Restoration-Mini

Technical Forums => Restorations => Topic started by: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:11:27 PM

Title: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:11:27 PM
Everyone seems to like pictures here, so I thought I'd start a thread to track my (slow) progress on getting the Mini back on the road.
Been on blocks since '06... so I'm itching for both time and money just to get it drivable again!!  Basically rebuilding both subframes, with Hi Lo kits and adjustable stuff.... and a general suspension redo. 
Enjoy!
... more to follow as often as I can...

Rich

Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:14:11 PM
Before and after....
... pulled the engine a few weeks ago to get at the front sub.  Going to remove it and recondition it before it goes back together....
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:15:09 PM
... back in the day.... 1994....

Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: 94touring on November 10, 2015, 05:41:47 PM
Thanks for sharing.  I dig the old green paint hidden on the sub attach panel.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MtyMous on November 10, 2015, 06:20:22 PM
awesome. Love the old photo, too. Herc pilot, eh? My dad was a 130 driver for 26 years.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on April 27, 2016, 02:39:04 PM
Had some time on my hands with some good weather (which has been hard to get up here...)  Finally managed to drop the subframe and get the upper arms and cones out!  71.gif
Gonna start cleaning and painting things...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 02, 2019, 08:52:07 PM
Well, its been quite a while and a lot had changed... Sometimes repairs are easy, and sometimes more issues are found at each moment a piece is removed!  Just a simple suspension upgrade has officially turned into a full bare metal show quality restoration!  "Restoration Mini" indeed... 71.gif

So, here are some pics of the progress... Enjoy!

First pics here are the initial tear down to bare shell...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 02, 2019, 08:56:21 PM
Rear sub and disc brakes almost ready...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 02, 2019, 09:06:12 PM
Initial body work... after all the welding to the inner wings, rear sub attachments and covering the "Canadian" side lights...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on March 02, 2019, 09:10:20 PM
Isn't that how it always goes? I pulled the engine out of my old Jag to fix an oil leak and wound up doing a 4 year total restoration!

Keep up with the pics and story, we love restos!

What color are you going back with?
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 02, 2019, 09:19:39 PM
Quote from: MiniDave on March 02, 2019, 09:10:20 PM
Isn't that how it always goes? I pulled the engine out of my old Jag to fix an oil leak and wound up doing a 4 year total restoration!

Keep up with the pics and story, we love restos!

What color are you going back with?

Dark BRG with a Black roof... it will match my Dads '67 MGB...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: ADRay on March 03, 2019, 05:26:21 AM
Looks like good work, the type I have in my future. Are the disc brakes a new upgrade from drums?

Quote from: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:15:09 PM
... back in the day.... 1994....

also, any chance you still have those wheels?  ;D
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 08:10:59 AM
I sold those old hub caps years ago... it had 6x10 Starmags most recently.  I wish I kept the caps though... I can't find any now!

The Discs are all new.  Drums were good, but the tweeked engine needs a better set up..
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 08:19:30 AM
Engine was refreshed.  Torn down for all new seals etc... and a classic paint job!

It was rebored many years ago +60, with a ported 12G295 head.  I had been running an HIF44, but it was too much... it will have a set of HS2 Twins when it goes back in.  Not your average 998... 77.gif
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 08:22:36 AM
Latest shot that I have... just about ready for paint...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on March 03, 2019, 09:32:33 AM
What will you spend to have the paint/body work done?

It's gotten pretty expensive here in the states, wonder how it compares in the GWN?
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 01:10:30 PM
Quote from: MiniDave on March 03, 2019, 09:32:33 AM
What will you spend to have the paint/body work done?

It's gotten pretty expensive here in the states, wonder how it compares in the GWN?

This is a great question...   :-X
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Jimini II on March 04, 2019, 12:35:33 PM
Quote from: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 08:19:30 AM
Engine was refreshed.  Torn down for all new seals etc... and a classic paint job!

It was rebored many years ago +60, with a ported 12G295 head.  I had been running an HIF44, but it was too much... it will have a set of HS2 Twins when it goes back in.  Not your average 998... 77.gif

Nice work looks great.
I have a ported polished 12G295 head to install on my 998 stock bore A+ Moke along with twin 1.25's and a Maniflow 3 into 1 header, i have used this set up before and it works well as much as everyone seems to like the 1275's the 998 is a much smoother revving engine imo.

BTW your engine fan is on backwards.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on March 04, 2019, 01:27:33 PM
"BTW your engine fan is on backwards."

;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 04, 2019, 06:43:47 PM
 
Quote from: MiniDave on March 04, 2019, 01:27:33 PM
"BTW your engine fan is on backwards."

;D ;D ;D ;D
::)
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Bradfield on March 14, 2019, 04:39:28 AM
Your Mini is certainly shaping up nicely! Good catch regarding the engine fan btw.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on May 04, 2019, 06:30:43 PM
Latest pics from a few weeks ago!! Out of paint... and on to build up...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on May 04, 2019, 06:32:52 PM
Beautiful!   4.gif
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on May 23, 2019, 05:54:14 PM
Ok... opinions please!  Do I send the body back to paint in order to have the drip rail painted green???  or do I just live with it?  Its a dark green, so it isn't as contrasting as some other lighter colours.  Thoughts??

Cheers!
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Willie_B on May 23, 2019, 06:47:35 PM
I have seen a lot of cars with contrasting roofs that have black trim on the gutter rails. So I think it looks fine the way it is.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on May 23, 2019, 07:18:08 PM
I'm OK with it.... 4.gif
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MPlayle on May 23, 2019, 08:26:58 PM
As Brad (Willie_B) says, many Minis with contrasting roofs have a black edge trim around the roof rail that gives the same look.

At first glance that is what I thought was there, so looks fine to me.
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: ADRay on May 24, 2019, 05:27:18 AM
seeing this post and the old picture again this morning reminds me of something I read a few weeks ago about Canadian Minis:

https://jalopnik.com/canada-had-its-very-own-strange-mini-variant-1833924950
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on May 24, 2019, 07:28:03 AM
Only in Canada, eh?
Wonder if it was made from maple wood?   ;D
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on May 24, 2019, 03:47:32 PM
Quote from: ADRay on May 24, 2019, 05:27:18 AM
seeing this post and the old picture again this morning reminds me of something I read a few weeks ago about Canadian Minis:

https://jalopnik.com/canada-had-its-very-own-strange-mini-variant-1833924950

Man, I'll tell you what... those super ugly Canadian bumpers saved my ass when I rear ended a Toyota not long after that picture was taken... Only had to replace one wing and the front panel... I actually wish I still had the bumpers only because so many of us simply got rid of them...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on May 24, 2019, 03:50:21 PM
Couple shots from today... Twin HS2 are finding their new home... and that darn fan has been re-mounted (for those with such attention to detail... LOL)

Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on May 24, 2019, 06:15:49 PM
You're really smoking along!
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on June 12, 2019, 11:03:52 AM
Checking out the bling!!
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 20, 2020, 12:15:54 PM
Finally got around to getting some pics of the finished project... Other than a problem with the ignition / Carb / tuning... it's never been this slick looking... can't wait to get it on the road again!!  Enjoy the pics!
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: MiniDave on March 20, 2020, 12:50:08 PM
Cool!

Tell us about the plane?
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: Hercplt on March 20, 2020, 01:24:54 PM
Quote from: MiniDave on March 20, 2020, 12:50:08 PM
Cool!

Tell us about the plane?

Ha... the plane belongs to my parents...
Title: Re: MacEwen's '80 Mini 1000 Refurb!
Post by: BruceK on March 20, 2020, 05:30:45 PM
Good lookin Mini!