Improving the gas Mileage of your Mini

If you have a classic Mini, you probably did not buy it for its gas mileage or at best you simply take it for granted that it is small car and thus must be getting great mileage.

In today’s’ world of sky high gas prices with no end in sight it is not uncommon for owners to be saying to themselves that it is time to drive the Mini daily to save a little money on fuel cost. But what is reality about our little cars? Most of us that have had them for any period of time have spent most of our effort in trying to make them faster, increase horsepower, just to drive as fast as we can for the sheer joy of it. When was the last time you checked your gas mileage?

Checking the gas mileage in many modern cars is a simply matter of pressing a button the one dash and reading the number. The problem with these later cars is that it is difficult to change it much with adjustment or upgrades. We have the opposite problem with our early cars, it is easy to adjust (or miss-adjust) things that can make some very big changes in your mileage but finding a way to measure it in real time while driving is not easy or cheap.

So what are the components that we have control of that will impact MPG? Strange as it might sound, it really is the exact same things that we have dealt with all these years as we worry about horsepower; Ignition and fuel. Before we get into some details we should not overlook one of the most obvious- if your tires are not inflated high enough, they will produce more drag with resulting lower gas mileage. Check your tire pressures and keep them up!

The fuel economy of any Mini can be impacted by a few basics. What is the condition of your air filter? What kind of air filter do you have? The stock air filter is paper and even when new is restrictive. Most stock air filter should be changed at least every 6 months. By the time you can see dirt on them; you have already waited too long. The stock air filter on the Mini, whether it is a twin or single carb set-up, has the paper filter in a plastic or metal housing. An option to upgrade the filter for not only longer life but better gas mileage is to replace the stock paper with a high flow K&N type filter. The K&N filter not only has inherent better air flow but can also be cleaned and reused. The stock filter as used on a single 1 ½” and some 1 ¾” carbs is GFE1008, the upgraded K&N version of this filter is E-2601. Later model fuel injected Minis use the stock filter GFE1143, the K&N upgrade is E-9172.
The most popular way to upgrade the air filter is to completely replace the plastic housing and paper filter with a complete assembly from K&N. Various options can be found on the Mini Mania Website.

Spark plugs should be the next area of attention. While it is very unlikely that a fresh set of plugs will help your gas mileage, it is important to change them simply so you can some method to help determine if the carb is set correctly. A quick inspection of the spark plug can provide at least provide some insight if the car is running rich (poor gas mileage) or lean (could burn a piston). There is not much science in this method as the subjective judgment of color is not all clear. And of course it very much depends on how the car was driven just before the plugs are inspected. In general it can be said if the porcelain around the tip of the plugs are black and sooty (not oily) then the carb is running rich. If the plug is all white- then the carb is lean. It is the ability to evaluate shads of black, white and grey is where the subjective process comes in. More details can be found here.

So now what do you do if you find black or white spark plugs. The Minis’ of all years until they finally upgraded to fuel injection had one sort of SU carb or another. As such, all of these cars have a choice of carb needles and adjustments. While the most common adjustment is the idle screw, the mixture adjustment is next most common. Regretfully, it is also the most commonly miss-adjusted. Reading the color of the spark plugs can help get you in the ball park, but if you really want to get the best mileage, a little more sophistication is in order. There are a number of choices, everything from a complete dyno tune-up to the simple use of an exhaust gas analyzer. The options for the do-it-yourselfer are more limited. One option to consider is the use of a “Colortune”. The Colortune is a unique spark plug with a glass top that shows up the fuel/air ratio in a colored form. More details can be found here.
There have been a large number of articles written on the care and adjustment of the SU carb and many of them can be seen on the Mini Mania Website.

Something as simple as changing your oil could also result in a small improvement in MPG. The Mini is very unique in that the same oil is used for the transmission that is used for the engine. The standard practice is too use a very light weight oil, 5W30, to reduce drag and improve mileage. And this works in a Mini but remember that

If you are comfortable that you have all the easy things under control and you still want to do more, here is a short list of things that will take some real time and effort but are sure to pay back in improved ‘Miles-Per-Gallon’. The transmission final drive ratio in most Minis was set for the highway speeds of the 60’s. With today’s demands of high speed driving, dropping the final drive from a common 3.44:1 to say a 3.1:1 or even a 2.95:1 will yield a noticeable improvement and even a longer engine life.
When building a Mini engine if gas mileage is to be considered be sure to aim for a compression ratio of no more than 9:1. Better mileage and cheaper gas will result. Using a single 1 ½” SU carb on a 1275cc motor will for sure yield better MPG than a 1 ¾”. If you are really serious you will also run 145 tires in place of the more common upgrade to 165 (The wider the tire the more rolling resistance).

