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

11 minute(s) of a 461 minute read

Got a day off on Monday so going to try and get more work done on the car then. Electrics is obviously top of the list! Plus windows are ready to go in almost once we have done the headlining sides.


I also just bought this to replace my daily driver VW Polo.......thankfully Im not needing any parts spending on the Mini anyway at the moment as it has emptied my pocket! 98 Spec Japanese Import Honda Integra Type R in mint condition. Chuffed!










Getting it trailered up sometime in the next two weeks hopefully as its in Reading!

12-2-2012

Righto! Interior is almost completed! Mums been working hard on it and the effort shows in the final outcome! The front cards are done and now we just need to cut the holes for the door furniture. So some pics...

Took a lot of glueing and pegging to keep it all in place.





But it was all worth it!



and the cards along with the suede dash rails and rear seat :)



Happy chappy! Cant wait to get the rear cards done and get it all installed

1-2-2013

Well Ive got this weekend off work and with the new year comes a new motivation to get this thing finished! Acquired a boot popper from my mate Greig cheap. Simple solenoid controlled wire that will work perfectly with my existing boot catch mechanism. Just need to wire it in somewhere stealthy :) simple to wire up and saves me relying on the manual one I had planned to use!



(Obviously theres more wires than this switch.....)



Also looking to work out the electronic dizzy wiring. Done my research and seems easy enough!

2-2-2013

So ordered some more parts in the hope it will get me going with this again. Worked out a method of securing the tank in place so fingers crossed the parts work! Also ordered a genuine Rover boot seal to get the lid to close properly as the non gen item I have has a huge lip on it pushing the lid out. Got a weeks holiday coming up soon so hope to get cracking then :)

All that needs done is tank installed and plumbed in, electrics finalised, fluids and a key to turn it over and its pretty much done! Then its just cosmetic stuff like interior and windows

2-6-2013

New bits are always welcomed! Get them on Saturday hopefully! 5.5 Gallon Tank two piece strap and also the fixing bracket to bolt it to the floor. Hope it works but it seems to be slightly adjustable so fingers crossed! Also got a genuine boot seal too. Hope it helps the lid close better!



Will test fit the tank and repaint the strap to match. Stainless bolts throughout as expected too. Then need some fresh BP Ultimate in the tank :)

2-9-2013

Day 1 of holidays......it might be freezing but I need to get this thing done! Got the added assistance of my dad all week too!

tested out a mates snap off boss on the wheel. Works great but a bit loose in fitting for my liking so going to try and get a better quality, name brand, item. Loving the extra access it gives me though!





Then went about fitting the fuel tank with the new bits. The idea has worked! Didn't need the mounting bracket in the end so going to try and return it to MiniSpares.

So after some trial and error we bolted the short strap to the floor and the long strap to the existing strap mounting on the rear seat bulkhead.



Then used the old strap bolt to bring the two together, clamping it in place.... can hardly see it when its installed which is good



and voila! One floating fuel tank!



The strap could be doing with being a tad tighter so we are going to put some tool chest rubber mat underneath the strap to grip and space it out a bit.



And with the foam on the strap



Also refitted the bootlid with the new rubber. Its better but still doesnt line up right.........hope its nothing too much though.



Tomorrow hopefully we will get bit more done too!

2-11-2013

Another day another update....

due to snow and general crap weather I resorted to cleaning and polishing stuff thats ready to go onto the car. First up, the glass. Side windows are all new old stock so just needed cleaning but the front and rear screens needed a fair bit of attention.

Gave them the GTechniq treatment as its worked so well on my dailys over the past few years. Gave them a polish and then applied G1 in three coats. Beads like mad now. Ready to go! (This stuff is kinda like Rain-X but not crap)



next up the bare alloy wheels. Boy do I regret not polishing them before putting them away at the start of the rebuild!

This is how they look....

Dull, water marked and covered in spider webs......







So set about cleaning the backs first. As they arent a high polished finish I took a brillo pad to them. Worked a treat!



then set about them with the drill and some autosol on a polishing wheel. Good enough for the backs seeing as they wont be seen.



Then the front I did the same minus the brillo pads. Its come up not bad but looking to get some finer polish to really bring up the lustre of the metal. Thinking Peeks or similar?





and its got a bit of dish....



Also before it came off the road I had picked out the Yokohama and A539 in the tyres with tyre paint. Marmite I know but something a bit different these days.

Before....



after....



and the whole wheel done.




Took an absolute age to get to this stage (talking a good 2-3hrs) but once they have been treate with GTech C5 Wheel armour I hopefully wont need to do it again for a dam long time!

2-13-2013

Lunchtime update! Finished the first wheel


I wasnt happy with the finish Autosol had left so bought some Mothers Metal polish instead. Much finer and give a much better shine! So having gone over the whole wheel again, I was left with this.....much better!





And a wee before and after......








Ready to go but not protected.





Roll out the GTechniq C5!





did the backs as well to keep them looking tidy too!





oh and I also acquired a new rocker cover. It will be getting some decent treatment too in due course.

Forgot to add that my dads been working on the tank today as I was doing the wheels

as I no longer have a use for the tank strap section on it, Im getting rid of it so it looks like my mod looks like a factory intended item. Devils in the detail!

Basically just fillering it and then once its sealed inside it will get a coat of black out at Kirkton for the best possible finish :)



Ready to go!



Hopefully the tank sealer will arrive tomorrow so i can get it out for paint and in by the end of the week :)