Okay this build was looking like it was nearing its goal. However I had made a couple of extremely stupid mistakes and it was about time I found them. Fill test radiator-fit to car.. mmm no way mmm rig up some elbow turns.. oh thats it.. yah a couple more oh cool *doesnt notice block entrance tube now higher than head exit* I only ran it for a few seconds hear and there.. something didnt feel right.. checked rad flow.. NO FLOW YOU IDIOT. Quick turn it off, mm ign doesnt kill it.. okay hit isolation switch gah still running *YOU HARD WIRED THE ALTERNATOR TO THE POWER FUSE MAIN SUPPLY IDIOT* pull fuse with finger *ouch thats hot IDIOT*
Still could have been worse I might not have checked the flow untill after its cooked. Oh and that bit of fuel hose I temp rigged that had the razor slice in it could have pissed fuel over a spark instead of the rocker cover... yes.. idiot. But then I guess thats why we test things, to find the idiot factor and fix them before we embaress ourselves infront of others. But for some reason I thought I would give you all a laugh at my expense
miki

im positive everyone can tell a similar story, wheather it be about a mini or another car, when people pull things apart in there backyard things can go pearshaped, but honestly how much enjoyment can you get from figuring out your own mistakes, I love it, its a learning experiance.

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ANY SEA ANY TIME

*PS* just so I can be 100% my alternater has 3 wires.. 2 big spades one small. One goes to fused power supply *pre ignition switch* One goes to battery and the smaller goes to voltage meter? *often piggy backs on one of the big ones*?

miki the 2x big ones connect to the same terminal inside the alt,,, & the other end of both of them goes to the big battery terminal on the solinoid

the little one is both the field exciter wire & the dash warning light wire

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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.

Similar story, but on a 1000hp gas engine. Torched an exhaust valve on startup on a 46 degree day on a callout at 6pm. Damn. Oh well, remove head, clean down parts, fit new head, put manifold bolts in etc, go to torque down head-noticed the head gasket was still sitting on the bench!! Pull apart again, fit head gasket and redo everything again! Finished job at 12am and it was still 35 degrees. (in Bendigo I might add!!!!)

I put it down to having my brain fried due to the heat!!

Thanks Mark, your similar misery made me giggle and smile! And thats always good.
Heres my problemo! The van wiring loom was pretty knackered but functional. The clubman loom looked awesome.. So I chopped the vans loom to bits when I took it out and started to use some bits here and there whilst making up my wiz bang *doesnt work* fuse box. I pulled the clubman loom out to find its a complete home made job and I have NFI where anything went as yes.. heres comes another idiot moment.. the texter I used on the tape to mark everything was a whiteboard marker! IDIOT. It was dark and I didnt notice.. oh I notice now though eh.
So now I have a fuse box that I completely fked up with different coloured wires everywhere. Im thinking of buying a brand new loom but im worried about how long it will take to make it up for *van* spec

They're fast, at least when I used Classic looms a few years back. That was a custom loom with a couple of extra colours included as well...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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