Mini Moke to debut at Nevada City Adventure

The Mini Moke DIY kit will make it’s first public appearance at the 7th Annual Nevada City Adventure presented by Mini Mania. The Mini Moke kit will allow those enthusiasts with a love of driving a modern classic the opportunity build a new version. The original was built by English automotive giant British Motors Corporation but discontinued many years ago. The new Mini Moke, just as the original will accept all the running gear and accessories from the Classic Mini Cooper sedan. Thus not only can you end up with a great ‘just-for-fun’ vehicle, you also have the option to create a high performance serious off-road version.

The Nevada City Adventure is now in it’s 7th year presented by Mini Mania. The event is an gathering of Mini owners of all generations. Included are the Classic Mini and the modern BMW MINI Cooper. This year for the first time a new hybrid group of Mini owners are expected to show off there stuff as the Honda Vtec Engined Classics are being awarded special attention.

Mini Mania will again provide the back-bone for the Nevada City Adventure with an Open-house for all Mini owners that can also take advantage of a special 10% discount on all parts during the day. A tour of the local Gold Country and a car show will also be sponsored by Mini Mania.

Mini MOKE VS Monster Truck

Hey guys;First day out yesterday with a temporary registration sticker, papers sent off to state capitol and local office was not sure of acceptability of paper work. I just imported this Moke from England. In fact, first day on the water coming here I got your e-mail about US distribution of DIY Moke kit. Long reach to shift and the shoulder belts on the Portugues rollbar often hold me back. I think the quick shift kit you sell for rod models with its 45 degree bend and short throw will solve my problem .Actually it is not a competitive Monster Truck that routinely runs over and crushes cars in a stadium, but a very large Ford F350 4WD crew cab. 4 people were riding in it and pulled into the spot next to me before I, and a friend’s 7+ month pregnant wife (took her shopping and out to lunch) could get out of the Moke. In fact, I stopped her from getting out because it was pulling in close and she didn’t see it coming.

We had pulled into a parking spot just outside a sandwich shop for lunch. When I looked in the rear view mirror, I was afraid the Moke would pee itself when it saw the big truck too. We laughed with the driver and passengers and passers by. We went in and ordered, then I went back out for the cell phone photo. Wish it had been a higher quality camera.

MKI 1965 New Brakes and Suspension

Question:
I have a 1965 Mini and I would like to upgrade the brakes and suspension to a safer one. Can you indicate what I should buy.

Answer:
A 1965 Mini would have had drum brakes all around and used 3.5″ x 10″ wheels. The only real upgrade option is to the Cooper S, 7.5″ disc brake set up. It may be the only good one, but it is a very good upgrade.

Because the disc brake kit widens the front track about 2″, I usually recommend that the rear drums also be upgraded to the wider Cooper S ones to keep the front/rear track ratio the same. It is not necessary, but a good idea in my mind. One can use a kit like MMKT0501, or just buy individual pieces (drums and studs) if the rest of the rear brakes are in good shape.

Another recommendation is BHA4661, a master cylinder extension. If you check you brake fluid regularly, it really isn’t necessary, but, because disc brakes are self adjusting, the original disc brake master cylinder had a larger capacity to make up for the drop in fluid as the bads wear. This extension gives you the extra capacity…and makes monitoring the fluid level easier. (Buy one for the clutch, too!)

How to pick a Camshaft for your Mini?

I have been building and racing Minis 35 years and still I find more information out there to try to help make the right decision. I, for one, believe that the camshaft does not make the engine but is simply one of the many critical components that ALL need to be considered to achieve the desired performance. If you have an almost stock engine and try to ‘make it better’ with a Semi race camshaft, you will find yourself going slower!

There are a lot of variables about both the camshaft, related components that must all be considered.

