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

[Mudhen]

Awesome work here - thanks for posting all your progress!

Was wondering what I was going to do about seat mounts...will be copying the daylights out of those, they look great!!

Pat

[Richspec]

I'll be doing some swapping around of cars and it'll be coming home shortly and work will start again.

parts of the brackets (the section that houses the captive nut) are readily available on ebay etc. the tube was sourced locally as that was much cheaper!
I'm happy it provides a strong safe mounting point and as a bonus its additional bracing into the shell.

[Mudhen]

Were you going to reinforce the tunnel and crossmember at all?

(did I just make it obvious I've been reading HTMYM again? )

Pat

[Richspec]

nope, I figure for my use that new panels, a rollcage and the seat brackets will make the shell stiff enough.
Its not like I'm intending to do proper stage rallying

Rich

[Richspec]

progress has been slow due to lack of time but we now have elec trickery and no lucas smoke

[Richspec]

started to look at engine i'd bought, i had some issues with the crank and now moved onto the block, all it needs is a helicoil in one thread and a hone...........so i thought

IMAG1630.jpg

[mk1]

Its only a little crack

[rich@minispares.com]

started to look at engine i'd bought, i had some issues with the crank and now moved onto the block, all it needs is a helicoil in one thread and a hone...........so i thought

IMAG1630.jpg

that's easily fixed with a sa1100 crank and a big slice off the top of the block....

[Richspec]

i've just stuck it on the 'blocks to be sorted' shelf for now.
Stripped a 1275 gt? engine thats I'll use as my exchange unit with MED.

[migliacars]

were do you buy that stick on black sound insulation from!!!

[Vegard]

I've had a couple of blocks like that. Couldn't get the crack away, even if I removed 10mm from the top.

[Mudhen]

i've just stuck it on the 'blocks to be sorted' shelf for now.
Stripped a 1275 gt? engine thats I'll use as my exchange unit with MED.

I've been meaning to order one of those shelves...

[Richspec]

Its a great shelf/workbench, its a special upgrade from the 'pile on the floor that keeps getting in the way'.

[Richspec]

small amount of progress, various odds and sods ordered today, much shopping around required!

over Christmas got the heater re assembled. I'd stripped it, blasted some of it and painted it up with varying degrees of success. in the end it was a case of 'chuck it together, its just a friggin heater..'



built up


fitted


also got the elephants trunk in and the heater all wired up via the dash switch, and glad to say it works. unlike my indicators that seem to have stopped for some unknown reason

[Richspec]

got bored and after machine polishing the bonnet stuck some stickers on, not perfect as they're really for a mk2 onwards but near enough. Roundel is on the wrong side as its hiding some paint imperfections.


the carb doesn't sit quite that high, its just balanced on some boxes to give an impression of what it'll be like.

and put these ones on as well. Most of the others are on the roof getting flattened under some books for now.


finally got the steering wheel on tight and slapped the wheel centre in.


I have noticed that the indicator cancelling pin is in slightly too far up so I'll extend the head a bit.

started to add some rollcage padding



Today I rebuilt the IDA with carb service kit (came direct from webcon but ordered from aldon automotive as webcon was dearer...) and a selection of new jets, emulsion tubes etc etc. I adapted the left side throttle lever I bought so it actually fits, and after giving up assuming as lost, and ordering a new one with spindle adaptor, I found the Throttle position sensor I'd planned on using. after a bit of bracket jiggery pokery it works.
Also got the rear window rubber chrome strip in and the finishing strip, this time without slashing my finger open, which was a definite improvement on the front one.
tomorrow I'm looking at possibly repositioning the exhaust tunnel harness mounts as the buckles foul on the seat mounts and I'm not happy with it, or maybe using longer eye bolts with spacer might be better, we'll see.

Rich

[Richspec]

quick update:

got the lsd diff and crownwheel (not) fitting issue sorted at Blackpool Race and Rally who also checked the balance of the bottom end which was described as 'mint' however the pulley I was going to use, which is the one that came with the MS 8 port injection kit is not useable as is, its not machined / assembled correctly and needs work to get it to run true.

I can now start final engine assembly, when I get the chance between shows, work and other minis..

[rich@minispares.com]

that steering wheel looks fairly exotic

whats not to love about a bit of hand tooled bling!

[Mini-geek]

Nice build..will the roll cage clear the dash boxes?

[Richspec]

that steering wheel looks fairly exotic

whats not to love about a bit of hand tooled bling!

mota lita 'gunsmith' design, bling alright

[Richspec]

Nice build..will the roll cage clear the dash boxes?

nope, not on the drivers side as the dash sticks out a good ways, I've had to cut a chunk out of it and resite one of the captive nuts that holds it together, I've got a pic somewhere...

here it is.

IMAG1723.jpg