rover v8 in mini clubman

[roger mcnab]

well here is a question what needs to be done to the rear wheel well to clear 13x7 wheels with coil over shocks
cheers roger

[mab01uk]

Hi Roger, probably the first thing to do would be to 'tub' the rear wheel well/arches as shown in video below to give clearance for the 13x7 wheels, as done on Miglia race Minis.

Classic mini how to tub the rear arches with basic tools the right way:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gTFdYFJ9v4

I don't know much about fitting coilovers on Minis but Minispares and other suppliers sell offset mounting versions to avoid modifying the rear wheel arches.

ie. The rear shocks have offset pins to avoid modding the rear arches:-
https://www.protechshocks.co.uk/classic ... coilovers/

Might be advisable to also strengthen the top mounting in the rear wheel arches as not originally designed to take the sprung weight of the vehicle?

[roger mcnab]

hi mabo1uk
very informative so more cutting and welding to be done along with the restthe front is yet to be done but have minispares templates for that
there are probably ones for the back project binky did something along the same lines
cheers roger mcnab

[roger mcnab]

hi
well first of all happy tinkering in 2024 hope all had a great christmas we had a quiet hot one about 35 c
well what is happening to the mini first i installed the upper control arms what a pain next i installed the brackets for the coil over shock for front from huddersfield spares cost more for shipping than the brackets but that happens when one lives in australia but still cheaper than local for most things next ordered elite mk3 boot lid from arc angels should arrive in jan today started to build up the rear swing arms these are modified
to have needle rollers both ends but it appears that the plastic sleeve is to long after being installed can not get it out so will trim it is situ so next on the list is a welding job on the engine to get ready to install i need to get my act together for some long awaited pics soon do not hold breath
cheers roger
p s as i am now 80 i need to get a move on or there will be no petrol to run it with

[roger mcnab]

hi all
a bit of progress i recently bought a mk3 boot lid from arc angels and well pleased with it cost a bomb to get it australia because it had to be sent by courior / BECAUSE BRITISH POST CAN NOT HANDLE MORE THAN 2 KG here we can post a bag of cement also got the brackets for the front coilovers next to get the front shocks then the rear shocks this way it is easier on the wallet
i am nearly finished the mold for the bonnet for the clearence of the air filter next is to make a fibre glass copy then the real one need a bit of cooler weather high 30c and low 40c is not good for fibre glass work
i have had one supplier go on about fitting a mk3 boot lid to my clubman as it should have the mk1 but if i was a rivet counter i would not have fitted a rover v8
well happy tinkering cheers roger mcnab

[Exminiman]

Not sure if it might help in future, but I sold a crank (apx 12KG) to Australia via EBay and used their international postal service - at suggestion of the buyer.

I think they consolidate shipments to keep cost down and deal with import duties, it cost not much more than UK postage and arrived safe and sound.

Seems a great idea to make international shipments - only down side is you do have to use EBay of course..

EDIT looking back on ebay it cost £25.00 to send the crank (MG Midget) via EBAY Global shipping programme https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/shipp ... am?id=5348

[roger mcnab]

hi thanks for that it sounds better than the others things i usually get are small things but there are some that are big like the front and rear shocks coil overs also i need to get some yamaha crank centres for a very old project a rz 750 yamaha that i started before the mini it is a 4 cyl 2 stroke not made by yamaha but along the lines of the tz 750 that i missed out on buying about 40 years ago the joys of misspent youth
cheers roger mcnab

[roger mcnab]