Mini Mania has a large selection of technical information and articles that can be found here: Mini Mania Information

Just a few more of the questions:
What is meant by Basic RPM?
What is Camshaft Duration and why is it important?
What is the difference in Advertised Duration and Duration at .050″ Lifter Rise (Tappet Lift)?
How does Valve Lift affect the operation of an engine?
What is Camshaft Lobe Separation and how does it affect the engine?
What are Intake and Exhaust Centerlines?
How does Advancing or Retarding the camshaft’s position in the engine affect performance?
Why is it necessary to know the Compression Ratio of an engine in order to choose the correct cam?
How does Cylinder Pressure relate to the octane rating of today’s unleaded fuel?
How does an increase in Rocker Arm Ratio improve the engine’s performance?
Must new (Standard Design) lifters always be installed on a new camshaft?
What Engine Oil and Lubricants should I use?.
What is Valve Spring Installed Height?
How Does Installed Height Affect the Spring Tension?
How Do You Change Installed Height, and What Effect Does it Have?
How Do You Increase the Spring Travel?
Besides Coil Bind, What Other Types of Mechanical Interference Should You Look Out What is a Quick Way to Check Valve to Piston Clearance on an Assembled Engine?

All of this and more can be found here: http://www.cranecams.com/?show=faq&id=2

Yet another point of view can be found here: http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ar/eb30228.htm

Californian Mini Moke

Mini Mania has announced that the Californian Mini Moke will again be available in the USA. Originally built by British Motor Corporation at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham England, the manufacturing was ceased in 1968. The Australian plant for BMC that produced the Mini Moke continued in production from 1966 thru 1981. The first Californian Moke was produced in 1972.

My first Moke as an English version that was produced in 1966. I bought the car in Northern California in the early ‘70s with only about 2,000 miles on the odometer. The car was absolutely like new. Although I had several other Minis at the time, the Moke was my car of choice for the summer months. Despite it very small size and very petite motor, I and the Moke spent many miles on the California highway system. While the little 850cc engine as never designed for sustained speed of 65 or 70 MPH, this combination lasted a good number of years.

When I finally tired of being concerned that the motor would let loose any minute, I made the decision to upgrade. But not just any upgrade, I made the decision to use the Mini Moke as a rolling test bed for the latest creation from Mini Mania, a Supercharger. As I had an old 970cc Cooper S laying around, it was decided that we should use that. New +060 rod bearing and +.040 main bearing were installed first and all was ready to go! What a ride! This package again lasted for the next 10+ years and was still running great when I finally sold the car. While the top on the Moke had been replaced over the years the paint was still original when sold.

My next Moke for sure will be the current copy as made in China. These Californian Moke kits will be a popular off-road, fun run-a-round beach transportation.

 

 

Mini Mania offer Dyno Testing for all Mini Coopers at the annual Nevada City Adventure 2008

Nevada City, CA. Mini Mania Inc. is expanding it annual Nevada City Adventure to include the first ever “Vtec Encounter”,  public Dyno testing, and a free clinic in MINI Cooper detailing.   This will be the 7^th annual event that highlights the joys of owning and driving both the Classic Mini Cooper and the BMW MINI Cooper.

The “Vtec Encounter” will be the largest gathering in the USA of classic Minis that have been upgraded to Honda Vtec engines. These modern powers units add both reliability and performance to the classic looks and handling of the Mini.

The Dyno testing facility will be available to all any participants subject to pre-registration. Classic, BMW and Vtec Minis are all expected to be tested.

The 7th “Nevada City Adventure” for Mini Coopers is set for Saturday, May 17th, 2008. Held annually in heart of the gold country, this event celebrates both the Classic Mini as built by BMC (and Rover) and the latest MINI Cooper as built by BMW. Planning is now underway to insure this will be the biggest gathering in the history of Mini Mania in the Gold Country.
Events planned include:
* Vendor Arcade- Supplies will demonstrate product and answer questions.
* On-site Dyno Testing - measure the wheel HP of your MINI/Mini- reservations required- call for details
* ‘People’s choice’ car show with awards in a multiple of classes!
* Nevada Country tour- see some of the best of the Gold Country
* ‘Vtec Mini’ Encounter- largest ever gathering of Vtec powered Mini in the USA
* Silent Auction- Great products at only the price you want
* Raffle- Take your chance and win your choice of great products
* Free Grand Prize drawing- Every entrant will be eligible for some great prices!
* Mini Mania Open House- 15,000+ parts, 10% Discount on most parts.
* New MINI Clubman special display from Niello MINI
* Detailing Clinic - see some of the tricks and techniques to keep your car looking new for years.

