Clancy's Moke Restoration

Started by MiniDave, October 08, 2018, 09:10:58 AM

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Jimini II

I used retractable lap belts that were the same ones I used in my Jeep Wrangler, they worked fine.
I decided on them as I did not want 2 feet of lap belt with a metal buckle banging around on my fresh paint.

drmini

Quote from: MPlayle on May 27, 2021, 12:49:41 PM
Hugh (drmini),

My shell was a UK Moke MK2 shell built by M-Panels in the UK.  That is where they put the captive nuts for the seat belts.

Just because they put them there doesn't mean they are in the correct location. That's not where they were in your original white MK2 shell.

MPlayle

The original shell did not come with any - the lower portion of each pontoon had been replacement patches as well as all of the floors, the lower half the toe board, the entire heal board, and more.


drmini

I still say that M-parts aren't the most reliable source when it comes to doing things right.  As you can see in Brad's shiny blue Moke from M-parts, it has the seat belt captivated nuts in a different location than the ones in your MK2 shell from the same folks.  Yeah, he ordered a MK1 shell but they sent him a MK2 shell instead.  Attention to detail certainly isn't their strongest point.  I still stand by my statement that the UK Mokes had a more forward location than the OZ Mokes did, and it's all due to the rollbar and how they used it in conjunction with the shoulder harness mounts.

MiniDave

Ok then, moving on from the seatbelt discussion......

Today I wrapped up the last electrical bit, the horn button came in so I drilled a hole in the dash and mounted and wired it up - and it works! It's odd how he has some of the electrical components like lights and turn signals wired hot, but the horn is only live with the key on.

I know it's supposed to work thru the center button on the steering wheel, but as the wheel he chose doesn't have one we went this way instead. He also found one half of the  steering column cover, once he finds the other half I'll install that too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Quote from: MiniDave on May 27, 2021, 03:11:46 PM

It's kinda fun to drive even with all the difficulties I hadn't sorted yet, now with those done and the alignment right, I'll get to do a proper test drive, although with no seat belts and no pads on the seats I doubt I'll be hitting the highway!



Was that your  first experience driving a Moke?  I think they are more fun than a regular Mini with the exposed seating position and exposure to the open air all around - sort of a combination between motorcycle and car. 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

Yes, and "experience" describes it well, considering the brakes have to be pumped, the engine stumbles off idle and was hard to keep running in these cold temps plus no seatbelts nor seat pads on it so I was sliding around a bit! Plus too and also, today when I drove it back to the alignment shop it was 51*!

it does go like stink once it clears its throat tho, and with the alignment fixed it handles like the very lightweight Mini that it is. I doubt I would want to own one tho.....but it's perfect for what he says he'll use it - as a pit car or taking the tiny grandkids to get ice cream in the summer. Hope he has the top on it by then.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#207
Some pics of the Moke in action at Elkhart Lake this past weekend - doing what he built it to do!

He said it ran flawlessly all weekend and he is a happy camper. There are still a few bits to attend to, but it's getting there now.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

After the race at Blackhawk he's going to drop it off at my shop again to fix the last few bits....

Handbrake - button is stuck inside.

Sits low on left front - I have one old high low left, I'll stick it in there - I wonder why low on just that one corner?

Install correct flasher relay - so the little light in the end of the switch will work. We've talked about installing a "shift light" on the dash so people will remember to turn the signals off, since he doesn't have a cancelling mechanism in the column and with this steering wheel blocks the view of the light anyway.

Install spacer under carb - Mark is making it on his mill right now

Install bolts in the bottom of the subframe to the bulkhead - I guess he forgot these.... ::)

Replace master cylinder and see if I can get the brakes working correctly. We put a new master in it originally....

Install the lower bushing in the steering column.

Grease all zerks.

Anything else he thinks of over the next two weeks......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Quote from: MiniDave on June 08, 2021, 09:40:18 AM
Sits low on left front - I have one old high low left, I'll stick it in there - I wonder why low on just that one corner?

Could the plastic cup under the knuckle joint have given out?


MiniDave

the cup was new, and I don't think it would drop that much, but I'll know when I take it back apart.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

In order to make this air cleaner assembly work on the Moke I needed to remove the 1/2 thick aluminum spacer under the carb as there wasn't room between the carb and the bulkhead for the air cleaner to fit. I had bought some phenolic material to use on my EFI projects so I sent a square of 1/4" thick material over to a friend along with a gasket and he milled me out a new spacer.

However, after looking at it I think it may be too thick, 3/16 might work better. The only reason there needs to be a spacer in there at all is to give clearance between the manifold and the throttle linkage, otherwise I would have just left it out.

As I didn't have a thinner spacer last week before he headed off to Elkhart I just stacked up all the gaskets I had in stock till I got enough clearance for the linkage, as you can see in the first pic.

I'm going to try this one just to see if it will work, otherwise my friend Mark can mill it down or I can get some 3/16 phenolic material from McMaster

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

LarryLebel

You could cut down the spacer to the right thickness. That's what I did. Also, I think the spacer is there to insulate the carb from the manifold, not just act as a spacer.

MiniDave

#213
Precisely what we did. I had some phenolic material that was 1/4" think and we cut out a new spacer and milled it down to 3/16". Fits perfectly and now the air cleaner doesn't hit the bulkhead.

I also got the vacuum advance tube from Mini Spares and installed it, so now the car should run well and get better mileage too.

Lastly, this car has the Mk1 turn signal switch with the little green light at the end, which works, but because of the steering wheel he's using you couldn't see it, so he gave me an LED light to mount on the dash and boy howdy you can see it now! It might be too much at night but even in broad daylight he shouldn't forget and leave his signals on!

