Recent posts

#41

Events and Mini Clubs / Re: Mini meet west

Last post by Scargo - July 15, 2026, 03:39:35 AM

I carry quite a few spares with me on road trips but I've never carried spare valve springs. I'll now add that and a length of rope to my arsenal. Great job with your emergency repairs and in making it to the Meet under your own power.

#42

Events and Mini Clubs / Re: Mini meet west

Last post by jeff10049 - July 14, 2026, 10:30:58 PM

Some show pics

#43

Events and Mini Clubs / Re: Mini meet west

Last post by jeff10049 - July 14, 2026, 10:28:25 PM

Spring and the close match the shop found I got two just in case

#44

Events and Mini Clubs / Re: Mini meet west

Last post by jeff10049 - July 14, 2026, 10:27:05 PM

We made it on Sunday night. Monday, we were just cruising around checking out Ferndale, CA, and seeing where we would go that evening to check in and get our registration packet. On the way back from Ferndale to Eureka, we broke a valve spring car started missing I pulled into an orileys auto parts store.

I determined that there were 2 dead cylinders, #3 and #4. At first, I thought a head gasket between the two. But it seemed to have compression on #4 so I pulled the valve cover and found a broken intake spring on #3. Somehow that also killed #4 reversion maybe?

Anyway, O'Reilly's had zero valve springs in stock for anything. So I called every auto machine shop in a 50-mile radius; 4 of them and one guy took the time to measure the ID, OD, length, and wire diameter of a bunch of used springs and had an almost exact match. O'Reilly's was able to have a driver go to Fortuna CA and get the spring I bought some small engine starter rope from them pushed it in the cylinder to hold the valve. I was able to push dowm the retainer with an open end wrench while my wife installed the keepers.

We made it to registration in time to get our stuff, and the car drove great back to camp at Redwood Shores.  Today was the car show in Ferndale, a cool little town. Car drove great all day not sure why a spring broke. But im inclined to replace them all when we get home and keep a couple spares just in case.

#45

Daves Garage / Re: One Last Engine to Build

Last post by MiniDave - July 14, 2026, 06:52:03 PM

So, an addendum to this tale.....the fellow who bought this engine - Roy - wound up buying another Mini, this one with a 998 in it and replaced that engine with this one.

He was at the event in Asheville last month with that car and other than a couple of small niggles it ran perfectly....at least till one of the rocker adjusters backed off (on him, he had reset them) Once we got that dialed in again and the carby adjusted it ran perfectly the rest of the event.

So, a happy ending!

#46

Daves Garage / Re: 1980 Clubman Estate

Last post by MiniDave - July 14, 2026, 06:43:14 PM

A sad postscript to this tale, Justin died a few months ago of a heart attack, he was 59.

His partner Harry found my name and number when going thru some of Justin's things and reached out to me. Apparently Buzz had developed an electrical issue that Justin just could not figure out, so he parked Buzz in the garage - 5 years ago.

Harry is absolutely gutted by the loss, they were married for 25 years, and he called me today wanting to know how he could get Buzz back on the road to honor Justin and I volunteered to do it, so if everything comes together as planned Clancy will go get Buzz and bring it up to me at the end of this month. I'll get it recommissioned for the road and then Harry can decide what he want to do with the car. I don't think he ever drove or even rode in Buzz as the Minis were Justin's thing.

We'll see what happens in a couple of weeks.

#47

The Lounge / Re: The Cost of Ownership

Last post by Scargo - July 14, 2026, 04:55:06 PM

That's encouraging. I'll be placing an order with them this week.

#48

The Lounge / Re: The Cost of Ownership

Last post by scalpel_ninja - July 14, 2026, 12:06:42 PM

I placed another small order with  MiniSpares. Duties were 10% on this one, but also with the annoying DHL brokerage fee of $17.50.

#49

The Lounge / Re: The drunk thread

Last post by Jims5543 - July 13, 2026, 02:32:23 PM

My whiskey arrived this afternoon, I have to order this online as I cannot find it locally. I use Caskers in case anyone wants to know.


The Journeyman Corsets, Whips and Whiskey is my favorite (used to be cheap) whiskey.  It's really tasty,  great for sipping neat with a dash of water added.

The Rye is new to me, I am planning on using it in Old Fashioned's.

#50

The Lounge / Re: What did you do in your sh...

Last post by 94touring - July 13, 2026, 09:17:42 AM

Not at all expensive. $45 for a pair off Amazon.