'64 Aussie Morris 850

[70K1100]

I was re-watching your youtube videos the other day and I have question. The video with the twin HS2s. Are you running the ramflo filters at the time?

[roger mcnab]

hi timmy
well the bearing and seal inserting tools arrived today and were soon in use with my 6 ton press it made short work of the seals then i started to assemble the disc and drive flange and cv tightened all up and the disc did not turn the flange bolts were 1 mm to long after sorting that out it turned
then put the caliper on as well but they forgot the pads so an other day not sure if the correct disc is on as this the left hub might have to swap it over
as the disc has swirls
cheers roger

[timmy201]

I was re-watching your youtube videos the other day and I have question. The video with the twin HS2s. Are you running the ramflo filters at the time?

I installed the Ramflos July 2020, the video “Test driving with the new twin HS2 carbs” was during May 2020, so that would have been with the Cooper S air box. I did find the standard air box to be super quiet, and then you could hear the fan and the gearbox whine and all the little rattles! The ramflos were a bit louder and I did like them better, not as loud as a Dellorto/Weber but still a nice noise

hi timmy
well the bearing and seal inserting tools arrived today and were soon in use with my 6 ton press it made short work of the seals then i started to assemble the disc and drive flange and cv tightened all up and the disc did not turn the flange bolts were 1 mm to long after sorting that out it turned
then put the caliper on as well but they forgot the pads so an other day not sure if the correct disc is on as this the left hub might have to swap it over
as the disc has swirls
cheers roger

Good to hear you’ve got some progress happening Roger!

[timmy201]

Just a reminder - here's how the newest Moto Lita turned up

It was missing the trim ring and appropriate bolts but I had a spare set, although they were heavily corroded.

I had a Dremel polishing kit and tried out the rubber polishing wheel followed by the mop & some metal polish and it came up pretty nice, along with the bolt heads

It cleaned up quite nicely

And fitted

[UHR850]

Looking good but this picture is in the wrong topic

Kees

[timmy201]

Due to current "unpleasantness" we've been stuck inside for a few months. I think the last time I drove the mini it was the beginning of July when I put in the distributor, and I haven't had a chance to try out the new Moto Lita. I had a little pre-ignition when the engine was hot at around 3000rpm under load, and there has been a bit of run-on since I replaced the head gasket, so I decided to do a bit of research into spark plugs as I thought perhaps they are a bit hot. I've now got a selection of 4 sets to evaluate:
BP5ES (and a few BPR5ES) - these are the ones recommended to me by a local guy. These are the ones that were in the engine, and I think they are a bit too hot for the engine spec
BPR6ES - I believe this is the modern equivalent of the stock plug
BPR7ES - slightly cooler than stock & recommended by minispares for 10:1 to 11:1 compression engines, which is what I have
B7ES - recommended by MED for "lightly modified road cars". It is missing the "P" from the spark plug code, which means the tip doesn't project out like the usual plugs

I've installed the BPR7ES and it starts up fine cold and idles, so I'm guessing that they aren't too cold. When I finally get to drive again I'll be able to get a better idea of how they perform & try the other ones. I also want to install an O2 sensor bung into the front half of the exhaust so I can tune the idle mixture a bit better



I had a bit of play noted in the steering rack at the annual inspection, and after removing the boot I found the cause. The lock nut looks to be a bit loose, and there seems to be a bit of play between the lock nut and the rack, and also the tie rod. I can blame my dad for this as he said he replaced the felt bush in the early 80's


I sourced an AYA6001 Australian made steering rack from a local mini friend. They are a bit more heavy duty in the construction compared to the UK MK1 rack, and parts are available to rebuild them so that was my best option. The AYA6001 rack was fitted from later in 1964, and my car was originally fitted with the first type of Aussie made rack


The rack has been stripped down and cleaned up and I've got all the service parts to put it back together again. The shimming seems to be pretty close to correct using the original shim pack, and there wasn't much wear visible. I also bought the top and bottom bushes for the column, so the steering should feel pretty direct


I sourced a refurbished Holden Gemini starter motor recently too. These were a common upgrade in Australia as they pretty much bolt right up and just work. The old Lucas one that was fitted was starting to get a bit sticky and not always engaging on the flywheel. One day when I get time it'll get a clean up and be reinstalled, but for now I just wanted something reliable.