Don Racine, owner of Mini Mania said “We expect this to be the biggest event of it’s kind in the area with 200+ MINIs and MINI Coopers on display.  The event has always brought the old classic Mini together with the modern BMW MINI Cooper and this year we have added the “Hot Rod” Classic Mini.  This community will make for a great match of personalities”

About Mini Mania, Inc.

 

Mini Mania was founded in 1974 and has grown to become a multi million dollar market leader that provides high quality aftermarket parts that include its own ULTRIK(tm) line of high performance parts and very specialized services to a growing customer base of approximately 50,000 consumers around the world.

 

Mini Mania solidified its market leadership position in 2001 by becoming the first company in the US to import the then all new BMW MINI to use as a product and performance test bed. Shortly thereafter, Mini Mania began to offer a suite of “lifestyle & performance enhancement products” that appeal to recent purchasers of the MINI Cooper(tm) automobile.

 

Mini Mania is headquartered in a 16,000 square foot state of the art facility in the Northern California foothills outside of Sacramento. The company’s dynamic web site is truly a one of a kind information portal for any Mini Cooper enthusiast – containing over 50,000 pages of unique content, augmented with 50,000 part number, technical articles and interactive community forums. Each month 75-100,000 individuals access the web site for research and purchase of Mini Cooper parts and accessories.

 

For more information - on the web: www.minimania.com, 800.946.2642, info@minimania.com

What is the easiest way to get the radiator in and out of the Cooper S.

Radiator removal and reinstall tends to depend upon the two Ps: Patience and Pain threshold! This is especially true with the Mk I and II cars that still have the inner radiator shroud as part of the inner wing panel — like your car.

I’ll describe what works for me on the early cars. This process depends upon the correct parts being on the car (e.g., no fan bolts that are too long) and the fan being installed the correct way ’round!

Removal:
1. Remove upper hose and upper radiator to thermostat housing bracket .
2. Drain water.
Remove radiator cap. If you still have a radiator with a drain tap this is easy and not too messy if you hook up a bit of hose to it. Hoses of the right size can be found at auto parts stores, good hardware stores and pet shops (if they sell fish tanks!). If all you have is a lower bolt in place of the tap, still not too bad. If you have neither, there is no other way than to make a mess. I remove the lower hose from the water pump. A drain pan will catch a lot of the water but you’ll end up using strategically placed towels, too.
Caution: this is all best done when the engine has cooled off!
Remove the heater hose from the lower hose take off. A variation is to remove the heater hose at the lower hose connection before removing the lower hose from the water pump.
3. Remove upper radiator shroud.
If the hex head sheet metal screws are original, they are 1/4″. Buy a proper box end wrench, or, if you have an “ignition” wrench set, there will be a 1/4″ in there. The front two screws and the upper back one are not hard to get to. The wrench works well for the middle one on the back.
Don’t worry if you drop a screw or bolt or lock washer or two. This is one area of the engine compartment where the hardware hiding gremlins do not reside. Once the assembly is out, you’ll be able to get to anything quite easily that you dropped.
4. Remove the grille. (Grille buttons are nice!)
5. Jack up the front of the car and support it properly.
6. Remove the two lower shroud to motor mount bracket bolts. 5/16″ fine with 1/2″ head.
The front one is not too hard to get to through the grille opening. Easier to use a ratcheting box end wrench.
The back bolt — if still in place — can be reached through the grille opening or the inner wing panel inspection hole via the wheel well. (Tire removed makes it easier.)
The reason I commented on the back bolt being there is that a common “trick” is to just leave it out upon reassembly. Either I’ve gotten better with practice or I’m more patient or both, but I put them both back in now days. Usually you can get away with leaving it out, but there are occasions (bent shrouds, using a tropical fan, etc.) where it is needed.
Note: this step can be left until after the fan is removed. Some find they can get to the fan bolts a little easier if the radiator assembly is unbolted first. I seem to do it either way.
7. Remove fan.
Loosen the generator to take tension off of the water pump pulley.
The four bolts are 1/4″ fine with a 7/16″ head. Either a long handled 7/16″ wrench or a ratcheting box end 7/16″ will work best. I prefer the later. If you have neither, use a standard box end and test your pain threshold by scraping the backs of your knuckles on the radiator fins. Then buy a better wrench for next time!
This step saves a lot of time, BUT it depends upon the correct length bolts being in place. If someone has used ones that are much too long, you may not be able to back them out far enough. Then you have to go to Plan B and remove the lower shroud, then the radiator — not my preferred way of doing things…and a topic for another email!
If the fan is a metal one getting the bolts out is a little bit harder. If it is on backwards — don’t laugh, I see it all the time — it is even harder. The plastic fan as introduced around the time of your car is easier to work around. If you have a tropical fan (6 big blades) it is a little bit harder. If you have a tropical fan on backwards, I’m out of town the day you call for help! This situation calls for removing the lower shroud and using a few choice words.
8. Remove radiator
The radiator with the bottom hose still attached and the lower shroud still attached should lift right out. Don’t forget to keep it upright until you can drain the rest of the water out!

