Hi Mini fans,
In my last posting, I shared with you my first visit to check out the Mini physical state. The Mini was really run down and in bad shape. In fact, the owner, Ah Fei was very pessimistic about the possibility of recovering the Mini as he himself have planned many times but failed.
It took me a week to consider taking on the restoration project as I realized that I will need a huge sum of $$ to restore and make it into the Mini that I like. Lastly, I decided to take up the challenge and I went to discuss with the owner to get a best deal for this Mini.
Two days after the deal was sealed, I got a tow truck from my mechanic Ah San Motor and head all the way to the location to tow the Mini back to his workshop. It was pretty exciting as I know, given me the time, I will change this Mini into an amazing car.
Here are some pictures of how the Mini look like when reaching the workshop.
The amazing thing about this Mini is that when the Ah San pour in some petrol into the tank, put in a fully charge battery, the 850cc engine actually started and run nicely. Besides the brake that is faulty, almost every other stuff on this old and tired Mini works.
The Mini then was left along for a week or so waiting for space in the workshop to park.
Meanwhile, I was not taking things easy. I was planning with the mechanic in Ah San Motor called Ping to search for a right half cut engine for this Mini. What I wanted was an automatic 1300cc Mini Cooper engine with all the wiring and gauge to enable the engine restoration more simplier and realible. He make many phone call to check around in Klang Valley. We were out of luck as there is no such engine available in town, most of the engine was 1000cc and its not what I wanted.
About two weeks of hardwork searching around, we finally got a positive answer from one of the Kedai Potong in Sg. Besi. Things was getting more exciting now we got a potential engine. Without much delay, me and Ping quickly drive our way there to look at the half cut while Ping checking the mechanical parts of the half cut.
With sufficient time inspecting the Mini Cooper 1300cc half cut, I confirmed it is what I wanted. After much negotiation for good pricing, we sealed the deal and managed to get the shop to chip in a MPI fuel tank and a carburator (the half cut is a MPI - multipoint injection engine).
The next day at the workshop, dismantle of the Mini was underway to clear the old engine and dashboard. I have to do this almost everyday after work to clean the engine compartment, clear the rust and repaint it with anti-rust to ensure it will last for a long-long while.
At this moment, its already end of June 2007.
There are many more exciting story to follow in my next posting. If you are interested to read on, please visit me again, see Ya!
Happy New Year 2009 to you & family too:))
