Cars

Mini Rebuild

 

Step 19 - Fuel Tank Repainting and More

 

Wednesday, November 19, 2008:

 

I'm still compiling all the various parts I need for this project. For such a simple little car, there sure is a lot of stuff. I can't sit around and wait though. Everything I can do now, I am. So today's installment is just catching up on a few small items. Once the big order of Mini parts arrives, I'll be able to build up most of the car to test fit everything prior to disassembly and bodywork/paintwork.

 

With the seats in place, I started working on the various controls. Here I'm cleaning the threads for the throttle mechanism.

This is one of the original throttle pedals that came with the car. Spindly, isn't it? I'll definitely install a larger pedal on top of the stock one.

Although the steering rack retainer u-bolts hadn't arrived, I used some zipties to hold the unit in place long enough to test the steering rack location. Sitting further back and lower means I'll have to lower and lengthen the steering column.

Here's one of the columns that came with the car. After a little cleanup and the installation of these 2 new plastic bushings it should work just fine.

I purchased this angle grinder the other week. Between cutting off body panels and grinding down welds, this thing should see plenty of action in the next few months.

The used 9-gallon fuel tank I purchased tested just fine - no leaks. I've cleaned and coated the inside with POR15's fuel tank sealer kit. Now it's time to clean up the outside. Paint stripper did most of the work and the angle grinder got the rest.

 

Primering the fuel tank. Didn't finish before sundown but I can't complain. It is mid-November and the weather had been most cooperative - sunny skies and temperatures in the 70's.

I test fit the quick-release hood hinges and they seem to work well.

Not sure of the fit though. Looking through various Mini magazines shows that some hoods appear to be flush with the front plane of the fenders while others look like this. These fender and the entire front face are going to be cut off and replaced with new so I won't worry too much about panel fit until then.

 

The replacement speedometer bezel and chrome ring arrived from Nisonger Instruments. Before fitting them up, I removed this trim ring and sanded off all the rust prior to priming and painting.

 

I purchased my harnesses from HMS Motorsports, Schroth's US distributor. Their highly-detailed instruction manual (PDF) for fitment of harnesses recommends zip-tieing foam pieces to act as spreaders/spacers. A simple job but one of a million little things that needed to get done.

 

 

 

 

 

Choosing the right pedal assembly took a lot of time. I finally decided on a 600-series Tilton. The real trick will be fabricating a good mount for it.

And last but not least, the Pro-Shift kit arrived from England. This will allow me to do full throttle, clutchless upshifts, as well as rev-matched, clutchless downshifts. I'm really looking forward to trying this out.

This is part of the auto-blip system. When a downshift is called for, it uses engine vacuum to rev the motor.

This is the main control unit with some readout lights and small adjustment screws.

 

Here is the vacuum-operated actuator arm and the standard idle adjustmen screw it replaces.

 

 

Because the Pro-Shift kit is meant to be used a variety of sequential-shift transmissions, custom fabrication of a retaining bracket is required. Thankfully it is quite easy. Just took a bit of measuring, bending, drilling, and test-fitting.

 

Here's how the bracket turned out.

 

There were very few choices on where to attach the mounting bracket. With the actuator facing downwards, mounting on this sensor seemed to be the easiest way.

 

 

 

Here I'm just test-fitting the paddle shifters to the Momo steering wheel, but it looks like it will work just fine.

 

Continue to Rebuild Step 20

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