NZ - Mark's B-series Minitec Build

[thompy.mark]

Hi all,

Thought it was about time that I got around to putting up a build thread, have been meaning to do it for a while but engineering school is a great eater of time!

Here is the shell as it came back from the shop, was largely as it looks when i bought it off TradeMe (local version of Ebay), but had a few little bits of rust that needed taken care of. I also had a few other things done...

http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1954.jpg

LHD Wiper Holes welded over
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1957.jpg

External fuel filler hole welded over
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1958.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1959.jpg

And, drumroll please...new boot floor suitable for fuel cell :)
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1960.jpg

It was not long after this that i decided to get out my favourite tool...
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1963.jpg

to attack the rear seat and bins...
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_1961.jpg

to make some more room for the seats I had waiting...
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/83584269_full.jpg

More pics of this to come later when I've done both sides, as currently only one is done :oops:

After much saving my hard-earned dollars, I had several packages turn up on my doorstep, don't get me started on customs duty or the cost of shipping!!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2053.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2054.jpg

These contained:
-4-pot Wilwoods for the front
-Minifins for the back
-Front hubs/drive flanges
-Wheel bearings all round
-Lots of rubber seals
-Stainless trim pieces
-Mk 1 Rear lights + conversion plates
-Pair of very nice tow hooks from DSN Classics

Big thanks to Minisport who kindly combined postage for me.

More pics of the above as I get around to putting them on the car!

Another couple of days after this, I got a call from customs to say that my subframe was waiting at the airport for me-it was like Christmas, Easter, and my birthday had all come at once!

The crate was a bit big to fit in the back of my Corolla, so i pulled it off the pallet and away I went!

http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2062.jpg

More pics from when I got it home-don't you love the carpet found in student flats!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2064.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2068.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2074.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2079.jpg

And finally, some more progress as of the last few days-thanks to study leave!

Hacked off the front of the car with the angle grinder. No photos I'm afraid, as I was having far too much fun to stop! I want to move to a clubman front eventually as it will allow me a bit more room to play with regarding the radiator etc.

Got the old subframe out
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2095.jpg

Inner wings trimmed back
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2109.jpg

Excess cut off from under shock mounts
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2110.jpg

And, subframe is in!!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2097.jpg

Brace plates on top of the front of the floor pan
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2098.jpg

Tower bolts are not completely tightened, as i don't have the right size socket. Is also currently mounted using the rubber pieces pulled off the old subframe, will be getting some solid tower mounts in the next lot of stuff from the UK.

I'm not completely happy with the front floor pans either-they are solid enough but the passenger one especially is quite wavy. Will take to them with a large hammer and a block of wood but they are on the list of things to do once everything else is taken care of and the car is running.

And that's how it stands right now. Progress will be rather slow from here on in, as university takes up most of my time. Is a good feeling to actually have made some in-roads though!

Let me know what you think, any suggestions are always welcome :)

Mark

[Glenno]

So the journey begins! Congratulations!

Hi all,

Let me know what you think, any suggestions are always welcome :)

Mark

- yeah just one suggestion-go see what Andrew (birdo) is on and get him to share some around - hes done his conversion in the same time its taken me to make a dash and install it :oops: :oops:

Good luck with the build Mark!

Awesome


Glenn

[Birdo]

Not on something Glenn, just been enjoying the build :D

Great to see the frame on the car Mark and I see you got the guards off without too much effort. I'm sure you can get the motor built in a few weeks and have it running in no time at all!!

What else have you got on order or is that a surprise?


Andrew.

[thompy.mark]

Haha, the angle grinder came in very useful again, just need to get some more discs for the dremel and tidy up around the seams now.

Nothing else is on order at the moment, although I am making a list of things to get from RallyDesign such as shocks/springs etc, and another list for misc. mini-specific bits. Still trying to decide on wheels, see here (http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17113) for my current options. Thoughts?

[delsolbrit]

have you tried trial fitting your seats yet?
just they look very similer to my sparco circuit pro's and i know i had to trim my seats so i could fit em, if they are the revolutions then there 58cm at the shoulder according to what i can find in my demon thiefs mag and that will probably mean depending on how your fitting them (offset or without roll cage) you may need to trim the seat.

[thompy.mark]

Have only had the driver's one in due to my being distracted by other things and not doing the LHS rear bin yet, but it looks like it's going to be a very tight fit either way! If push comes to shove I may end up selling one and then fitting a narrower seat for the passenger. Another option I suppose would be to keep one as a tv chair to transfer into the car on the very odd occasion i might go to the track, and fit something a bit narrower/more practical for semi-regular street use.

How extensive were the modifications you had to make to your seats?

[delsolbrit]

its not that hard really, the covers come off with a spring and wire and then i just trimmed either side and boths seats till they cleared, so basicly trial and error, if you do go down this line remember to smooth off the new edge you create as i missed one and it cut through my seat cover :( ill have a measure of my seat later tonight and let you know if there 58cm on inside or outside and how wide my seats are now so you can work out how much you might need to remove.

[delsolbrit]

measured my seat and there 57cm wide now so its only 1cm need off each seat and turned out i only trimmed one side, did em a while back and prob had some good reason but cant remember what it was right now :?well the pics arnt that good but there the best i got out of the ones i took,

this is the standard side
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r215/delsolbrit/LGIM0144.jpg
trimmed side
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r215/delsolbrit/LGIM0145.jpg

[wozzel23]

Mark !

Good to see you've got the ball rolling. . . . . . . . . . . . Fingers crossed it shouldn't be too far down the track before its all finished. :D

Best of luck with the build.

