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+--- Thread: 1978/79 GTS (/showthread.php?tid=209)
RE: 1978/79 GTS - Vinay-RS - 11-18-2015
So people cut them to make the throw shorter?
That's kind of annoying... Guess it wouldn't be impossible to put right.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - GTSPhil - 05-17-2016
I have not updated this for a long time.
Decided to change some things up.
Added some more bling to the engine bay area
Then I finally got round to fitting a proper GTS carb linkage that just un hooks and works very well with the throttle cable.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - Grimz - 05-20-2016
Your car looks stunning Phil.
Great work on restoring her to her original form.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - GTSPhil - 06-23-2016
Thanks Grimz
But just when you think you are ahead, trouble strikes.
This happened:>>>>>>>>>>>>>
So I had and existing oil leak on the timing cover so the engine was removed. To find the problem and fix it.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - askalbert - 06-23-2016
Lovely car, Phil. Looks like you have your work cut out for bit with that sludge, hopefully only a gasket.
I notice it is a later car, and some cars seem to have red engines, others perhaps earlier steel grey like the head - with a black tappet cover.
Do you know if this is a production change?
I have been working on a timeline which shows about four different eras for the GTS, will PM to you and a couple others shortly for correction and input.
I also have copied some articles from Australia to be shared with others, someone I know will be in SA within a week and may be able to post from there, or I can from here. They will visit east of Pretoria and briefly south of Cape Town.
Mainly they cover the Australian GT and LS derivatives which are most closely related to the GTS. If interested you can PM me an address to post to.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - GTSPhil - 06-23-2016
Hi Askalbert
I have attached the very first picture of my car when I originally got it way back when. At that stage it was still fitted with the 32/36 down draft Weber carb and some other wacky bits.
As far as the colour goes, the engine was all black till the 2nd or 3rd rebuilt not sure when I changed to red.
I have had this conversation about originality to various GTS owners from yesteryear till now and I have heard so many different opinions, that I really could not care too much about the engine block's colour. I do however care about the interior and outside of the car as far as originality goes.
Recently I learned that I have never had the correct grille badge for my specific year model and I have managed to source it quite recently.
It has the Leyland logo on the the left and MINI on the right and not the GTS badge to the right of that.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - GTSPhil - 06-24-2016
After stripping the engine out and having a good look over the rest of the car, I decided to change things up again.
Some more stripping of parts was done.
The ugly quarter panel where a brake fluid accident happened.
Just a few more bits to remove and then the front sub-frame, then it is off to .....
As the engine bay currently stands looking very sorry for itself.
RE: 1978/79 GTS - askalbert - 06-24-2016
Wow Phil, you have done quite a lot to get this far and it looks like you are on your way again. I like the gold stripes against the bright green, the colour really "pops". Personally I am of a similar mindset that details may vary but my preference is to see things as they were in the day, perhaps because they represent the era they are from. At times I like to leave what was done in the day also. I ended up with mine because the only other interested party wanted to do a full custom job to the point where it would be unrecognisable. The rarer the beast the more that makes me shudder. ...
Keep up the good work.
Albert
RE: 1978/79 GTS - GTSPhil - 06-24-2016
Hi Albert
Yes the colour is supposed to be Mazda2 green, but it has too many flaws and the brake fluid incident was just the last non-sense to push me over the edge.
I am in two minds though, according to the plate on the car the original colour should be black, but this being SA and I already own another black mini (panelvan) actually, I will not be painting this one factory original.
I am still deciding of whether to paint the car green again as it currently is or change to another era specific paint for the GTS, I quite like the yellow with black stripes or the plain white with black stripes.
So some input would be appreciated.
Cheers
RE: 1978/79 GTS - askalbert - 06-25-2016
Sounds like my conundrum! Although Black with a white roof and stripes would be cool. I have thought that a sticky on available colours and paint codes may be useful long term, although the technology is constantly changing.
As there are few about, it may depend on which cars you see locally to offer a different perspective. Or what works with the interior.
The yellow is nice - Bumblebee.
Enjoy.