1965 Mk1 road/rally Bitsa, (now supercharged 8 port)

[InimiaD]

It's all coming together nicely.
I wish my project was as fast as yours in putting together.
Keep us posted with the updates.

[vegar]

Looking good. What kind of arches are those??

[Richspec]

I'm struggling to remember, group 2 plus? from arc angels, 45 quid from mitp last year, they're a really good fit.

[miniminor]

That colour looks fantastic , is it the same colour as the Avant? (Also a great looking car btw).

[Richspec]

No, its a different colour but the camera can lie at times!
The Audi is a lot paler in real life (its a variety of shades of Imola)! The mini is the good old AA Land Rover yellow, a good nine litres or so worth...

I need to get (yet another) order into Minispares for bits, as the 'bits to fit pile' is getting low . Some bits came from Demon Tweeks today so will get them on at the weekend.

[Richspec]

lots starting to happen now, shed loads of parcels last week from various sources, various traders, ebay and of course another minispares order!

Binnacle in for a test fit of the dashs either side.


Passenger door glass and fittings


Both dash pieces of the dash from Catmint inhttp://www.totalrepellents.co.uk/minibits/minibits.htm


View from the back


Drivers side door fittings, the catches don't latch as well on this side, the chrome bottom piece looks as though it needs to bend down towards the middle of the car more?


Omex and brantz trip meter will live here, with butler maplight and a few switches.


started to mod a later steering column to take the mk1 bits, removed the cowling bracket first and modded it to match the mk1 shape.


and rewelded on to the column outer to mimic the mk1


Got the rear no plate lamp wiring fed through the boot, which was a bit of a pain in the arse, lots of waxoyl sprayed into bootlid as well.


Glass mounted mirrors from Demon Tweeks, minor mods to the catch required but fairly straightforward


Ebay sound deadening pads on the rear quarter


No2 priority in the workshop, new clock so I could see when it was brew/hometime!


Clutch master and gasket from Minispares.


Friggin disaster spot what was wrong with my ebay MK1 wiper wheelboxes.


Rear quarter trim in, it needed trimming at the bottom edge as the bodywork isn't quite standard here and of course with o companion bins it looks a bit odd, but no ones ever going to notice behind the seats


Stuck a single deadening pad on the door


and some on the roof


Spent this sunday morning cleaning the headlining I got off ebay


and got it fitted this afternoon


Cleaned up an old fuel tank and first test fit here, made an alloy bracket to fasten the strap to.


Ebay dipswitch fitted and used up the last deadening pad


Not the proper vents here but at a total of £10 off ebay do I care...


Got the flasher unit mounted (minispares) and the pipe put on for the clutch, not sure what shape its normally bent though? I suspect something a bit flasher


also got the headlamp extension wires connected to the main room using double bullet connectors, both indicator wires fed through and the wiring up on them started, front and rear looms finally joined with single bullet connectors and the same with the lighting connections in the boot.

Rich

[rich@minispares.com]

started to mod a later steering column to take the mk1 bits, removed the cowling bracket first and modded it to match the mk1 shape.


and rewelded on to the column outer to mimic the mk1

that's a great conversion to do - I did it on my racer


goodbye pathetic felt bush......

...hello nice plastic bush from later cars!


I didn't bother sorting the horn push wires out on my car, i just moved the horn button!

[Richspec]

Yep, I'm doing the same, just a big old push button on the dash.

[WMU 211G]

Fantastic project Rich, inspiring stuff... a quick question regarding that nice door mirror - you say you had to modify the door catch to make it all fit, is the bolt supplied with the mirror long enough to go through the glass and the catch or did you have to fit a longer one...? Quite fancy one of those mirrors for my Mk2.

Cheers, Nidge

[Richspec]

The bolt inside the lamp was the perfect length, what i had to do was slightly elongate the hole in the catch upwards so there was enough room for the fastening nut to turn, there was one washer i didnt use and the one between the nut and the catch was cut to make it a 'D' shape as there wasnt enough clearance for the full washer.
Couldnt have been much easier to be honest, which never seems to be the case!

One downside was that the black lamps were only available with flat glass, alloy and chrome ones were avilable with flat or convex.

Rich

Edited to add that the new Quaife diff came from Swiftune, so that means i can get the box rebuilt, I did however condemn the pressure plate as it was badly scored, I think the flywheel will be ok but have another just in case. My brother is supposed to be sorting the engine though.

[WMU 211G]

Nice one - thanks Rich

[yorkspv]

I managed to pick up those mirrors from demon tweeks for £3 each.... A pricing error I imagine, as they went back up to full price straight after! Lucky find.
I have mounted the drivers side at present the same way in which yours is. I have noticed there isn't really enough adjustment to bring the mirror in so I can see down the side of the car? Have you noticed the same or am I not trying hard enough? Cheers

[Richspec]

its impossible for me to tell at the moment in regard to the positioning, I'll know better when I get a seat in, but there did seem to be a good chunk of movement, having said that the torpedo mirrors on my other mk1 are crap so I probably wont notice any difference!

I've got a photo taken tonight on my phone of the inside of the catch, I'll get it uploaded by the weekend.

Tonights progress was fitting up the passenger side dash with the trip meter, ecu, some fuses and some switches, the map light I've got looks huge and i'm not sure where its going to end up, maybe running along the top dash rail somehow.

[yorkspv]

I think I'm on max adjustment, I guess that's why the current pre66 cars have mostly got the brackets to mount the mirrors? I think I can modify the bezel and retaining screws to gain a little more. Cheers

[Richspec]

a picture of the mirror mounting.


passenger side dash


test fit on the seat so I could how the steering column sat, the answer is too low with the dropped bracket so I'll change to a more standard one.

[GraemeC]

Looking like it's coming on nicely.
Going to be strange having another Mini the same colour as mine out on local events though

[Richspec]

we'll meet at heaves hall etc but you do the proper rallying while I just do the classic tours and shows, so you'll keep your exclusivity!

[GraemeC]

You got the right gear in - you'll be out playing I promise! After all, be rude not to

[WMU 211G]

Handy mirror mounting pic - thanks Rich

[Richspec]

quite a bit of progress, all windows are in, all fuel and brakes lines are complete, roll cage is in, more so than shown here, 1 seat in as a tester and harness loosely in place


everything now ready for the engine.