Mk1 Mini Build
Discussion
The first time in years I have spare time to start my '67 Mk1 build and the shell is stalled frustratingly close to completion at the paint shop. It was supposed to be ready by end of February but was slightly delayed and then finally CV19 kicked and sounded the death knell.
It's all painted internally and the roof is done, it only needs the exterior doing....so frustrating!!
I'm satisfying myself with building up the sub frames and completing the engine but it's hard to get motivated without a lovely shiny shell to look at!
It's going to be a Nick Swift racer 'homage'
It's all painted internally and the roof is done, it only needs the exterior doing....so frustrating!!
I'm satisfying myself with building up the sub frames and completing the engine but it's hard to get motivated without a lovely shiny shell to look at!
It's going to be a Nick Swift racer 'homage'
Looks like a good solid car now, just a tip, if the roof gutter has been painted black like the roof it shouldn't be, the gutter / drip rail should be body colour (up to the top edge, then roof colour in the actual gutter channel), if it's the later style black trim fitted a MK1 shouldn't have it, easy fix whilst it's at the stage it is 
Edited by mk1coopers on Tuesday 14th April 15:14
mk1coopers said:
Looks like a good solid car now, just a tip, if the roof gutter has been painted black like the roof it shouldn't be, the gutter / drip rail should be body colour (up to the top edge, then roof colour in the actual gutter channel), if it's the later style black trim fitted a MK1 shouldn't have it, easy fix whilst it's at the stage it is
First thing I noticed when I went to see it! However it's quite deliberate - he over paints the entire gutter when he puts the main body colour on as he likes to get "plenty of paint on the gutters"Edited by mk1coopers on Tuesday 14th April 15:14
It was a very good shell to begin with - it has the original floor and I only had to replace the sills (Mini Machine) up to the first flute. New Heritage front end and scuttle corners
I'll update as work progresses but it will mainly be mechanicals as god knows when I'll get the shell back.
Final colour is Tweed Grey and basic engine spec is 1310cc 11 stud engine with 276 cam, 10:1 CR, A+ rods, fully balanced bottom end and lightened clutch and flywheel, 1.5" SU's but perhaps a single 1.75" to begin with. Going to use a close ratio helical box with a 3.4 final drive and a 4 pin diff
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Ah, an old 1300 block. Make sure it's not an early one with the hole cast above there centre main - these were known to break. They deleted the hole and strengthened the block about the time the Allegro arrived. Absolutely no need to use any Cooper S stuff either.
Tweed grey is superb as well.
Tweed grey is superb as well.
Touring442 said:
Ah, an old 1300 block. Make sure it's not an early one with the hole cast above there centre main - these were known to break. They deleted the hole and strengthened the block about the time the Allegro arrived. Absolutely no need to use any Cooper S stuff either.
Tweed grey is superb as well.
It's a 1300GT block (11 stud with big valve 12G940). I've used 2153 pistons and A+ rods - the original 1300 GT rods are the same as Inno rods and known to be good however the A+ are so much nicer and lighter than Cooper S rods. Tweed grey is superb as well.
1300GT's always - to my fading memory - used the same rods as a regular BLMC 1300 with the big weights. Same heavy old flywheel as well. A+ rods/cranks etc are superb really but the block looks out of place.
The one to have if you could find one was a 1965-7 Mark 1 VdP 1100 with the 1275 option. These used adapted Midget solid wall blocks but used S rods and crank. I only ever found one but on opening up the engine/box (£75 with the car), there was the EN40B bad boy. I even remember the registration, UYB4C which I should have had off it.
I have heard of these 1965-7 1275 1100's having S blocks but I've not seen one so can't comment.
The one to have if you could find one was a 1965-7 Mark 1 VdP 1100 with the 1275 option. These used adapted Midget solid wall blocks but used S rods and crank. I only ever found one but on opening up the engine/box (£75 with the car), there was the EN40B bad boy. I even remember the registration, UYB4C which I should have had off it.
I have heard of these 1965-7 1275 1100's having S blocks but I've not seen one so can't comment.
