Hi All,

I'm off to look at a mini that has been sitting in a garage for 10 to 15 years this weekend and I was wondering what to do and look out for if I'm trying to move it or start it. Things like what to do if the brake are seized. I know a guy who said to hit the wheels with a mallet to lossen it up a little, but he also said you could bore out an 850 to 1300 so I'm taking his advice lightly. I don't have 10 inch wheels to replace the old ones so i cant go down that path.

O yeah its a Morris Mini '63 for your information.

Cheers

If its been under cover brakes should not be too hard to free up to push around but i wouldnt drive the car put it on a trailer as the master cylinder and wheel cylinders would have most likley frozen up. As for boreing a 850 to 1300 um not a good idea (NO )

when i got mine we pumped up the tires and lowered it to the ground, and then tried to push it, to no avail, found the rear brake shoes had welded themselves to the drums. so we undid the cs screws and prized the drum off with some coloured language and hitting it came off....but yeah good luck, and if you are trying to start it, take some fuel with you, and hope they tank is empty, if not i personally wouldnt bother trying to start it without draining the tank. also, get a can of "Start ya bastard" brilliant stuff dunno if you knew any of this, but i typed it anyway ... theres an ad on tv anyway haha

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I have a problem.. apparently

Masons right....too many unknowns in an old car thats been sitting around...get it on a trailer back to your place and start working on the brakes before you do anything else...assuming the body ain't a basket case (of course)

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"Show me the Mini!"

Hmm..

Re; the brakes,
Usually the rubbers in the hydraulics have perished and the pedal goes straight to the floor. Its most common.

The linings may rust to the drums but when you go to winch the car up onto the trailer that mostly pop free. Winching it backwards and forwards also helps to free rusted up brake linings in drums. You wont do it by pushing it backwards and forwards though.

Re; The engine - dont try to start it in front of the owner - to difficult. You need to get it home to do that.

In front of the owner - Do take out the spark plugs, put the car in neutral and turn the motor over by hand or onthe starter if possible to make sure its not seized.

At home - drain out the old oil and put in new oil. Then with the plugs out spin the motor on the starter motor until you know you havee oil pressure - either by rigging up an oil pressure gauge or by oil dripping out of the rocker shaft oil ways.

Once you are sure you have oil pressure then do the usual checks checks - plugs, points, timing etc, give it fresh fuel (check it has radiator water) and start it.

If it starts let it just turn over for a couple of minutes to warm and free up before trying to give it boot fulls. It will blow smoke but that should pass soon enough.

Dont try to put it into gear until you know that the clutch hydraulics are working properly

Mike

Everything Mike says is good advice. The only thing I'd add to that is squirt a little thin machine oil into the bores and give it a few hours before you turn it over. After such a long time, the rings may well have seized (or even rusted to the bore) and a little oil will help get things moving.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

I tried to restart my mini after 3 years. It wouldnt start so I just pulled the motor out and stripped it. When I got the pistons out the rings were all stuck in the ring grooves. I dont know what happend but I had buckleys chance getting it started. I reakon Mucho oil or similar in the bores first.

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If you can turn it over by hand (some thin machine oil down te bores is okay) then its all good from, there.

If it wont turn then more remedies are needed and the rings may be rusted ot the bore walls etc etc.

Dont fill the bores up with engine oil (or diesel - which works better for frozen rings) before you do the turn by hand trick. Putting in in gear with the plugs out and pushing also works. Dont tow it though as that will may free the engine but snap the rings.

Mike