Mark 1

[Stephen]

If it were mine I'd only really want to fit a period style rollcage. Might devalue the car fitting a modern cage?

[monkeyjim]

Absolutely .

I can get hold of John Aley/Italian job roll bars no problem . Both are available new from 2 sources , one even uses the Jo Aley replica clamps . Both would suit the era of the car .

However would again involve drilling holes in the sill I guess , unless anyone knows otherwise and they bolt through the floor ? The roll bar would be more of a cosmetic addition in this instance .

Due you guys reckon the harness bar a good idea ? , maybe sprayed matt silver like the Italian job cages , black is a bit much I think.

I want to get the seats and belts secured better in the car .

[paul1275s]

That type of cage can only be treated as cosmetic, the rear leg sits on the parcel shelf!! When I rebuild the Green one i'll probably be taking it out and either running with no cage or a proper FIA/MSA approved cage instead. I'll be using it in some forms of club motorsport and the rules say that if you have a cage it must be of an approved type, otherwise it must be removed. I'd like to have a (properly fitted, approved) cage in the car for the extra safety it does provide and also to enable me to mount a harness safely. I'm not really bothered about drilling holes in the fabric of the car, far more preferable than smashing holes in mine or my passenger's heads! Surely you aren't that concerned about originality Dave? You''ll be refitting drums and an 850 next...

[monkeyjim]

You know me and the car better than that Paul .

This has the 59 60 61 flat sills that the rest of mini production did not have . As they say in most Mini ads on ebay........Rare .
That is why I do not want to drill holes in the sill .

Parcel shelves are not even attached to the car at there ends so expecting that to have a roll bar attatched and improve safety is indeed daft .

Not interested in competing in it so I dont need roll cage or roll bar .

I want to know what you guys think of a stand alone bar
(as in Deans link) attached between the wheel arches that the rear fixing of a harness can be attached too and its merits over a plate currently welded lower down at the rear of the rear seat pan .
Thats all .

[MiniGT5]

I think the standalone bar looks gash...

Just drill holes... at the end of the day you can always weld them back up again

Think of it like this. You are just the custodian of the car and if the next custodia does not like what you did to it then they can put it back to standard. I had this dilema drilling holes for arches in the pickup but I just did it (after a lot of uming and ering). if I dont like it in a few years I will just weld them back up again.

N

[monkeyjim]

Oct 29, 2011 15:23:51 GMT MiniGT5 said:

Just drill holes... at the end of the day you can always weld them back up again
N

drill what? why ?

[paul1275s]

It looks like a good solution, paint it body colour. (I can't remember if you've got back seats fitted...)

[monkeyjim]

Ok .
Colour coded would be less in your face than silver definately would not leave it black.

I have no back seats .

Would bring the rear mounting point height up and the belts would be at better angle .

[Miniböttcher]

looks like it will lift the mounting point by about 6"

That seems to be the best opition and holes in the wheel tub are easier to hide and welding up , than welding up holes in your sills that you dont want to drill.

are you wheel tubs in the car covered in carpet,vinyl, as you could make it quite neat and hide the plate and bolts and paint the bar body colour,

what you going to do build one or buy one,

[monkeyjim]

Not sure yet .

May change the harness from a 3 point to a 4 .

Need to decide that before going down the mount bar route if i were to do that .

[monkeyjim]

Re: Internal gearchange ..

Mine is indeed in the wrong place with the bucket seat further back .
As are the switches but I added a temporary solution to that last year...... Still not finished the permanant one .

I did contemplate using a internal through the magic wand hole but as Neil has found out the engine needs to be more solidly mounted .
Some guys have used the split poly engine mounts like I have been using since it first went back on the road plus additional kad engine and box steadies . .
These split poly mounts do the job well I think .
Put it like this...... I do not have a uprated engine steady bar or gearbox steady bars , just uprated Mini spares bushes in a standard engine bar . Gets driven enthusiastically and no probs.

Anyway , not done anything about the internal change because i need additional information and additional uprated engine/gearbox bars . These will require engine out and their brackets welding onto the frame which ruins the paint .
So I have been waiting until I gave the car a re-vamp before going any further .

So much to do .

[Stephen]

You don't need to take the engine out to fit gearbox steadies, just drill a couple of holes in the subframe. They came as standard to a certain year of Mini I think? Maybe not, but an easy upgrade.

[monkeyjim]

Yes they were standard from a certain year , not on twin bolt frames .

My waiting until engine was out was so it can be welded on and all painted again .

[Stephen]

Dave was so inspired by Neil's plans for new doors he went all out and bought a lambo door kit and matching bodykit. Looks wicked mate.

[Miniböttcher]

I have not stopped laughing. Brilliant.