Mini 40 Restoration and Engine Rebuild

[PGM]

I've just direct swapped my tidy 1993 Tahiti for my sister's rusty 125000 mile 40 as she wanted a simpler mini as the resto was beyond her current skill/time level (it is beyond mine too in fairness but I like a challenge!). All this is running parallel to a major house refurb also!

Basically, having stripped the car down, what's needed is a full new front end, doors and rear valance. All parts here and a MIG welder that I need to learn to use!

Following that, it's a full rebuild for the engine. I've got the Vizard book and the mini performance manual and also a bit of reading here has led me to the following spec ideas for a road car - please comment, I need advise!

1293 or 1330?
Piper 270i cam
Decent pistons (minispares mega?)
Grind/polish/balance crankshaft
Work on the head in accordance with Vizard manual(possible DIY with compressor and die grinder?)
Intake system (not sure of possiblilites with MPI other than K&N filter in drilled airbox as Vizard - larger throttle body or whether stuck with the existing TB/intake manifolds?)
LCB and 1 3/4" exhaust with cat bypass pipe all stainless.

I'm an engine novice, only having been down as far as the cylinder head before but as an engineer (albeit a "civil") who has always worked on my cars I'm confident that with guidance and a methodical aproach that I can achieve a good result. Stuff I can't do is being sent to the local machining place I've been recommended ie crankshaft and block work, head skim.

You'll see my garage is pretty decent with a resin floor and painted walls, but obviously it's not dedicated to this build. The Vizard manual makes a strong case for cleanliness which I can understand totally and whilst my garage can be made clean it's no hospital! Will this be suitable with a stainless topped bench or engine stand?

I'll try and do a resto thread like a couple of the others here recently.

For the meantime, here's a couple of pics to start it off:


This is how it started


Starting stripping down


This has seen better days!


Interior - Floor is sound, luckily!


Dried the carpets out in the house over Christmas, my wife is over the moon!


My able assistant - he loves this project, hoping to have him welding soon!

That's it for now, any advice and comments welcome!

Edited by PGM on Friday 3rd February 11:40

[PGM]

Yes my sister bought the car there about 5 years ago. Done a lot of miles and been a daily driver so not done too badly. Gearbox was rebuilt at guessworks a little while back too.

Ill post some pics up from when she bought it shortly.

[PGM]

Many thanks for those pointers, very useful and all makes perfect sense. I must admit I was thinking without budgets due to the relatively low parts prices but it's surprising how it all mounts up and I'd like to keep it on the right side cost wise.

I'd like to keep the original engine so numbers are all matching as it's a special editino and am leaning to the 1293 for the reasons you mention giving me more future options.

[PGM]

Some of the original pics at miniman (mobile phone ones unfortunately but you get the idea):







Car was low mileage, this was 5 or 6 years ago now and was used as a daily driver.

[PGM]

JC T ONE said:

Nice car, very rare here in Denmark, only seen one.

I will strongly advice you to fit a set of innerwings, when you are done.

Not only do they prevent mud & water to reach all the corners, so it rust again, but they also take a lot of the tyre noise, so the car gets more comfy to drive.

Thanks very much that is a good idea, do you mean steel ones or the plastic liners you can get - I had briefly looked at the plastic liners.

[PGM]

Thanks very much for those tips!

[PGM]

Eb78 said:

Wow!

I’ve been reminiscing about my old cars and came across this. I was the 2nd owner of this car and sadly sold it on for a ‘family car’ I was wondering if you still have it and if your restoration is now complete?

Good to hear from you.

Yes we still have the car, restoration is ongoing as family life got in the way a bit over that time.

My son in the pictures has become very frustrated with the pace of this project so it's on fastrack now! He is now 16, has started a classic car restoration apprenticeship, he works for an Austin 7 specialist restoration company who do the whole car start to finish so our mini is over there as a bit of an after hours project. He's now got proper skills, technical backup and a workshop full of tools and equipment we can only dream of at home so the car's in the best place.

The engine and gearbox are pretty much complete now, just assembly and body stripped and just about to go to shotblast and etch prime. Then the bodywork starts.

Mechanical spec is as follows:
1330cc block with new cam bearings, fully cleaned and machined
Standard crank ground to +20
MED lightweight Clutch kit and ACDodd lightened, balanced and skimmed flywheel
Calver ST pistons
ARP conrod bolts
11 stud head
Duplex timing
Swiftune Mpi cam
MED 1.3 rockers
ACDodd cylinder head, larger valves, ported, bronze guides, new springs etc









Guessworks gearbox rebuild kit with central oil pickup, windage tray















3.4 final drive
Minispares x-pin diff
Protech shocks
Reconditioned subframe parts
New fuel lines and brakelines
Plenty of bling
Plenty of other stuff not thought about yet/remembered!

Interior will be pretty much standard with upgrade stereo (all sympathetically hidden)
Optimise Automotive headlining, dash and pillar trims (not 100% sure which type yet but one of the nicer upgrade sets)


Here is the shell on moving day from home to the 7s workshop!



















Cheers
Paul

Edited by PGM on Sunday 21st June 11:47

Edited by PGM on Sunday 21st June 11:49

Edited by PGM on Sunday 21st June 11:54