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Mearcat 4E-FTE Clubman Build (Latest update 5-05-24 Pg 28)
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Author:  hallsey [ Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Good work AL

This is the fun part of the build

making everthing nice and shiny :D :D

cheers Hallsey
Author:  Mearcat [ Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:18 am ]
Post subject:  Painting Complete
The painting of engine and all other ancilleries has been completed. Everything has been painted using VHT engine enamel. As per instructions on the can, everything (except the plastic parts, main engine block/head & gearbox) has been baked to give it a more durable surface ... in our outdoor gas pizza oven (With permission from my wife too - she's awesome :D )

The colour of the valve cover gives a hint to the colour of the car when it's done :)

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On another note, I've collected up every nut, bolt & washer I have removed from the two Minis and Starlet front cut (plus a few small pipes and brackets from both cars too) and plan on getting everything gold passivated to give it corrosion protection. That, and it gives a nice factory look with shiny new bolts when everything is back together. It's taken about 7 hours so far and have wire-wheeled around 17kg of fasteners, with a few more brackets and other bits to go yet. To get the best finish, the passivation process requires everything to be free of surface rust, grease and imperfectionss, hence the effort.

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I am waiting on some new crankshaft cap bolts to arrive on backorder from Toyota so once I get those and all the fasteners back from passivation, it all goes back together with every oil seal and gasket replaced and new bottom end bearings & bolts installed.
Author:  amos [ Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:23 am ]
Post subject: 
Jeeez... committed much?!? Thats impressive Al! Can't believe you've gone to that effort on the fasteners... but it'll be worth it - gold passivating looks cool, nearly as cool as al anodising.... I think i'll just fork out for new SS fasteners cos i'm a lazy bugger!
Author:  Mearcat [ Tue Jun 22, 2010 11:50 am ]
Post subject: 
amos wrote:
Jeeez... committed much?!? Thats impressive Al! Can't believe you've gone to that effort on the fasteners... but it'll be worth it - gold passivating looks cool, nearly as cool as al anodising.... I think i'll just fork out for new SS fasteners cos i'm a lazy bugger!

I was chatting to my Dad the other day and he said I was a mad bugger for cleaning all the fasteners but my labour costs me nothing, and the actual passivation is cheap. A local guy here in Perth charges $60 for up to 30kg!! Plus I get to redo the passivation on a myriad of brackets including the brackets/arms etc inside the doors as well - the factory passivation on those are looking quite worn.


Edit :
Today marks 4 weeks since I ordered a set of ten crankshaft bolts from Toyota, which were on back-order from Japan. I phoned my local Toyota dealer to find out how far away they are. The response - "We have ONE bolt here for you but definitely not ten. I can chase it up but they are ex-Japan so will probably be 3-4 weeks" :shock:

AARARRRRGGHHHHH!!! What use is ONE crank shaft bolt!! So it looks like engine reassembly will be delayed another 3-4 weeks until the bolts can get here. :evil: :evil: :evil:

/RANT
Author:  JC [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
I can put you in touch with a good Toyota parts dealer here in Brisbane if you get stuck.

Just want to clarify that you have ordered new head studs as well as the factory ones are TTY.
Author:  Mearcat [ Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
JC wrote:
I can put you in touch with a good Toyota parts dealer here in Brisbane if you get stuck.

Just want to clarify that you have ordered new head studs as well as the factory ones are TTY.

Thanks for the offer JC. If they were head bolts, I would have just told Toyota to shove it and buy a set of ARP bolts instead. Unfortunately, they are crankshaft cap bolts (which ARP don't do for the 4E engines) and I did initially ring around a few places to find anyone who could supply them - to no avail. I was a bit shocked when Toyota said they had to come from Japan.
Author:  willy [ Thu Jun 24, 2010 12:44 am ]
Post subject: 
Dedication. Can't wait to see this one finished 8)

Good work!
Author:  Mearcat [ Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
I picked up all my bits after getting it all gold passivated. Awesome turn around time of less than two days. Total Cost $110 - one run for the fasteners and one run for the brackets and larger stuff (which needs to be hung/wired up through the process)

I reckon this process is a MUST for anyone doing a restoration on any car as it restores the original corrosion protection for a very small cost. And you can even put most plastic pieces through the process (such as the door locks) with no damage to the plastic (see "after" pic below).

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Before :
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After :
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Author:  '77 clubby van [ Wed Jun 30, 2010 9:17 am ]
Post subject: 
oh yeah! 8)
Author:  Smarty [ Thu Jul 01, 2010 7:58 am ]
Post subject: 
Wow they came up a treat!! Could you possibly post up the details of where to get that done?
Author:  Mearcat [ Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Smarty wrote:
Wow they came up a treat!! Could you possibly post up the details of where to get that done?

No problems. I used Zinc Coaters in Welshpool (for everyone else, that's in Perth). http://www.zinccoaters.com.au. They do Zinc plating, chrome, nickel and anodising (I had my aluminium Hi-Lo "cones" black anodised also).

The items to be passivated really do have to be well clean of all rust, grease and paint to get a good job. I have a few clamps which I threw in the batch which I didn't realise were painted - and they look pretty patchy afterward.
Author:  Mearcat [ Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
We have progress :D :D After 7 weeks of waiting, I picked up the elusive 9 crankshaft cap bolts from Toyota today and will spend this weekend installing new crank & conrod bearings and putting the engine/ancilleries back together (minus the clutch for now). Pics of an assembled engine coming soon... And hopefully I can get my shell back soon too.
Author:  '77 clubby van [ Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
woohoo! :D

The most frustrating part is waiting for parts to arrive before you can move on to the next step! :?

What are you doing for the clutch? Are you going to lighten the flywheel?
Author:  Mearcat [ Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
At one point, I wanted to get a lightened flywheel and button clutch, but then I could just hear my wife in my ear "I hate driving the Mini, the clutch is too hard nag nag nag..." *sigh* It's just not worth it... :roll:

So the standard flywheel will be machined and remain at the standard weight. My current train of thought sways between 1) buying an Cushion Button Exedy kit or 2) Getting a new clutch disc, and the pressure plate rebuilt ~30% uprated. Both options work out to be around the same price (~$500)

Current clutch slave cylinder (3/4") will be replaced with a 7/8" bore cylinder to improve pedal feel.
Author:  '77 clubby van [ Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
hehe....she'll get over the pedal on the left when she presses the one on the right!! :twisted:
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