Part II. Things To Do While the Radiator Is Out
1. Radiator repair
Take the radiator to a good shop and have it cleaned and pressure tested. If you don’t have a drain tap in the rad, have one installed.
2. Lower bracket bolt holes
Remember taking out the two 5/16″ lower bracket bolts? Make sure they have good threads and that the threads in the holes are in good shape. Getting the bolts back in is a bit of a fiddle so you want to make sure they are going to go in easily by hand as far as they can. I replace them and the lock washers with stainless steel.
3. Replace the lower hose, if necessary.
The hose goes back on the radiator before the rad goes back into the car.
4. Consider replacing the water pump, bypass hose and fan belt.
5. Consider replacing the motor mount.
6. If you’ve thought about replacing the front brake hose or working on the upper suspension arm, now is the time to do so when everything is easy to get to.

Part III. Radiator Installation.
1.  General Preparation
Make sure all the threads on bolts and bolt holes are clean, and trial fit any fasteners to make sure you don’t have any problems getting things together later. I usually replace all the hardware with stainless steel and I still use a little anti-seize compound during reassembly.
Get out whatever magnetic pickup and/or clamping pickup tool you prefer. You’re bound to drop at least one bolt or lock washer, and you may find them tucking into places that you can not get to by hand. A favorite to drop is a fan to water pump bolt.
Take a look at the four radiator grommets. Two on the radiator to thermostat housing and two on the bottom shroud bracket. I should have mentioned these in Part II. Replace, if necessary.
Put the water pump pulley back on the water pump and align the holes of the two. It’s easier to do now when you have room to see the hole alignment. If you have a very short 1/4″ fine bolt, use one to keep the two aligned. You’re bound to knock the pulley about before you’re ready to install the fan. Oh, I forgot to mention the fan (if plastic) as one of those items to replace if the vanes are bent back from pushing all that air.
Hang the fan belt. Don’t forget this step!
2.  Radiator preparation
So the radiator has been cleaned, flushed, pressure tested, a tap added and maybe painted. Now, put the bottom section of the shroud on leaving the upper two screws a little loose.
Install the lower hose. Make sure the clamp is such that someone looking down from the top of the radiator would be able to get a long screw driver on it…just in case.
3.   Drop the radiator/hose/lower shroud assembly into place.
At this point there is the option of bolting the bottom in place or installing the fan next. Not much difference on a car with the inner fender radiator shroud built in, but it’s probably a little easier to get the fan on first.
4.   Install the fan
If you had a bolt holding the water pump pulley in place, remove it carefully so you don’t get the holes out of line.
Insert the fan, with any applicable spacers, the right way ’round (the fan center should cup around the pulley) and carefully slide a bolt with lock washer through the fan, spacer(s), pulley and into the threads on the water pump. Work the bolt in by hand or wrench a ways. Rotate the fan and install the other three bolts.
Getting the bolts in place will test your dexterity if you do it by hand. It gets a little easier with whatever favorite locking type pliers or needle nose pliers you use. I use medical hemostats! These are great for jobs such as this (and motor mount bolts). I’ve been able to find them at various car shows in the swap and shop area. There always seems to be someone at the bigger shows that buys up old medical and dental equipment (dental picks come in handy, too) and sells them cheaply.
Once the bolts are in place, tighten them up. I use the same ratcheting 7/16″ box end that I use for removal. Makes the process easier.
5.  Install the upper shroud.
At this point I modify the upper shroud by slotting, vertically the back lower section from the edge to the hole. This is so the upper section can be slid down and onto the partially installed screw already in the bottom section.
With the radiator still not bolted down, you have a little more room to work on the back machine screws.
Slide the shroud down onto the radiator so that the back, lower (now slotted) hole lines up with the machine screw. Remove the front screw loosely holding the lower shroud’s upper end in place, line up the holes and insert and tighten the remaining shroud screws. I don’t slot the front like the back, preferring to keep things looking standard, but it could be done. Really not necessary. The time saved is negligible at the front where you have good access.
6.   Install the two lower bracket mounting bolts.
This will take some patience and dexterity, but it can be done working through the grille opening and the wheel well. The front one is probably the easier and can be gotten to through the grille opening. You can leave the back one out if you get seriously frustrated. There’s little chance it will be a problem, but why take even a little chance?
7.  Hook up the lower hose.
With a clamp in place (and positioned so you can get to it!) slide the lower hose onto the water pump and tighten the clamp.
I bias the hose a little so that the heater hose take off is leaning slightly away from the header/head junction just to make sure it doesn’t cook itself on the hot exhaust.
8.  Hook up the heater hose.
If you have a left hand drive car, watch the routing of the throttle cable in relationship to the heater hose. You may route the cable so that the heater hose helps hold the cable away from the exhaust manifold. It depends upon your particular set up.
9.  Reinstall the upper radiator bracket.
Don’t tighten the thermostat housing end nuts down all the way, yet.
Rotate the fan to make sure you have clearance. If it clears, tighten down and check again, just to be sure,
If you don’t have clearance, you have some wiggle room at the thermostat end and even the two dreaded bottom bolts. Almost always that is enough. If not, you may have a shroud that is bent a bit and will need a little leveraging.
10. Reinstall the upper radiator hose.
11. Tighten the fan belt.
12.  Fill the radiator.
Make sure the heater valve is open.
Start filling the radiator with your favorite fluid mix watching for leaks. Stop and let the water settle occasionally, and don’t overfill.
Run the car getting it up to temperature. Continue checking for leaks, and watch the water level in the radiator. It’s likely to go down as any trapped air works its way out the open radiator neck. Top up, put on the cap and go for a drive. When the car cools down, check the fluid level and top up, if necessary.

