I Only Wanted The Wheels.... by 72clubman

7 minute(s) of a 153 minute read

Thought I should update this!

Well it survived its week use, but barely!


So replacing the filter head completely sorted the oil leak and then she ran ok for a day.

The running then got gradually worse, it got really bad. I feared it wouldn't get me to work, and really had no confidence in it making the 130 miles back home!

I tried adjusting the fueling and timing, and checking everything but couldn't get it to run right.


I managed to chug it home last Friday and on a 190 mile detour! 300 miles in one go!
With the problems it was having that was incredibly stupid, but I wasn't let down.

But the old girl wasn't happy, had to remove the vac advance just to make it run. It wouldn't pull, and chugged under 2k rpm, it just sounded awful.

I've since rebuilt the distributor and reset the timing (ruined it by filling it with oil from the leaking filter head, and then ruined the timing when replacing the head!

I was hoping to find broken flyweights in the distributor, but alas no, just oil.

So the ignition side is now again spot on.

Sadly this hasnt sorted a horrible chugging at low revs, as soon as you get though this, around 2k rpm it'll pull like a train. Next step is to pull and rebuild the carb!

I hate to say it but climbing back into my freshly serviced daily driver was heaven.
Also doesn't help the minis case that I collected a mod I'd always wanted to do for it that weekend.



I still haven't ruled out Stanford Hall though...

9-12-2015

So I couldn't just leave the poor girl running so badly, so I put my best fault finding hat on and went digging.

I know the mini engine has simeased ports, but I'm pretty sure it's not meant to share combustion chambers...




Also gives me a chance to repaint my head. When I had the unleaded inserts done they offered to paint it, and did a terrible job. It rusted within a few weeks!

10-11-2015

It's been a while since I've updated this.

Head got stripped entirely back of its terrible paint job.



Then freshly painted.




They're big bloody valves as well! Doesn't half go well!



I managed to get it all bolted back together for Stanford Hall and had a lovely day, drove beautifully.





Even got in mini world!



If anyone was wondering who bought the clubman bonnet and bootlid in Asral Blue, I couldn't help myself!




There's where she sits now, MOT expired and declared SORN.

Oh and with a new bumper.



She won't be back on the road wearing green again!
Hopefully in a few weeks she'll get a new garaged home. And then the strip down will begin!

Thanks guys :) As much as I love it, I'd quite like to stop having to make excuses for the paint. And after seeing the bonnet and bootlid, I'm sold on the colour. I'm still liking the idea of a contrast roof though.

Quick run through will be a complete strip down, replacement of entire front end inner wings and all with a heritage front end (hate flip fronts) because of it being all bent sadly rather than rusty! haha. and I think an entire floor, but not heritage, cause I hate the mpi floor pans they supply. So maybe m machine half floors.
Front floor pans are nasty welded in jobbies, and the oversills are gonna be hiding evils!

I actually now due to circumstances have quite a bit of time on my hands so I hope to crack on when I get space. I also have an engine rebuild of my dad's 1275 GT, and the complete restoration of as my name suggests my 72 Clubman!

10-26-2015

Thanks for your thoughts guys, it's always good to get a second, third and fourth opinion :) I know what you mean about the colour, but I think it's got to return for the sake of originality.
If I where to paint it any colour I think I'd have to go for black, to match my uncles car that inspired me.
My dad even suggested painting it nicely in green. So lots of options.

It's a long way from paint!

I'm a much bigger fan of the earlier GT colours, black tulip,aqua etc. But I'm not a fan of painting a later car an earlier colour, doesn't sit well on 12s.

As a controversial view I've never been a fan of blaze/vermillion! When I was looking at mk3 S's we pretty much discounted it if it was blaze.

As for the roof I definitely see where you're coming from slidehammer, it's certainly not set in stone. So may well keep a body coloured roof.

Ahh you'd love my dad's other GT then keefr22! It's so yellow! He still can't decide if he even likes it! He couldn't not buy it though, the shell was so good! engine not so much, I'm currently rebuilding that for him.

11-3-2015

After 11 months of feeling guilty leaving the poor mini outside under a car cover, it's finally inside! 

Now I just need to work out what the hell I'm doing with it! 

11-5-2015

Thanks guys ☺

You're all going to hate me now though. This garage isn't staying. It's got a slight leak, but it's mostly to make way for something slightly larger....

This sadly means I can't start stripping yet, as she needs to remain mobile.

But it has opened up quite a bit of space for me to start on my longer term project. Hopefully another few days of clearing and then a new project thread!

2-25-2016

Hi Austin, glad you've enjoyed having a read through. I do agree using a mini as a daily is brilliant. Every drive is an occasion!

Good luck on your GT search. I don't think you'll be dissapointed coming from your innocenti. I'm lucky were my comparison is a mk3 Cooper S, they are very different though.

Sadly no updates on my GT. The garage is still in the planning phase. So Ive been keeping myself busy with another project! Terrible I know.

So it'll have to carry on enjoying it's extended hibernation. I did drag it out into the sunlight yesterday though, quick charge of the battery and it fired right up!




It's on its storage wheels







And sat with its pristine counterpart!