Closet done (almost)

Well, in the past few days I've got the closet pretty much finished. I've finished the floor, built the Ikea Pax wardrobe system, obtained a dressing-room stool, and put a picture on the wall. I still need to mount the big mirror and frame it, and put some baseboard trim, but it's close.

Our deluxe closet!

Also finished putting together the second radius arm for the Mini's rear suspension, and cleaned up the mounting brackets. I had previously modified them to give some negative camber. You just need to elongate the mounting holes on the brackets for the suspension arms, so that the outer hole that they mount to is higher than the inner hole on the subframe. I had stretched the holes and welded new washers on to locate the radius arm axle securely. I have just cleaned them up and they are ready for paint:

Rear radius arm axle brackets with negative camber mod 

I have just primed them and will paint them black tomorrow. Then, re-assembly of the rear subframe!

Flooring!

Flooring in my closet started.

Tonight I started laying down the first of the flooring with a couple of my friends. You can see one of my friends in the photo above-Mastercraft 3-in-one pneumatic flooring nailer. Here's the other friends that helped me out tonight:

 Porter Cable 3807 sliding compound mitre saw and Coleman powermate 27 gal. compressor.

This was the first time that I have used the flooring nailer. I bought it on sale at CT for the cost of renting one for a week. As I can only work for 2 hours or so at night after the kids have gone to bed, renting for a week would not have gone far. The first couple of boards that I put down did not go well. The nailer was shooting a staple only 1 in 2 or 3 attempts. I started to think that I have a dud tool, then I looked at the mechanism. It seemed that the most obvious reason that it would have a misfire was if the staples were not feeding well. They were a bit stiff loading, even though I had bought Bosch brand staples. I looked for some dry lube to ease the action, but I couldn't find my can. Next choice:

Finish Line Showroom flooring nailer lubricant.

I sprayed it on the channel where the staples insert, and didn't have a misfire for the rest of the evening. Worked like the proverbial charm. Tomorrow I hope to finish the closet floor then I'll install the Ikea Pax wardrobe that we bought. I'll try to get to the rear subframe re-assembly, too. It was too cold in the garage tonight-warm temps forecast for the next few days though.

First radius arm ready

Had to run out and check the ceiling at my sister's place tonight-I'm going to repair some water damage for her starting this weekend. Didn't leave too much time for the Mini but I spent an hour or two on it. Got the first radius arm backplate painted, and reassembled the lot. Started cleaning and disassembling the other arm, hopefully I'll finish it tomorrow.

Left to right: Refreshed radius arm, old drum, new spacer drum.

Started going through my boxes of spares, and found the spacer drums that are to be used when running discs at the front. These drums give a bit of a wider track to the rear, to closer match the wider track of the disc-braked front. I trial fitted them, and will have to fit longer studs in order to use them. They are also a bit heavier-I have minifin drums that I was using up front, maybe I will use these at the rear with spacers. A decision for another day.

The garage is getting crowded-I need to get rid of the old shell. Anyone need a rusty, partly fixed shell? Good  starting point for a fiero-based kit, or maybe a trailer project...or the coolest urban chicken coop this side of the pond.

Some crowdiness, today.

Rear subframe for Mini

Got to work on the rear subframe tonight, finished priming and painting it. So, I have removed some surface rust, seam welded, gusseted, and repainted it so far. Next step is to Waxoyl it and start re-assembly. Remember kids, reassembly is the reverse of removal.
Hamfisted rear subframe strengthening and renewal

Also got to work cleaning and renewing the rear suspension arms. I removed the gunk, dissassembled the brakes, cleaned, checked and re-greased the pivot shaft, and cleaned and treated the backplates. Just gotta paint the backplates and re-assemble. I may need to swap out the wheel cylinders, as I am going to install the cooper s 7.5" front discs in place of the standard drums, and I probably need different cylinders to maintain the brake balance.

Chaos on the work bench-cleaned suspension arm on the left, not cleaned one on the right.

Got the hallway all painted, so I'm taking a week to work on the Mini. More Mini goodness to come, then next week I'm tackling the hardwood floor installation upstairs.

Last of the sanding...for now.

Well, I think that I have finished with the compound on the walls in the hallway, I'm just going to touch up a few small areas, and I should be on track to prime tomorrow! Here's the almost-finished project:

 Last of the compound on the ledge and walls.

And on the Mini, I wanted to get an aerosol can of Waxoyl for the rear subframe, but Chris Hollum didn't have any left, so I went for the next size up. I should have enough for the whole car.

 Waxoyl!

Now just gotta clean it up for the night, and research the best way to ship mini doors to Toronto; might be getting rid of the MK3 doors that I won't need any more.