I have two more tasks to finish, I need to add a high low to the left front corner, and replace the brake master cylinder and see if I can get the brakes working correctly. Oh and finish the handbrake.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

LarryLebel

You've got an oil pressure gauge there, so use the oil pressure light as a repeater.

MiniDave

Could have done that, didn't think of it. However, this will be way more noticeable with this LED blasting away.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Well, I found out why the car is sitting low on the left front corner, and it's going to be a bugger to fix.

The trumpet is not seated correctly in the rubber cone, the picture doesn't do justice to just how out of whack it is, and it's wedged solidly enough that I can't see any way to pry it into place. On top of that the nut is broken out of the cone, so there's no way to pull it up and release the tension.

At this point I think the only way to resolve it is to cut the trumpet - which also will be a bitch since I can't release the pressure on it I'm sure it's going to trap the blade before I get very far thru, let alone all the way.

Once I get it out then I can remove the cone and swap it with the one in the rear, then I can use my tool to pull it up and get the hilo in place. Sheesh.

The only good news is that my MiniSpares delivery scheduled for Friday afternoon will be here today.

First pic is the one out of place, second pic is the other side. Note also the rubber bits are trashed - and these parts are only about a year old and probably only a few hundred miles on them. the new rubber shift boot is also torn. I already replaced all the boots on the ball joints and tie rod ends.

Not at all happy with MiniSpares rubber bits these days.

Not. At. All.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

He is missing the bump stops under the top arms on both sides.  It looks like he never put any back in on reassembly and that may have let the arm drop enough extra on a bump to let the cone and trumpet separate and become misaligned.

Mini Spares: bump stop




MiniDave

#218
Yes I know....we were going to install them after he got the car down on it's wheels and the engine in. However, as much tension as is on these arms at full drop I seriously doubt there was any play that allowed the trumpet to move out of place. Either I didn't get it set right originally (highly unlikely but possible) or he did something in the transport home and installation (also unlikely) but I also noticed there's no seal on the front of the upper arm and there sure was one when I built it. It's possible that the seal cracked and broke and fell out - none of the others are cracked tho so I don't know what the answer is....

At any rate, I got the cone out but I don't know if I can save it as it's badly distorted from having the trumpet in the wrong place and being driven on it. I was able to cut the trumpet, but as expected the pressure trapped the blade in my saw, so I got a small sharp chisel and wedged it open just enough to finish the cut, then I removed the upper control arm and got it out. It also damaged the plastic cup and of course the rubber boot was shot too, but I got new ones with the knuckle joint for the hilo.

If I can get it back in shape I'll use it on the rear and move one of the rear ones up to the front and use a high low to make sure it's even. Note the nut is missing out of the center of the cone

I'm working on it......but I've pretty much worn out my arm beating on it trying to round it out so the trumpet will fit.



Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

Maybe you could take the bent cone to an exhaust shop that does big trucks. They may have a pipe stretcher that might make it round again.

MiniDave

Wish you could have said that about 4 hours ago!  ;D

My arm and shoulder are seriously sore already - tomorrow will be hell!  ::)
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I was surprised this morning when my arm and shoulder didn't hurt worse, in fact they're not too sore at all.

Last night I got all the parts back together and got the car back on it's wheels. I did go ahead and use the damaged cone on the back, since it didn't have the nut anymore I couldn't use it in the front as I couldn't use the compressor tool on it....in the back you don't need to. I'm pleased to see that it sat just almost perfectly, but today I wound the adjuster down a few flats to try and compensate for the driver's weight a bit.

I also greased all the fittings around the car, retorqued the wheels and moved it forward on the lift - Clancy never got the lower subframe bolts installed - the ones that go in from the bottom and into the bulkhead and floor - so I needed to make room to get at those.

Today I swapped out the master cylinder, but I ran out of steam before I could get them bled. Tomorrow I'll do that, Clancy is planning to come get it on Saturday. I did get the new adaptor so I can use my pressure bleeder so I don't need Rose pumping the pedal, and that should make bleeding the brakes go a little easier.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

After replacing the master cylinder, all that was left was to bleed the brakes and see if I could get consistent pedal.....I bought an adapter for my pressure bleeder that was supposed to fit these master cylinders, but all it did was leak brake fluid all oved the place. I spent 20 minutes just cleaning fluid off the car. I don't know if powder coat is susceptible to brake fluid or not, but I sure didn't want to find out!

So after that failure I enticed Rose down to sit in the car and pump pump pump hold.....

I knew there was a lot of air in the system so I started with the right front to try and get fluid moving thru the system, once I had it going I moved to the rear and bled them, then back to the front. The good news is - we have brakes now!

While I was under the car I noticed the rear edge of the subframe had one bolt snug and none on the right side. I had to get my burrs out and reshape the hole in the subframe a little so I could get a 3/8 coarse tap to start, then I ran all four holes and put new bolts and washers in and tightened it up.

Finally........... I think this car is done. At least my part.

I wanted to take it for a spin around the block but almost the minute I finished it started storming. Maybe tomorrow before he comes to get it.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

Quote from: MiniDave on June 25, 2021, 01:47:29 PM
I had to get my burrs out and reshape the hole in the subframe a little so I could get a 3/8 coarse tap to start, then I ran all four holes and put new bolts and washers in and tightened it up.

Does the body have captive nuts for the lower subframe mounts?

MPlayle

#224
Quote from: Willie_B on June 25, 2021, 02:02:15 PM
Does the body have captive nuts for the lower subframe mounts?

Mine did not.  I ran the bolts through from the top.  I think I also used nylock nuts as well as lock washers on those.

Edit: That exhaust looks like a large bore down-pipe transitioning into a small bore exhaust the rest of the way back.  Won't that be a bit restrictive on the engine performance?