Touring442 said:
1300GT's always - to my fading memory - used the same rods as a regular BLMC 1300 with the big weights. Same heavy old flywheel as well. A+ rods/cranks etc are superb really but the block looks out of place.
The one to have if you could find one was a 1965-7 Mark 1 VdP 1100 with the 1275 option. These used adapted Midget solid wall blocks but used S rods and crank. I only ever found one but on opening up the engine/box (£75 with the car), there was the EN40B bad boy. I even remember the registration, UYB4C which I should have had off it.
I have heard of these 1965-7 1275 1100's having S blocks but I've not seen one so can't comment.
Nice find/surprise, I wish!The one to have if you could find one was a 1965-7 Mark 1 VdP 1100 with the 1275 option. These used adapted Midget solid wall blocks but used S rods and crank. I only ever found one but on opening up the engine/box (£75 with the car), there was the EN40B bad boy. I even remember the registration, UYB4C which I should have had off it.
I have heard of these 1965-7 1275 1100's having S blocks but I've not seen one so can't comment.
The Inno and 1300GT rods are actually one and the same - they still have the heavy balance pads but are nevertheless lighter overall than std 1275 A rods and are from better grade EN19 steel, they are identified by the small beam across the H section, mid rod height. Vizard referred to them as the 'good guy' rods.
The 1300GT is in essence the same as the Mk3 S engine.
That was a common misconception - but the Mark 3 'S' had the proper thing - 11 stud block with tappet covers and a single core plug on the flywheel end, EN40B crank, AEG520 rods etc - the very, very last of them had an S crank that was tuftrided EN16T when the stock of nitrided EN40B cranks ran out. Cost BLMC a fortune to make, lost money on every one. I never liked the Mark 3, it just lost a lot of the magic.
When I built an engine for my 1275S, I used a thick flange S block bored to plus 40 though and Metro Turbo crank and rods, In the late eighties it was cheap enough to buy and to wasn't shagged out like S stuff.
For a road going Mini, the Innocenti Cooper 1300 engine was just fine however. Why BL didn't import a RHD Cooper 1300 and sell it at a very achievable mark up would be a mystery if they weren't so clueless!
When I built an engine for my 1275S, I used a thick flange S block bored to plus 40 though and Metro Turbo crank and rods, In the late eighties it was cheap enough to buy and to wasn't shagged out like S stuff.
For a road going Mini, the Innocenti Cooper 1300 engine was just fine however. Why BL didn't import a RHD Cooper 1300 and sell it at a very achievable mark up would be a mystery if they weren't so clueless!
Touring442 said:
That was a common misconception - but the Mark 3 'S' had the proper thing - 11 stud block with tappet covers and a single core plug on the flywheel end, EN40B crank, AEG520 rods etc - the very, very last of them had an S crank that was tuftrided EN16T when the stock of nitrided EN40B cranks ran out. Cost BLMC a fortune to make, lost money on every one. I never liked the Mark 3, it just lost a lot of the magic.
When I built an engine for my 1275S, I used a thick flange S block bored to plus 40 though and Metro Turbo crank and rods, In the late eighties it was cheap enough to buy and to wasn't shagged out like S stuff.
For a road going Mini, the Innocenti Cooper 1300 engine was just fine however. Why BL didn't import a RHD Cooper 1300 and sell it at a very achievable mark up would be a mystery if they weren't so clueless!
Hats off to you Touring, that is indeed correct regarding the Mk3 S engine and a mistake I've been labouring under for over 30 years until now - in fairness it's a myth propogated by several published sources of the time which is what was obviously in the back of my mind!When I built an engine for my 1275S, I used a thick flange S block bored to plus 40 though and Metro Turbo crank and rods, In the late eighties it was cheap enough to buy and to wasn't shagged out like S stuff.
For a road going Mini, the Innocenti Cooper 1300 engine was just fine however. Why BL didn't import a RHD Cooper 1300 and sell it at a very achievable mark up would be a mystery if they weren't so clueless!
