E5TUS - 2023: Some turbo tinkering & Hillclimbing
Turbo Mini Forums

Following Loton in July, I made it to Wiscombe in August, went well for once, I didn’t have to fix anything afterward (not that year anyway).I remember it was wet in the morning and dry in the afternoon.

I closed the gap with my classmate, but he kept making improvements too. Rob is my competition in the forced induction class within our championship, he runs a supercharger and is always developing the system and improving times, it’s good motivation. The top 2a time in 2015 and class record for 2016 was 50.35, which I beat with 50.12, however, Rob had put a 49.65 in the previous weekend, so a new target going forwards!

https://youtu.be/gfvGFqSYbKM

2016 was also my first physical involvement with the Bangers4Ben, a charity rally organised by automotive industry charity BEN. I’d helped prepare some previous bangers, but this time I was driving too. We had a budget of £600 to buy a car and theme it, then we drove down to Marenello and back before they were actioned off.



It was serious fun zipping about the alps in the grass Saxo, it got a bit asthmatic at altitude but did us proud and sold for a decent charitable profit.

After Bangers4Ben in October, we squeezed in the Bristol MC’s Pegasus sprint at Castle Combe. Ran in the wet the previous year, so hoped for some decent improvement on times in the dry with the new setup. Beat my previous best time by 17.73 seconds, but still slowest in the class. We don’t always get our own championship class if the entry numbers are low, so at Combe I get put in Modified 1400-1800cc, which means I get spanked, but always nice to have varying track time to see others go round that you normally don’t get.

I was pretty happy when I came off track and thought I’d load straight onto the trailer… DOH!

Castle Combe side by side from October 2016. Just pipped the old man 94.22 v 94.36.

https://youtu.be/OkjBs_8n1F0

All in all, 2016 was a reasonable season with plenty of improvements and more to gain, can’t remember doing anything mechanical to either of our cars that winter, just service and MOT. My dad and I also made good progress on a RWD R1 build that is destined to be our first shared car to campaign.







I took the downtime to paint the FG bonnet and boot, but this was something I’d been putting off for a reason. When I had the car painted in 2006 it was sprayed some “titanium silver” I picked from one of the catalogues. A few years later I had it sprayed the original MMW “Pulsar Silver”, the combination came out slightly pearlescent, I’ve always liked it but I’ve had issues trying the replicate it off the car.

Anyway, the efforts to colour match were shite, so I quickly rattle canned them with primer/black to cover up the mess I’d made using “rat look” as an excuse for a few events whilst I figured out a plan.

I needn’t have bothered; I didn’t survive the first event at Wiscombe. I set a new PB in practice of 49.89 and track conditions were only improving, but…

I’ve always found the torque steer would give me a bit of artificial right-hand-down at Martini, I’d been slowly getting closer to the tyre wall having seen how the other minis took the corner. Anyway, I got pretty close, torque steer gave me a tickle left and the sidewall of the avon gripped the wall and I managed to climb the wall. Right in front of the finish line. Bugger.



Got away lightly really, steering arm, rack end, a-panel wrinkled and broken number plate. When I was climbing out of the car, I expected to find a lot worse.



The Medic using a kinetic rope with considerable violence to get me off the wall arguably made more of a mess at the back than the tyres did at the front!

However, it did highlight some bigger issues that I’ve just been lucky with up to this point. You know how you sometimes assume that something was done correctly last time, and you build on from that basis? Turns out the teenage me hadn’t fully engaged the steering rack with the column, the pinch bolt was above the splines! I guess this was a factor in my wobbly column.

With the steering addressed and bent bits replaced, I jumped in and couldn’t do up my harness. Not just a case of too many beers and pies in this instance, I might add, the seat seemed in the wrong place.

The seat base I’d been using has been in my car for years and years and had a couple of different seats fitted to it. Still attached by the standard hinge mounts, but I’d removed the adjustable feet at the rear and bolted it through the floor. What I didn’t realise was the feet were only screwed into a tapped bush that was just pressed into the tube. In the impact, these had pulled out, seat was now forward, hence the harness not fitting.

