Mini Minor 1960

[GraemeC]

Looking good Murph - catch up at Barbon.

[billycooper]

So good run at Harewood, as reported elsewhere !, second in class behind John Askew, rear ARB proved a success, specially on the long left before the final hill, turns in so much better, and you can feel the power coming in better with not as much front inside wheel lift , you certainly have to control the car with the rear, took a bit of getting used to, but once you know what its going to do, after a visit to the vegetation, but that was mandatory over the day so all good, Brakes better with the Carbon pads and Dot 5 fluid.

I tried a KAD quick shift gearlever, but didn't like it, weither its the way I set it up or not i'm not sure, but I struggled with grabbing third, firstly on the first practice run, but the clutch needed adjusting too, I had bleeded it before the event and it wasn't quite set up right, the lever also cost me a better time on the last run, i can see on the go pro in car (which ill put up later) that im going far to much across then fiddling before i get it in !

I was about a second slower than my previous best 13 years ago in my Mk 3 "S" Rally car and i was defiantly on a better run on the final run so im pretty sure its there for the beating in the future

ill stick the standard lever back in for Chumley, it was fine at Blyton

so oil change and off to Chumley on Friday

27377016482_0a1ae941a0_b.jpg

[billycooper]

So chumley didn't quite go to plan ( see the chumley thread ) , really enjoyed what runs we did, looks like at this stage a cracked head , changed head gasket tonight, but no 1 pot still filling with water, so game over for tomorrow as well at my local hillclimb Barbon , gutted, but that's Motorsport and we live to fight another day !

[billycooper]

So chumley didn't quite go to plan ( see the chumley thread ) , really enjoyed what runs we did, looks like at this stage a cracked head , changed head gasket tonight, but no 1 pot still filling with water, so game over for tomorrow as well at my local hillclimb Barbon , gutted, but that's Motorsport and we live to fight another day !

So went to watch at Barbon, it "chucked" it down all day, so didn't miss much, my lad took some pics

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16788879@ ... 7004004473

also some from Chumly, we haven't edited them yet !

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16788879@ ... 9179759891

[surfblue63]

That did look wet a Barbon. I like the look of the Anglia, and the lime green Reliant made me laugh.

Shame about the head by the way.

[rich@minispares.com]

that kitten looks the business!

[mk1]

Really sorry to hear that it looks like the head Steve!

I was really hopeful that you were going to be out on Saturday.

M

[Nick W]

At first I thought that red 3000 was this one
probably the best healey ever built for racing, full alloy engine!, built for the cancelled 67 rac but never used
the reg PWB 57 was Peter Brownings private plate

[billycooper]

that kitten looks the business!

Runs on a Honda S2000 engine, this is Andrews Website, pretty much built it all himself

http://www.kittenkitcar.co.uk/

[billycooper]

Really sorry to hear that it looks like the head Steve!

I was really hopeful that you were going to be out on Saturday.

M

It looks that way Mark, not sure how or what happened yet, it was on no 1 pot, just for info, it was a leaded head i've been using additive with, and the carb on that side had worked a little bit loose on the manifold, and it never got hot, so ill try a standard head on it I have found to make sure that's what it is, and then ill switch to a unleaded head with slightly smaller valves, 31/38 is probably too big for what im using the car for

any views would be appreciated

just a pic i took as we took head off . forgot to take one of the head, but no visible damage with valves in

image.jpeg

[mk1]

Hi Steve,

When we took the plug out of No1 Pot, I thought it had a lot of steam coming out, probably too much for a head gasket, but we could live in hope couldn't we

For the amount of water that is in there I reckon a leak straight through to the water jacket in a port is most liklely. These can happen on new as well as well used heads & are usually down to either corrosion from the water jacket side or just getting a bit close when grinding the head.

Either way, your plan to try a standard good head to check all is otherwise well seems a very sensible one & I hope it all goes well.

M

PS. I agree 38 / 31 is a bit on the large side

[JohnA]

Lancaster Engines can do a leak test on the head Murph.
Does anybody know if Malcom still works there?

[billycooper]

At first I thought that red 3000 was this one
probably the best healey ever built for racing, full alloy engine!, built for the cancelled 67 rac but never used
the reg PWB 57 was Peter Brownings private plate

Yeah that tricked me too, looked a very new build, didnt get chance to have a good look cause of weather, good similar reg number to find

[GraemeC]

Lancaster Engines can do a leak test on the head Murph.
Does anybody know if Malcom still works there?

He was back after the floods, but recent 'rumours' are that he's packed it in, although as a business it is still going.
I've not caught up with him yet (or anyone who knows first hand) to get the true story!

[Richspec]

Blackpool race and rally are good as well, repaired my arden head last year plus some balancing.

The story i heard was that Malcolm was looking to retire if someone could be found to take over, thats yr old gossip.

[billycooper]

Lancaster Engines can do a leak test on the head Murph.
Does anybody know if Malcom still works there?

He was back after the floods, but recent 'rumours' are that he's packed it in, although as a business it is still going.
I've not caught up with him yet (or anyone who knows first hand) to get the true story!

Blackpool race and rally are good as well, repaired my arden head last year plus some balancing.

The story i heard was that Malcolm was looking to retire if someone could be found to take over, thats yr old gossip.

Cheers Chaps, im just waiting to see if I get an entry for Shelsley's Classic Nostalgia and then ill put something into motion !, Really want to go unleaded and this is the chance to do it, if i can't sort anything if I do get an entry I might be on the beg or borrow

[Richspec]

Got a leaded head here with Ports you walk through erc etc if you need one to borrow short term, I f I'd been a bit more active I n the forum and read your woes you could have borrowed it for barbon, but looking at the pics an outboard would have been more suitable.

[billycooper]

Got a leaded head here with Ports you walk through erc etc if you need one to borrow short term, I f I'd been a bit more active I n the forum and read your woes you could have borrowed it for barbon, but looking at the pics an outboard would have been more suitable.

I know Rich, it wasn't a good day, nobody seemed to be enjoying it ... now why did i sell my scooby , i was lucky enough to get my entry fee back, so that will help !


thanks for that, ill bare that in mind, good man !

[billycooper]

so .... replaced the head with a standard 1275 GT 1977 vintage, to see if it was the head, got it all decoked as it had been lying about for a bit, popped head on and all fine !, running like a good one !, nicely ticking over for 10 mins

Then rattle rattle , shut it down and ripped the head off, no 4 valve snapped off (no 1 cylinder had been the problem initially) and a bent push rod, only just touched the piston and missed the bores, luckily !


so , why ?, we used the rockers that were on the race head C-AHT446A ROLLER TIP ROCKER ASSEMBLY 1.5 RATIO mind, but no spring bind and all tappets adjusted up ok

any ideas, just bad luck ?

[GraemeC]

Gut feeling would be that this is unrelated - more likely that something has gummed up the guide due to the head sitting for ages.
Just an unlucky coincidence.

I'd be sorting a proper head out now, and getting it back out