That was a lucky escape.

I had a ball joint snap on me doing 100kmh round a left hander in the twisty hills just outside Buladelah. Luckily I was going through a left hander and the left joint snapped so I was able to get through the corner and pull off to the side.

Got a tow, found some new bits, rebuilt the front end and continued on my holiday, that was 1974, how time flies.

I do know what was wrong, I tightened the joints too tight, they had signs of heat stress. They were fine round the suburbs but the extra stress from a few hours on the open road caused one overheat, sieze and fail.

Pete

It is not fun when this kind of crap happens.
once had a steering shaft snap, did not know that when you
put in steering column lowering bracket that you had to loosen
off the rack and turn it a bit, oh to be young again.
HERES ONE I PREPARED EARLIER
[img][img]http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac315/850GT/shithappens1006.jpg[/img]
[/img]
Another rollcage doing its job, now i build rollcages and racecars for other people and they test them

I think this thread should be renamed
"Why to get a rollcage"
Because while things naturally F*** up, were only human so we all make mistakes, it seems to be the common factor of why people came out of it alive and realtively unhurt.

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Simplify and add lightness

how did these old farts live to get this old?

great testiment to the basic strength of the mini shell

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'62 Morris 850 (Marion)
'65 Mini Delux - sleeper 1275/S discs (Ms Plum)
'69 Vanden Plas Princess 1300
'71 Wolseley 1300
'74 Austin 1300 Countryman
'94 XJ6 Sport 3.2
'04 Rover 75 CDTi

I was sitting in the front passenger seat of this 850, in 1965... a tree went straight through the radiator.
God knows how I survived with NO seatbelt (were not common or mandatory back then). I spent 5 months in traction though, and 10 off work.
<edit> now you all know why I walk with a limp.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Doc that takes the cake! How anyone could have survived that, especially with no safety device on!!
And i know i'm not going to be popular for saying this, but i'm not sure about the mini shell being particually strong-especially in the floorpan area, maybe by the standards of the day, but not now!!
At least the clubbie type doors don't fly open when the shell distorts a bit.

....And yet we still love and drive them....albeit a bit more carefully!! ....Without a rollcage too i might add!

Drive carefully-Mark.

Mark, don't kid yourself about the `burstproof' locks on Clubby doors. My son had a head-on in his with a Camry, and the door fell onto the road!
Hinges broke, they are just brittle cast iron after all.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I think Ralf Nader had a lot to say about the Mini to Sir Alec.

You'll be pleased to know theres a brissy band called "Panel Van Halen"

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Dog Food! Most kids like it more than Broccoli.

1965 now i dont feel so old.
off subject what is the orange thing in the drivers side of the engine bay

Ryco bypass type oil filter. Commonly retrofitted to old Holdens with grey motor (they had no filter) but we stuck one on the Mini. They filter smaller rocks than a full flow one does.
Motor was a 997, bored out, with 1098 crank, Waggott cam, twin 1-3/16 Amal Monobloc carbs.
After I got off the crutches I pulled it out, and stuck it in MY 850.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

wish I had, those seats!! My dream original green seats!!

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And in those days I bet the car was back on the road before you were Doc

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!