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One day I'm going to have to try and assess just how it is that every now and again I get a 'run' on folks asking me about a specific problem. These problems exist all year round, year in, year out. And said problems crop up throughout the year. But - every now and then there's a blood-rush on a certain issue. Just recently that issue has been brake pipe ends. The bit that seals the pipe off against it's relevant fitting. There are two types of end - male and female. The male end is convex in shape, the female concave. The male end is used where a male pipe union (nut) is used on the brake pipe - that's a nut with an external thread - that will be screwed into a female fitting such as found in a wheel cylinder or master cylinder. The female end is used where a female pipe union (nut) is used on the brake pipe - a nut with an internal thread - and will be mated to a male fitting such as found on rear flexible brake pipes. Under no circumstances should you mix the too up as the brake p

What you actually need for the disc/drum conversion is pretty straightforward. Disconnect the steering arms, top and bottom swivel-pins, CV joint, and flexible brake pipes at the subframe - that’s it. There are, however, a number of ancillaries to consider.

Basics

Basics Fitting discs designed for the Mini is easy enough. Just make sure you use CV gaiters for the disc-brake set-up - these have a different bellows shape to stop the gaiter rubbing the inside of the hub. The drum type will rub, then split, shedding grease all over the place. Moly grease is mighty mucky stuff to deal with and doesn't assist braking at all! A tip for racers - to stop the gaiters over-expanding when getting very hot and imitating the aforementioned, put either a decent sized split pin or (my favorite) a piece of very small bore pipe - as in the type supplied with WD40 aerosols, etc. - under the retaining strap on the drive shaft. This allows air to escape and return,

Brakes - Fundamental Considerations

When looking to increase their cars performance, most folks immediately turn to considering higher engine power outputs. Because of this pre-occupation brakes tend to slide down the improvements priority list. However, they are far more important - being able to accelerate at warp speed to hyper-space in the twinkling of an eye is all very well, but disastrous if you can’t stop. You will make a very big hole in the scenery, and possibly end up wearing an wooden over-coat. Getting the braking system sorted out can help to make the car quicker, as you will be able to more confidently, therefore maximising speed in any given situation. Being one of those ‘sciences’ used in the automotive industry I hope to shed some light on the subject as it's another of those where many questions from confused and mislead folks that clog up my e-mail board. The advent of the Metro, and the brakes used on it has spawned a lot of activity in this direction. It was soon discovered that they could b

Brakes - Rear brake bias adjustment

When altering the front brake set-up away from the standard installation, it invariably alters the amount of rear brake bias needed to re-balance the cars brake balance.

The problems start occurring when folk graft alternative brake set-ups onto the front of their Minis. Be this 7.5" discs onto a previously drum-braked model, or going from current standard disc set-ups to one of the 4-pot varieties. The question then is 'what bore size rear wheel-cylinders do I need?' Unfortunately this isn't straightforward. Actually, that's not strictly true - more on this later. The pressure developed in the lines determines brake effectiveness - aside from disc size, pad type, co-efficient of friction, etc. that is. Understanding this may assist in choosing which way you should go for your particular set-up.

The basic facts you need to remember when dealing with brake pressures is how they are affected by the components you use.

You can only use the MS72 adjustable brake regulator/bias valve with a front/rear split system. Definitely NOT the diagonal split type (for identification see 'Brakes - Rear brake bias adjustment'). These should have been 'X-ed' at birth. Makes the car handle very interestingly when the system only operates the diagonally opposed brakes. Scary stuff. Almost as much fun as when the rears only work on a front/rear split set-up - particularly as the PDWA is built into the master cylinder, and it still has to go through the FAM7821 pressure regulator valve! Damn near no braking on the rear. Either way - split system brakes are grossly inefficient when only using half the system as they are designed to do when a failure in the other half occurs. Quite frightening. To install the MS72 into a front/rear split system, it needs fitting into the rear feed line. Determining which this is can prove difficult if the system has already been tampered with or new replacement components fitted. Nam

Engine - 998 Tuning, Bolt-ons

The 998cc engine is a very robust and tunable unit. It is also the most common engine found in standard Minis. See bottom for useful part numbers Terminology: MSC/MM - Mini Spares Centre/Mini Mania ID - Inside Diameter OD - Outside Diameter BBU - Big Bore Unit (refers to all 1275cc-based units) SBU - Small Bore Unit (refers to all sub-1275cc units, here the 998) BHP - Brake Horse Power LCB - Long Centre Branch Despite the lure of the much-advertised 1380cc alternatives, many simply want to get a little more from what they have at reasonable outlay. The single biggest restriction on any standard Mini is the 'breathing apparatus' - anything that is connected to the induction and exhaust systems. The standard exhaust being the biggest culprit - it is desperately restrictive in the name of noise suppression and cheapness of manufacture. Oddly enough it also increases fuel consumption when tested over a better designed, fre

The 998cc engine is a very robust and tunable unit. It is also the most common engine found in standard Minis. Despite the lure of the much-advertised 1380cc alternatives, many simply want to get a little more from what they have at reasonable outlay.

