Mini

mtpanorama · 22 Sep 2001, 21:34 (Ref:149574)

I have just bought myself a new toy.

It is a 1978 Leyland Mini LS. It was the last model the built in Australia. It has the 1275 motor with a single Su carby, front disc brakes, 12" wheels and Full cloth highback seats.

The car needs a bit of body work and a respray, and the motor is a bit smokey (rings are a bit worn). I will slowly fix it up as the money becomes available

mtpanorama · 22 Sep 2001, 21:48 (Ref:149581)

it isnt that short really

mtpanorama · 22 Sep 2001, 21:50 (Ref:149585)

interior

luigi2 · 22 Sep 2001, 21:51 (Ref:149586)

Hi

Sounds like a fun job. Most minis of that age here in England have a fair amount of rust in them. Do you have that problem there?

mtpanorama · 22 Sep 2001, 21:56 (Ref:149589)

Rust can be a problem here as well, especially if the car has spent some time near the coast. Im lucky with this one, there is only a small bit of rust in front of the passenger side rear wheel. Other than that, i havent found anymore (fingers crossed )

Ray Bell · 22 Sep 2001, 22:05 (Ref:149596)

I guess performance parts are easy to get still, seeing as these things have virtually disappeared from the roads... you have your twin SUs yet?

A chat with Moff might get you a helper for the paint job...

Crash Test · 23 Sep 2001, 00:58 (Ref:149630)

Coooool

I've been doing a bit of work of late for the Mini Owners Club up here in QLD of late, and I must say I am really getting into them. I'd really have to consider one if i were to go motor racing...yee haa!

marcus · 23 Sep 2001, 01:14 (Ref:149636)

I love Mini's.very nice Mount.

I have one bit of advice for you..if you have kids and pick them up from school in it DO NOT ..I mean DO NOT take a short cut through a paddock in it.

My father did this in his mini when I was a young lad..and being the clown he was he was going a bit to fast and hit a log and subsuquently rolled the thing..was rather scary for a 5 year old actually..thankfully no one was seriously hurt..but not a good idea.

anyway hope you have heaps of fun it the beast

Dino IV · 23 Sep 2001, 19:21 (Ref:149901)

Wanna turn it into a real beast, mtpanorama?
Something like this?:

Or this?:

Have a look at the homepage of the company of our fellow member Graham de Looze then: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~graham

All kinds of Mini stuff from monocoque racers to road-going V8 Mini's.

Alan Jones · 24 Sep 2001, 08:57 (Ref:150168)

A V8 mini ?

GEEEEEEEEEESSSSUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !

Looks like a nice toy you have there MT .
Congratulations.

I just read a review of the new mini and it sounds great.Seems like BMW has done a good job. Visually pleasing to the eye and the tacho still mounts on the steering column!

Are you going to change colour or stay with the gold ?

mtpanorama · 24 Sep 2001, 11:09 (Ref:150205)

AJ,
Im staying with the original gold (Nugget Gold to be exact).

This will be a restoration project, not a modification project. Trying to keep it as original as possible.

Morris 1100 · 24 Sep 2001, 11:56 (Ref:150235)

Congratulations
I have one of these toys in my garage that also needs restoring.
Tell me has yours still got the air pump? Mine had all the rubbish removed and twin carbs taller diff gears (120kph in 3rd gear)I wonder if the Bathurst Highway Patrol remember me?

Airhead · 24 Sep 2001, 21:01 (Ref:150615)

Mount,

Love the car. I have owned a Mini 850, a Clubman GT with a 1310 motor and a bitza Morris 1100 with a 1275 Cooper S motor.

All good fun.

Ray's right. I'll bring my rubbing blocks down when I come for race weekend in a couple of weeks.

Dino. What great cars. Where do I sign?

Morris 1100 · 27 Sep 2001, 06:55 (Ref:151947)

Here is a photo of my 1275 LS at Amaroo dirt circuit about ten years ago.

Morris 1100 · 27 Sep 2001, 07:02 (Ref:151948)

And another shot

Morris 1100 · 27 Sep 2001, 07:04 (Ref:151949)

And the big finish

Ray Bell · 27 Sep 2001, 07:49 (Ref:151960)

Hmmm... Buckshot and I were on that very spot a few weeks ago...

Morris 1100 · 27 Sep 2001, 11:37 (Ref:152015)

What is left out there thes days?
This is what it looked like last time I was there,It was during the week after the last meeting.I was helping remove everything.

DAVID PATERSON · 7 Jan 2002, 08:28 (Ref:194778)

Morrie, that is a very sad picture, what a terrible shame.

Mt, why the panel work and respray it looks great in the photos. Thanks for taking different angles for us to see. I usually only get to see the back of Minis. What happened to the RX-3. You know you can't afford a race car and a project car.

mtpanorama · 10 Jan 2002, 11:29 (Ref:196473)

Dave,
Funny you should mention the RX3. I got rid of mine years ago, but i am just about to renew my CAMS(Competitiors Are Mighty Scared) licence and i have been given the best thing a race car driver could ever want. A free race car

. A friend of mine who was a fellow competitor when i started racing is going to lend me his RX3 coupe. It is still in basic street sedan spec at the moment (stock 12a and carby), but a 13b bridgeport is being built and we are in the process of aquiring

a webber carby for it. So club cars here i come

. So the mini stays as it is for a little while longer

. But i think ill have to do the pistons real soon. The oil coming from the spark plug holes is a dead give-away that it need some attention

mtpanorama · 21 Aug 2002, 04:06 (Ref:362644)

Well the mini has breathed its last breath for a little while. Big end bearing decided it had had enough and called it quits. So the car is off the road for a couple of months while the motor is being rebuilt. We have struck a small problem in that the crank is 80 thou undersize, and the bigest bearings are 30 thou. I think we will be going for a stroker engine now

.The pistons will be second oversize, the cam will get a mild grind and the crank will be lightened. I cant wait for it to go back together. The gearbox is being rebuilt at the same time.

Maisie · 21 Aug 2002, 09:53 (Ref:362762)

Mt, those look almost exactly like the bearings that just came out of Chris's MG Maestro!! I sympathise

You're so lucky to have the Mini though. If I could afford another car, or had space for one, it'd be a Mini Clubman, preferably a 1275GT, and preferably in gleaming black with good chrome

Alan Jones · 21 Aug 2002, 10:28 (Ref:362799)

Mount, nice stuff. Go the 1310cc major rebuild. 45mm twin choke Webbers and a straight through 2" system.

**garcon** · 22 Aug 2002, 11:33 (Ref:363575)

...and watch your front axle and engine disappear over a hill in front of you....

Morris 1100 · 22 Aug 2002, 11:51 (Ref:363590)

Mt, Repco used to make 60 thou bearings but I don't know if ACL makes them now (ACL took over Repco bearings and pistons)
Fit a centre oil pick up while you have the gearbox apart.

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