The Independent American Magazine for all Mini Owners
Issue link: http://mc2.epubxp.com/i/33537
mini heritage section “The more I know about Minis, the more I know I don’t know about Minis.” A Quick Shift I see that quick-shift assemblies are now available for the Mini. Installing one sounds like a great way to improve drive- ability. What do you think? Robert Aldridge Dallas, TX I’m getting a fuel smell inside my 1975 Mini. It’s not exhaust. It is definitely the smell of raw fuel, and seems to be more noticeable right after filling the tank. I’ve looked every- where for leaks and can’t find anything obvious. Phil Roberts San Diego, CA In The Clutches Between the end of the clutch arm and the clutch slave cyl- by Chuck Heleker inder on my 1966 Mini, shouldn’t there be a spring? My clutch action feels a little off and in poking around under the hood I noticed what looked like places to anchor a spring on the arm and slave cylinder. George O’Malley Boston, MA Maintenance Tip: When was the last time you checked to see if all of your ex- ternal lights were operating correctly? Thought so! Old cars and old wiring mean regular checks are necessary. If you don’t have help, back the car up to a wall to check brake lights, or check them in the rear view mirror when stopped at a light. Redneck- ride chrome bumpers are especially good for this! Remember: Don’t leave your Mini at home. 56 MC2 Magazine www.mc2magazine.com keep ’em running h there is no such thing as a quick shift for a Mini. The speed at w Sh Y ou h av e s tu mbl e magit” ki si hf l s th es hch on as fn an ts itig too fd gear i “slow-shift” kits. Sure, the distanc act, on e can ch t w c w . In f il accel t as f box, j ge gear er l u d ar e cou s , bu box’s capabi l of th e h e gear n el Th t on l er g th on le u on makier s e pr ev n l ow s ev l er. Si ecti mpl age by r ocati ecti ici as t pl pper s e, r i gh cutting an inch or two off of the shift knob end of the shift lever! I s i l e th n on of the cen e l at al o s lty l g th ger ee s ch mor gh s a mu ou mi money e th , go f el e ar ow y w abl sfer th be r er tif r usually . eas ou bet! A qu u n thtch ar have one, don i ck ch th thow-ou s at r r es al ue, an me. L l th ln An ider d to get i e ti t bear i n Y ets th e cl g i d get th e r i the very short clutch arm and angled-downwards clutch slave cy ’t you?) will confirm that there is a return s top bol eck of y ou springs to screen door springs being used! , oper gh When you buy a new spring (readily available from the usual M m back agai agm s pe cl prn u t of s ater car f of th e r i gh , u e di e V ig th t posr sn ti ated w e. I t on th i ou ’v aph er ou to-ty t a s n e f ig er prn, bu thn d ev to r ii dealn ace th tch ar epl top of th e cl er e tw m u u s as PN-1G or y w s h o an u s ch al l ig s tch s ou n t y g f y i r eed th ottl om th e s e r 5999 f eck th e mos . C ear s th or uder $ t. Th e mou n 6) may e on em ou t at th be y e on th ou ’l l w an t nn tig e r w or ks h op man u ion fn or tht a s e n t in p w s et u t, to get th nn ext cls’t s o i tch pedalg u pi pring e ni i th prn. ig os on e th ome ki e appr e gu OK, y th , but if you just like the feel of the shorter throw (and epar on of th . It’s bas t? On ts ar e n opr av e cou ow bei t h i i c 8th gr l ated n es n or i ev ade sih th d accompl v er si ci g adv s ame.ik th ed I th er at do) an t. Th l made an e l d th s lgh en e s s en tl h tied as “s n ce clame th h ey ar d ar t gen e eas ates ey ar e pr er or-sits e a w as ed to pu te of t u ts sp w eem to, i th a ati y en e ki ou gh to i s ntal l ow dowce, th or i; h e ki n th e s k on i l e movow s ts w ter piot poi y sor as n s to che s t of th an it lh d th ter an ate w t as th as e th s i is lmi ear gu at th as e hfmenit. t to av oi d beati n ge th er g e s on g by t hf,” w i n i d on on an e of my f orte topi i av cs . I can sit thhfted by th e f e ki e the shift lever is moved isf ev e ts ar ! In r e tr tes t of th an d s c-ik e “ y e ol qu al eal s mi l si e r e son tye, l i, ty . ol i t ar e. If y ou front. This allows the spring to pull the other way through the h n ol ou w d an e. an d mou t t o s t on the a f e back of th ew bu cks av n t i and you haven on As l g as y hch boot anh er at i t h th Th rbber erw eads to ouas bu e al e top of th u e s ou e tan e i on l ) make sg i tsde th or ts l d be a n u r an e iu ket th n th t l sr yh mar gr th e enouIf y l gi h r h t i en i gth ommet ied to a pi be attachn e car w sou at th os s sue th an d h e h e v d tan ia v r ’75 h en e a v av car an d v e boot f eadi it f l l e compar t h t to th as h pe l t. tmen i ad a r k h era. Extr s oses ven os en t it is quite likely that you are missing a fuel tank vent hose. or th ou ’t found any signs of overflow from the carb, t i t to make s aced. Open th ’v e ch ecked al as been pu d take a l led l l th ook at th l arow h k. If th oos r s attach e h ea. D i e may s t u ee i ed pr e i . If th os r s a h opers th os os l e boot aros oor to come ou , th e h n n g to a ch gh ar e, too. H e n or mal h e or oth er e v e cone ( y anofen plected to a s c r y top of th er ws ie di n e tan t pl k n as os e con n ecti on d tholow i i ear th mal ti at i l ou e s er dne, f g u t th der th ath ot ss n l er th tl coal can s uder th f can fgu i t h ow te si ar e opposi an ev n edi a cr d gas tan e boot tow t i er de of th , w k f i th du i r eam. et at e an plt i pon wat h epenmpl e car ay u iter w y exi , or i s r ou gh a t mayn p i tted, th ks al tan at tan ake t i k ds th h e ou e car i ef ; i e l ! t w , m h .e., r t sde of th y g e s , pue ar l l th e ol tead of the of e d on f m i n s , tu r n al (ou do y since then, he’s mostly driven Minis. Among the more interest ruck. He is happy to answer classic Min C ig model cal qu hck H n u el as a Mini F r s s i com. Be s eker got h n hs g on es ue to i ti ire T e c de y nu i . H cl i is ar s frt M age ar ii s n e a M ome 40 y oo ii C n ou ear an be r r neachame, ci ed at: sty an per S P f s ago, an i taf d s @mc2m tate i d - olce C i techni- ar agaze emai n th , as w n ie. el l l . I Smell F umes