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 Posted: Jun 3, 2016 05:16AM
 Edited:  Jun 3, 2016 05:17AM
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US
I'm definitely digging the yellow seats! I'd love to see you do a full-on John Deere tribute themed Mini with Deere green paint with a yellow GT stripe and a yellow roof with yellow tractor seats. That would be an awesome thing.

 Posted: Jun 3, 2016 04:58AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Moffet
Quote:
Originally Posted by mini4ever
engine upside down? means the Valve cover touching the floor? please clarify. i need to do mine too, i'm thinking of better ways. thanks for the idea.
Not if you leave the stock air cleaner housing on - it is nice and flat and keeps the engine level whist you turn the car over and lower it on.
Don't feed the Troll Dan

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Jun 3, 2016 03:15AM
 Edited:  Jun 5, 2016 02:22AM
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CA
Quote:
Originally Posted by mini4ever
engine upside down? means the Valve cover touching the floor? please clarify. i need to do mine too, i'm thinking of better ways. thanks for the idea.
Not if you leave the stock air cleaner housing on - it is nice and flat and keeps the engine level whilst you turn the car over and lower it on.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Jun 2, 2016 05:28PM
 Edited:  Jun 2, 2016 05:31PM
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engine upside down? means the Valve cover touching the floor? please clarify. i need to do mine too, i'm thinking of better ways. thanks for the idea.

 Posted: Jun 2, 2016 12:36PM
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US
When you install the engine you'll want to have the engine upside down on the floor, then roll the car over onto it. Then simply roll the car right side up. It's how haynes shows it I promise.

 Posted: May 30, 2016 04:25AM
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 Nothing broken. Nothing damaged. No pulled muscles. No missing skin. Quite easy actually. Don't think it will go in the same way though. 

 Posted: May 30, 2016 12:02AM
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I'm really lost for words at that series of pictures....................................................

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: May 29, 2016 03:35PM
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Well. making some progress in between landscaping jobs here.

Pulled motor on Saturday with the help of a couple ladders and cedar tree trunk. Never pulled a motor before but it was the best we could do with what we had. Specially after realizing how heavy it actually is. 

Basically lifted the front of car as high as we could. Then put ladders under the tree trunk and lowered the car out from under it. Must be how the pros do it I figure.

 Posted: Apr 29, 2016 05:47PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Newkid
Quick question; 
  1. The car has holes and bracketry which looks like it could have been RHD at one time, unless all the cars had the prep for both sides as standard?
AFAIK all Mini's were equipped from the factory for LHD or RHD.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Apr 29, 2016 04:55PM
jeg
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That tractor is really cool!  

The mini is a great project, and I'm sure that the general plan for the car will evolve a bit before it's finished.  (Not that it'll ever really be finished, there's always something that can be changed to accommodate 'today'.  Tomorrow, it'll be granny's grocery-getter.  Next week, a rally-theme.  Next month, fire-breathing giant-killing dragon.  (Yikes!)  Lower, leaner, meaner, comfy, stylish, luxurious, radio, 10", 12" or 13" wheels, big arches, no arches, who knows??

That tractor might get worn out from all the grass he's going to mow, paying for all those parts!  When you think of it, though, the memories and experience are priceless.

The peasants are revolting...          

"Gone with the Wind" - a brief yet moving vignette concerning lactose intolerance

 Posted: Apr 29, 2016 04:30PM
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Quick question; 
  1. The car has holes and bracketry which looks like it could have been RHD at one time, unless all the cars had the prep for both sides as standard?

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 10:42PM
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GB

A+ 1275 engine possibly out of a Mini rather than a Metro due to the bypass hose being present.  Could be from a Cooper based on valve size, but the missing engine number means we'll never know for sure. 

On the other hand I'd bet it's been rebuilt for sure at some point, probably with performance upgrades - the 11-stud conversion and the builders ID stamp where the engine number should be points towards that.


This then leads to the conclusion that the (Cooper) head is a later addition to replace the 11-stud head that would have been fitted at the time of the rebuild.

It's a Bitza !!

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 07:53PM
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He has plenty of experience it is after all a mini tractor................

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 06:12PM
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So....welcome to the wonderful world of Minis....if you think the restoration will be easy for your Egyptian model you are obviously.....wait for it......"in de Nile"....Welcome to the car that even Brit car eccentrics say can be eccentric to work on. You will be rewarded for your hard work first time you take it for a drive and find that it is impossible to wipe that smile off your face.

If it's not Scottish....it's crap! (Cry of the Mini Tartan Owners' Clan)

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 05:56PM
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US
It looks like he is already used to bending over to work so the mini is perfect.

"How can anything bigger be mini?"

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 03:23PM
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Thanks Hunter
It is immensely rewarding to do something like this. It all started when we bought a tractor project when he was just 11 from his grass cutting money. We restored it over the next year and a half and it is now a very useful machine which he enjoys using for mowing, landscaping and snow clearing, providing the funding for the next project. A year later we got restless and agreed that although we didn't know a lot about them, a mini restoration would be just the perfect next project. We took a gamble on this one since it hadn't driven in over 4 years but seems like it is pretty sound, and i think it was a good investment. At less than 14 years old he has time to learn and have fun. It is all the stuff I wanted to do as a kid but never had the time, space, and know-how so it is great to have the chance now.

Couple pics of his tractor - during & after. Not bragging (or maybe just a little bit).

TJ

 Posted: Apr 26, 2016 12:39PM
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CA
Your son is on the right track.

We built a Mini for my younger son 1991-93 and he drove it to Day 1 of University in September 1993, after I accepted the challenge of driving it 300 miles south for it to debut at Portland's big All British at PIR.

We had something like $9,600 into the build.  He took very good care of the Mini and sold it 10 years later for $12,500.

Your son may never again in life have a vehicle that does not depreciate.  It will be up to him!

 Posted: Apr 25, 2016 06:43PM
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CA
That looks to be an A+.....not S anyway

 

"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May

"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge

 

 

 

 Posted: Apr 25, 2016 12:55PM
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Post it up on restorationmini.com

 Posted: Apr 25, 2016 12:37PM
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Thanks very much guys. So 1275 it must be. I found one site that says the bore & stroke should be 70.6 x 81.28 which must be what we have.

I posted some more pictures of the engine block. I'm not really sure what we are looking for so any other clues you pick up will be helpful.

My son has 2 years before he is driving so we have the time to work on it. We stripped and restored his John Deere 332 a couple years ago so I have confidence in our ability to tackle this. He plans to keep all the major parts of the drivetrain but squeezing a bit more power out if we can. His plan is for 13" minilites, and possibly a couple rally style fog lamps. White with blue and grey accents and grey leather interior. I have some upholstery connections, some tools and a smattering of experience.

But I get in on all the fun while he pays for it.

Found 86 Messages

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