Seeing as we haven't been going anywhere recently I thought it was also a good time to replace the windscreen seal. It seemed to be very old, quite possibly the original one and it still had some overspray on the seal from the respray +30 years ago. It has been letting rain in through the seal when it rained during drives, so it had stopped me from adding underlay to the floors and finishing the carpet


The old seal was really hard, and came out in chunks



I'd been putting off this job for a while as I was expecting some kind of horrific rust around the window frame & I didn't want to have to deal with that. When I got the seal out it was a bit grubby...


After cleaning off the old sealant it actually looked pretty nice - actually better than that - it looked good as new! There is a bit of an untidy edge where the top layer of paint meets the original paint, but other than that it looks great. Now I just need to finish removing the old sealant from the glass and body and I can get it all back together.

[roger mcnab]

hi timmy
i think you may have a bit of trouble with the gemini starter as the ring gear has the lead in on the opposite side of the fly wheel for the lucas starter
the gemini one may get stuck i am not sure but you may need to change it around or get a flywheel for that type of starter
hope i am wrong but the teeth have a angle on the lead side it may be a good idea to check with some one that has done it
cheers roger mcnab

[timmy201]

Hi Roger, it was a pretty popular swap in Australia during the last 20 years especially when you’d be able to find them in the wrecking yards.

As the starter gear is pre-engaged before spinning it should also prevent excess wear

[70K1100]

Timmy, what passenger seat are you running in your mini?

[InnoCooperExport]

Nice Mighty Car Mods sticker btw Not kept with them for ages, last one of theirs I watched was that bonkers 4WD Daihatsu Mira.

[timmy201]

Timmy, what passenger seat are you running in your mini?

Good spotting

It’s an Autotecnica SS25 bucket seat. I’ll be using it for the drivers side once I’ve put the brackets on. If I like it then I’ll order another for the passenger side

30C80E2F-44EE-4396-B3AA-5BA043250B36.jpeg

CC6F3762-A301-4E65-A81E-3BD5CB027B71.jpeg

Nice Mighty Car Mods sticker btw Not kept with them for ages, last one of theirs I watched was that bonkers 4WD Daihatsu Mira.

Yes I’ve been watching them for a long time. While they might not be the most technically correct mechanics, the humour makes up for it

I met Moog at a mini show a few years back, when he didn’t have any cameras rolling and he was a really nice guy, you could tell he just loved talking to people about cars

[70K1100]

Timmy, those seats look good. I’ll keep n eye on your progress with fitting them to your mini. No doubt I’ll quiz you later as to how they feel.

[Tex1965]

That Autotecnica SS25 bucket seat looks the business. I wonder if it's available in Europe?

[timmy201]

That Autotecnica SS25 bucket seat looks the business. I wonder if it's available in Europe?

You’ve got the options of all the Cobra seats over there, they are pretty expensive to get shipped out here

These look pretty similar to the Cobra Cub, but are probably built to a cheaper price

[timmy201]

Timmy, those seats look good. I’ll keep n eye on your progress with fitting them to your mini. No doubt I’ll quiz you later as to how they feel.

I did get to use a pair a couple of years ago when my friend had a set in his car. They are definitely nice and snug and keep you in around the corners, I can’t remember how comfy they were for an hour drive so I’ll report back on that when mine gets used

They did suit his black interior really nicely

55FEB14F-9514-4EEE-9172-AFC82452C1EF.jpeg

[AustinSevenMkII68]

I had a little pre-ignition when the engine was hot at around 3000rpm under load, and there has been a bit of run-on since I replaced the head gasket, so I decided to do a bit of research into spark plugs as I thought perhaps they are a bit hot. I've now got a selection of 4 sets to evaluate:
BP5ES (and a few BPR5ES) - these are the ones recommended to me by a local guy. These are the ones that were in the engine, and I think they are a bit too hot for the engine spec
BPR6ES - I believe this is the modern equivalent of the stock plug
BPR7ES - slightly cooler than stock & recommended by minispares for 10:1 to 11:1 compression engines, which is what I have
B7ES - recommended by MED for "lightly modified road cars". It is missing the "P" from the spark plug code, which means the tip doesn't project out like the usual plugs

I've installed the BPR7ES and it starts up fine cold and idles, so I'm guessing that they aren't too cold. When I finally get to drive again I'll be able to get a better idea of how they perform & try the other ones. I also want to install an O2 sensor bung into the front half of the exhaust so I can tune the idle mixture a bit better

Hi Timmy, I love following your posts!

