London to Brighton 2018 preparation

18th May 2018
Ian

So here we are again, London to Brighton Mini Run is almost upon us!

Sadly, we missed registration last year. We did attend, but we just joined the convoy outside Crystal Palace Park on the Sunday morning and parked up somewhere along the seafront at Brighton, but this year we were on top of things.

Our main mini hadn't moved for about 11 months, the MOT had expired and it had sat covered up for the most part all of last year. The covers came off a few weeks ago and we headed down to Matrix Auto for the MOT. All tests passed! However, 2 days later, I noticed an issue, we had no brake lights, only one side light at the front and the opposite side at the rear, the horn had stopped working, we had no hazard lights and no indicators!

I'd recently replaced the old sealed-beam headlight units with proper halogen ones and had replaced the rad too, so wondered if I'd loosened something by mistake. I know the hazard switch is a problematic component and everything for the indicators go through it. I replaced that with a known & tested working one from our 1983 mini but alas, this didn't resolve the problem. I replaced the indiciator stalk too as this was a little loose anyway when flashing main beam but again, nothing. Occassionally,  the flasher relay would buzz instead of click, so I replaced that too... again, nothing.

Fan belt adjusted

12th April 2015
Ian

After using the Mini as a daily temporarily whilst the Range Rover was having some things sorted on it, the Mini battery was only lasting a few days. Luckily, the one that's been sat on our written off one and been sat for 6 years is still working remarkably well! but it's a pain to keep changing it over and recharging.

I lifted the bonnet today to find around 3" of slack in the fan belt! Hmm, maybe..... 😉

Charlie, our youngest wanted to help and courteously showed me where the alternator was... "It's down there Daddy!"

Quick inside spruce up

8th March 2015
Ian

So it might not be a show car, yet(!) but as it had been sitting for about 12 months, there's definitely no harm in trying to give it a bit of a tidy up inside.

Alfie's greatly enjoying learning about cars, and unlike many of today's youngsters, actually listens to things he's being told and taking it in, so he gave it a good clean out and hoover this morning...

CV boot ready to go!

7th March 2015
Ian

What a day! Multiple trips to get tools, new plastic CV boot cable tie turned out to not work so well due to chunky clasp fouling the inside of the hub, so stainless cable ties bought as replacements but never easy to fit without a proper tool (which of course, we don't have).

After some blood sweat and tears, everything connected back up again and secure

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