hi
well have been doing small jobs in the 42 c heat with the appropiate sweat painted and installed new seals in the diff side plates and cut the steel uni joints out as they did not fit properly a couple of rollers tipped out and stopped the cup going in for the clip to fit so now a new coat of paint and the correct unis they might fit i think i will half fill them with grease to keep the little bs in place as i am tired of cutting new ones up
fingers crossed and all should go well murphys law etc
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well i finally got the steel u joints sorted it all went together just like clockwork looking good with their fresh coat of glossy black paint next is to get some gasket sealer for the diff side plates and another job of the bucket list which grows more than shrinks
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi all
well after sending lots of e mails to no avail i decided that i will make the rod shift myself spoke to a friend who is an engineer who has made the thrust bearing for the clutch and he said that it would not be difficult will mean the levers that move the gears will be changed a bit with different ends and a end made to move from side to side to pick up the correct selector and push it back and forward i have a spare rod change from one of the lasers that i wrecked that can be made to fit tp move the shift so that soon will be under way
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi guys
well i think i filed the gearshift in the scrap bin as i have turned out every hiding place that i may have put it to keep it safe so will have to get one from a wrecker but all of the ones that i ring do not have any thing that i am talking about the cars had no gearshifts in them
i think they just are not interested in having a look and ebay comes up with all sorts of stuff except what is needed but the new gear change is looking good i have made up a new holder for the selector fingers that needs to be welded then i will get the new rods made to replace the cable ones these will come out at 90 degrees instead of 60 degrees for the cables this will be a simple job bmc should have done it instead of that cable nonsense
well cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well yesterday i took the first bit over to d welded and while there was talking to the mate whose name is also roger about the floor shift and he said there is an old charade in the back paddock so we went for a look and there was a floor shift so he said i will get it out and that solves the problem so t came home and made up the next part for the gear shift
for a bit it looked like the shift pattern would be back to front but a bit more thinking and the idea of a crossover link should restore the shift pattern so now to make it all work fingers crossed
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well the charade turns out to be a suzuki 550 hatch back so it still had 3 cyl motor but the gear shift is in good nic got the adapters finished now for the rods and the shifter to be made and fitted in then all should work as planned
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well the old donor car was a suzuki 550 hatch the floor shift will need shortening when the 1800 gear box is sorted with the home made rod change which is nearly ready to go to the engineer for the final bits to be made but today i decided to install the shift fixed part to the floor what a trial i had to make a flat section on top of the tunnel so the plate holding the part could be mounted 2 mm steel plate is a bit stiff but with some persuadion i have not been to school for 65 years but the plate is fixed in place and looks like it belongs there
cutting the diamond shaped hole was an effort but all is good
next step is to get the rubber boot that covers the under side of the gear lever the suzuki dealer needs the vin number before he can look on the computer so o got all the numbers of the rusted wreck so they should be able to find the bit i need as it does not come up on the net
well cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well i located another inner door opener for my clubman project i got a lot of bits from stewart in south australia but he only had 1 good one and some bits of another after doing all the mini dealers to no avail i remembered the morris marina had the same ones so typed in marina door openers no joy so tried another track and typed in marina spares and after trawling through about 13 pages of all sort of bits there was what i needed but it had extra brackets as it was for a land rover or lotus but with a bit of work with angle grinder it will fit fine but the down side was it was in bufflo ny usa
so cost double what the price was but does the job
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi all
well what a surprise that the forum is shutting down shame but we all get old yesterday i picked up a lot of bits that i had made for the v8 into mini job and to day i assembled the clutch release bearing that i had made up instead of the cast body he machined a steel one which has a sealed bearing with a wear plate so i should have no wear problems i will just ease the corners of the pressure plate fingers to help it last still messing with the gear change but rest assured that it will work i just need to keep at it
cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well it is great that the forum is back and running well thanks to mark for setting it all up first and the new owners taking on the project
well this week i got my act together and got the shift rods welded up and the change rod made up also drilled the holes for the shift rods but there is still some work to do have to make some blocks to put on the shift rods so they can move the gears but i think this wlill work just have to get the bits made up
then bolt it to the gear box and hope it works should do but murphys law anything could happen
ever the optomust

cheers roger

[roger mcnab]

hi
well i finally got the coil over shocks so will have a go at installing them soon the sciatic nerve is slowing down things considerably
cheers roger

[Exminiman]

Any chance of some more photos Roger?

would love to see how things are progressing on such an ambitious project.

[roger mcnab]

hi
sorry i have no pics as it is mostly wooden frames that were to be covered with timber slatsthen sandedto smooth them down to shape it came to a decesion which project to pursue as money or the sheer lack ment the clubman won outthe frames are up in the roof of my shedand other bits laying about un attended even the windshield frame is just hanging in the shed along with tail lights engine and gearbox and 4 idf carbs and part finished manifold if i found the uni gt before the clubman came along it would have been finished by now with its 3.5 rover v8 pushing it along if only it was a sad day when i put it aside as a lot of work went into scaling it from pics
cheers roger