In many ways, a small accident was fortunate, it gave me a good reason to reconsider the safety equipment in the vehicle, which up to now was just a road vehicle I'd thrown a rear cage, bucket seat and harness into.

I also got made redundant that month too, so not the greatest luck. But ordered an exposed weave bonnet and full cage with the paycheque! Every cloud...

Great to see some updates :).

Keep it up

Great to see some updates :).

Keep it up

I have read all the pages from the beginning.
Nice documentation.

Ralf

Whilst on gardening leave in May 2017, I bagged a new job and fitted the cage. Made a new seat base and secured that bastard properly. Gave everything on the car a once over to avoid any further assumptions.



All ready for a return, and I broke my ankle playing 5-a-side.. So that was my summer screwed.

September at Wiscombe was my next event, I was looking forward to banking a clean run to get past the excitement of April’s event. That didn’t happen, I forgot to latch my bonnet and it came up on me just after the first corner. I got out and secured it, then pootled up the hill to get to the collection area, there was a crunch at the final hairpin. I got to the top and it wouldn’t come out of gear.

The event had a high level of attrition, my dad had an off which ripped the flip front off and smashed the windscreen, another mini in our club hit a tree and minimole23 got sideswiped and spun on the way home. Noooo, not the new force racing wheels!

Managed to unload the car at home, dropped the oil…



Out came the lump, split the engine and box and gearset looked ok, crown and pinion had missing teeth, I could also see the main bearing was spilling out (you can kind of make it out in the terrible photo below). Figured the main bearing let go, allowed too much movement between crown and pinion, crunch.



At this point I assumed new bearing set, new crown and pinion (perfect time to change ratio) and rebuild in 2018..

Between new job, a couple of rounds of IVF, pregnancy, house move and arrival of our son, another change of jobs, we can fast forward to June 2019 with nothing but moving the parts of the mini from one house to another.

June 2019 - Gearbox rebuild



I uncovered the mini, actually to look for some tools I was missing since the house move, once I’d rifled through the car, I left the gearbox out in the way to get the ball rolling. After twatting my shin on it in the dark whilst hunting for a beer, I decided both new lighting and a rebuild were priorities.

Having had the box built by someone before, for considerable cost, and it not lasting very long, I figured I didn’t have much to lose by trying it myself this time. Stripped it down to find (rather obviously now) that the excessive movement at the pinion end was of course replicated at the input end, so with a growing pile of scrap, I ordered a whole load of new parts.







Once all the parts arrived, I took a day off work and built it up. Very therapeutic and it was really nice to get in amongst the workings and truly understand it. I always avoided working on gearboxes before, but this changed my approach.

The car remained tucked in the corner for the rest of the year.

I'm now back working as a contractor at the place that made me redundant, go figure, but the rate is good and totally flexible so I compress my working week and have Friday’s as tinkering time. My 2 year stint in structural steel provided me with some decent experience and allowed me to spec and build a decent workshop/mancave for my dad.

With a decent amount of space and some time, 2020 started with some major progress on his racer.



Replaced the front, and returned it to its original clubman form, with Mig front arches which I think suits the wide rear fortech arches really well. Although after years of refinement the rear radiator was a working solution, the clubman front had plenty of room for a Cinquecento radiator up-front, we’d already fitted one to the R1 and it’s a nicely packaged unit. A decent reduction in weight too.



So all was go for 2020 season, first event was a sprint at Clay Pigeon on March 15th. It tanked it down with rain, but the impending lockdown meant a good turnout and one of our only chances to catch up with many this year.

That whole body kit really works well together!

'Where does the engine go?'

I transferred my turbo to the unit at the start of the year.



Gearbox was all built up and engine was still sitting in the passenger footwell where I’d left it September 2017! Struggled to find some bits, moving to a new house with a car in pieces is not advisable. Of course, by the time I’d identified the missing items, bought new ones, I found the stashed box of goodies somewhere else!