Russell

[thompy.mark]

Another thing that came to light when I went and talked to the certifier...

The rod ends on the suspension arms that came with the kit are aluminium, and therefore unable to be used on the road here in NZ. Away I dutifully went and bought some steel ones, only to find that the witdth of the spherical part of the bearing is some 3mm wider than the aluminium ones, now requiring the spacers to be either narrowed by 1.5mm each, or new ones made. The spacers that came with the kit are made from thin-walled aluminium tube, and are pretty 'agricultural' looking-not what I really want. Will make some new ones when I find time, hopefully in the 2-week break I have coming up after exams are finished.

http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2116.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2117.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/IMG_2118-1.jpg

[johnburnt]

yeah its a good idea to ditch the rod ends and the alu spacers that look like there made of straw i find the dont allow enough travel aswell
nice work mate

[johnburnt]

have you tryed fitting your steering rack yet?

[dewdew123]

I was talking with Norman at Minitec about my MTD install and I asked him about them using aluminum Heim (Rose) joints on their new suspension components. He stated they have never used aluminum ones??????????? Wonder what has happened? The ones on my car are certainly made of steel. Also the spacers are of steel tubing also.

just wondering :D

[Birdo]

Hmmm, maybe someone has had their hands in the kit going through customs... At least you have good strong stock car joints now :D

[thompy.mark]

Hmm, will have to take another look then! The certifier looked at them when I took the frame in straight after I got it back from the airport, and wasn't too happy with them,on the basis that they were aluminium. Am much happier with the new ones that I have, as the bearing area is much bigger/more robust, although I'll no doubt keep the originals for spares

[WanaGo]

Updates...? Want more need more :)

[thompy.mark]

Am at home in Dunedin at the moment, so nothing is really happening with the car :( Plus I'm at home sick today too, stupid cold weather!

Glenn is in the process of making me up some caliper brackets, so will post some photos once those are all done :)

@johnburnt: Haven't had the steering rack on the car at the same time as the frame, but the eyeometer says it will clear. Am missing engine mounts so can't comment on the clearance to the gearbox housing. Have got an idea or two regarding how I might be able to make it clear which involves a mod or two to the frame, but will see how willing I am to make changes when the time comes

[iainjubb]

they dont look aluminium to me... Just a thought, you sure they are? Its not just the coating they have on, looks like normal galv to be honest :-) just trying to save some work for you.

[thompy.mark]

Have got the new rod ends now and the original spacers are pretty shoddy as well as being too big, hence new ones are in order. I could possibly reduce the width of the original spacers, but then I would have nothing to use with the original rod ends in the event of needing a spare

[Glenno]

................. but the eyeometer says it will clear. .......................

Ahh, yes, where would all us budding project car builders be without this most useful of tools!!!!!:D:D:D

[Birdo]

It's the best tool I've got, built my frame with it before even putting it in the car.. That and a large hammer :D

[thompy.mark]

Right, this update has been a looooooong while coming, but now that I've finished engineering school and am out working) and re-discovering that weekends aren't all about study!) hopefully they should come along a bit more regularly!

Am now based in Alexandra, in Central Otago, and so here's me with the car om the trailer (thanks for the loan of it Glenno!)-was the first time the car has been back on 4 wheels since I got the frame on, amazing feeling!!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts.jpg

I decided that i wasn't prepared to fork out for the shocks offered by Minitec given that they weren't adjustable, and so got some Gaz Gold from RallyDesign...
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts001.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts003.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts002.jpg

See this thread for more info/discussion on shock options for the Minitec frames...
http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20511

I'm having a few issues with fitment of the shocks at the moment, but don't have any photos as yet-to come hopefully this week once I get back home from visiting the olds.

Pulled apart the brand-new mini outer CV's this weekend to try and fit the spiders as supplied by Minitec, only to find that they wouldn't slip into the race :pissedoff:

The Minitec spider (left) and standard mini spider in comparison:
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts004.jpg
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts005.jpg

No issues with the standard spider and race...
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts006.jpg

But the Minitec spider is just too big!!!!
http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv236/thompy_mark/Mini%20Build%20thread/MiniParts007.jpg

Has anyone else come across this issue?? Replies to here...
http://www.16vminiclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20837

[Birdo]

On the road again, do da do do...

Good to hear your getting stuck back in,, I did see your car in your drive way over the holidays and wasn't sure if it was for good or stopping by.

You have no reason for not getting it running now :D

[olly]

awsome another vtec build in nz ;)
will heading to alex in my vtec mini this saturday, can call in if your keen :vtec:

[Glenno]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4338085417_d5a77f4147_o.jpg

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[WanaGo]

Haha

Not a bad looking coilover that

:)

[johnburnt]

ive managed to fit my rack and it clears perfectly cheers (i can send pics if you need)
and not to put a downer on things if you have the mt2b kit you will be limmited to the amount you can raise the suspension as the lower suss bar will catch on the frame ( i am going to modify this at a later date) i have the minitec ones with brackets which i redrilled to raise it 2 inch and the bottom arms caught but as im onto the last of the engine wiring and a few weeks untill turn key im gonna drive it for bit before i mod the frame its only a issue if you want to raise the suss(still their better than the naff mintec ones)

[Mini_Filip]

I'm having a few issues with fitment of the shocks at the moment, but don't have any photos as yet-to come hopefully this week once I get back home from visiting the olds.


What issues did you have with the GAZ coilovers? upper mounts? I am about to order same coilovers for my MTB2 frame.

[Birdo]

Hey Mark, been a long time with no update?