AUSTIN MINI MK3

i'm sure with a 998 the brakes will be adequate without a booster.

The engine would've been painted a funny pinky-red colour, so as to denote that the engine was South African built and not assembled from British made parts.

The washer bottle was round and had a small spin-on lid. These would've been operated by the push button underneath the lower dashboard. Yours sounds like it is from a later Clubman, which is a common modification.

until i know what the original item looks like i will not be sure///

its not somrhing i ever use so if i cannot find an original pump item going to remove it completely/

I'll put up a picture of my one later today.

thanks!

pretty sure i do have the wrong one... need to find out what a cooper s washer bottle looked like....

This bottle. I just hope mine doesn't get lost during the restoration. It will need a good cleaning.

A couple of other items that you don't want to get lost if you are going to keep the engine compartment standard: the air filter housing (not used anywhere but in S.A. that I've found so far) and the radiator overflow tank. It may be common to some ADO16 cars but certainly not many other Minis.

Regarding the brake booster, unless you have a weak right leg, it is just something that gets in the way in the engine compartment. It does not improve braking.

i have the air filter housing, but i am fitting twin carbs on a bigger engine so won't use it (can't even at the moment with the 1 1/2inch)

i want the engine bay to look like a cooper s one, you also the first person to say a booster wouldn't help....

window wiper holes?

my car has 4, i see the above one only has 2. any insight?

devon_AUSTIN-MK3 wrote:window wiper holes?

my car has 4, i see the above one only has 2. any insight?

Your car must have used the standard Mini scuttle, as they had left hand and right hand holes, the unused ones would have been plugged. The two holes centrally located would have been an Elf/Hornet scuttle.

Boosters do not improve braking. They only make it easier to push the pedal, but the brakes only work to their design capacity. As long as your right leg is "normal" you'll be able to stop just as well without the booster.

Interesting observation about the panel. There's a good chance that both were used on the Mk 3; the two holer for early cars and the four holer for later cars. That would be a good question to pass by Ryno.

I'll third the booster comment. My experience is with classic Mustangs. Mine had four wheel drums and I had to stand on the brakes with both feet for heavy stops. Other than those occasional moments, I liked the heavy brake pedal. It felt more "connected" than boosted brakes. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think disk brakes need more foot power and are usually boosted for that reason.

but to get 7.5 discs working properly you need to press insanely hard so the booster will totally help

Disagree. 7.5s work well without a booster. Other than on one car I'm keeping original, all my Minis that are on the road run 7.5 brakes and not a booster on any of them. Pedal pressure is reasonable. One does have to get used to the change. It works both ways, though. I don't like Minis with the booster because of the lack of braking feel, but then I'm used to the non-boosted brakes.

If you are still looking for a brake booster, I found a listing on Gumtree in Cape Town.
Mark

no i already have one thanks

and remember im looking at around 100hp so will need to be able to stop without pushng my foot though the floor!!

20 hp or 100 hp. Mini 7.5" brakes will work the same with or without the booster. Yes, with the booster it will take less effort to push the pedal down to the point where the brakes are at their most effective. You'll be able to reach that same point without the booster and without excess pressure and in the same amount of time. Pressing harder with or without a booster only works up to the same point of brake effectiveness. If you are concerned about better brakes for a high horsepower car (assuming you are going to be going at a top speed faster than you would if you didn't have a high horsepower car) then ditch the booster and spend the extra money on better brakes; e.g., 4-pot calipers.

ok, so lets just say my leg is super weak then...

(i believe in boosters, obv you all dont)

To boost or not to boost your brakes - that is the question !- here in Ireland after 50 years of discussing this question - the jury are still out
The two current top motor sport Mini competitors will not use a Servo - reason for this ? it's just another so and so thing to go wrong which
in turn could be the end of a Rally or a Race for them. I know from personal experience that Servos can and do go wrong - my Elf's brakes
locked-up on all four wheels suddenly and without any warning at about 40mph. This happened on a busy dual carraigeway and I had to rely
on the help of four burly passing motorists to strong arm the car to the side of the road. Fortunately I had my trusty brake pipe spanner
with me and used it to open a brake line momentarily - which unjammed the brakes & allowed me to continue home.The offending Lockheed
Servo had to be replaced.
David2010.

I've converted mine to discs and find the hard pedal positively reasuring after the drums being barstewards to balance and the back wheels locking on approaching a ped/crossing when a drunk decided to suddenly run across in front of me! I manged to stop but at a stupid angle at the crossing.
Now with the discs (without servo) it pulls up nicely. even with the hard pedal which I don't mind although even after about 20 runs I'm always pulling up sooner. It also stops the wife screaming down my left ear'ole
BTW my Studio 2 had a hard brake despite it having a servo.
Tony
Admin

TONYELF wrote:
BTW my Studio 2 had a hard brake despite it having a servo.
Tony
Admin

The hard brake pedal despite having a servo = can mean a fault in your brake master cylinder - might require new seals or even replacement ?
David2010

It's nice to see some of the comments about the disc brakes, it makes me feel more reassured to do the conversion to my car.

Also, here are some photos of the washer bottle, apologies for it being so late.







Very unique and something that isn't so common these days. Notice the writing on the side and underneath.

I have one in a Wolseley 1000, but I've never checked the bottom! Now I'll have to look.

ok, i definitely dont have that one....

i wonder what washer bottle a 1960-ish cooper s has? seeing as im changing the whole look of the engine bay...

i think finding that bottle is next to impossible?