Hi Guys
So this a the thread of how my panelvan was rebuilt.
I looked about 4 years for a body that had the side panels intact as well as the grille.
The engine that came with the car was left outside and thus seized solid.
The wiring was a complete joke and the front brakes was interlinked from left to right with some hydrolic hoses of unknown origin. There was no hard line running from the front t-piece to the back limiter valve for the brakes.
The list of problems/challenges was long and interesting.
Instead of struggling to fix the bad engine, I had a Jap spec A+ Fuel injected import engine laying around.
The sub-frame mountings for the current sub-frame and the jap engine sub-frame was the same, so the steering rack and frames were swapped.
I stripped the engine to give it a once over and found that water had entered from cylinder 2 and 3.
After a complete engine and gearbox refurb:
New rings, could re-use the old pistons,
Re-sleeve cylinder no 3
Service head completely.
Replace all bearings in gearbox.
Water-pump, oil-pump, cam followers, timing chain and follower etc.
I ended up with this:
I swapped the A+ SPi cam, dizzy, flywheel and clutch for A-series items.
Fitted a minispares inlet manifold and HS4 carb.
Lastly a uprated Minispares high-flow radiator.
To improve braking a set of 7.5 inch Cooper S items was sourced and rebuild and fitted.
After this the rubber cones was replaced and front shocks.
I sorted out the wiring and had a free-flow fitted to the twin down-pipes.
So this a the thread of how my panelvan was rebuilt.
I looked about 4 years for a body that had the side panels intact as well as the grille.
The engine that came with the car was left outside and thus seized solid.
The wiring was a complete joke and the front brakes was interlinked from left to right with some hydrolic hoses of unknown origin. There was no hard line running from the front t-piece to the back limiter valve for the brakes.
The list of problems/challenges was long and interesting.
Instead of struggling to fix the bad engine, I had a Jap spec A+ Fuel injected import engine laying around.
The sub-frame mountings for the current sub-frame and the jap engine sub-frame was the same, so the steering rack and frames were swapped.
I stripped the engine to give it a once over and found that water had entered from cylinder 2 and 3.
After a complete engine and gearbox refurb:
New rings, could re-use the old pistons,
Re-sleeve cylinder no 3
Service head completely.
Replace all bearings in gearbox.
Water-pump, oil-pump, cam followers, timing chain and follower etc.
I ended up with this:
I swapped the A+ SPi cam, dizzy, flywheel and clutch for A-series items.
Fitted a minispares inlet manifold and HS4 carb.
Lastly a uprated Minispares high-flow radiator.
To improve braking a set of 7.5 inch Cooper S items was sourced and rebuild and fitted.
After this the rubber cones was replaced and front shocks.
I sorted out the wiring and had a free-flow fitted to the twin down-pipes.
Own some minis, break them, fix them, improve them, test them to the limit....
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