I owned a black 1300 Innocenti with beige interior back in the 80's, they certainly were a cut above UK Minis, with a great interior and dash. The only trouble was the PO had spilt a bottle of Aramis in it and the flipping thing stunk like a w
es boudoir all the time I had it!I bought a brand new A+ crank from Minsiport the year before last for only £320 complete with shells (bargain!) for my son's MG Metro engined Rover Mini (it had a buggered nose due to a fret welded flywheel) and they certainly are a lovely thing compared to an old A series crank.
I've been playing over the weekend after a parcel of goodies turned up from Minispares.
First up I fitted the lower arms and tie rods to the subframe - I had the frame blasted and finished in marine grade powder coating by a firm in Newcastle a few years ago now. I had all suspension components blasted locally and finished them myself with Hammerite.
I've used the softest tie rod bushes to start with - too hard and the tie rods ends can snap (ask how I know). Besides I want to experience the car as close to how it would have been in 1967 - camber and castor arms can come later if I decide to.
I re bushed the upper suspension arms using the MS kit - the needle rollers were a bh to get out but an expanding puller and lots of heat did the trick. I've fitted heavy duty shock pins and new knuckle joints (this car was hydro but will be dry). Heavy duty shock top mounts will be used as well - they fit to the shell which I haven't got back yet due to our good friend CV19!
I've used a donor hub and shaft set from a later 8.4" disc Mini and am using the MS 7.5" disc conversion kit - it's not often folk go down a disc size but the Cooper S set up was always perfect for a fast road Mini and a Mk1 simply must be on 10" wheels!
I was going to use the existing CV's as they were good but one was rusted on the seal running face so I thought let's go with new - the MS ones are pretty good for a non genuine part.
I was lucky enough to source some genuine ball joints a few years ago so those will be fitted - some recommend lapping the balls to the cups with fine grinding paste but I'm just going to fit them as they are as they feel very smooth.
My only departure will be pot joints - Hardy Spicer, a la Cooper S, would be nice but they are very expensive and pots are reckoned to be ever better.
First up I fitted the lower arms and tie rods to the subframe - I had the frame blasted and finished in marine grade powder coating by a firm in Newcastle a few years ago now. I had all suspension components blasted locally and finished them myself with Hammerite.
I've used the softest tie rod bushes to start with - too hard and the tie rods ends can snap (ask how I know). Besides I want to experience the car as close to how it would have been in 1967 - camber and castor arms can come later if I decide to.
I re bushed the upper suspension arms using the MS kit - the needle rollers were a b
h to get out but an expanding puller and lots of heat did the trick. I've fitted heavy duty shock pins and new knuckle joints (this car was hydro but will be dry). Heavy duty shock top mounts will be used as well - they fit to the shell which I haven't got back yet due to our good friend CV19!I've used a donor hub and shaft set from a later 8.4" disc Mini and am using the MS 7.5" disc conversion kit - it's not often folk go down a disc size but the Cooper S set up was always perfect for a fast road Mini and a Mk1 simply must be on 10" wheels!
I was going to use the existing CV's as they were good but one was rusted on the seal running face so I thought let's go with new - the MS ones are pretty good for a non genuine part.
I was lucky enough to source some genuine ball joints a few years ago so those will be fitted - some recommend lapping the balls to the cups with fine grinding paste but I'm just going to fit them as they are as they feel very smooth.
My only departure will be pot joints - Hardy Spicer, a la Cooper S, would be nice but they are very expensive and pots are reckoned to be ever better.
woodypup59 said:
Good job so far.
Make sure those fat drive shafts will fit in whatever gearbox output couplings you plan to use.
Yeah, the outputs are going to be pots - a departure from period but acceptable I think (and so much cheaper than Hardy Spicers). I'm using a remote box from an ADO16 so will be changing the diff outputs too (as well as the diff case for a Mini remote)Make sure those fat drive shafts will fit in whatever gearbox output couplings you plan to use.
Will keep updating as I go but no 'eye candy' unfortunately until the shell comes back, just boring spanner work!
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