Time lapse full metal Broadspeed GT restoration/transformation

[Pandora]

Am I the only one who gets the fear just looking at that?

Great progress though (as we've come to expect)

Al

[mk1]

As usual, I am in awe of the quality of your work. I always set out to make my wiring look as nice as yours, but I usually run out of different colours & forget to complete the drawing.

Well done!

[Pandora]

As usual, I am in awe of the quality of your work. I always set out to make my wiring look as nice as yours, but I usually run out of different colours & forget to complete the drawing.

Did you work at Lotus or TVR by any chance, Mark?

Al

[mk1]

Ha, ha, No they wouldn't give me the job because at least when I started I WANTED to use more than 1 colour

M

[hanlminiman]

Remind me of my visit to Prodrive when they were preparing the WRC MINI for Dani Sordo and seeing the wiring loom set out on the wall with multiple white wires. It must be an age thing?

[Dr.Mabo]

I usually run out of different colours & forget to complete the drawing.

A good way to get the right cable colours at a reasonable price is to strip an old wiring harness from other cars or, ideally, from an English vehicle. This is a great way to expand or modify an existing Mini wiring loom with the matching colours .

Well, and then draw them directly into the wiring diagram. It doesn't have to be a coloured vector graphic on the first run. You can always do that later.

[mk1]

Good tip Doc.

I have a large storage tub that is full of old looms in varying stages of decay.

Recently I have done 2 looms for Adam's Austin 7's & that's where the issue comes as I need long runs, finding such bits in the spares box is a bit tricky. I also have a cart full of all sorts of drums of cable of varying colours, it's just that I always want a different colour to those I have

[roger mcnab]

hi doc
that is good advice as i will need to rewire the clubman i saved the wiring loom from my sons laser which will be handy as i have incorperated some laser parts in the build like the steering column as i need a collapsable column and the wipers so the wires will be a great help
cheers roger mcnab

[morris-miner]

Once more monumental attention to detail again there Doc, I bet it looks stunning in the metal.

[Charlynsane]

Incredible work as usual, evytime I see your thread I say to my self "you should work on your moke"

What gear lever knob did you fit ??

[Fanfaniracing]

It's a selfmade "Broadspeed" gearlever

[almondgreen]

It's a selfmade "Broadspeed" gearlever

no

[Dr.Mabo]

What gear lever knob did you fit ??

I found it in almondgreen's collection


Ever since the Mini has been around, the height of the chassis has been an issue. Whether for optical reasons or as a deliberate chassis optimisation. But I have never understood why there is still no manufacturer of height-adjustable suspension that I know of who has thought through the issue. The most revolutionary leap in Hilo development is actually that you no longer have to drill through the rear valance to adjust the height of the chassis with a long Allen key, WOW
Instead, you now have to loosen the locknut in the hard-to-reach area of the front and rear subframes with two large spanners to then adjust the coarse thread
And how pointless is it to be able to adjust the height only when the Mini is jacked up? If you then put the Mini back on its wheels, it actually has to be driven again until you can measure the height difference

In the 90s, a German Mini enthusiast once built Hilos that could be screwed up and down while the Mini was standing on its wheels under load. They also looked much better, as the rear trumpet was largely retained and didn't have to be replaced by a skinny bar. The sets I got from him back then are now all installed in my other Minis.
And since there is still nothing comparable on the market, some friends and I had to take the initiative again. And here, too, there was still potential for optimisation. Since, depending on the height of the vehicle, you can only turn half the hexagonal surfaces, it was easy to lose count when adjusting them evenly. So why not number the hexagonal surfaces? And then position them as you would like to read them

IMG_7665.jpg

IMG_7673.jpg

IMG_7679.jpg

IMG_7681.jpg

All the lately produced sets are unfortunately taken. But with a lathe and some spare time, however, it's not rocket science to make them yourself.

[mk1]

THAT IS GENIUS!

[Peter Laidler]

Personally speaking, I wouldn't be happy with the numbered nut part not being locked into the strut. Vibration will cause the thread to slowly 'walk' its way into the strut.

You know what engineers say about all things mechanical. If it can, eventually it WILL! Nothing that a slim lock-nut wouldn't cure Doc.

[Fanfaniracing]

That with the locknut also is subject of discussion here in our workshop

Otherwise nice done

[m1cH1]

Guys, there is one important thing with those HiLos that´s overseen in this discussion!
And that is thread pitch. Most commercially available HiLos have a relatively coarse pitch.
However the adjusting spindles of the HiLos shown by Doc Mabo use a very fine thread pitch and that has self-locking properties!

In technical terms:
There is a static self-locking engagement of the screw member with the complementary nut member when the angle of friction is greater than the thread helix angle. As the angle of friction is dependent on the coefficient of friction, which is determined by the material match of spindle/nut, the surface quality and the lubrication. So for the same general conditions the angle of friction is equal for coarse and fine threads. As the helix angle is smaller the finer the thread pitch is, thus a finer thread has better self-locking properties than a coarser thread of equal diameter.

And with static self-locking capacity a motionless thread remains steadfast, as long as it is not set in motion by other influences.
The axial force that acts on the adjusting spindles is not able to induce torque while in a self-locking engagement. Vibration could be an issue, albeit that is not so easy to calculate on paper.
You could - as a "belt and suspenders approach" - add a nut as a counter nut / locknut. However, years of past usage of these HiLos, only relying on the fine threads own self locking properties, by a couple of guys here in Germany (e.g. Doc Mabo) has not posed any problems with unwanted movement of the spindles due to vibration.

[Dr.Mabo]

I must say that there is no one around who could explain the details better than m1ch1, thanks

Regardless of that, he was also deeply involved in the production of these Hilos

I can say from experience, I have been driving this type of Hilos for more than 20 years in three different Minis and still do. There is nothing to complain about and not one of them has ever changed its length by itself.

[Polarsilver]

Good explanation..
But we drive on the wrong side of the road(some say) & our roads have many Pot Holes..perhaps worth fitting a Lock Nut just for the UK

[InnoCooperExport]

That is brilliant Doc!