Assistance Required...

[Craig]

Right, now that I have had a proper look at wee Dougal, there are a few things that I want to sort (don't need to, but I like things as perfect as possible...)

the 2 front headlamps are different (one is flat fronted and the other is convex). One says it is a wipac quadoptic and the other one I cannot see a name on. My question is...... these lights have a self levelling dial in the car, so I know that there will be a motor for this, but can I just by standard sealed beam lights or do I need to buy the self levelling lights . The reason is that a sealed beam light is about £9 and the self levelling ones are £58!!!

secondly, the car (just after this guy bought it in 1997) got fitted with a full maniflow exhaust (manifold, cat replacment pipe, front pipe and back box...) There is a blow in the exhaust which looks to be coming from the cat replacement pipe... If I replace that and the front pipe (as it looks slightly corroded), can I buy another make of exhaust or does it need to be maniflow... It would appear to be the large bore (2") exhaust all the way through. He has fitted an RC40 back box in the last year...

any advice re this gratefully received....

[broken_brian]

First off your caar was not fitted with sealed beam lights as the single point injection ones were the last to have them so its the expensive option for that one.

As for the exhaust get a full stainless rc 40 system then you will never need to replace it ever again and im quite sure i could let you borrow my cat for the mot.

[Craig]

quote:Originally posted by broken_brian

First off your caar was not fitted with sealed beam lights as the single point injection ones were the last to have them so its the expensive option for that one.

As for the exhaust get a full stainless rc 40 system then you will never need to replace it ever again and im quite sure i could let you borrow my cat for the mot.

thanks for the info brian...

The lights - I kinda thought that, but needed to be sure...:disapprove:

as for the exhaust, the guy I bought it from, says that his car has been through every MOT without the need for putting the cat back in... I did think that the car would require the cat, but the exhaust was fitted in 1997 and been mot'd since 2000.... will check with my mate who runs his own garage as to the issues with this..

[Bazthemod]

I don't have a Cat on Alfie and it never got picked up in the MOT ?:I

[MartinSullivan]

Pretty sure cars from K ('92 - '93) should have a cat fitted and should be tested as part of the MOT. I have known some garages though that if a cat isnt installed they just tick it off.

[broken_brian]

yup cars from 92 onwards must have a cat fitted unless you can prove that the engine was made before 92 you then do not need one as that happened mith my mates 94 mini.

[Craig]

Well, after having a proper inspection of the exhaust - it has to be replaced.... It has more corrosion than I thought, and also, repairing one bit, then another bit goes, so I am better just to bite the bullet and get it replaced now so that I can get some use out of Dougal.

I want stainless steel and large bore, ( I LOVE the noise and what it to last for years..)therefore could someone give me recommendations re what system to go for and where best to purchase from.

I think the RC40 will be a good one from comments I have received before... Also Play-mini do good exhausts.

It will be the complete exhaust, including the manifold...

thanks again.. (can you tell it's been ages since I had an old mini, my memory is not what it used to be...)

[MartinSullivan]

Si at essentialmini (NMS Sponsor) is a playmini dealer - he might be able to do you a deal on a classic exhaust

[Smurf]

We have had stuff from Mini Sport, and they've been fine with us. You could always log on to their web site to check out prices etc. It's useful to have another comparison.

http://www.minisport.com

[broken_brian]

go for a stainless lcb manifold (pt no C-AEG369S) then depending on wheather you want to chance yer luck at mot time you could go for the rc40 link pipe and single large bore side or centre exit silencer, or you could get the cat link pipe a cat bypass pipe then the back box of your choice.

I would go for the first option as it means that you only have 2 joins in the system as opposed to there being lots in the cat based system.