A year ago, (Is it really that long!?!?!) I undertook the restoration of my mini.
It’s a 1970’s Mini K from Aussie.
These came with Hydrolastic suspension as standard. Well, mine did :P. I’ve removed the subframes, and don’t intend on trailering my car up to the North Island of New Zealand to get the suspension system pumped up again once I put it back together.
I’ve bought some replacement subframes off a Mini Clubman that was being wrecked, and both of these are in exceptionally good condition. The front one is practically brand new!!!
This is the problem. The subframes from my car use two smallish bolts (1/2 inch if I remember correctly) on top of the towers either side of where the hydrospastic pipes ran. On the clubman subframes, and I guess anything with cone suspension, there is a large singular bolt that would go through where the pipes on my car would sit.
My Question: Can I bolt a thick section of plate, using the old bolts from the original subframe, over the hole where the new bolt woul go, and drill a hole the diameter of the bolt in this plate? This would then allow me to use the new subframe without an awful lot of work, and I do really want to use it because, well, like I said, it is in exceptional condition. My theory would certainly attach the subframe, but would it be strong enough?
What you now have is a late Subframe, ideally one from a MKI Mini or any Aust made Mini with Dry suspension (up to 65, after 74 or any Van) or any Moke, that is a much more straight forward swap.
What you now have is a late Subframe, ideally one from a MKI Mini or any Aust made Mini with Dry suspension (up to 65, after 74 or any Van) or any Moke, that is a much more straight forward swap.
But money
I dont really wanna have to buy another subframe. It was hell trying to get it here the first time. I just wanna know if it can be modded to fit? Thanks
I am sure it can be done, but there are some minor floor mods needed.
<EDIT: Sorry, forgot to suggest - your Hydro frame can fairly easily be converted to dry. After stripping it out, there are some small tabs up inside the Towers that need bending so the rubber cone sits flat in there and then swap over the dry arms, they are different to the wet ones.>
Okay, thanks guys. Moke, I wanted to use the new one because my old one isnt in ideal shape (It was my brother’s project car in 2006. He didn’t even manage to get the engine all the way out. Though he did ruin the mounting points ) Could I weld the thick plates on? Might be stronger that way?
I’m not 100% up to speed on all the differences between the frames, but the front mounts are in the wrong place due to the later frame having rubber mounts here, but a solid adaptor can be fabricated (though I think they can be bought?) The tower Bolts and spacers are needed. The new frame you have is intended to mount on rubber here and I have it in the back of my head that there is a difference in finished height with your Bulkhead (on the body) due to it being an Aust Hydro car, but the hardest bit to overcome in an acceptable way is the ‘tails’ on the frame that bolt up to the toe board and floor. I’m fair sure you’ll have to fabricate some spacer blocks here. I have seen a couple of these and wasn’t crazy about them at this point, there is considerable less support than with the original frame.
I’m reasonable sure fitting the later frame in to these cars in particular, while do-able is not straight forward and not likely to end up with the best result.
I’m not 100% up to speed on all the differences between the frames, but the front mounts are in the wrong place due to the later frame having rubber mounts here, but a solid adaptor can be fabricated (though I think they can be bought?) The tower Bolts and spacers are needed. The new frame you have is intended to mount on rubber here and I have it in the back of my head that there is a difference in finished height with your Bulkhead (on the body) due to it being an Aust Hydro car, but the hardest bit to overcome in an acceptable way is the ‘tails’ on the frame that bolt up to the toe board and floor. I’m fair sure you’ll have to fabricate some spacer blocks here. I have seen a couple of these and wasn’t crazy about them at this point, there is considerable less support than with the original frame.
I’m reasonable sure fitting the later frame in to these cars in particular, while do-able is not straight forward and not likely to end up with the best result.
What’s up with the Hydro frame?
Okay, thanks. The hydro frame has damaged engine mounting bolt holes. It’s servicable, but they are noticably damaged.
I’ll take some measurements at some point. I’ll probably re-post in this thread with my future solution
Surely it would be easier to repair your original subframe’s engine mounting points, basically a flat steel surface than mess about trying to make a different subframe fit?
Im with surfblue here repair the original subbie. Not that difficult. You could faff around converting the single bolt to twin bolt but then obviously the bolt length will be different. I have converted a brand new rear wet subbie to dry so that is easy to do.
I guess the old sub is the way to go haha.