My Vtec Cooper

[Oz]

That's perfect, thank you for that

No worries. I just hope if you buy one, yours is a better fit !!

[Kam]

I'm pretty sure its welding the straights on c0ck-eyed that has give the issue I am having.

It is, they are not meant to be welded on in the first place its one continuous pipe on each end. Even if it was its meant to be on as you say straight!

I know your cheesed off with them but its alot of money so you need to know

[Kam]

And I would be sending the collector off on its own but at there costs

[Oz]

It's not just the collector that is c0ck-eyed unfortunately, it's the pipe from the 1 and 4 branch of the manifold which the collector slips onto that has been welded on at an angle that is causing the issue, I think they may have messed that up and then cut the collector pipes and welded on straights to try and compensate rather than just redo it.

[Oz]

Ok, slap me silly with a wet fish but after a lot of consideration I've decided to go back to building the car as FWD rather than AWD. Several reasons for this that I'm not going to bore you with but it also means that I have dug the Custom-Minis frame back out and refitted it in place of the Watsons frame so that I don't have to cut the inlet or box the bulkhead plus it is a narrower track so helps with wheel fitment under the arches.

I will move the front bar back to sort the valance clearance issue.

I was also looking at the rad positioning. I had been trying to get the rad right in front of the box but there just isn't the room so I have relented and gone for the Minitec type positioning with the rad under the wing, this way I have much better clearances but I have had to shave the gearbox side brace bar to get the rad back.





It still needs grinding back a bit further at the top as the rad has to tip backwards slightly .

(PS fear not the AWD running gear will be packed away nicely as I still have plans for that but this car has to get back on the road first )

[stun538]

Noooooooo!

[Oz]

Noooooooo!

sadly due to some unfortunate circumstances I don't really have any other option. The AWD running gear will rise again in the future but not in this car.

[gazwad]

good decision in my opinion, the mini based frame feels so much better to drive than the metro based frame

[Oz]

good decision in my opinion, the mini based frame feels so much better to drive than the metro based frame

The Custom-Minis frame is still a K series frame like the Watsons frame but has been modified to fit under standard front rather than a Mini based frame.

[Oz]

Just to add, I was playing around with rad hoses trying to work out how I'd connect the rad to the engine now it was moved well out of the original position and it actually looks like the OEM CRV bottom hose that came off my donor CRV is about the right length and the shape is not too bad either and will fit without being kinked. I just have to work out how to get the top hose to fit as now the rad sits further back, the top outlet on the rad is almost level with the thermostat housing meaning a hose with a big S in it. I found this which might help a bit as the standard top coolant housing is angled forwards which is a PITA so if I can get rid of the angle it will help getting a hose on.

http://k-tuned.3dcartstores.com/GSRB...ing_p_514.html

[Oz]

Balls, I just realised that the one linked to above is for the GSR head (what we know in the UK as the B18C4 head ... Their B16 one is angled like the one I have and the bolt holes look in different places

http://k-tuned.3dcartstores.com/B16B...ing_p_534.html

[Oz]

I got my H&S manifold back from being sorted locally, from



to

[Oz]

Playing with rerouting my heater hoses as the original routing was over the starter motor and the heater control valve did hit the main live cable once. I don't want a repeat of that.

I wanted to put through-bulkhead fittings in and after some playing around it looked the best way was through the LHD pedal box in the bulkhead



Using an MPi heater valve mounted under the lower dash rail but in a slightly different position to help with the pipe routing





I also wanted to try the front wheel with the wing and front panel in place. Even using Mini top arms the wheel does sit forward in the wheel arch

[Harley]

Regarding the top radiator hose outlet- I just removed the factory one, cut the neck off and welded it back on straight.
You may just have to bead blast it first and perhaps bake it in an oven for a while to get rid of many traces of old coolant as possible to try and minimise weld porosity.

[Oz]

Regarding the top radiator hose outlet- I just removed the factory one, cut the neck off and welded it back on straight.
You may just have to bead blast it first and perhaps bake it in an oven for a while to get rid of many traces of old coolant as possible to try and minimise weld porosity.

Cool, I'll look in to it