In the last couple of months I have hardly had a chance to drive my mini.

Over Christmas I had the motor reconditioned. Then I had to replace a tie rod end. I have had a stream of issues with tyres (leaking + one got a bulge in it). Then I broke a weld on the base of the extractors and as I was putting the exhaust back on I noticed the center rear exhaust mount was also broken, so I have just replaced that. I've suffered a bad run of ignition points (this set has been in for a while now and are going strong). I've had leaking rear wheel cylinders. Now the master brake cylinder has decided to give up and bleed back when I hold the pedal on.

This is all in between my regular maintenance schedual, which has included new brake pads, new lower control arm rubbers, new tie rod arm rubbers, replacing the carpet fixing up a load of dodgy wiring (still more to fix), new steering column bushes and just generally tidying things up.

So I've booked it in to my mini mechanic to do the master cylinder and I will get him to go over everything just to check it all out, because I'm over it.
Oh and I also need to book it in for a wheel alignment.

I love my mini, I never get bored.
End rant!

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Yeah there are some days in mini ownership when you wonder why....

But reading through your list has given me more inspiriation for my van project - I know once it's finished it will be fully rebuilt and I wont be fixing up someone else's mistakes!

Wait to you get to drive it next - then you will forget these woes!

cheers

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'72 Clubman Van - 1022cc, 295 head, 731 cam - Daily Driver
'69 Morris 1100 S - Dinged by a bus, in shed under repair
'64 Morris 1100 - Early 1100, long term project

Yeah, a lot of things things are at least 14 years old, so its doing ok. In the past 2 years I have replaced/rebuilt just about everything. So I know its going to be pretty reliable now.

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

sounds like my last three months

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

Try owning a Pommy motorbike.

went to get mine tuned a few weeks ago. cause i couldn't get it running well after installing the weber.....

blown head gasket..... ok new gasket......cracked head....

ok new head stage 3......

cracked block.....


..... haven't fixed that one yet

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1962 850,Frog

I am sorry to say that after 7 yrs of ownership I am still fixing problems with the car, it's part and parecel with owning a vintage motor vehicle.

Good on you for sticking with it. In the end it'll be a rewarding journey and you'll be very knowlegeable. That's what I keep telling myself

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Yeah Lillie,

I've had the car for about 7years as well, and for the first 4 it was fairly reliable, but was getting a bit tiered. So I have done lots and lots of work on it and I'm only now just getting to the point where it will be reliable again.

Ryan

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Ryan Filippi
Minis In The Gong
[email protected]
www.minisinthegong.com.au

Project Clubby is about the same, called into the machine shop and he said my conrod big ends are out of round , everything we pick up to work on is stuffed! The joys of fixing old cars, by the time it hits the road it'll be a brand new car made of spare parts.
Lucky we love mini's too.

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Cheers
PeterN
3x Leylands
1x 850
Mildura,
Victoria.

It's just a bugger, eh?

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im only trying to get mine to the point where it is reliable for the first time. haha.
do you know how busy gary is now days? im thinking i might finally have to take it somewhere so it can be running in time for gannons

You just got to love old cars

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Classic Not Plastic

at least yours didnt burn to the ground.........

I thing just about everyone on here that drives their mini regularly can share a story like that.
Hell, just this last year ive had to rebuild the bottom end with a new crank bearings and asstd gaskets, rear wheel cylinders, my front subframe has cracked, my front wheel cylinders are leaking, my diffs getting ready to go bang, its become very difficult to change gears, my brother knocked my mountain bike onto NAV putting a dent on the passenger side front guard, broken exhaust mounts, and thats just the past 12 months.
Any wonder i've taken it off the road.

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my flatmate in brisbane years ago, bought a cooper s, had it for 3 weeks, he had a jerry can in the boot, and no battery cover on his battery.

The can rolled in the boot and shorted across the battery, needless to say the fire brigade put his car out as it burnt to the shell.

Some of you might have heard about it, happened smack in the middle of the CBD in brisbane about ten years ago.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.