Here’s a Saturday night teaser for you all, which parts do you wish they’d never attached to the Mini, across the ages.
I’ll start with my pet hate and that’s the radiator shroud on the inner wing, was there any point to that at all considering what a ball ache it makes removing the radiator / fan. I really do wish I’d removed it from the shell before painting my racer.
Your go..
Last edited by Pete on Tue Mar 04, 2025 3:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
You've stolen my thunder Pete. That's JUST what I would have said. But I made a determined choice to leave the xxxxing thing off. And never looked back.
I say it time and time again...... A total waste of time and serves no mechanical, thermal or even draughting purpose........ but STILL the restorers fit them!
If I had to say another item, it'd be the disc shields. Same again. Proven time and time again that they serve no thermal purpose (no they dont.....) althoigh they do prevent you putting your finger onto the red hot disc from the inside. But I call that 'natural selection'
I bet that we'll get some real cracker answers here........
Pete wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 5:52 pm
Here’s a Saturday night teaser for you all, which parts do you wish they’d never attached to the Mini, across the ages.
I’ll start with my pet hate and that’s the radiator shroud on the inner wing, was there any point to that at all considering what a ball ache it makes removing the radiator / fan. I really do wish I’d removed it from the shell before painting my racer.
Your go..
There is a very good reason as to why there is a shroud around the blade. Take it away and you have a 'wash' effect....the amount of air being pushed through the rad will see a significant reduction..... resulting in a reduction in cooling.
This could be improved by changing the pitch of the fan blades....down side on this is the amount of noise will also increase.
The shroud is an integral part of the cooling efficiency of the system......plus, let's not forget the danger of an unprotected fan blade.
While we are on the subject...............I have always looked at the grease nipple on top of the diff housing...yes, very good when you are assembling the unit. After that...redundant.
Now, having said that....I did punch a 1" hole in the toe board of some of my minis adjacent to the location of the grease nipple....this provides access to the nipple..... fitted a rubber floor plug to cover the hole.....job done. One important point...
Pete wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 5:52 pm
Here’s a Saturday night teaser for you all, which parts do you wish they’d never attached to the Mini, across the ages.
I’ll start with my pet hate and that’s the radiator shroud on the inner wing, was there any point to that at all considering what a ball ache it makes removing the radiator / fan. I really do wish I’d removed it from the shell before painting my racer.
Your go..
There is a very good reason as to why there is a shroud around the blade. Take it away and you have a 'wash' effect....the amount of air being pushed through the rad will see a significant reduction..... resulting in a reduction in cooling.
This could be improved by changing the pitch of the fan blades....down side on this is the amount of noise will also increase.
The shroud is an integral part of the cooling efficiency of the system......plus, let's not forget the danger of an unprotected fan blade.
I think they’re talking about the rad shroud on the inner wing, not the fan shroud in the rad.
Pete wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 5:52 pm
Here’s a Saturday night teaser for you all, which parts do you wish they’d never attached to the Mini, across the ages.
I’ll start with my pet hate and that’s the radiator shroud on the inner wing, was there any point to that at all considering what a ball ache it makes removing the radiator / fan. I really do wish I’d removed it from the shell before painting my racer.
Your go..
There is a very good reason as to why there is a shroud around the blade. Take it away and you have a 'wash' effect....the amount of air being pushed through the rad will see a significant reduction..... resulting in a reduction in cooling.
This could be improved by changing the pitch of the fan blades....down side on this is the amount of noise will also increase.
The shroud is an integral part of the cooling efficiency of the system......plus, let's not forget the danger of an unprotected fan blade.
I think they’re talking about the rad shroud on the inner wing, not the fan shroud in the rad.
Aah thanks for the clarification...I always thought of that as the inner wing grille!
Cheers
D
The rad shroud on the inner wing was removed by the factory from all later Minis and ADO16....so the at some point BL/Rover must have done factory testing to prove it was no longer required perhaps as a cost reduction exercise by their Production Engineers (or maybe the production line workers suggestions scheme). Was it originally fitted to improve cooling or maybe prevent dirt/road spray entering the engine bay from the wheel arch vents?