Although it was a case of just bolting it back together, I still didn’t like the messy engine bay and cluttered bulkhead and took the opportunity to tart about moving as much as possible out from the elements and heat.

The nearside of the bulkhead has always been cramped with air filter, fuel reg and wiper motor fighting for space. I never liked the tangle of wiring and various fuse locations and my placement of EDIS and yet more fuses was practical but another messy detail.

Relocated the wiper and all the bulkhead wiring with fuseboxes inside and patched up the myriad of holes that were left. Gave it the finest rattle can love.



It all looks neat and tidy, until you start filling the bay with stuff…

Cooling has never been optimal since I added the intercooler. You can see some of the historical issues on previous pages from poor IC pipe routing and bad decisions on fan selection. Although I’d got it operational, on boost for prolonged periods the temp would climb. I knew it was due to lack of original shroud or any other ducting. Whilst it was all out, I found a shroud that was unmolested and opted for a pair of the two blade export hot weather fans. Had to juggle about a bit with spacers, seem to have a different combination on every car I’ve worked on?!

Tried routing the IC pipework around the radiator and although it seemed like a good idea, in practice it was totally shit and a pain in the arse.



In this incarnation I’d also opted for a new high flow pump and rad.

First start-up produced the worst kind of metallic tic-tic-tic noise you want to hear after any work. Luckily, I say luckily, it was still a day written off, it was fan and shroud.

Then another metallic tic-tic-tic was noticed. Clutch side this time. Would disappear when clutch was depressed. Cue engine out, which wasn’t necessary. New engine mounts, slightly thinner base plate apparently, so original bolts protruded into the wok and catching the clutch very slightly. Annoying little things, but glad to keep solving them. Did notice that the export fans really flex when revv’d, another shite reproduction part I guess, so binned them too. Back to standard 11 blade. Also, whilst lump was out I also welded in front gussets for the bonnet pins as I'd forgot previously!

Back to the IC piping, I’d thought I’d written off all the previous solutions due to fan/alternator/bonnet clearances but just spent a couple of evenings browsing the internet to see several other routes that don’t seem to clash.

Nearly had enough parts to make the new setup work, had to wait ages for the last 45degree hose. Made a shroud for the alternator, it’s not extremely close, but close enough to play on my mind.

Also added a fire extinguisher whilst I was buggering about, then could avoid the mess of wiring I’d pulled inside no longer.



Got most thing mounted centrally, accessible through the dash if needed.



I’d been cracking on with sorting the dash rails and dashboard, you can see the engine is still on the bench from the previous outing.



Once the engine was back in, I just needed bonnet (another story) and arches painted.
Took the opportunity to head to the UK automotive industry breakfast meeting at Bicester at the start of September, great crowd and selection of cars and the chance to get a few quick sessions on the test track for shakedown too.



Returned to Bicester for the Classic Car Drive-In event a couple of weeks later. Only show I got to this year, very sensible layout and well managed. Kudos to the organisers.



Eventually I got a bonnet sorted. The one I ordered in 2017 took 18 months to turn up, countless calls and e-mails were never answered, and when it did turn up, it didn't fit well. Very annoying to put it lightly. Seems the company in question make their bonnets with a flat front lip, not curved. Fine if you are fitting it to one of their front ends, where they also make it flat. I know, because I have one on the R1 build. My boot, bumpers and door cards were from Carbon Weezel, and I badgered Ben with many stupid questions about his bonnet and the interface, ordered one from him and it is brilliant.

Got a message a couple of weeks back about a facebook marketplace listing, local to me for a two layer CF roof. Not something I was thinking about as it would change my class, which I’ve been avoiding but I sent a few messages and got some extra photos to make sure it was a prepreg onepiece. I bought it for future use, but plopped it on top to have a gander.





Changing class means I can then get rid of glass, interior and pretty much anything goes. Keeping it as is for 2021 season, there’s time to come off my times with the current setup.

