Former Member Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Youve gone and done it to yourself now Eric but thats allowed its your thread.Sold lots of Vivas,and chevettes in there day,my motor trading started with buying minis that needed rear subframes,used to do 2 a week,Sunday was buying day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 spent the first seven years of my working life in a bmc garage anybody remember the austin 1800 we called it the land crab,first one i drove on the road one day after passing my test (1969) ended up just two feet away from our local duck pond when i forgot to put enough turns on the steering wheel (four and half turns) lock to lock plus a touch to much speed, dream car them days was a lotus 7 with 1500 gt ford lump sadly still wishing maybe the pension lump might get a hole in it in five years time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Weren't these the forerunner to the equally dreadful Maxi? Also, did they have a sub frame "chassis" set up like the mini?? - saw many of these driving crabwise along the road after some "mechanic" had re-assembled them after a crash without jigging up the alignment correctly Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 13/05/2009 17:37:02Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 13/05/2009 17:37:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 yes they did timbo they were a pig to change to, worst thing on them were the gear change cables they put out a recall notice to modify it and we had sold ten cars by then we did all the recalls and the cars were just as bad three months later we had to do it it all over again with another modifacation we were not happy bunnies but the boss was as bmc were quite liberal with their money for recall jobs, mini;s had a rear brake valve on the subframe and some bright spark sugested aluminuim washers to save money these promptly corroded and we had to change them free of gharge to any mini owner that asked or any one that came in for a service wether it was corroded or not. BMC allowed one hour and a pint of brake fluid for this job. we got so fluent at this job we could do it in ten minutes with half a pint our guvenor was a real penny pincher so he loved it did you ever try changing a fan belt on a mini? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 yes phil usually more lastic than hydro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Did very well selling the 1800,s and the Princess range.Grew up working on mini,lots of rusty subframes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 did any body ever change a mini bypass hose? loverly little job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 we used to wrestle in the rubber uj.s with tyre levers till we found you just popped the top ball joint off and that gave you a lot more room to do the job once pushed a mini off the ramp doing this back wheels were off the ramp and the car was slowly sliding on it floor with me hanging on to the front bumper yelling for help we could have saved it as there were three mechanics watching but they just fell about laughing so i had to let go the car did not appear to have much damage but never did feel right afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Anyone drive the Princess 2200? - astonishing performance, handled like a Mini. went like a Jaguar! Rusted like a nail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 back on thread just watched emmerdale did you see the milkman give bob hope two pints and he walked back into the cafe with them and brenda had a sign free refills on all hot drinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 does anyone remember how to fit a mini fan belt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 " careful application of brute force " Yes that horrible hose . My & my partner changed a few & the customers could not believe how we managed to under -cut "proper dealer prices " All I remember is that it took a lot of washing up liquid &/or brake fluid as a lubricant ! (and some bad language ) Back on thread ---Eric Did you know 'Er indoors's dad has a farm in Langdale End not far from Goathland where Heartbeat was filmed .They wanted to use it as a film set when Greengrass was in it. Dad didn't want film crews etc changing everything round for filming . He was born there and is still ther sheep farming at 96 by the way ! He is stuck in his ways like us youngsters who are only 60 'ish.' Er indoors does his lambing in April G-UMPY Edited By David Ashby - RCME moderator on 14/05/2009 08:56:29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myron Beaumont Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Phil Yes ! Loosen off the top radiator holding bolts Then using careful application of brute force ( wearing a glove ) having loosened off the 9/16" & 1/2 " AF bolts the rest is easy . Mind you I'm talking 60's models .No doubt being a youngster you have one of the new models with a bonnet full of computers ? Old G-umpy . Ken will know what I'm on about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 that was one way myron taking the top half of the radiator cowl off but the correct way to do it was much easier if you knew how i made lots of money on the side i could fit a belt in four minutes and charged two quid back in 65 this was half my weekly wage, as i am looking at my 60th birthday in october i dont feel as young as i would like to a miss spent youth old injuries and too many heavy gearboxes and engines lumped in and out have taken their toll would love to get a lotus seven but dont know if i could get down into it or up out again, my first car was a 1949 split screen minor with a 805cc sidevalve nought to 60 down hillnext month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 i still have the draper socket set i paid afive bob deposit on with my first weeks wages it cost twelve pounds twelve shillings back then bsw,af and metric wore out three sockets but the rest is all original Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Claridge Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 no phil you could do it by just losening the two holding bolts and the adjuster bar bolt taking nothing off but the belt lets see if any remembers the correct way to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Yeh I will swap it...for £30K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Fitting the engine mount bolts back in.Use to loop a bit of wire round them and then you could get them in.Who used the consatina by pass hose easier to get in but lasted 5 minutes,long enough to sell it.I bought a new metro on 23 Oct 1981,Noisy gearbox ,rattling tappets and heater leaked every where,my legs hurt if I went 15 miles ,sold it 6 weeks later and pointed the billy in the direction of the main dealer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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