FOM The Clubman Estate

[Tupers]

So it would seem everyone else's projects have been moving along but mine has barely been treading water. This is mostly because I've been busy with restoration work a '63 Mini convertible but I've also found my self falling in and out of love with the estate.

I decided the best way of raising my interest again was to buy something shinny for the car. I had originally planned to stick with the standard brake and clutch MC's but got a good deal on a Wilwood set-up and seized to chance to clean the engine bay up a little more.

Now for the second part of my madness.
First thing's first I **** the cross member braces, they're ugly and I can make something nicer so they're gone.

Then there's this.
Although from a distance the smoothed off bulkhead looked ok I still wasn't happy.

The most logical thing to do (in my head at least) was to chop it out and make a new one piece bulkhead. I started by drilling out the spot welds along the bottom of the windscreen frame and slitting either end of the scuttle.

Then came more chopping.

I've retained the hinge perches and the new steel will the butt welded in around here once it's all tidied up.

I also removed the bottom dash rail as it will be covered by the dash board I have planned and I can add something more suitable for my new pedal box and steering column set-up to mount to.

 

[bullet]

So it would seem everyone else's projects have been moving along but mine has barely been treading water. This is mostly because I've been busy with restoration work a '63 Mini convertible but I've also found my self falling in and out of love with the estate.

I decided the best way of raising my interest again was to buy something shinny for the car. I had originally planned to stick with the standard brake and clutch MC's but got a good deal on a Wilwood set-up and seized to chance to clean the engine bay up a little more.

Now for the second part of my madness.
First thing's first I **** the cross member braces, they're ugly and I can make something nicer so they're gone.

Then there's this.
Although from a distance the smoothed off bulkhead looked ok I still wasn't happy.

The most logical thing to do (in my head at least) was to chop it out and make a new one piece bulkhead. I started by drilling out the spot welds along the bottom of the windscreen frame and slitting either end of the scuttle.

Then came more chopping.

I've retained the hinge perches and the new steel will the butt welded in around here once it's all tidied up.

I also removed the bottom dash rail as it will be covered by the dash board I have planned and I can add something more suitable for my new pedal box and steering column set-up to mount to.

i'll get in touch with my brother today as he owned one of these, same colour as yours, but i do know it started out as a woody but the wood work was so rotten my dad restored it with out the wood, i'll see if i can get the reg and may be some picss for you even if its not the same one(never know)

 

[bod]

Don't lose heart, this is my favourite build on here, can't wait to see it finished, it's going to be something out of the ordinary for sure!
Matt

 

[Angusdog]

Likewise, I was hanging out for an update. I love the way you don't do anything by halves - didn't you spend a huge amount of time taking all the bumps out of the bulkhead? Still, US rodders seem drawn to the smooth firewall look and it yet another point of difference on this car.

 

[Epicyclic]

Keep going! I'm looking forward to the next installment. If the convertible has got you going, just think there isn't as much metal to chop about on that

 

[stuvy]

keep on mate im gutted i sold my RS turbo escort project a year or two back.

Youl be so pee'd off when the guy you sold it to says he kept the engine and grass tracked the shell, i certainly was as mine was a RWD conversion

 

[octo0072000]

as said keep up the good work a lot on here read for than they post brilliant work keep at it think of a convertible as half a mini so less to do
we all have projects it's the same story as lots of unfinished ones on ebay but it's best to finish one first than have a lot on the go as it will seem never ending

 

[Tupers]

Thanks guys, I could never sell this car but there have been time where I've seriously considered chopping up and taking it to the scrap yard. Fortunately all that's over with now.

Seen as I'm being all annually retentive () about keeping the engine bay simple and clean I decided to get rid of the dip in the centre of the front crossmember. It was there to clear the bottom of a carb but seen as I'll be on a throttle body I don't need it.

I started out by making a the top section long enough to also do away with the old clutch and brake M/C holes and the heater hose holes.

Then I folded a section for the front of the crossmember.

After a little measuring the disc cutter came out and so did some more of the car.

It still needs a lot of trimming and fettling but this is basically how it will look. I've made the vertical section go out further so it will tie into the rest of the crossmember a bit better. I'll also be integrating two engine steadies into it.

 

[octo0072000]

keep up the good work we need to see this in the car mags
you can do yes you can

 

[Exuptoy]

Nice work dude. I've had many minis. This is awesome. Keep it up.

Is the steel for the crossmember the same gauge?

 

[Tupers]

keep up the good work we need to see this in the car mags
you can do yes you can

Thanks fella, I've been talking to a few mags so it's more a case of when than if.

Nice work dude. I've had many minis. This is awesome. Keep it up.

Is the steel for the crossmember the same gauge?

Yeah fortunately we had some on the rack so I didn't have to go ordering a whole sheet.


Last night I got to work on the final trimming of the crossmember to make the new centre section slot in. I started out by clamping the new vertical face on so I could mark up and remove the old section that ties into the internal tower bolt gussets.

Having the ends of the vertical and horizontal sections staggered will also mean any load will be spread out more and not just carried across one straight weld.

I also removed the dip in the centre of the bulkhead and flushed in a new flat section as well as removing the final section of crossmember from above the old pedal box holes.