As any gains begin to diminish, I’d like to lose some weight off the car. I’ve been eyeing up several areas that are still standard and there’s plenty of savings to be made as needed. Obviously it’s all cost, my list so far has 26.5kg savings that will still keep me in class, on top of that would be roof/sunroof savings, glass, interior. Should keep me going for the next couple of rebuilds! Roof is just under 2.8kg for anyone who's interested.



If the car survives the 2021 season, I’ll aim to tub the rear arches next winter to sort the rear ride height, probably go for new wheels and may look at brakes whilst I'm in the area. Some of those changes offer some really good savings for reasonable spend.

Anyway, that’s me caught up. Ta if you’ve bothered to read. Nothing special going on here, all been done before I know, but I thought I should take the time to keep this up-to-date rather than just sneak on, find the answer I want and bugger off.

If all goes ahead as planned next year and you see me out and about, come say hello!

looks good, been reading through your updates recently. Always thinking of other improvements. Mine is on the road yet and there is already things i want to change and do over at a future date.

No update on my turbo as I’m isolating at home, just MOT in the new year and get some miles on it. My wife caught COVID at the hospital, our isolation release was set for xmas day, but I tested positive on the 18th so I’m under house arrest till the 29th. Yay.

Had planned on getting the Metro back together over xmas and MOT’d too so I could potter around in it next year, but so far not had the energy to get out in the cold garage and put it back together. But thought I’d catch you up on the Metro…

My son was born in August 2018, and almost straight away I set to searching for a solid appreciating classic for him, at least that was what I told my wife. April 2019 a reasonable Metro popped up locally, most of the interior missing and in need of some love, but compared to what I’d been finding, it was a good deal.



Initially I planned to not touch it, just wait for him to grow up and show interest. Hoping he would learn to spanner on it and take the car in whatever direction he wanted. Then after looking for some parts, realising how much more difficult Metro bits were to source, I decided to get it up together, he can build from a working basis.

I’d posted a single picture on Instagram in March 2020 about a week before lockdown when I happened to be moving it from the unit to my home garage.



Had a message during lockdown, a guy asking the registration. We had a few messages back and forth, it turned out to be the specific car he was looking for… his mate had owned it in 2013/14 and they had used it as his wedding car. Obviously, just a car to me, but meant a lot more to him. We agreed to find another Metro, and he’d cover the cost of replacing the car. We found another one, another red City randomly. Once lockdown restrictions were lifted, I went and collected it.



I’d sourced a new interior for the original car, cleaned it all up but hadn’t fitted it. Took the interior out of the replacement and transplanted it into the original car, refitting the one I’d picked up in the meantime. Now with its new owner, hopefully another one saved to be brought back to it’s former glory.



My new acquisition had been off the road since 2010, engine had died and it was written off as uneconomic repair. Someone apparently put a gold seal replacement lump in, it was MOT’d last Nov, with an incorrect mileage (extra 50k!), apparently the clocks were changed with the engine “New” clocks didn’t match the interior or work either, but the drive appears to be missing from the gearbox side, so I’m assuming the rest of the work is also dodgy.

Only had a couple of bits I wanted to sort before MOT, but 2020 being what it has, it’s not made as much progress as I’d hoped. Got some correct clocks for it and dash is currently in a multitude of pieces. Managed to replace the hoses, as they had all degraded and were falling apart.



Still trying to convince my dad to relieve the white mini of its Turbo Technics suck through system for implementation on the Metro as originally intended. Think he’s coming round to the idea.

You sold this to my friend Gaz. We were at the same unit together, and keep in touch now and again through instagram. He has been on here in the past so I'm sure he lurks.

Happy new year all!

In a bid not to fall foul of the usual chaos a week before first event, I decided to use my newfound COVID freedom to dig the car on 1st Jan. Fresh MOT for a fresh year.

Started on the button, so I knew something was up… Did the magic trick of running for a while, you know, long enough to get in properly, put the wheel on and be halfway through harness adjustments before dying.

Had spark, had fuel to carb, took it all off, gave the float a tap and then it was fine, assume the float chamber valve had stuck to the seat?! I’ve had this in the past but not since I rebuilt the carb, will keep an eye on it, historically it got me ¼ mile away from the house!

