I am about to weld up a jig for the FRONT subframe to sit in but am unsure on angles/levels. I measured the front-to-rear angle of the subframe while it was in the car (with engine in) but the cones in the car were old and very compressed (and the height of the car on left vs right was ~10-15mm difference so don't really trust those measurements).

Based on this top left pic in the image below (out of the workshop manual), it shows the front subframe with the towers not vertical, but the main section in front of the towers kind of is.

Before I start cutting/welding the jig, I need to know what part of the front subframe should be level (vertically or horizontally) so that the subframe will be bolted into the jib exactly the same level & orientation as it was bolted into the mini. The idea is to get the (4EFTE Starlet) engine to be installed in the subframe.

Edit : I have measured the subframe and it's square so it hasn't received a front end push in it's life.

-Alan

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

Well - for the benefit of the greater good, I'll post what I've found. There isn't really any definitive reference points to replicate the front-to-rear angles/level of the subframe while it's out of the car.

However the front bar of the subframe and the "wings" at the back of the subframe provide a pretty base line to go by. As long as the front "C" bar at the front of the subframe is near enough vertical, and the rear subframe mounting point "wings" are horizontal (in line with floorpan), then the level of the subframe will sit as per is would normally do when in the car.

I didn't take a photo of the subrame & jig from the side but I'm confident it's pretty damn close. Oh and the towers actually lean BACK a few degrees but haven't measured it see exactly how much.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rP8rUqK1m3Q/SgbYj66FhmI/AAAAAAAAAGk/pyuFBYHNWHQ/s1600-h/IMG_1336.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rP8rUqK1m3Q/SgbYj82t_oI/AAAAAAAAAGs/1bmwMjDKbpA/s1600-h/IMG_1337.jpg

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

just a suggestion,

if it was me, i would get an old or spare, possibly even the frame your planning on using,

stick the frame in the car that it will be staying in, tack some "feet" onto the frame, so when the cars at natural ride height the frame is sitting on the legs , then remove the frame from the car, and hey presto, amke a jig to hold the frame square in the position that the legs hold it, and your frame is sitting level?......

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-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

I have two subframes (and am using the non-spare one at the moment), but as I said in the first post, the rubber cones in the car are old, compressed and uneven so I can't trust the taking any level measurements of the subframe when it's in the car. If I knew the cones were new and even heights all round, it would have been easy to take measurements.

Good idea on the "feet" though

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

a protractor would do the job no???

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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.

Yeah - I will see if I can find my old one, dust it off and measure the subframe tower angle now that the jig has been finished. I have a steel ruler/protractor in the workshop ... somewhere.

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.

Okay I have measured the subframes angles and when viewing at teh subframe from the side, the towers lean BACK from the horizontal plane approx 6 degrees. Even the other subframe (still in the car with engine installed) is about 5 degrees.

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-Alan
I blame my dad for my love of minis. I think I was conceived in the back seat of one
I also blame my Dad for me being 6' 1" - not really the optimum height for driving a Mini.