Decided to start blowing apart the Mini today. I wish I could say it was easy, but she fought me every step of the way.
First, pull the grill, no problem.
Then front bumper. One side easy, other side the stud on the bumper spins in the hole... no way to get a wrench in there. Come back to that later.
Back bumper, One side stud shears off, other side spins like the one on the front.
Ooooh Dear previous owner, these wires are too small for a 30 amp circuit.
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wiring 2.JPG
As far as I can tell, this screw up by the DPO is what took the car off the road. I think he was having a problem either with the switch or the starter solenoid and decided to put a hot wire from the battery main fuse thru the switch, to the starter solenoid, to ground.
I pulled the plugs, squirted a little oil down the bores, and spun the motor by hand. Compression on all 4 cylinders. I haven't calibrated my finger lately, so you'll have to wait before I call it good.
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pull plugs.JPG
The electrical fire took out a couple of other wires in the bundle that goes to the binnacle.
Good news though. Remove the stooopid and connect the battery. Lights work, signals work, but blink really really slow, heater fan works.
The wire bundle smells like burned plastic, so it's coming out.
I traced back wires, checked against my wiring diagram and put in a temporary wire of my own using 12 gauge, a solenoid and a start button. I just want to fire it up and take a couple of laps around the neighborhood before I blow it apart. Best thing about an old car all I need is power to the starter and coil to make it run.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOO FREAKIN HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She runs, doesn't smoke and goes through the gears!
Brakes suck, I'll bet a find leaking slaves when it comes apart.
Let's blow this baby apart and get after it.
I was scared years ago the first time I stripped a harness out of a car. That was FrankenSprite. Now after Tetanus and the R1 project I don't even give it a thought.
Wires coming out.
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wiring1.JPG
All that's gotta go
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wiring 3.jpg
Disconnect the speedo and combo gauge and instant hole in dash. That created some space to remove the heater and the switch panel. While I was in there, might as well pull the steering column.
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dash 1.JPG
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dash 2.JPG
Time to see what it looks like down low in the rear.
Right side
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rt rear floor.JPG
Left side. Looks like I'll be spending some time cutting and welding back here. Floor pan and a bit in the inner rocker.
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lf rear floor.JPG
Pull the seats, pop the doors off and call it a day.
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boom blew it up.JPG