Terminology:
MSC/MM - Mini Spares Centre/Mini Mania
BBU - Big Bore Unit (refers to all 1275cc-based units)
SBU - Small Bore Unit (refers to all sub-1275cc units, here the 998)
BHP - Brake Horse Power
CR - Compression Ratio

To improve engine out-put, you need to increase the engine's 'breathing' ability. The stage one kit deals with all the easily bolted-on external parts, and represents the best increase for investment. From here on in the power increases will cost commensurately more money.

C-AJJ3313 PROGRESIVE REAR BUMP STOPS

This kit is intended for all hydrolastic minis, although it has been fitted on to dry suspension cars to give improved handling characteristics during motor sport events. Check all clearances of brake pipes and hoses and relocate if necessary. On dry suspension radius arms there is no hole for the bump stop bracket.

C-AJJ4024 Brake Line conversion kit

This pipe kit is for converting Metro 4 pot callipers with dual feed pipes to a single feed as used on minis.

It is necessary however, to check that this is permitted by the legislation in the country in which the vehicle is to used. To ensure maximum...

General fitting instructions

To ensure correct installation of the AP Braking remote vacuum servo unit, thoroughly read and adhere to the fitting instructions prior to carrying out any work on the vehicle. Introduction The vacuum servo unit is incorporated into the hydraulic braking system, remote from the master cylinder, as an intermediate stage operating between the master cylinder and the brake assemblies. The two main parts of the servo unit consist of the vacuum servo mechanism and the hydraulic slave cylinder assembly.

These component parts are bolted together so that the slave cylinder piston is in line with, and is operated by, the servo push rod. A plastic no-return valve is fitted into the vacuum shell and an integral air cleaner is incorporated to prevent foreign matter entering the air control valve chamber. The servo unit is designed to give no assistance with very light brake application. In the absence of servo assistance due to loss of vacuum, an unres...

Having made some improvements and progress at Croft the decision now was – what to do next? The increase in toe-out on the rear, despite being a small amount, seemed to help get the car turned better. Should I add more? In my 'softly softly' approach to getting the car sorted so I don't loose my way I contemplated this for a while and decided that on the whole it would be better to go to Snetterton with the car as it finished at Croft....

Mini Production dates

We have tried to get together as complete list as possible to show all the models made from 1985 onwards, hopefully this will help identify those cars that have been modified over the years. If you have any information that you know is correct or anything that you think is not right please let us know.

Me & My Moke

About six years ago I bought a small bungalow in the province of Catalunya Spain close to the French border. After a year or so my next door neighbour told me that in his garage was a Californian Mini Moke that he had owned since 1982.

In 1988, a humble 1973 Mini 1000 was minding its own business somewhere in London, when along came a young Mini freak called Jason King, who wanted to change it for ever, and make it famous.

Jason persuaded the owner to take £450 for the car, and then proceeded to throw £12,000 worth of presents at it for the next 3 years. Every minute of Jason’s spare time was spent working on his new car and every minute of his working time was spent looking for spares.

Following the great furore experienced by the first generation of four pot alloy calipers, we have not been idle. To meet the demand, greater manufacturing control was needed, necessitating in the production of new moulds. This gave us a chance to further improve the design, and widen the range of fitments to include the 12” and 13” wheeled cars, using the full 8.4” diameter discs for both solid (latest Mini) and vented discs. This means that the Mini Spares caliper will fit:- 10” wheels with the 7½” S disc, machined down 8.4” solid disc, even if a vented disc is the owners choice.

A broad variety of options that minimise outlay to install are possible, as the alloy calipers can be supplied to bolt directly to the swivel hub to cover all these set-ups. There is a direct replacement for the original S/1275GT set up which can also be used on the later disc and the drive flange assembly with only the disc diameter to be reduced.

Having built one Cooper ‘S’ for Timo Makinen to use in Historic Rallying, in which he won two International Rallies, I decided to build another one with more power and less weight than the previous one.

One lesson I learnt the hard way building the first car, was that a reliable source of new parts with in-built quality, especially where obsolete parts were being remanufactured, was essential. Mini Spares of London...

Converting WET to DRY suspension The following is a practical way of converting your wet suspension to dry, acknowledging the fact that with enough skill, enterprise and facilities...

Steady Eddy My first visit to Mini Spares must have been over 12 years ago and while buying the usual go faster bits, I enquired about a Saturday job. A very lean and handsome Keith Calver could only offer me full time employment. I declined and subsequently have spent a small fortune over the years and drunk far too many pints of beer with K.C.

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