Most liked posts in thread: So, Today This Happened.....

00Mini · Mar 28, 2022

Here’s hoping tomorrow goes according to plan with everything working as it should with no leaks.

00Mini · Apr 4, 2022

Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

MCS02 · Apr 4, 2022

Have fun!

MCS02 · Apr 6, 2022

Snow! I hope not.

ScottinBend · Apr 8, 2022

Minidave said: ↑

The alignment shop did a great job, and got it set perfectly.....it drives much better now. I had never seen one done quite like this - this shop specializes in racecars - Mustangs, Corvettes and the like - so I can see how doing it on stands like this would be better and easier than on a ramp lift.

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I just noticed this in the picture.........they did the alignment with the car in the air?

00Mini · May 16, 2022

Really looks sharp.

Homazur · May 17, 2022

Man same AWESOME color! I should drive to see him to do my dings and dents!!! Great job! I mean AWESOME!

00Mini · May 18, 2022

Maybe it looks a little off up close but it looks great in your photos.

MCS02 · May 18, 2022

That is a great looking mini!

00Mini · Jun 8, 2024

Minidave said: ↑

My Green Mini spent all the fall and most of this spring at my buddy's shop, his schedule finally opened up enough that he could get started on it. Previously we painted the front end, this time it was the rest of the car's turn. There were a few rust bubbles at the bottoms of the doors to contend with, but mostly it was just a matter of stripping all the parts off of it, sanding it down and giving it a new coat of shiny BRG metallic. It came out great and I was pleased to be able to go get it this past March.

Since then I've been driving it as much as possible, to car shows, car club breakfast meet ups, a local 500 mile round trip club event to Buc EE's in Springfield and as much daily driving as I can. I was glad to get it back - I missed it!

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It’s a beautiful car.

MCS02 · Jun 9, 2024

Looks great!

MCS02 · Jun 23, 2024

Nice work. I hope all goes well on the test runs!

MCS02 · Jun 28, 2024

I hope you don’t have to use any tools or parts. Have fun!

00Mini · Jul 27, 2024

Minidave said: ↑

I had to use a puller to press the axle out of the bearings, it's like it was all rusted together even tho I greased it thoroughly when I put it together, and I'm not sure it's been driven in the rain since I put it all together.

At any rate, when I pulled the bearings out it was clear they were toast, the outer one in particular was really rough, I'm not sure how much further it would have gone before it failed completely - but I'm glad my instincts are still accurate on diagnosis. It almost looked like they'd been underwater, even tho there was still plenty of clean grease on them.

View attachment 47784

So I've cleaned it all up and drove the old races out and new ones in, new bearings are packed and seals are installed. I found the upper ball joint was pretty free, bottom one is still stiff so I'll re-shim it, grease everything up and see if I can find some new boots.

Before I can put it all back together I still need to clean up the end of the axle and run the die down over it, and clean the seal surfaces and grease it all up, then it's fairly quick to put it all back in the car.

Then it will be decision time - tear the other side down too or just assume it's OK? I have plenty of parts in stock at least.....I always keep front and rear bearings on hand.

They make ball joints that never have to be shimmed, but they're fairly spendy - next time I order parts tho I'm putting a set in the cart - they're about $250 a set - enough for both sides of the car.
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Curious as to how long have those wheel bearings on ?? I personally would buy the no shim ball joints in a heartbeat because I’m just not that great of a mechanic.

Minidave · Jul 30, 2024

Years.....

Minidave · Aug 5, 2024

No idea, but they sure looked like they'd been underwater - but this car never even see's rain....

00Mini · Apr 24, 2025

Minidave said: ↑

View attachment 48084 Last year just before we went to Rushmore and MMEMW, I bought a nice new MiniSpares dipstick, with a T handle and a couple of O-rings where it fits into the blcok....a nice looking piece of kit.

Yesterday I went to change the oil and the T handle came right off in my hand! I don't know if it was made with a little epoxy to keep the handle on the rod or what, but I knew I could do a better repair than just stick some JB Weld in the hole - tho that probably would have worked I prefer a mechanical solution.

So I ran up to Westlake and bought an 8-32 allen set screw, drilled and tapped the T handle and it's on there solid now. I might go back and buy a shorter set screw as this one sticks out a bit.

Oh, and I machined a small flat where the screw hits the rod so it would have a good place to bite

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Nice fix.

00Mini · Oct 7, 2025

Minidave said: ↑

We did a run with the local MG club a few weeks ago and during the drive a weird thing happened - I felt like I was sitting on a balloon that was slowly deflating, and eventually it felt like my butt was down in a 5 gallon bucket!

I figured out what had happened - the seat diaphragm that supports the foam had split. Sure enough, I pulled the seat out and that's exactly what happened. I ordered a new one from Spares and pulled the seat out, removed the top half and set about doing the repair.

View attachment 48228

First I had to remove the seat bottom cover - I was told the foam would be glued to the frame but it wasn't, so once I got all the clips out the cover and foam lifted right off giving me access to the diaphragm.

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View attachment 48230

I was afraid I was going to have to make a tool to stretch the rubber enough to get the spring clips into their holes but I clamped the seat in my bench vise and used a hook tool and about all the muscles I could muster and managed to get it all done.
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View attachment 48232

Then assembly is just the reverse as they say. Turned out fine and I'll be happy to have a comfy seat for this weekend's drive to Ozarks International for the vintage sports car races.

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Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

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