Project Trig - After 18 Months Away, Is Back In Town! by Mini 360

12 minute(s) of a 461 minute read

Update again! While I was at work mum carpeted the crossmember and then once I was home managed to get the carpet in after I had checked the reverse light worked and no extra wiring was required.   So a photo of that.... Had these kick plates fitted before.  Still not decided if they will stay but they are on for now.   Also after trimming the doorcard to clear the rear arch (tubbed arches mean non standard shape which we forgot about before the card was made....) we got it fitted!  VERY happy with it!  Fits perfectly and with the doorbin its finished off nicely. The other card is awaiting fabric to arrive and then the backrest of the rear seat needs made up.  So close and its looking amazing!  Just need to paint the screw heads to let them blend in a bit better than they do here... and with the carpet in we got the gearstick gaitor in!  Getting the weather gaitor underneath the carpet and getting that aligned with the carpet, gaitor and gaitor plate took a while but we got there!  Just need to aint the heads of the screws. And seeing as I dont have standard belts and therefore dont need the holes in the doorbins, mum made up a couple of blanking plates.  In suede of course. and I think the DVLA know its almost ready too.  My Tax/Sorn reminder came in today.  Will make it easier to tax next week :) Dad got a couple of bits of interior trim painted up (steering cowl, rear bench lip trim etc) so they are being left to fully dry overnight.  Next up now that the interiors pretty much done is doors, bonnet and the dreaded bootlid!  Need to play about with the carb too as the cars not idling.  Idle screw issue I think!

6-7-2013

So after a 9day 48hr delivery from Wood & Picket.....my bumpers finally arrived today.   No sooner said than fitted!  Ace! Also got my harness bar installed.  No rear seat going in for MOT as there arent any mounting points for the belts anymore.  Will go in again after MOT but wont be useable because of the bar and harnesses for the front seats.   This will be getting covered in the end but not point doing that now when it needs to come out again to fit the seat underneath! Tried running the car again. It fires and runs for about 3 seconds and cuts out. Need to investigate this over the weekend as it was running totally fine before......! Mums been busy quilting yet more suede to get the rear seat and final doorcard done and dads been touching up bits of paint in the engine bay and prepping the MOT special steel wheels

6-8-2013

Today then!  Got the seats in!  Changed the brackets since this photo so they are more upright.  Much better.



Got the drivers door on. Couple shims on the lower hinge. Perfect alignment and slams 'like a golf'



Uniform Mini panel gap. Kinda big but no Minis perfect.



Passenger door on. Still needed adjusting of the slam panel bracket here hence slightly dodgy gap at the rear. Sorted now.



Bonnet placed on. Hinges arent acting as they should.....no idea whats going on but temps dropped as did the light so ended for the day. Got a lot more done than pcis suggest (checking over torques on bolts etc) but all needs done for MOT time!



(again door got adjusted after this...)



LOADS to do tomorrow but good weather forecast so fingers crossed we get through all the little niggly jobs!



Also cars STILL not running right.  Fires for about 3 seconds then dies no matter what throttle or choke you put on it.  No idea whats happening so any ideas???  Getting worried by it!

6-9-2013

Update time!  LOADS done today! (not all mentioned though)  It looks like a car again!

First up we tried to fit the bonnet. And came across our first issue! The bonnet pin was from the old bonnet and before the paint went on, it was tried out for bonnet fitment after welding. Problem being it was still slightly rusty and then it got painted over.....and as a result it was jammed SOLID into the captive nut welded onto the bonnet. Not a great issue until you realise the bracket its located into is paper thin and spot welded to the bonnet face. Slightest torque on it and instant bonnet damage. So we sourced one from a mate and cut the cold one off, drilled out the stud and fitted the new one. Nightmare and nerve wracking with paint so close but we did it!

This is the old one....unable to be adjusted.



Then we went to fit the dreaded bootlid. Warmed up the seal for a while to ease application



Cleaned up the boot a bit and saw this angle so had to shoot it



and fitted it. Win! ITs fitted without the seal as its pushing the lid out far too far but it closes firmly. Will try the seal another day but didnt have time to waste on it today.





Shiny? You bet



The lid does open but not far. If it opened any more than this, it would hit the bumpers top edge. Typical me being awkward and wanting the smooth internal hinges. Been a huge pain in the build! Enough to fit a crate of beer in though which is all thats needed



We had loads of boot stays kicking about but all were obviously too long. Adapted one and made up this one. Works a treat!



Front wheels still need cleaned and polished. Rears are done though.



More tomorrow as I've got the day off work. :)

6-10-2013

Thanks gents!  Almost there!

So today was the day.  MOT time.  Got the car running again last night.  Stupidly I had blocked off a pipe on the carb that shouldnt and tada it ran fine again.  Timing/carb way off but ti ran well enough to take it to Jim King about 3 miles away.   So here it is ready to go.  Fine day for a wee trip to the station. Arrived very early but got the company of this guy.  Ace garage dog! You will notice the steel wheels.  The 13s arent finished yet so threw these on to get it through the test.  Looks horrible but will do the job! Commence test Test complete and here the view of the cars they deal with while I awaited the full results. MK1 Escort RS2000, Pontiac Trans am Firebird (yes the smokey and the bandit one), a Lotus Eclat (I believe) and of course Trig As I expected, it failed. Emissions were through the roof and blocked the machine. Should be 3.5% CO2 for this age of car but Trig was reading just shy of 7%. Good lad! Also failed on non funtioning horn and headlights out of alignment. That was it! Very happy with that considering its been nut and bolt rebuilt by myself with help from friends and family. Going to order upo a new stalk for the horn/flasher side as neither of these work and the wiring all seems fine, as do earths etc. If that doesnt fix it, god knows whats wrong with it! Hopefully if that arrives later this week it will have its MOT ready to go to Tain. The suspension is solid and I mean SOLID! The car was bouncing all over the shop so I think I need to tweak that a fair bit as there is next to no travel in the shocks at all. Other than the above, its great and Jim was very impressed given my previous experience (none...). Even went as far to say he's seen cars built by garages done to a far far lower standard than mine. Happy with that! Felt good to just drive a Mini again too!

6-12-2013

Cheers guys!  Fingers crossed!

Wee update.  Awaiting parts to arrive to solve issues so its getting rather close to the wire but not giving up hope yet!  Mums been busy though!  Rear seat almost done, just needs clipped onto the frame again hence why its slightly saggy in the photo.  All good when clipped up :) Hopefully more news tomorrow if Mr Postie plays along.....