A big thank you!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I too remember the Clive Trickey Tuning a Mini book I spent hours polishing up inlet ports etc on my first 850 (SFA 782) followed by my 1275 Cooper S Mk1 (DJC 323 E) then finally my 998 Cooper (LOV378F) that I converted to full S spec over 12 years of ownership. My best mate used to Rally his 1275 between us we re-shelled it twice due to major accidents when stage rallying - happy days. The fastest was DJC 323 E - I bought it in a closed trade only auction at Bristol Street Motors in Birmingham for around £400 in 1970 - it had a genuine special tuning  straight cut gearbox iirc a 731 cam with a cylinder head you could see your face in. Downside was the floor looked like corrugated steel from Welsh forestry roads. Sadly most of my photos were lost in our house fire in 2017,



PICT0319 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
The red Mini photo  was taken outside my parents house when I was a student circa 1965/6
PICT0340 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
The Kingfisher metallic  blue S photo was taken at Clowne outside a Police House circa 1972. The red Mini was a 998 Cooper sprayed at great expese by my best mate Jerry in Rolls Royce Regal Red. Not very clear in the photo but both cars sported vinyl roofs - a fashion back then.





Trichcolour Cooper by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
Photo was taken circa 1980 place forgotten but could have been somewhere in Burton on Trent area.

[Laverdaroo]

Awesome Ted!

Love it!

[Orcade-Ian]

Great pics Ted,
I lent my 'Tuning a Mini' and 'More Mini Tuning' books to a friend and never got them back but I have since got a copy from ebay of the first one.  Apart from the racing guys, no one will be polishing, porting and gas flowing heads now.  Not sure any insurance companies are instructing re-shelling cars either.  I love the last pic with that Princess too!

Ian

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I gave my two Clive Trickey books away after I parted with my LOV 378 F he was a student at Derby University circa 1992 - it was never taxed again so I guess its long gone,
The Mk1 S DJC 323 E was written off within a few months of ownership by the young lad who lived in Sheffield.
Back in 1976/7 there was a chap in Nottingham who bought a load of BL special tuning parts all new from BL when they closed the Special Tuning Parts division down I think - he was our source for works front negative camber arms & competition displacers etc back in the day.

I know the when & where for first two photos were taken  but the one with the Princess in looks like a park in the background just can't place it.

[K2-K6]

Good memories Ted.

Having never owned a mini, but worked on friend's, family cars extensively, seem to have more ore less made a whole one out out welding wire with oxygen acetylene, or damned close to it  I guess that could be counted as 3D printing in metal nowadays 

[B11sey]

Thanks Bryan,
I will admit it was a great machine to start from and we've had a particularly crap Winter when being in the workshop was a good option and very few interruptions.  I even refurbished the clocks which I had thought would be next Winters job.

(Attachment Link)

Still have to fit the 069 carbs and airbox

(Attachment Link)

Looks like the clock bracket needs a bit of straightening and bar clamps re-finishing sometime.

Ian

I would be really interested in a details of your Speedo/tachometer repairs. Any chance of a picture of the crimping tool you made?

[Orcade-Ian]

Hi,
I'll take some pics of the bits that I made to do the job - just done one for a mate with a big Yam but he wanted the 'patina' leaving 'as is' - his was just a broken needle so not so much extra work. Might be tomorrow before I get chance.  The most important bit is to make sure the ring can't spread outwards when you are teasing back the over-crimp.

Ian

I put a short piece on my web site with a Ducati speedo I did - quite a bit different from Honda as unfortunately the ring (brass on that one) was crimped tight flush against the case - it might give you some ideas though
http://www.stallard-engineering.co.uk/stories/Bikes/European/Ducati%20Making%20parts.htm

[Johnny4428]

Thanks Ian for the heads up on the 550 on your web site. very pleasant read and my, I am going to have to up my game! Making a very nice job of cleaning her up. Looking forward to seeing it on the road. Be up your way soon “again”, 🤣 just waiting for next dry day.

[Orcade-Ian]

It's not Leslie standard though Johnny!  Look forward to your visit - usually out on Wednesdays in the great Metropolis!

For B11sey,
Here area few pics of some of the tools and fixtures:

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This is the ring I made for the Yam tacho

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And the tacho sitting in the ring - gap is for masking tape

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Using the drill press to re-crimp a bit at a time

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And the finished article

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Home made tool to start uncrimping

I sometimes use an old 1/4 woodchisel to start to lift the crimp

The tool in the drill press (stationary!) is a piece of scrap bar with a domed end and you just keep slowly moving to the next point to press down - steady does it and I might go round 4 or 5 times before it's fully home.

Ian

[taysidedragon]

Nice job Ian. 👍

[Orcade-Ian]

Thanks Gareth,
It's very satisfying doing instruments but I know there are many very professional restorers out there but I like to keep as much 'in house' wherever possible.
I'm very fortunate that I have a decent sized centre lathe - so useful for lots of restoration jobs on the bikes and cars.  Also, hailing from Yorkshire I never throw anything out!  When I first met Christine in the early 80's, She couldn't understand why I kept rusty lengths of metal - until I stuck one in the lathe and turned the outside to reveal the shiny stuff inside, I honestly think She thought it was rusty right through!

Ian

[Laverdaroo]

Yorkshire, always thought you were a good egg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sesman]

No mention of Dave Vizard then? We got over 100bhp out of a 1350 motor back in the day using his tuning guides.

[Johnwebley]

I remember  Car and car conversions  fondly,

minis,Angleboxes,Imps

MGBs

fantastic,

around  the late  60s,early 70s  Tuned Imps appeared  in sidecar racers ,
about 120HP  from a top Hartwell motor

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Then there is this that has two 998 Rallye Imp engines Siamesed together - built by an ex-BR worker who used to live in Mickleover - Mr Bettson. I did the DVLA enquiry for it back in 1979/80.
Its been changed substantially over the years with different wheels, brakes & gearbox/clutch units - last saw it about 8-10 years ago. I suspect he has sold it as he was no spring chicken when I last saw him.

.Bettson V8  made in Mickleover by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr