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I bought my Mini about 6 or 7 years ago and it was pretty rough. But it had the right brakes, carbi and a 1275. Apparently the engine had been rebuilt as well. When I checked out the back seat, which was full of parts, I found the history on the car. A plastic folder had around 25 years of receipts from the previous owners! Happy days. Plus I found a receipt from the previous owner for all the parts that had been fitted to the engine just before I bought it. This included a hot cam shaft with matching valve springs, oversized pistons with rings, double row timing chain, all engine bearings plus everything else for a rebuild. I built the car and did everything, except the rebuilding the engine's bottom end.
And this is why you should 'never assume'.
I have finally decided to pull the engine apart and freshen the rings and bearings, deck the block and put a gasket kit through it. I dropped the short engine to the engineer (he is a mini guy) with the instructions 'it was only rebuilt a couple of thousand km's ago so just deck the block, give it a measure and just hone or linish'. After a few days I got the phone call back. He started with "Well, lets put it this way. 3 out of 4 of your piston are the same, except for an odd one and.........."
Never assume that the person before you has done the right thing, or the mechanic they used has done the right thing. All I could do was laugh. I am up for a complete rebuild. The block is okay with a 60 thou overbore, crank okay but needs a full regrind on all journals and the rods check out okay. The good news now is I am getting a fully built engine, fully reconditioned and modified head plus building the whole lot with ARP bolts and studs. I though about getting the whole engine rebuilt a long time ago and should have trusted my instincts. Live and learn.
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1975 1310cc Street Mini Custom
1974 Leyland Mini daily driver
2008 Cooper S R55 Clubman
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