Re the spark plugs: I've recently switched from NGK to Denso Iridium as recommended by my mate Jeroen (the classic wiring loom specialist).

Yes they're almost 4 times the price, but I could feel the difference on both my 1275cc Mini and my Dolomite Sprint as well. On both cars I could lean off the twin SU's some 2-3 flats without any noticeable pinking. The explanation being that the Iridium spark plugs can burn a not so ideal mixture easier than a conventional plug and as a bonus needs 5k Volts less to switch the spark, so is friendlier on your points or ignition module too.

For info:
NGK BPR6ES equivalent = Denso IW20TT
NGK BPR7ES equivalent = Denso IW22TT

Does anyone else have experience with (Denso) Iridium plugs?


All the best,
Ronald

[AndyPen]

Yes they're almost 4 times the price, but I could feel the difference on both my 1275cc Mini and my Dolomite Sprint as well. On both cars I could lean off the twin SU's some 2-3 flats without any noticeable pinking. The explanation being that the Iridium spark plugs can burn a not so ideal mixture easier than a conventional plug and as a bonus needs 5k Volts less to switch the spark, so is friendlier on your points or ignition module too.

For info:
NGK BPR6ES equivalent = Denso IW20TT
NGK BPR7ES equivalent = Denso IW22TT

Does anyone else have experience with (Denso) Iridium plugs?


All the best,
Ronald

I use them on my 470bhp Cosworth and they work well, though to be fair there isn't much ethanol in the fuel in them as I've extracted it.

A man after my own heart Ronald, I used to own a Group 1 Sprint, having started out in minis

As you may have seen on here, I did the Grp1 Cutaway Sprint engine drawing - based on my own car as it was being built up

[timmy201]

Hi Timmy, I love following your posts!

Re the spark plugs: I've recently switched from NGK to Denso Iridium as recommended by my mate Jeroen (the classic wiring loom specialist).

Yes they're almost 4 times the price, but I could feel the difference on both my 1275cc Mini and my Dolomite Sprint as well. On both cars I could lean off the twin SU's some 2-3 flats without any noticeable pinking. The explanation being that the Iridium spark plugs can burn a not so ideal mixture easier than a conventional plug and as a bonus needs 5k Volts less to switch the spark, so is friendlier on your points or ignition module too.

For info:
NGK BPR6ES equivalent = Denso IW20TT
NGK BPR7ES equivalent = Denso IW22TT

Does anyone else have experience with (Denso) Iridium plugs?


All the best,
Ronald

I’ve honestly not thought about running iridium plugs. I assumed the main benefit was longer service life, but doing some quick reading now they also make a different type of spark. I’ll have to do a bit more research now! I’ve found the plugs you’ve mentioned for about double the price of my normal ones delivered

The pre-ignition has only appeared again since swapping the distributor in (and it’s definitely rich enough to rule out the mixture) so I’m guessing it is timing/spark related. Plenty of things to check over when I get some time

[UHR850]

Timmy, those seats look good. I’ll keep n eye on your progress with fitting them to your mini. No doubt I’ll quiz you later as to how they feel.

I did get to use a pair a couple of years ago when my friend had a set in his car. They are definitely nice and snug and keep you in around the corners, I can’t remember how comfy they were for an hour drive so I’ll report back on that when mine gets used

They did suit his black interior really nicely
55FEB14F-9514-4EEE-9172-AFC82452C1EF.jpeg

Nice steeringwheel, what is it ? Better picture ?

Kees

[roger mcnab]

hi timmy
i have used all those plugs and find that when i use champion plugs i have no trouble in fact my laser has done 400,000 ks and does not miss a beat no pinking or running on and gets 15-17 ks per litre and i drive it hard even when i had my fully worked 302 ford i ran it on champion plugs no trouble but when the guy at the dyno put bosch plugs it dropped quite a few hp so he put the champion plugs back in and the hp was back to where it was
so i stick to them and have to buy them on the net because when i ask for them they laugh
i even used them in my tz yamahas and never had trouble with ignition other guys would be having trouble no end but refused the offered plugs and were not nice about what i could do with them
cheers roger mcnab