A little Mini history as written by my grandaughter!

Tina Racine
Ertola
Language Arts
12-5-07

Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigoniss.

Born November 18, 1906
Died October 2, 1988
Made the Austin Morris Mini.

He got his inspiration from drawing on a napkin. His friends called him “The Greek God”. He lived in Edgbaston (village of man called Ecgbald, from the old English personal name to Ton “Farm.”) United Kingdom Census 2001 found that’s 20,286 people were living in Edgbaston. Because Alec and his parents were British subjects, Royal British Marines evacuated them to Malta in September 1922, Ahead of the Turkish re-possession of Smyrna at the end of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922). Following of his father in 1922, Alec and his mother moved to the UK in 1923, Alec studied Engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. He failed his mathematics exams three times and subs equinity called Pure Mathematics “The enemy of every creative genius.” After Battersea Polytechnic, Alec decided to enter the University of London External Programmed to complete his university education. He was born in a Greek community of Smyrna now called Izmir in Ottoman Empire. Other cars he made:

. 1948 Morris Mini
. 1959 Mini
. 1962 BMC ADO16
. BMC ADO17
. 1969 Austin Maxi
On Alec’s birthday, Heritage Motor Centre was Held in UK. In later years the car was called the “Mini”.

Vtec Mini Pick-up gets new floor

My project to upgrade my old Mini Pick-up to accept a Honda Vtec engine continues! The first steps of body restoration is taking a little longer than planned. As the floor of the pick-up was rusted completely and as I will be installing a Vtec I decided to use a later model British Motor Heritage late model sedan floor pan to replace the original MKI Mini version. Thus not only did we have to extend it a little rearward but the as the stock heel-board was also rusted we still have to fabricate a few inches!

Only after we started this part of the project did we discover that the poor old MINI had been hit in the left front some time in it’s past. The floor would not fit without first fixing the earlier damage. Even though we had already braced the shell and removed the old floor, we still had to use a power-jack to spread the body back to original shape and accept the new floor panel.
The extending of the sedan floor pan to fit the longer pick-up floor required fitting a new battery mounting bracket, etc. Sorry, the pictures do not due justice to how much creative work is in progress!