Friday, April 27, 2007

More work on the Mini

I've been working hard recently, and not just on the wedding. My step daughter pulled the fitted wardrobe from her bedroom a few weeks ago, the back of the wardrobe was damp, and it was starting to rot her clothes. She likes her clothes, so she pulled the lot out.

Now I had a pile of wood stacked in the garage; what to do about it? Well, the damp and damaged stuff has been thrown out and the good stuff stacked neatly. I did a quick search around the Mini websites and forums, and got hold of some plans for various bits and pieces. Next I got my woodworking tools and workbench out, selected a really nice piece of heavy duty plywood from the pile and over the course of about a fornight, working for an hour or two every other evening (and one late evening on a weekend), I pulled together a new dashboard.

Thank heavens for ebay too - I got a 3 clock dashboard instrument set (my Mini came with the ordinary Studio2 2-clock dials) from a mini cooper. These just plug in; all the wiring is there, all these later Minis were given the same wiring loom no matter what equipment was fitted. It plugged straight in, the speedo seems accurate (I was concerned that the final drive may have been a different ratio, putting the speedo out, butt I needn't have worried). I fixed the new instrument cluster to the new dashboard, and brought it all together. It looks pretty good. I cut a glove compartment door, fitted a small chrome handle and a catch to the glove compartment lid and gave the lot a good coat of dark oak coloured varnish. Sweet.

Now all I have to do is fit it in. For that I need some 2-inch expandible tubing (for the extra distance on the vents) and some wing-nuts, which I'm sure I've got somewhere.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Planning our Wedding

I'm more tired than ever now. For the last two months, we seem to have done nothing else other than make plans for the wedding of the week. The Beautiful Tracey and I are to get hitched on 25th May (that's a Friday - so no bloody kids. Other than ours, 'cos we've got no choice there). Anyway, we've been to see one of Tracey's friends, organised the flowers, the cake, the room, the registry office, suits for the groom, best man, and the boys, outfits for the girls, Tracey's gown, the food, the guest list, the rings, the Honeymoon (including flights and car hire), pretty much everything.

Except the wedding cars. Oh dear. Looks like Tracey is going to have to walk to the registry office.

And on top of that, I've got Dan (my lad)'s birthday on Sunday! And I've got no idea what to get him.