I added two plates on the inside of the crossmember to help the new horizontal section sit at the correct height they will also allow me to get a stronger final weld without fear of blowing through.

I drilled 4 holes in the each end of the vertical section to plug weld into the internal gussets and cleco'd it into its final resting place. The new steel is now nice and flush with the original crossmember and should be a breeze to weld in.

The horizontal section is also sitting nicely I just need to add a couple of Cecos and a few internal gussets.

Both section are now where they need to be the next job will be to reinstall the engine and ad in the top engine steadies before welding the whole lot in.

I also got my new steering column in the post. This has got most of the essential controls on the stalks so I can retain a clear dashboard.

 

[Tupers]

I started making a water pump engine steady bracket yesterday. Unlike the off the shelf items mine puts the steady directly over the water pump outlet and the rose joint will be mounted to a double sheer bracket for extra strength.

I'm also using the same 5/16" rose joint and turnbuckle on the clutch side so it all matches. This side will also have a double sheer bracket.

After a bit of searching on eBay I got myself a belt tensioner from a '96 MPI that I've started modifying tension my new belt system.

With the help of an old extension lead you can see how the belt will be routed.

 

[cardiffrob]

Sure you don't want a...

...nice lightweight alloy big-valve 1275 head to polish up?

 

[Tupers]

Sure you don't want a...


...nice lightweight alloy big-valve 1275 head to polish up?

I'd love a shinny alloy head, fancy a swap for a nice rusty steel one?



Work on customer cars has meant I haven't had time to to much on the estate recently (never a bad thing) so I've just been sorting out some parts I need.

I bought some fancy KAD rose jointed front tie bars, a pair of KAD rear Camber/Toe brackets and a yet more welding clamps. You can never have too many welding clamps.

Dad had to go and pick up some trials bikes from Wales recently and also picked up my Hillman Imp pistoned engine from a friend who originally collected it for me when I bought it two and a half years ago.
The good side is that he very kindly greased the bores when he got it so everything rotates nice and smoothly but my plans have changed and all I need from this now are the pistons.

I also open my copy of Mini Magazine this month to find my mug staring back at me in the "One The Job" section. I'm thinking of having the blown up so I can use it as wall paper.

 

[Angusdog]

Ha ha! Wondered when we'd see you in the comics It's going to look special when you're finished, that's for sure. Mine's getting close to being back on the road, although I've done considerably less than you. Dropped the metro engine in though so feeling proud of myself.

 

[naughtyboy]

thank god you posted again my eldest boy was getting withdrawal symptons.

hes plucking up courage to ask guy down rd with battered old mini if he wants to sell it.

 

[Tupers]

Ha ha! Wondered when we'd see you in the comics It's going to look special when you're finished, that's for sure. Mine's getting close to being back on the road, although I've done considerably less than you. Dropped the metro engine in though so feeling proud of myself.

I'm glad to hear yours is nearly there, I'm sure I'll catch up eventually.

thank god you posted again my eldest boy was getting withdrawal symptons.

hes plucking up courage to ask guy down rd with battered old mini if he wants to sell it.

I think I'm suffering withdrawal symptons as well to be honest.


So the buying of stuff continues.
I've been struggling to find a fuel filler cap that will fit into the space behind my hinged rear light. I wanted something a little more secure than a screw on cap and realised the cap of one of the bikes we've got would be ideal. It's basically just a smaller version of a conventional car filler cap and should to job nicely.




I got another windage tray as the first one I bought ended up in my brothers race car.
It's designed to fit in the top of the gearbox and stop oil in the sump being thrown up by the gears and onto the crank so in theory should reduce drag and free up a tiny bit more power.

 

[Tupers]

Hows about a bit or progress?

I cut the top of the GasGas tank off and flattened it out to use as the splash panel around the filler, more to come with this.


After a nice quite afternoon with some petrol and a tooth brush my pistons are all clean and ready to be sent off with a fresh block for boring.


A bit of random ebay trawling turned up a nice set of door pockets and armrest/pulls. The pockets need cutting down and the pulls need some work but I'm quite fond of them.


Ebay also delivered with a set of headlights and backing plates in decent knick. They need moving up and out but they'll be wicked cool once I'm done.



The bottom arm bushes have been swapped for rose joints because rose joints are cool and they'll match my sexy new KAD tie bars.



Now to some actual progress even if it's only a couple hours I knocked out before coming home today.
I made a template for a new smooth bulkhead and got it cut folded and fitted. I've still got a lot of other bits that need sorting before it goes in permanently but it's nice to have made a start on it.

 

[Angusdog]

Glad to see progress is still being made - Long time between episodes of this show; I don't know why I pay my licence fee really...

Mine's marginally closer to being on the road. I need a custom made exhaust to fit the LCB* I bought (pic below), but a lack of time and money are holding me up at the mo' (but my tax return should be here shortly

* This is a locally made LCB (with a 2" outlet) which has no slip joints. It uses flanges which are more reliable and easy to seal.

 

[Robotstar5]

The good old LCB, I fitted one of those with a big bore pipe/silencer along with an 1½" SU and 739? cam to my first Mini, unfortunately it bought the exhaust a bit close to the main battery lead as I found out a few weeks later when all the electrics went off on overrun