote from: richgilberto on February 07, 2018, 01:45:10 PM
Quote from: BruceK on February 07, 2018, 08:30:48 AM
I like number 2. I agree with Brad - a big tach isn't really needed. I used a 52mm tach in a Traveller I owned and it was perfectly easy to read. On my car I had the usual central speedo sitting in the oval flanked by the tach on the right and a combo oil/temp gauge on the left (It was RHD) so it looked mostly stock.
I like that combination of gauges, but I cannot find that combo gauge in an electric style. I don't want to be running an oil line to my dashboard...
Yeah. Both were mechanical on my car - oil line and capillary temperature line. Never had a problem, but I understand your concerns.
AutoMeter has some nice gauges.
http://www.jegs.com/p/Auto-Meter/Auto-Meter-Antique-Beige-Gauges/745205/10002/-1?Ns=P_Margin|0||P_SKU|0
I'm not a huge fan of them. I know they're not cheap gauges but they seem it compared to smiths. And with gauges it's either all or nothing and I'm set on the magnolia Mini speedometer.
I know it's been a long time, but I'm back from deployment and the Mini has seen significant progress. I'll take a photo of the dash soon to show you what gauge cluster I went with 25.gif
Welcome back!
I was just wondering about you the other day. Glad your back.
Did MiniTec finally come thru with an engine package for you?