xcarguy Posted February 15, 2019 Share Posted February 15, 2019 The colors on the Mini are stellar. The number on my car is the added total of each month in which my wife, son, daughter and myself were born. ...did I mention the color? :troll: BTW, it’s great seeing a new build on the forum. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 Great garages guys! My wife has a newer mini but we love them all! @pk .... what is the one on the left? Looks like a BMW? Nice collection! Tomorrow I'm putting in the engine and trans. I bypassed the headlights and radiator because i know how clumsy I am. I can just see me swatting them with the tail as i set the engine in. LOL! I did manage to get the heater/heater core in, the airbox, horns and the headlight supports installed. So far about 13 hours in. I'll post some pics of the engine install tomorrow.. cross your fingers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pksurveyor Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 1976 bmw 2002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Wow...great progress so quickly. You are keen to get out on the roads soon. :cooldude: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Well, I finally got some time to post some pics. A good friend of mine came over to give me a hand with putting the engine in. Unfortunately we lost about 4 hours trying to bleed the air out of a borrowed cherry picker only to run down to the rent a center and renting a known good one. We got about 12 hours in it over the two days. Fitting the trans to engine, plumbing up all the hoses, and installing the rad after the engine was in. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15037&stc=1 http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15038&stc=1 One huge problem we ran into was the engine brackets to motor mounts. I bolted the rubber mounts to the frame and got the engine in close. But the brackets that bolt to the engine were "miles" off! This was the drivers (Left) side: http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15042&stc=1 This was the passenger right side: http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15043&stc=1 As you can see they weren't even close... very frustrating. The engine needed to be about 3 inches toward the left side and back about three inches. This was impossible as the dipstick was already against the side of the car, the throttle was against the brake/clutch peddle box cover and the intake was against the master brake cylinder! I almost gave up and was going to call the dealer figuring that the brackets were the wrong ones. I stumbled on the remedy by loosely bolting the driver side bracket to the rubber mount on the frame and swinging toward the engine. What I discovered was, the engine needed to be tilted, with a list of about 5-10 degrees! I had no idea. When you pick up the engine with the cherry picker and engine tilt it picks it up level. Sure you can tilt the engine with the positioner nose to tail, but the yaw you could do nothing about. Being new to the Caterham, I didn't know that the engine was listing toward the passenger (right) side. So I pushed the tilter towards the passenger side to match the engine bracket and BINGO! I then moved the engine back and everything cleared! My buddy held it there as I bolted the bracket to the engine and then, the right side was spot on! Problem solved and time for a BEER! We finished plumbing up all the cooling system and called it a weekend! A LOT of work but I'm very happy with the result. Its really coming together. Next a cleanup of the shop, tool organization, get rid of a bunch of empty boxes and hit 'er again next weekend. Stay tuned! Apparently I exceeded the number of pics I can post... to be continued Edited February 19, 2019 by Lucky-7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 Here is what I had to move to this post.... Anyone know what these wires go to. I deduced that the brown ones are a ground. I checked them for continuity... The white and red ones? and the twisted ones with the plastic blades are up in front by the lower rad hose? The FSM has no wiring diagrams what so ever. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15039&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15040&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15041&stc=1 HELPPPPPP!!! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 Apparently something went wrong.... my pics weren't posted. I sort it out and re post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Great work! :driving: It took me and a buddy, 80 hours of total wrench time to assemble my yellow car back in 2000. Funny you should mention engine tilt. My Rover K series motor also cants toward the passenger side. Keep up the good work, you'll be grinning ear to ear soon. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 Well I got some more done today on the Caterham... oil is in, coolant is in, throttle cable and I fought my ass off with the steering column... those bushings are a nightmare, not to mention the one one the dash board that wasn't even mentioned in the guide. I kept knocking out the nylon inner sleeve. What a pain in the arse. They should note that the steering rack should be left loose so you can rotate it as necessary for a better angle to the steering column. I found out where those wires go. White and red to the starter and brown to the engine block... I hope. Lol Tomorrow the exhaust pipes, then the e-brake and diff... even with the problems I'm still loving the build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Budlite Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Wow, you're making great progress! Very interested in your build because I'm contemplating a new 270S, 310S, or 360S in the very near future. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 Here are a few pics of my progress on the Seven. Hope you like them! http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15078&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15079&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15080&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15081&stc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 I've got about 40 hours in so far. Having a great time doing it. Only wish it was warmer. I've got a torpedo heater but the constant din of that thing running makes you crazy after a while! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Very nice! I don't remember my exhaust ever looking so shiny. The assembly of my Yellow Cat took 80 hours, you look way closer to finished than that. Great work! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 Thanks Tom! Been a nice challenge. I've mostly been working on it on weekends. The diff, was a lot easier than I thought. I read some horror stories of the fight some have had, but mine went real well. Next up I'll build the dedion and rear brakes. Derek from Caterham has been very helpful with the electrical connections that I had questions about. I sent him some pics and he sent some back with comments. The hand brake cable, routing points were another issue that he resolved for me. I'll get them taken care of when I go to the deDion. Unfortunately, I'm going to have little time over the next couple weekends to work on it due to some family matters that need done. But I'll try to do more during the week days to keep the pace up. Kenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 The headers and exhaust are beautiful! Nice that the Duratec dumps the exhaust out on the passenger side (in the states) and not the driver's side (Unlike the Zetec and X-Flow). It will be quieter/cooler as a result for you as the driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Budlite Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Looking good Kenny! Here are a few pics of my progress on the Seven. Hope you like them! QUOTE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 I got some more done on the Seven over the past week. Sorry for the pic quality. My phone camera lens is screwed up! http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15122&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15123&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15124&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=15125&stc=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky-7 Posted March 10, 2019 Author Share Posted March 10, 2019 So far I have about 66 hours in it. Been a lot of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Looks like front and rear wings, the stone guards and you are just about done! Have you started it yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightonuk Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Are your headers coated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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