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

9 minute(s) of a 461 minute read

Did more work on this yesterday.  Got the speakers all wired up and wires hidden beneath the carpets and a rogue trapped wire leading through the roof channel removed.

No pics of the wiring as well...its hidden but did make a start on my radio antenna. Originally the car had a front passenger wing mounted monstrosity that was a huge rust trap. I got the hole smoothed off before paint and I had this window stick on one from when it was last on the road. It works great. Stick it to the front screen and then lead the aerial/live wires around the window seal. I will paint over the red writing before it goes in though.....



With the speaker wiring done we got the parcel shelf in and speakers mounted. Not doing a fancy install as there wont be much point with the noise the car creates. Standard speakers will do the job fine.



Also rewired my courtesy light wiring after i discovered this lovely bit of work....



Unshielded wires with some sort of metal clip used for a join. So safe! Properly done now and insulated.

Got the rear window seal into place.  Left it to form to the apperture overnight and will get the window in tonight hopefully.  Back to work now so its evening and weekend garage time once again!

Anyway seeing as I had time to build the car tonight, I got on with the wiring and dashboard. Beautiful, still evening, radio on, no distractions.  Great! Got the majority of the wires tucked and secured behind the lower dash rail.  Only wires remaining are for the aux gauges, head unit and main gauges. Got my dash built up, complete with speakers in the eyeball vent holes seeing as they no longer have a place on the car! Having to drill holes in a mad expensive dash was not a pleasant experience but needed to be done!  Found some short screws in an assorted box we have collected over the years.  Handy to have! Then, rather annoyingly, the dash needed a few spacers glued onto it to fit the gauges, which are supposed to fit into the shaped dash perfectly.......but thankfully it wasn't a big issue. Fairly worked though!   So dash built up, just need to buy speaker grilles and a new radio!  

Oh and mums been busy again!

 Should get the dash fitted up tomorrow if its another nice evening!

6-1-2013

Haha thanks I think!?  Glad you think its good!  Its by no means perfect!

So I ordered a LOAD of bits during the week and the only bits that arrived were the speaker grilles and hinges!  They turned out to be too big to stick on the front of the dash but thankfully my dad had an idea..... I took the grille... I cut the centre out of it..... I took a spare chrome ring for the gauges that I had and checked for fitment....which was perfect for the diameter of the hole! and then after a tidy up of the grille, sandwiched it between the back of the dash and the speaker!   So it looks in keeping with the rest of the dash and functions!  Glad I didnt fit the dash before thinking of this now!   Also got the aerial fitted onto the screen and wires tucked etc.   Got the hinges, two were seized so had to split them and free them up/unclog the paint they had been heavily coated in painted up on the washing line! and done ready to go! Should get them fitted to the doors tomorrow and then if my folks are about, get the dash and doors in!

6-3-2013

Update time!  Radio arrived in the post, nothing else did due to local holiday.  Superb!  But seeing as it was already wired into the car ready to go, I plugged it in and tada!  Working headunit!



With that tested and the speakers all working I fitted the dash together with everything in its final place. Blue taped up to prevent possible chipping on installation!



Not a bad radio for £50 on eBay! Was circa £200-250 when i worked at Halfords 3 years ago.



with a bit of fettling and adjusting it went in easily! Everything hooked up and working well. Ace! Looks so much tidier now!



Perfect view of the gauges too which is nice



Also painted up my rear speakers to make them look fresh. Much better!



Tada!



NExt up carpets, doors and bonnet and boot!  :)

6-5-2013

Thanks guys!  Im a pretty big fan of it myself if Im honest!

I did get a couple of deliveries yesterday.  Unfortunately not MOT dependant ones.....oil pressure capillary fibre washers and a Speedwell (old 60s Mini tuning company) fuel bib to protect the paint on the tank from potential splashes!  Looks better in the flesh now Ive put it on properly....(not pictured) However I also got my fresh air ducting fitted up after it arrived the other day. and got my rear window in!  Need to fit the metal strip at the top but temperatures dropped and the seals hardened up.  Leave it for sunnier times. Tomorrow my mums going to fit the carpets again and then we can get the doors on etc after.  So close.....! Oh and my Tain entry arrived.  Its only 10 days away......