Yep I'll come to and drink your beer Marty.. Oh and learn [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

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66mini van,77 clubby,78 LS1275,60sRoundy.

How can you go wrong with a crack team like this

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

If all else fails we drink beer and complaint "what idiot designed this thing anyway!"

This might help - viewtopic.php?f=25&t=85150

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

These vids from Mini Mania might help too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsOJPemcEDc

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The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

Yes beer makes everything better

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The best part of fixing your mini is the test drive

Minis..

1976 van daily drive
1975 van
1968 deluxe in the shed
1967 deluxe high strung 1310
1959 austin healey sprite

Cheers guys, seen the video's they will certainly be handy on reassembly I only hope I get my case looking as clean

Is it worth replacing all bolts?

Come grab the books when you want mate

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1965 Riley Elf
1974 Ex Army Moke
1997 Rover Cooper
2002 JCW Cooper
2003 JCW Cooper S

Finally got the gears to lock after replacing the lay gear! Now the nut is too bloody tight!! Soaking overnight in WD-40 and I'll try again tomorrow. Failing that I'll take it to workshop and get help

http://www.minimania.com/Gearbox_Rebuild

http://www.minimania.com/Classic_Mini_G ... ania_Video

You'll need these when putting it back together

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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!

soaking in WD40 won`t help,,, it lives in oil normally

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Previously I've used a breaker bar (1/2" drive) and about 5 feet of exhaust pipe. This is the sort of force you may have to apply, you also have to be able to pin the box with the same amount of force, such as bolting it to an immovable object.

You may also have to apply heat, be weary though you can start to anneal steel over time with temperatures as low as 300 degrees.

Cheers Wombat, and thank you to everyone else that chipped in. Finally got if apart! (Told you I'm slow!)



Next question: what's the best way to clean it up? Chemically?

Should I remove the bolts and clean the thread or leave them as is?

Cheers

I just did exactly the same job last weekend. Went through similar struggles too. I even had a copy of the pages of the Haines manual laminated so I could wipe the sludge off.

I have dropped all the casings and transfer housing and wok cover to a guy to soda blast. He's quoted $100 to do the lot, due back early next week - if your interested I could post some before and after photo's if you like?

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Oops what am i doing here?

Yes please photos would be great