1973 Blaze Orange 1600GT

[bennivory]

This is my second VTEC build, iv decided that i want to be able to keep up with my uncle :? iv decided to make my own subframe as im an apprentice so funds are a bit tight, and iv just bought a 235 amp MIG :D
The mini is a 1973 1275GT, iv had it for about a year now and rebuilt the engine, its got a stage 3 head HIF 44 carb, Swiftune SW5 camshaft, i also rebored it to 1380. its a bit of a shame really as iv hardly driven it and the engine will go to waste, never mind, it will make a nice ornament lol.
I have started the subframe and im currently looking for a civic vti, iv been to see a few but they were all s**t. i want a full car because i plan to use the honda loom. anyway, il post pics as i go along.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/P1020646.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/P1020639.jpg

[rbaldwinef]

cool man sounds like a plan, what type of apprenticeship are you doing?? congrats on the welder its a very nice thing to have at hand! and if you want a complete car only because of the full chassis harness i can get you one of those un cut for a very reasonable price (well better than buying the whole car lol) they arent too hard to come by in the junkyards here.

[bennivory]

im an apprentice field service engineer for united utilities, which is handy as i have access to machines etc. id like to drive the car about for a bit so i can iron out any faults before it goes in the mini, but thanks anyway. iv just picked up my subframe metal, 1" box section with 3mm wall, meaning it will be quite heavy, but im willing to sacrafice weight for strength, i also got a sheet of 1/4" plate for webbing.

[cables]

ey nice to know there colleagues on the forum, i work for uu awell! im a process controller at crewe wwtw, been building mine for a few years now, hopefully get it done for imm 2009 or mitp (or both)lol

[bennivory]

iv started making the frame, chopped the front off, added cross member from turret to turret. iv also seam welded everything on the turrets as they will loose quite a bit of strength as they are cut down more.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC01573.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC01574.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC01575.jpg
the welding isnt very neat but penetration is good lol, il be tidying it up later.

[bennivory]

Got my donor car! a stolen recovered bad boy crx transtop for £390 :D its rapid, the engine and box are mint but the car is horrible lol. the engine just has B16A stamped onto it, it is a japanese import. my original plans of getting an 1800 have changed lol but i couldnt turn this one down at £390. il start ripping it apart and taking pictures. does anybody know where i can sell the bits?
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/IMGP1195.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/IMGP1197.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC01607.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC01605.jpg

[BATESPEED]

nice job with the welding bud :wink:

[bennivory]

iv not done anything for a while because i broke my finger when me and my mate rolled a land rover IIA off roading lol, anyway, iv took the engine out today, it went well but i broke the throttle postisition sensor so will need a new one :evil:
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00519.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00520.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00521.jpg
I also got this in the week, only £100 and it looks very well made.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00522.jpg

[mikeb]

you can get a throttle position sensor of a rover 200 / 400 , not the bubble shaped rover the older square ones ,the tps is exactly the same as the honda one and easily unscrewed from the throttle body , keep the screws though as on the honda they use shear screws which youll have to knock out with a centre punch and hammer

hth

[bennivory]

bought this inlet off my uncle because it wont wit onto his b18c4. iv been stripping the wiring loom out today and iv had a look at fitting the honda dials into the mini pods, and it looks like it wont be too hard.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00544.jpg

[bennivory]

iv mounted my alternator to the front of the engine, the belt looks straight to the eye, does anybody have any techniques to check if the pulleys are in line? iv also started bolting parts to the skunk2 inlet using some stainless cap head bolts. iv also started heat wrapping the exhaust manifold.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00578.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00581.jpg

[20 year project]

You can put a straight edge like a 2" metal Ruler accross both pulleys this will show if the pulleys are out and in what direction.
You can also use a peice of string tie it off somewhere and pulltight then bring over one pulley and as it goes flat against the other pulley check where the string touches first this will also tell you if the pulleys are out and which direction you need to move the alternator to get them aligned
Hope you can make some sense out of that
Mark

[bennivory]

Got a bit done on my frame today, i havent got too much left to do on it now.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00584.jpg
I also took one of the pot joints out, look whats inside :D :D :D
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00586.jpg
Does anybody know what this sensor is on the VTEC solenoid, the wires are broken off, but the car seemed to run fine without it?
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00583.jpg

[MiniMike]

That looks like the VTEC oil pressure switch. It feeds the ecu a signal to let it know there is enough oil pressure to activate the VTEC safely. The car will run without it, but I doubt the VTEC will ever kick in.

[bennivory]

the CRX is now gone and iv got everything i need off it including the loom, it was very fun :D
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/022709192909.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/022709165313.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/022709165300.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00608.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/030109110714.jpg
I also started making the tank, but iv still got quite a bit to do on that
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/030309194229.jpg

[bennivory]

i havent done much recently, due to getting an xt350 on the road :D, but i made the bottom part of my frame yesterday and sat the engine in it ready for the mounts to be made. Does anybody know anything about filling the rubber engine mounts with some sort of poly bush material? as mine are knackered and could do with being a lot stiffer.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00667.jpg

[bennivory]

iv not updated this for a while, iv not been working on the car much as i dont have a lot of time due to college, work etc. anyway, iv removed the a series lump and cut the front off, iv found a bit more rust than i expected, namely windscreen scuttle panel and rear floorpan.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00699.jpg
heres a picture of the freshly rebuilt a-series :? http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00717.jpg
iv also finished the subframe, i think the engine is sitting too low, and iv had to cut more of the bulkhead than i wanted to, i think i will alter the mounts so the engine sits higher up, let me know what you think from the pictures.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00701.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00707.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00729.jpg
also, the exhaust manifold i bought sticks out way to much, which is a bit annoying, so il be using the standard manifold for now
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00708.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00710.jpg

[Latka]

Isn't it amazing how much crap there is on a "modern" wiring loom? I think a standard Mini you can coil up in one hand... when we pulled one out of a Subaru WRX for an engine swap the damn thing weighed nearly 70lbs! err... 31kg roughly?

Looks like good work on the project so far. All I can do is dream and watch you guys work on your cars until I can scrape together the time for my own.

[bennivory]

it doesnt have to cost a lot, my crx was only £390, and the metal for my subframe cost £20 with lots to spare! but i suppose all the little bits add up

[Latka]

I'm not worried about getting the B or D series engine. It's the subframe I can't do. I'd rather not learn how to weld on something as important as that! :)

More than likely I'll be using one of the Minitec / Superfast Minis subframes from here in the USA. My shell is going to need some work, too.

I'll get there eventually. Gotta get rid of my other Mini and some stuff before I even have the space to work on it.

[bennivory]

iv not worked on the car for a good while, i found quite a lot of rust, so i got p****d off and left it alone for a bit. heres a few pictures of the main problem areas.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00868.jpg
i have bought all of my panels including 2 full length floor sections, also braced the car, since the picture there is also braces across each door, let me know if you think i need any more.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00867.jpg
The only other thing i have done really is to strengthen the tower bolt mounts, as my shell is pre 76, it did not use the large tower bolts so there is no strengthening, i removed the triangular braces from inner wings/bulkhead, then cut out a rectangle so that i could fit a piece of exhaust pipe in, i then welded it in and welded a new rectangle in. i finished by refitting the inner wing/bulkhead triangle.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00845.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00846.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/bennivory/1800GT/DSC00847.jpg
iv not stopped thinking about the car and i have had loads of ideas, once i have finished the shell, im going to start again with the engine mounts, and use slotted holes, to allow for adjustment when fitted to the car. im also going to sit the engine about 25mm higher than it was before.

[gadget555]

how's the bulid comeing on any more up dates ?