The Pop-A-Smurf 1986 Austin Mini Cooper

[autobahncebu]

Hi everyone! Figured wanted to pop my StanceWorks cherry by starting off with a build thread.

The Classic Mini bug bit me just about 5 months ago!!! Picked up a MKIV that needed some TLC! As the months rolled by, my shop and I have been slowly getting the gremlins out of the way. With the help of some Cebuano locals here in the Philippines, Arnold Opone and Byron Pyramide, I've grown to figure out more and more about this vehicle. Quite alien to me since I come from 13 years experience of just BMWs.

Started out with a full body repaint including full anti-corrosion undercarriage work. Picked Laguna Seca Blue as the skin for the paint, staying true to my BMW heritage, lol.





Replaced the clutch, retightening of the brake master, installed an ever so needed A/C unit to deal with the hot Filipino weather, making sure the tiny 998cc engine can cope and not overheat due to the A/C unit by doing a full tune up with an oil change/flush, recharged air filter, NGK spark plugs, and also hand polished OEM 12 inchers. Since most of the maintenance is out of the way, we've been slowly adding some modifications.









Installed some AC Tech 8000K H4 HIDs. Livened up the interior with some hidden LED strips under the dash, and the rear seat. A few more bits and pieces like new Sparco foot pedals.



A few weeks back, I placed an order abroad for an assortment of some new parts:

OEM MKIII Rear light lenses
OEM Front Windscreen Rubber Seal
OEM Rear Windscreen Rubber Seal
Group 5 Race Arches
10 Piece Chrome Allow Handle Set
OEM Chrome Front and Rear Bumpers
Monza Chrome Petrol Cap
70amp Alternator
OEM MKIII Number Plate Light Housing
6 Yards of 1.1MM thick Black Alcantara Leather Material
Minisport Hi/Lo Adjustarides
Minisport Front Neg Camber Kit



At the moment, the car is under the knife with all the goodies mentioned above being installed. Fellow Mini enthusiast, Marco, visits while my Pop-A-Smurf mobile will be down for a couple of weeks.



Another achievement for the other week was that after 48 hours of love, I got the manifold cover fully polished like it just came out of the box!

Started with 120 grit Sandpaper...


After 320 grit, 1000 grit, 1500 grit and then finally some more elbow grease and some metal polisher...


A lot more to do to get this car to be in par with the standards I'm accustomed to with BMW Tuning. And surely is looking like a novice compared to the Minis I've been trolling in this forum! Hope one day this Smurfmobile can be running along with one of the stunning Classic Minis on this forum! Thanks for viewing!

P.S.

Been contemplating on pulling the trigger on an Air Suspension Kit that is plug and play to Minis from airride.co.uk. Wondering if I should just pull the trigger on these...Your thoughts?

[autobahncebu]

Almost forgot! I know my current 12 inchers won't make the cut after the arches are installed. I didn't want to go with the typical Revolutions, Mambas, Minilites, Revolites, and Starmags for my wheels. So I hit up my wheel sponsor for my E46M3, Avantgarde Wheels, since they made some ridiculously sexy Purple Prism centered, 24K Gold plated riveted 18x10/18x12 F140s.



Yuya sent me over to Rotiform since they make 13 inch forged wheels! I emailed Brian of Rotiform a couple of days ago for a set of 13x7s or 13x8s all around. I know the lag on response is due to the hectic SEMA 2013 week. Hopefully he responds soon! But to share with you guys what I was hoping to have for as shoes. These are my two choices! I'd want the centers fully polished, 24K gold plated rivets, and chromed double step lips.

Rotiform Forged Race SJC


Rotiform Forged Race TMB


Which of the two would you guys go for?

[Queef|Chief]

The TMB's would set this car off! Looks good man

[notabmw1]

I would pass on the air ride. I am hoping by spring I will fabricate my own kit. It is just way way way to over priced. Rayvern Hydraulics achieves the same thing for half the price, if you haven't looked up how there kit works, it will make sense, still retains same ride quality. But I want to go lower than both these kits will go. Not sure how low you will want to go, but on the rear you need to tub the rear arches. That will gain you another 2 inches of travel. Check out my thread if you haven't. Image wheel makes a nice 3 piece wheel for the Mini in similar style to the SJC, the TMB could be cool just cause there really isn't anything like that available for the Mini, that is why I made my own set of wheels out of steel on my other Mini.
Anyways, good luck, cheers!

[autobahncebu]

The TMB's would set this car off! Looks good man

on top of it, it is easier to clean! thanks for the input!

I would pass on the air ride. I am hoping by spring I will fabricate my own kit. It is just way way way to over priced. Rayvern Hydraulics achieves the same thing for half the price, if you haven't looked up how there kit works, it will make sense, still retains same ride quality. But I want to go lower than both these kits will go. Not sure how low you will want to go, but on the rear you need to tub the rear arches. That will gain you another 2 inches of travel. Check out my thread if you haven't. Image wheel makes a nice 3 piece wheel for the Mini in similar style to the SJC, the TMB could be cool just cause there really isn't anything like that available for the Mini, that is why I made my own set of wheels out of steel on my other Mini.
Anyways, good luck, cheers!

thanks for the notable recommendations! definitely heard of rayvern and their affordability and quality, but their site is quite informational without much info on buying full kits. but since you mentioned it, oh well sent them an email just now! regarding going low, i will tub the rear arches for sure. travel space isn't the concern though since ill only drop it when its parked. ride height adjustment is truly for the pavement here. sadly the roads here are 12x worse than new york roads. on top of it, dips/margins between public roads and private driveways are deeper than wwii foxholes.

as for image wheels, they were one of the first companies i looked at, sadly none of their wheels was my cup of tea. their bb4 mesh, something like an old school ssr was somewhat off. and if i was go with it, id rather get half of the cost on some mesh wheels from midland. rotiforms on the other hand is one pile of pretty pennies. from the trolling ive done the past few months on the interwebz, i havent seen one classic mini roll them yet. i'd like to be the first .

wish i had the machining and fabricating skills you got! for now, i just have to make do with the availability of stuff i can get my hands off of the internet! and probably learn a thing or two while reading technical stuff you got going!

