Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    I didn't think minis were ever sold in US?? 
    My Dad works for Rover (formerly Austin-Rover, British Leyland,
    BMC etc, etc) in Swindon where they press all the panels for the
    complete range. He says when they do the Rover 800 (Sterling in
    US) they have to put cross-beams in the doors to meet US crash
    regulations. Swindon still makes all the panels for Minis which
    are still being sold (they sold 10,000 in Japan last year!!)
    
    Do you get the Haynes Manuals in the US?....They are very detailed
    and would have the information you want. Perhaps someone in DECland
    has one and could photocopy it?......I'd be scared to drive a mini
    out there amongst all those Yank tanks....ME NO BRAVE ENOUGH!
    
    Dave

I don't know a lot about Minis but I have noticed while helping a friend build
a mini-based kit car that excess toe-in will cause the wheels to look as if 
there is too much camber - it distorts the tyres, pushing the bottom out.

You could also check the suspension bushes as these may be worn.  Camber is not
adjustable on the mini so either it's the toe-in, the bushes, something is bent
or I've missed something.

Good luck!

Mike.

I don't think a Haynes manual will help here.  The section on steering geometry
usually says "adjustment of camber/castor is beyond the scope of this manual",
or words to that effect.  What it would tell you is how to take the steering
and suspension to bits, but if you're a half-decent mechanic you can probably do
that anyway.  If the camber is very badly distorted, it sounds like the front
subframe is bent, or at least the bits of it where the suspension is fixed.
Or perhaps a previous owner didn't put the suspension back together properly.
If you would like to take some measurements of the suspension and subframe bits
and mail them to me / put them in this note, I'll measure the same bits on my
mini 850 and see if anything is obviously wrong.

If you give me your mail address I can photocopy some pictures of the front
suspension from my Haynes manual, plus any useful-looking text, and send them
to you, so you can see what it should look like!

Scott

    
    I think a 61 Mini has rubber cone suspension. This consists of a
    top mount then rubber doughnut, connical alloy trumpet then a bottom
    knuckle that fits into a socket.
    
    If the plastic socket wears it can collapse leaving the knuckle
    running in the cast iron wishbone. This would give you lots of negative
    camber !
    
    To dismantle the suspension you need a special tool that screws
    through the top mount into the doughnut and compresses it allowing
    the trumpet to drop out.
    
    BE CAREFUL if you use this tool and ensure it is lying flat otherwise
    you crush the suspension mount.
    
    Once you reassemble the suspension you will have nearly positive
    camber until it settles.
    
    Somebody may have fitted later parts to an early car, I can't remember
    if there are differences.
    
    I miss my pillar box red mini DSF 821L anyone seen it in Reading?
    
    Hope this is useful.
    
                    Chris.
    
    

FWIW, Minis were sold in the US un until 1967. They were/are raced 
extensively. I still see a few around on the street and at old car
meets a few always show up.

If you haven't already, look through Hemmings Motor News for ads. There
are a number of places specializing in Minis in the US. Very often they
will provide advice over the phone.

Also you might send mail to Bill Gavin on VAXRT::GAVIN. Bill has raced
Minis for years (may still) and has restored them as well. He has a house/
garage full of bits and pieces. You may not get a reply right away as he
is a contractor and doesn't have a chance to note too often.

If you get desperate or he doesn't respond, send me some mail and I'll
give you his home phone number.
    

    THANKS EVERYONE!!!
    
    Yes, I have the Haynes manual.
    
    .1  Dave, Not only were they sold here, but you can still import old
    stuff under certain (rather loose) conditions.  I didn't realize they
    were still being made until I strolled past a dealer showroom in Paris
    last summer.  Almost fainted!  As for driving here--there are many many
    small cars, so the Mini is not too outnumbered.  Besides, I drive a
    tank most of the time--my everyday car is a nearly original'39 Dodge coupe.
    .2  Mike--its not toe-in, its BIGTIME negative camber.
    .3  Scott--Good ideas.  The car has been taken apart, cleaned, painted,
    and reassembled.  I'm mechanical enough to do it again (this past
    weekend was spent replacing the crankshaft in the aforementioned Dodge
    and I've done stuff like a body off the frame rebuild on a Jag XK140
    [years ago when they were cheap]).  If it isn't something that can be
    done from the outer parts, and I have to drop the front subframe (what
    the hell--it needs a clutch anyway) I may take you up on the
    measurements idea.
    .4  Chris--the bushing you referred to may be the one.  The car does
    have the old rubber cone suspension, but I've not gotten under it to
    SEE what's worn out.  I've been armchairing this one so far, with other
    jobs pushing this one down the list (see .3 above).  By the way, my car
    is KGN783D and was MoT'd to June '88 if I remember the disc correctly.
    .5  Tom--Bill has responded with a half-dozen possible solutions.  I
    couldn't reply through Vaxmail as I only get two lines before a buffer
    dump and couldn't find him in ELF.  Thanks for the explanation.  I
    follow Hemmings (you would be surprised how many people never heard of
    it!) and have bought some stuff from Mini City (in N.Y.)amoung others,
    but one night decided to see what the old Notes would turn up.
    
    Thanks one and all for the help.  I'll try to pass the favor on.
    Robert (Bob) Darden @MEL, Landover Maryland, near Washington, D.C. USofA 

	KGN783D is a 1966 registration. That's not to say that it
	was 66 manufactured for certain though.

	-John