Should be easy enough to get a new cover - it's the same as any Mini. There MUST be Minis in Malaysia - certainly many in Singapore.
Not sure about that - I've never been to Malaysia but there were no old cars of any sort driving around when I went to Singapore last year, mainly modern japboxes.
I am not in a position to break up the thermostat housing as i will never be able to get a spare here
I'm fairly certain that UK suppliers like ESM will ship parts worldwide (except it seems to the USA because of product liability laws!). Another option may be to contact the Australian suppliers? If you do succeed in getting this Minor running you will need an ongoing source of new parts to keep it on the road.
bmcecosse wrote:Should be easy enough to get a new cover - it's the same as any Mini. There MUST be Minis in Malaysia - certainly many in Singapore.
The Mini ones don't fit the radiator hose as they protrude at an inclined angle and not horizontal like the Minor one. Also the horizontal angle is off.
For undoing I always (well, more often than not) use the 'shock' method. Once you have gripped the stud (weld a nut to it and order some new studs & nuts) tap the spanner with a steel hammer and it usually shocks it off, especially if it's been heated up with the welder.
There are a few Moggies and Minis around in Malaysia, but most in worse condition than the one I am resurrecting and still running around (No MOT here). Singapore has extremely strict regs about old cars and unless they are mint classics, they are not permitted. Getting parts is a problem from Uk due to shipping costs, usually more than the actual parts! So I have to try and wangle a UK trip and arrange to get a shipment sorted (hence last trip to get gasket set etc).
I will look info Aussie parts suppliers..thanks.
Heat is required I think, but as mentioned earlier, dont think that would bode well in a multi-storey car park...
Old age and treachery will always overcome youthful enthusiasm.
Just to clarify the thread question (as in screw, not message board) the studs and nuts are standard right hand threads which means that you undo them in an anti-clockwise direction. Sorry if teaching grandmother to suck egss, but don't want any mis-understandings to cause any breakages.
Cam - never noticed any difference in the angle of the thermo cover - in fact I am sure they are the same. Of course the 1275 head mounts the cover round at a different angle - but it is the same cover. I recently bought two slightly different covers at an autojumble - £1 each brand new - reputedly for an A55 - and they would fit on ok but pointing in the opposite direction ! Quick run of the drill down each hole and they fit fine now. And there is a VERY active Mini club in Singapore who must have supply sources - perhaps you can contact them ?
Oh I never worry about 'Minor' detail like that - the difference there looks superficial - in fact the green one looks very unusual - there are many variations about - but when the old cover is broken - ANY cover will do !! Just bend the pipe out the way - or change it to a rubber hose.
On a topic completely the other way round, on the motor clubs 1275 mini ('90 metro engine) the pipe kinks, if I am right the minor one should point more towards the end of the engine.... am I right?
1275 heads have the thermo cover pointing further to the West for some mad reason - never figured out why - possibly to clear the eleventh head stud (actually a small diameter bolt) that was fitted on the S engines. It forces the S engines to use a top rad hose shaped like a ? But it is the same cover.
£8 for a new cover !!! Phew !!! But the snag here is the far distant location - hence a Mini cover will be just fine.
To give you an idea, a set of studs and a couple of decals and a gasket was 18 quid from DSN, to ship this small package to malaysia would cost 27 quid! - 45 quid for parts may not appear much but i loathed to pay so much to the post office!
luckily for me I found someone travelling to malaysia from UK, the cost of shipping same package within UK..less than 5 quid! So I should have new studs by mid Nov. I figured best to get these in hand before I attempt to graunching the old ones.
Old age and treachery will always overcome youthful enthusiasm.
I think I will have more chance getting a Mini thermo housing, thanks, again I will have to hit the streets and back alley garages to see what i can find. I have had a tip off that in some of the old towns up north in malaysia there are more old motors running around, which may offer more opportunities.
Old age and treachery will always overcome youthful enthusiasm.
My suggestion was to contact the Mini lads - and see if they have a supplier locally. I hope you are getting a new cover brought out from UK along with the studs ?
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