[notabmw1]

thanks for the notable recommendations!

Another wheel to look at which I am sure you have seen is:

http://www.force-racing.co.uk/home/

I spoke with them as well about doing a custom set. Def pricey for me, but I was still entertaining it, but it was hard to beat the value of the aero wheels with the assortment of backspacing they offer, as you can see my rear wheel has a pretty deep lip for a Mini.



Here is a good article on the install of the Rayvern setup on a Mini. I have spoke with them in the past, being I have an Estate with the longer wheel base I would need to fab one longer line. I have done several Air Suspension installs on other cars, and I was trying to find a Air Sleeve/Shock to fabricate on the Mini, front would be easy, rear not so much unless you turret the rear. I am still on the fence, time is money, and the Rayvern sure would be nice to pop right in, not sure if would go low enough for me, and how it would work with springs instead of cones. I know the hi-lo's you can only go so low before they pop out without adding a rebound bump stop on the top arm to keep the arm from fully drooping. Rear not sure how that would pan out.

[autobahncebu]

It's been a while since I last updated my build thread. But anyhow, the mini has gone through some changes

Phase 1: Rust proofed and repainted, this car was original rusted black and is now flaunting a Dupont Laguna Seca Blue skin and now boasts a Sportspack fender kit. Leaks were taken cared of by replacing brittle seals and trims with brand new OEM pieces. The electrical department effortless rewired the car and put in a new 80 amp alternator to propose a proper sound system. The suspension of the car was still at its original 25 year old setup. New donuts and Adjustaride Hi/Los were throw in. This girl needed new shoes to replace its 10x6s. The fenders are now filled with 13x8 3 piece forged SSR MK1s. The centers have been fully polished by hand and the rivets are 24K gold plated. Yes, gold. You read that right.

An OEM AC unit was installed to cope with the heat here in the Philippines. A JDM inspired free flowing non resonated cat back sits low enough to avoid our Cebuano pot holes and definitely is heard while cruising down Osmena Blvd. Just the right amount of LED lighting makes this refurbishing project a tad bit new. 8K HIDs now brightens the narrow roads of Cebu at night and matched with a pair of 12W 4300K LED fog lights. Chrome pieces shines brightly too. Almost every chrome exterior trim pieces have been replaced including the front bumper. Roof racks are there for your bigger luggages when you drive this out of town.

The sagging OEM gray interior has been thrown out to make space for a custom black leather and fur setup combined with some more chrome trim pieces like the door handles, shift knob, and is topped of with a Motolita wood and chrome steering wheel. The central instrument cluster is a signature of the Classic Mini.

That's just some of the few mods, upgrades, and replacements thrown in.

[autobahncebu]

Then I realized the roads here in Cebu was a tad too much stress for the fender flares and at one point my Section 2 piping all the way to my Catback fell from too much pothole poundage lol. So had to raise it up a bit, and this is how it turned out.

[autobahncebu]

Forgot to share also pics of the audio install hehehe. I'm sorry LOL







A not so decent pic of the finished product. I should get better shots tomorrow.

[autobahncebu]

This shot was taken during a local nostalgic car show here in Cebu. Sadly, I didn't get to take home any awards. I guess I have a lot more work to do

[autobahncebu]

These are some pics I took a few weeks ago. Most recent changes were getting the front of the car clear bra'd by Autofoil Cebu and the headlights smoked ...



It's funny how this Goliath can make a stand against some our lifted truck clients at the shop LOL.







Lastly, talking about making a stand against raised vehicles here in Cebu. Due to people being idiots and always getting their windshields darkly tinted and knowing that our streets here aren't properly lit up, they rudely keep their high beams on even while waiting for a red light or when they tailgate! They never get the hint. Until now....when I installed a 13 inch 72W 4500 Lumen CREE LED Bar in the back shining right through their skulls :P. And when they do lower their beams, of course I turn it off LOL.

[sebastiaankeijzer]

I spoke with them as well about doing a custom set. Def pricey for me, but I was still entertaining it, but it was hard to beat the value of the aero wheels with the assortment of backspacing they offer, as you can see my rear wheel has a pretty deep lip for a Mini.



Hi Everybody,

I hope somebody is willing to help me. I have a Clubman Estate and im searching for a nice set of fenders. I really like the fenders on the picture.
I have 2 questions; where can i buy these fenders? and is the fender now filled with a 13 inch 8J rim?

Hope somebody can help me! Thanks you all.

Regards, Sebastiaan

[notabmw1]

I spoke with them as well about doing a custom set. Def pricey for me, but I was still entertaining it, but it was hard to beat the value of the aero wheels with the assortment of backspacing they offer, as you can see my rear wheel has a pretty deep lip for a Mini.

Hi Everybody,

I hope somebody is willing to help me. I have a Clubman Estate and im searching for a nice set of fenders. I really like the fenders on the picture.
I have 2 questions; where can i buy these fenders? and is the fender now filled with a 13 inch 8J rim?

Hope somebody can help me! Thanks you all.

Regards, Sebastiaan

Sent ya a message Sebastiaan

[Randomofodication]

Wow, gorgeous looking mini you've got there! Looking forward to seeing what else you do to it. I would pass on the air ride (I have a car with air). Reason being is this car is probably much like my beat, insanely fun to whip around the corners, and I think you'll find a decrease in the handling when you go to air ride.