What have you done in or on your mini today

[The Wing Commander]

Over the last two days, I have removed the clutch from the car, and replaced it with a verto clutch assembly. Despite taking care over it, I have carried out the work incompetently. The flywheel is locked solid and it all has to come aprt to find the reason, although I suspect now that the studs protruding into the clutch housing may have fouled on the verto clutch where they did not foul on the pre verto one which was fitted. Deep joy. So it will be around four days for what should have been two days easy job. I'm not a happy bunny. Oh well, better get on with removing the clutch again....

[Doris]

Its a good job that you are fit and agile Jeff !!!!

[The Wing Commander]

Its a good job that you are fit and agile Jeff !!!!

The second clutch change is now complete, and I am pleased to report that it works. I am getting quite good at clutch changes now. I had the clutch out within around an hour the second time! Luckily, I had not put the bolt back into the housing that is almost impossible to get at - you know the one!! Anyway, next job is to change hubs and driveshafts to see if that is causing the wheel wobble. Once that is cured, then we are ready for our trip to Turin on 20th July! I think I will probably drive the car as much as possible before then, to make sure she is going to be reliable for a 2000 mile round trip taking just ten days...

[The Wing Commander]

Today I changed over the front offside hub and driveshaft, in an effort to cure the wheel wobble. Sad to report that, whilst it has got rid of the wheel bearing play, it has not affected the wheel wobble. I'll do the other side tomorrow. Then it's back to the tracking place to see if the wheels are truly balanced, and the tracking is still 1.5 toe out....

[ACE]

A progress report on my new engine for the 997 Cooper.

Since I've had the engine back from Southam Mini and Metro centre I've reassembled the engine including timing the cam in. The gearbox has been prepared, I needed to relieve the end web (by the idler gear) to allow clearance for the strap on the rear main. And the engine is currently hanging about 2" above the box waiting for me to put all the gaskets on. I already have put the small round seal in place.

I am hopeful that the new engine will prove to 1) Be a little more reliable than the last one! 2) Produce more power and 3) be ready in the next week or so.

Spec is 997 with overbore, slightly modded 295 head, Piper 285 cam with a compression ratio of somewhere in the order of 10.3:1.

[ACE]

While I'm thinking about it progress on my Rover Cooper is encouraging as well. Almost all the welding has been completed. I finished off the drivers side A panel last weekend and I now have to deal with a couple of infill pieces on the roof gutter and a couple of other random bits.

Next will be some filler to blend in the rear quarter repair on the drivers side, plus a few bits on the same side wing. After that more rubbing down in preparation for painting.

After that I will start fitting out the car with harness fix points, drivers seat etc. The first event is in May next year, but although that seems a little way off, I'm pretty sure the time will fly. Thankfully the gearbox is complete and the engine just needs an additional bore out to 1380 to fit within the class.

[The Wing Commander]

Over the last nine days, Nikita and I have done 2200 miles to Italy and back, and driven up the St Bernard pass, the col du Nivolet, and thrown snowballs at each other at the top of the St Bernard pass. The only thing that went wrong on the whole trip was a flat tyre due to picking up a nail in the road works at the bottom area of the St Bernard pass.

Check out the photos and videos:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/mi ... 010353.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/mi ... 010267.jpg

We also visited many locations used in the Italian Job film, including the rooftop test track at the old Fiat factory at Lingotto, now a plush Hotel

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/mi ... 010363.jpg

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/mi ... 010516.mp4

[ACE]

Well since my last update on my 997 Cooper, I have had to have a new block machined up (more expense!) as the last block developed a fault shortly after I started it for the first time. No fault of anyone in particular, just bad luck. I must confess I did feel like closing the garage door and leaving it all. But as I am booked on a long trip in France at the end of September (2500miles!), I steeled myself, got out the wallet and arranged for another block to be prepared.

This time I have dry built the engine beforehand and once happy with that I have assmebled the engine. With a little luck the engine will be in shortly, I'm waiting on some core plugs from Minispares before I can progress further.

The Southam boys really pulled out the stops for me and had the new block ready in a week, now the rest is down to me.

[Jennifer]

Picked Mr. Hankkey up today from getting new tires (all 4!) and replacing the exhaust that had fallen off (I blame those speed bumps / spikes outside PC World!) Ouchies
Now to figure out why the right indicator doesn't flash at the front of the car and why when I turn it on it makes that clickly sound double time of the sound when I'm turning left. And then for the M.O.T =)

[neo]

Picked Mr. Hankkey up today from getting new tires (all 4!) and replacing the exhaust that had fallen off (I blame those speed bumps / spikes outside PC World!) Ouchies
Now to figure out why the right indicator doesn't flash at the front of the car and why when I turn it on it makes that clickly sound double time of the sound when I'm turning left. And then for the M.O.T =)

sounds like a blown lamp if not working one one flasher sand rest flashing double time