Failed MOT initially as all my orange bulbs were decisively not orange anymore, nice easy fix, and I also had no rear lights. Here we go…

We all know the usual situation, fuse 4 pops and you don’t realise your tail and numberplate lights are out as headlights are still working. I check fuse and all good, start checking connections and testing wires. I was about half an hour in when I realised the fuse box is now upside down inside the car.. I’d been checking fuse #1 and it’s wires! Twat! #4 fuse was also ok, and everything worked with a feed from the permanent live on fuse #2. One of the light switch pins seemed to have snuck out when the switch was pushed home, an easy fix but frustrating never-the-less.

Once lights were remedied it was straight through. Emissions were cock on, which is always a nice surprise!

I spent some time tinkering during the last week, few annoying little jobs sorted, fiddly but very satisfying to complete.

Speedo hadn’t worked since the engine was last put in, knew the issue as I’ve encountered it before. On the gearbox speedo drive, there’s that groove outside of the cable boss, when I’ve fitted the cable from beneath (as an afterthought, once too much turbo stuff is in the way to access from above) I’ve not been able to see and got the cable in the groove rather than hole and the collar will still screw on a fair way. Half an hour laying on my back trying to get hand, arm and head to occupy the same space sorted it.

Next up was to rehome my chassis plate, as the MOT tester was not impressed with it being in my pocket when he asked where it was. Didn’t want to put it back on the bulkhead, considered boot bulkhead, but another firewall I didn’t want to touch. Opted for driver’s side crossmember. Had to remove door bar from roll cage to get a clear run with drill, spent the whole time wishing I had an angle drill, then afterwards found I had an unused 90 degree attachments in a drawer. Doh!



I went to put the dash cover back on but couldn’t leave the fuse box alone having poked about the other day. Still the original lucas box and seen a fair bit of scotchbrite and emery titivation over the years. I had planned on replacing the fuse box when I was moving the loom, but I could only find 4 way boxes with single terminals per fuse. Got a new version of the original, that’ll be one less thing to worry about. Access for checking/replacing fuses is ample but was a squeeze to get hands in to replace the bugger.



Replaced my front bonnet buttons to fixed pins, I wanted a more positive engagement for the ones I can’t see. I think having to flex the bonnet to engage/release the buttons is causing stress cracking on the radius of the bonnet at the edges. Don’t want it to get worse, so having reinforcement put down either side.





Whilst I was in the area, there’s a intercooler hose clip that's a particular arse to access, I had got an eBay 7mm flexi ratchet spanner in the hopes it would suffice, but the head is too big. Whilst I was sorting the pins, I realigned the hose clip and gave an access hole through the gusset (oooh eerr), small things like this should help when I’m trying to fix it at the side of the road with a basic tool kit or speed things up in the paddock at an event. Once I’ve had more TIG practice, I’d like to make up some longer sections of solid intercoolers pipes to reduce these potential failure points.



Pre-lockdown facebook marketplace bargain of the month was a £50 stainless bench from a local bodyshop. Been used as a mixing bench and looked like a Jackson Pollock. A couple of hours with a scraper, thinners and some scotchbrite and it’s more than respectable. The leg braces were cracked in a number of places, I'm not sure, but looks like aluminium filler was used and the braces have fractures just outside of the weld. Ground it all back to fresh metal either side and did my first stainless welds. Passable, happy with a couple of them, not enough to post a picture, but it’s done the job.



Applied for my race license last Monday, then Boris announces lockdown#3! But it’s MOT’d and all together for once, so just need tax, fuel and somewhere to go.

Been wanting to get up to Caffeine and Machine in Stratford-upon-Avon, aiming to when the restrictions ease. Be a good run out for me and the car, 124 miles each way, a good way to kill off these tyres so I have the excuse for new ones if a season appears this year. Any interest from others to get a few of the turbo minis together?

Turbo is taxed. Need to swap Metro and Mini due to logistical and storage issues. Looking forward to a quick drive in both later! I'll get a pic out in the sun later, just because