If it was for cooling then maybe the later more efficient radiators fitted may have made the shroud no longer required.
The only reason for retaining it on early Mk1 Minis is if originalty is important, plus it is where the chassis number plate was fitted until the Mk2/3....and of course if you were to ever open the bonnet at Mini shows there would soon be a queue of 'anoraks' pointing out the error of your ways!
As a compromise rather than being spot welded in position, perhaps the shroud could be fitted with small bolts/screws/captive nuts accessed from under the wing for easy removal whenever required?
(not an unwanted part) .. my 1071 has a modification where the front Slam Panel is Removable as it just bolts into place .. this mod; has been expertly done by the previous owner in that this feature was not obvious to me when i went to look to buy this car.. only seen when i got the car home.
Was it Pete who posted only a few days ago that some South Africa built cars also had removeable slam panels ? .. makes through the top Engine change a doddle.
The rear radius arm grease nipple shrouds were parts I always removed from my Mk1/2 Minis back in the day. They usually collected damp mud/road dirt, went rusty and the screws that held them to the sills seized in place and had to be drilled out...
Deleted from the Mk3 as another production cost reduction exercise I would think?
mab01uk wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:44 pm
The rad shroud on the inner wing was removed by the factory from all later Minis and ADO16....so the at some point BL/Rover must have done factory testing to prove it was no longer required perhaps as a cost reduction exercise by their Production Engineers (or maybe the production line workers suggestions scheme). Was it originally fitted to improve cooling or maybe prevent dirt/road spray entering the engine bay from the wheel arch vents?
If it was for cooling then maybe the later more efficient radiators fitted may have made the shroud no longer required.
The only reason for retaining it on early Mk1 Minis is if originalty is important, plus it is where the chassis number plate was fitted until the Mk2/3....and of course if you were to ever open the bonnet at Mini shows there would soon be a queue of 'anoraks' pointing out the error of your ways!
As a compromise rather than being spot welded in position, perhaps the shroud could be fitted with small bolts/screws/captive nuts accessed from under the wing for easy removal whenever required?
Having just replaced my rad cursing the said unnecessary bodywork countless times I decided to take my grinder to the lower cowling so I can remove and fit the rad with the lower cowling in situ. Still have the lower rear cowling to rad bolt to wrestle with but makes for an easier job. I know several top racers who sensibly hacked the offending bodywork off with no negative affects at all, only positives!
Yes......, hydrolastic. A frill if not a total fraud. (As for the units Snoopy, don't forget that all you can do with them is to re-hose then test them for leaks! You can be as sure as eggs is eggs that the guts will have rusted out years ago)
Exminiman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 8:16 am
Hydrolastic……….just a joke, please dont react
Just this one small reaction mainly for Peter!
Hydrolastic?.....maybe not ideally suited for the Mini or the DIY home mechanic but many of the works Minis won events using it....and for most of its production life, the ADO16 (BMC/BL 1100/1300) using Hydrolastic suspension was Britain's best selling car. CAD design and the computer now produces much the same results and solutions for every car manufacturer, so we rarely see risks taken anymore with such unique 'love or hate' car engineering design solutions...eg. Citroen once had a range of cars with Hydropneumatic suspension.
Pete wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 5:52 pm
I’ll start with my pet hate and that’s the radiator shroud on the inner wing, was there any point to that at all considering what a ball ache it makes removing the radiator / fan. I really do wish I’d removed it from the shell before painting my racer.
There is a reason my "I'll do it over the winter jobs" on the van remain unstarted - that panel, and the pain I know will ensue because not only does the van have it, but a fixed grille too, making replacing the radiator on a van a very real alternative to incarceration for offenders. Just make 'em lie on the drive (Garage is full of house move stuff, hence my low profile on here of late) on a cold Scottish day, that'll put them off reoffending....
It's possible to do, I know, but even though I know and use a LOT of swearwords, I'm not sure they are quite enough?
Radiator shroud - the one on the inner wing.
Did they re-introduce this on the later Rover Mini's with Air Con - not a piece of metal but a foam insert of some sort?
Maybe the aircon should never have been fitted?
