I just rang up a mini place to ask about getting spacers (to fit my mags) and they tell me spacers are illegal but I can get stepped drums which will do the same thing but are legal which they'll sell to me for $40 each (this is in adelaide).

Is this crap and he's just bullshiting me. The normal mini place I go has been waiting and waiting to get some made and I'm sick to death of waiting (1 1/2 months). I'd rather be legal though doing the head work and exhaust etc means it's not really legal anyhow.

Help?

PS. I was going to get a mild cam and have been suggested a BMC 731 cam, want do you think? Just doing Cam, copper valves, and porting head, extractors, exhaust and a 1 1/2 SU on a perviously stock 1100 leyland?

Dunno whether spacers are legal or not in SA.
According to 13secmini's engineer who checked his Starlet turbo install, in NSW if the spacers are attached to either the disc, or the wheel (ie screwed on) they would pass.

You could get spacered Mini drums and turn the drum off, but then they are still spacers, but weigh a ton...

731 cam is OK in a 1098, but not too exciting- there are better grinds about now, cheaper.

I'd prefer a Graham Russell RE13, a Tighe 104, or a Camtech VP3, or a Kent 266.
Use standard rockers in a 1098, preferably the early pressed steel ones.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Same in Victoria as NSW.

I had a set of the "heavy" turned down spacers on my old Clubbie van, and it got through the RWC no problems. I was told that if they hadn't been screwed on, it would have failed.

Safety Warning: DO NOT use the "web-type" spacers with the screw-on bolt extensions, as there have been numerous reports of the extensions snapping and wheels coming off, not good.

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Due to lack of interest, tomorrow has been cancelled....

What do you mean by "turn the drum off" I don't have any disks just drums all round. Do you mean that the spacer is screwed into the drum or the actual rim? Then the wheel attached using the normal wheel nuts?

The Graham Russell RE13 sounds good, should my local mini place be able to get them or will I need to order it from interstate? If so what are the contact details? How much is a RE13 cam?
I was planing on using standard rockers but cooper (bigger) vavles.

How can I tell if I have the earlier pressed steel rockers or is that normally on older motors and I'll have to get it. So don't bother with those 1.5 rockers (whatever they are).

I'm a REAL nwebie to mini's so excuse my ignorance and constant stupid questions. Thanks guys.

With the drums that have the spacer in-built, it is a common thing for workshops to lathe the worn-out drum and basically cut all of the old drum off (turning it), leaving just the spacer which they then sell.

The spacers screw through the standard drum and into the hub with long counter-sunk screws (originally used with an in-built spacer drum), in place of the 2 short little screws that normally hold just the drum to the hub.

You then need to user the longer wheel studs as well.

Hopes this helps.

( 8 years of machining had to come in handy at some point... )

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Due to lack of interest, tomorrow has been cancelled....

That's right. But if a bit of turned-down cast iron with 2 screws is legal, so is alloy with 2 screws, and it's so much lighter...

Pretty dear stuff though- the last 1" thick ones I turned up at home cost me $25 each just for the 130mm dia blanks (cut from bar), then it took me half a day to turn 2 up (I've only got a Myford `Super 7'.. has a whole 3-1/2" of centre height..)

One day I'll buy a bigger one... but this one only cost me $100 from work, 15 years ago!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

(A bit off the original thread, sorry..)

I'm jealous anyway, as most of my tools are in storage at a mates place.

We've got a great CBD apartment, but no car space

But my wife is letting me re-build the 1098 on the balcony

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Due to lack of interest, tomorrow has been cancelled....

Thanks for the replies guys, at least I've some idea what's going on.

So I need longer wheel studs, are they hard to put in. I don't have a lathe or such impressive tools to use. Just standard socket and spanner set.

What about the Cam, where do I get the Graham Russell RE13 from, should my local mini place be able to get it in, or where is Graham Russell and what's his contact details? Or somewhere I can get the Cam? And an approximate cost?

I was only going to put a 1 1/2 SU with it, is this cam alright or should I use a bigger Carby. I don't want this to blow out too much.

The wheel studs are easy- put the hub (actually called a drive flange, the front one is) in a vice, get a BFH (Big F'ing Hammer) and drive them out. If you hit straight you won't hurt them.
The studs you need are Cooper S rear or Mini (Clubman) S, same stud.
Turn the drive flange over, put a little oil on the new studs and drive them right in.

Ring Graham Russell (Russell Engineering) on (02) 9630 2195. Send him a camshaft that's not worn out (& preferably not reground already) and he can grind it and send it back.
Tell him what you will use it for, what carb and head work etc.
Ask him the cost when you ring- I'm not sure what he normally charges, but it would be less than Camtech..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

kev i have to dissagree with one think ......
NEVER EVER HIT A WHEEL STUD WITH A HAMMER OF ANY KIND
get them pressed in. by hitting a stud you can cause fractures in the metel
i know through experiance did it on a valiant i had and on a big launch i snaped 3 studs
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Mini studs are not real hard on the heads, they are hot forged...

Hammer them out, you're not gonna use the old short ones anyway.

Anyhow, if you're worried you can press the new ones in with a vice and a tube spacer, or sit a wheel over them and tighten the wheel nuts, real hard!!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

yeah smash the olds ones out but don't hammer the new ones in
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

Talking of wheel spacers, I was down at BIG BALLS Motorsport the other day. They got 4WD spacer up to 3" wide, with 2 lots of 6 counterbored holes to take stock Toyota etc studs. They looked dangerous to me- at least the Mini ones just have 4 holes and a set of long studs, there's no flexing within the spacer like these..

They had a sign on them that said `off road only'. I asked the dude if they were street legal, he said `no, read the sign'. I said do people leave them on for road use, he winked and said `yes, everyone does''. Make of this what you will.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Hey! Sorry... just wandering if someone could explain what spacers are?

Spacers go between the wheel and the hub- they are used to move the wheels out so they don't foul the suspension, brakes or body. Usually are only needed if fitting some different wheels, or sometimes as part of a disc brake upgrade.

Cooper S, and Leyland Mini S, LS etc (and some Mokes) had brake drums with a built-in spacer. On Minis with these `spacer drums' the wheel studs have to be longer too to reach the wheel.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.