Most liked posts in thread: Mini Innocenti 1300 Export

More wiring woes.....I'll put up pics later but I can assure you this is not factory wiring - but more roger the bodger at play!

Bottom line I'm going to have to make up two complete new harnesses for the headlights, turn signals and side lights. It also doesn't help that there's a thick layer of under coating on the inner fenders.

Every where I look it's scotchlocks and crimped connectors taped over.....The t/s socket is so corroded I'm surprised it even works. Plus too and also, I think they used the low wattage park light element for the turn signals rather than the high wattage element, that would explain why the T/S worked so slowly - less amperage draw, slower blinks.

 

More crankshaft woes.....

The "new" crank I got was cracked. The crank guy said it had been machined 10 under on the mains, and when they did that they took out the radius - he says they'll break everytime if you do that. Dumbasses.....

So, back to the original...…

He'll grind the end down, then I'll have to get a bushing made to fit it, and pressed into the new primary gear. Monday I'll take the flywheel up to him to make sure we don't have any issues there before he grinds anything.

More as it happens.....

 

Parts are readily available, depending on the model. The Cooper S was only made till 71, and some parts - like the crank - are available but extremely expensive.

 

To heck with all these engine problems, I've got a better idea......

 

Took all the crank, rods, pistons, new flywheel, clutch and front pulley up to the crank guy to be balanced. It's funny, every shop I go to says the same thing - 2 weeks!

 

Thanks, I got the cam specs tonight so tomorrow I'll get it dialed in, assuming I can get the required offset key. The car already had an offset key in it, tho it's not marked as to how many degrees it's offset - so I put a straight key in, then I'll do the measurements and see where it is with that, then I can always try the offset key I have and see what it does.

I don't know if modern auto parts stores carry offset keys or if I'll have to order it. I may need to order some shims for the drop gears and other small parts anyway. The place I usually order from in England has been having server problems which has really delayed getting parts from them, so I my have to go "local" ...

 

You got a rod stretchin machine?

 

Thanks, no sense in doing a half way job when you're stuck into it this far. Sill, I know guys that put them together with dirty parts, ugly nuts and bolts etc.....I'm sure those engines run just as well as this one will, but I just can't do that (Edd China)

 

The soonest that could happen is next year, but there is one thing you could do for me - I'll send you a PM.

 

Never fails.....

I can't get into my friend's shop to do the bead blasting till Friday - which is the normal day as production at the business is actually closed on Friday so there are very few employees there - so I decided to rebuild the diff in the meantime, and change out the final drive ratio from the 3:44-1 it has to a 3:00-1, since this engine will have plenty of torque it can easily pull the taller gears and it will cruise at lower revs on the highway.

So, I tore it all down, and opened the diff package and new cross pin kit I bought and after cleaning everything thoroughly I realized it doesn't have one bushing, and the small thrust washers are for an A+. It also didn't have the fiber washers that go under the stub axles. So...….yet another order to MiniSpares and another delay.