cooper mK1 radiator removal

[Exminiman]

Back in the day we used to just chop out the rad cowl, makes life so much easier

These days though, I wind the bolts in and out of the captive nuts on the bracket until they move freely, then install the rad assembly, wind the bolts in with my fingers and nip up with a short spanner....

[1071 S]

Back in the day we used to just chop out the rad cowl, makes life so much easier
...................

Its still the easiest way Only the most determined anorak is going to notice ... and turns a VERY tedious task into a 10 minute job.... (no need to touch fan or lower shroud ..)

Cheers, Ian

[Peter Laidler]

Everyone on the forum ought to read and take notice of Marc and 1071's comments (immediately above). I learned from an early mini owning age that the rad cowl serves no useful purpose whatsoever. Not air flow, heat dissipation, cooling, nor anything else - EXCEPT originality, to satisfy the concourse gestapo. Even BMC/Leyland soon learned it too by leaving it out of the early 70's cars.

A wise 70 S owner said to me at Beaulieu just last week, 'I see that you've got no radiator cowl.....' I replied '..have you tried taking your rad out recently...' he replied '....yep, but I ain't got a cowl either.....'

When I restored my S the one item I deliberately left off was the xxxing rad cowl - and ain't missed it since. Rad removal is a simple 10 minute job. Why o' why make problems when there's no need?

Charlinysan (page 1...), just leave the xxxxing cowling off.

[Polarsilver]

So where do we fix the MK1 Chassis Plate with no more rad Cowel as you have chopped it away .
Just perhaps Leyland were saving a bit of money to delete the Cowel ?
just sayin as me not a member of the OE Police

[Exminiman]

So where do we fix the MK1 Chassis Plate with no more rad Cowel as you have chopped it away .
Just perhaps Leyland were saving a bit of money to delete the Cowel ?
just sayin as me not a member of the OE Police

On the front panel to the left of bonnet catch, thats where mine is , fixed with pop rivets no less

[rogerotto66s]

Success!

Seems my problem was that I did not remove the radiator properly.
I removed the bolts (not easily) holding the radiator bracket to the cowl/shroud and kept the engine mount bracket attached.

A47F05CF-88A4-44E2-8950-4BEB693AACBC.png

So.... my rear bolt problem was the left bolt in this picture.

56990011-002D-44C9-856C-5C25637E2F4D.png

For Father’s Day my son helped to align the radiator lower cowl/shroud and engine mount bracket using a 1/4” bolt and the 12” locking clamp pictured in a previous post.

Then using a stubby wrench I was able to start the bolt by reaching my hand down to the lower radiator hose area and turn the bolt “little by little”. Very tight but doable! Then used a long ratchet wrench to tighten by reaching in from the grille area.

I may search for an old “S” lower cowl/shroud to be modified so I am ready for the next time I need to remove the radiator.

Thanks to all!

[1071 S]

I think I’m even more confused now....

Roger, is that your photo on page 1 of this thread that shows a lower rad shroud with the rear bottom edge hacked away???

If so, I’m wondering why you needed to unbolt the lower shroud to remove the rad. The whole point of the shroud mod is that you just leave the lower shroud in place. Just undo the front mounting bolts/screws (that attach it to the rad) and lift the rad away....

I feel I’ve been a little verballed by Peter in his post. While I agree that you can remove the inner guard metal work and that this gives you more room to move things about, I wouldn’t advocate it for a number of reasons.

A. Its major surgery that is not easilly undone. I could cheerfully strangle the PO who bolted the Sprite flairs to my S; removing them now entails considerable panel and paint work....

And B. Its a lot easier (IMHO) to remove the lower hose at the pump rather than at the rad.

Whereas, the trimmed lower shroud is almost invisible when everything is back together. And, if the un- originality bugs you (or a subsequent owner) too much, its a reasonably:) simple job to just bolt the original lower shroud back in....

I have a Mspares 4 core making the alternatives (removing fan etc) even more gruesome to contemplate...

Cheers, Ian

[rogerotto66s]

I think I’m even more confused now....

Roger, is that your photo on page 1 of this thread that shows a lower rad shroud with the rear bottom edge hacked away???

Ian, sorry for the confusion.
The pictures on page 1 are not those of my radiator.
They were the best pictures I could find to illustrate my problem.
The first radiator picture has a full lower shroud with no radiator bracket attached (my situation).
The second radiator picture shows the attached radiator bracket and the two bolts I was having problems installing.
Unfortunately this modified lower shroud has introduced the confusion you mention.

[1071 S]

All clear thanks Roger

I

[Spider]

Late to the party, but this may help some in future;-

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=34794

[rogerotto66s]

Thanks for all the great pictures Spider!

If I do need to remove the radiator (again) I will be sure to use your technique.
I like removing the engine mount (whose bolts seem to be easier to remove) rather than fiddle with the radiator bracket bolts.

[Spider]

Thanks for all the great pictures Spider!

If I do need to remove the radiator (again) I will be sure to use your technique.
I like removing the engine mount (whose bolts seem to be easier to remove) rather than fiddle with the radiator bracket bolts.

I do hope it is of help to you and others.

I have done it by unbolting the Rad Bracket off the Engine Mount Bracket as you have done, maybe it's just me ? but I found it quite a fiddle to get the bolts undone and more of a fiddle getting them back in.

Be sure to use the coff coff patented Spider Tool for getting the Engine Mount Bolts back in

[Peter Laidler]

A bent fork......... The sheer ingenuity. That's what I always liked about working with Aussies.
I'm back over next year Chris for an 8RAR reunion. Will catch up with you later

[Exminiman]

Thanks for all the great pictures Spider!

If I do need to remove the radiator (again) I will be sure to use your technique.
I like removing the engine mount (whose bolts seem to be easier to remove) rather than fiddle with the radiator bracket bolts.

I do hope it is of help to you and others.

I have done it by unbolting the Rad Bracket off the Engine Mount Bracket as you have done, maybe it's just me ? but I found it quite a fiddle to get the bolts undone and more of a fiddle getting them back in.

Be sure to use the coff coff patented Spider Tool for getting the Engine Mount Bolts back in

very good Spider, so whats the spec on that ? plastic or metal ?

[Spider]

very good Spider, so whats the spec on that ? plastic or metal ?

The Specs are secret, but the basic tool has made me very unpopular with a lot of Mini Owner's wives,,,,,,,

[Peter Laidler]

Talking of mini owners wives. At Beaulieu this year, the registrars were parked along the side of the dusty entrance and exit road. The clouds of dust made no difference to the mini's charging in and out. So at lunch time i grabbed an old suitably sized piece of cloth stuck in the door pocket and proceeded to dust my car off.

I mean........, what on earth possesses a woman to put her new, clean white T shirt in the door side pocket.....?

[Spider]

I mean........, what on earth possesses a woman to put her new, clean white T shirt in the door side pocket.....?

Don't need much imagination there mate,,,,,, look forward to catching up next year I've flicked you an email mate, rather than dragging this thread further off topic !