I would like to introduce "Carlos" He is Monty's brother. In the words of the famous 1960's poets and philosophers; Hermans' Hermits - "Second verse same as the first"
As a follow on to Monty's Journey to Zig Zag or bust from 2022, this will be the second MC40 I will prep for Mini Takes the States. This time will be different though, this time I will be driving.
First a bit of history; for part one please visit THIS THREAD about Monty. For part two with Carlos.... just follow along here.

It was in early July 2024 when we were in the last stages of loading and prepping for the our drive from Missouri to Albuquerque, NM to start our adventure that would later be known as MTTS 2024.
At noon, the day before our planned departure, my wife sends me a text message with this ad for a used MC40 at a local dealer. Knowing I have lamented not having an MC40 anymore she thought I would like to know about it. Little did she know that I was such a compulsive buyer and was caught up in MIN fever.



By 1 PM, I had talked to the dealer who was selling it on consignment.
By 2 PM I had talked to the owner, and as Ed Bolin often describes it; I was a shrewd negotiator and we settled on a price below that which was advertised. We agreed to a price for the car unseen other than the photos in the ad. Considering the state Monty was in when we found him, this car would certainly need less work to get him ready.
By 4 PM, we had arrived at the dealer and see him in the car lot.

By 5 PM we are all loaded up and ready to bring him home.


By 7 PM, all the MINIs were in the shop out of the rain.


Since then, we have driven Carlos a few times. He had a bad rattle under the right front wheel, which I concluded was a bad rear lower control arm bushing, And other than checking for oil, coolant and tire pressures I did very little for him. Mostly he was just in the way. The plan all along was to take him on MTTS 2026. We kept the car cover on him and the battery maintainer plugged in but he only saw the road about once or twice a month. Winter set in and he did not move at all (other than from one spot to another in the shop. Other homesteading projects and Land Rover repairs (yes they need attention too) have kept the shop full and we just never seemed find the time for Carlos other than a short drives into town now and again.

Well, THAT is all about to change. We are continuing the story of Carlos has he prepares for his MTTS 2026 adventure, wherever THAT may take him.

Jeff

 

Here is a general plan.
1. Replace both lower control arm bushing - I will most likely use poly bushing as unlike Monty, there is not enough things broken or leaking that would warrant dropping the K member, so that is item one.

2. Replace the tires - I have had good luck with the Firestone Indy 500 on Nigel the 2003 MCS, so we thought we would try them on Carlos. Funny thing about tires in America. I do not claim to understand how distribution works but here is what I observed. I called both of the local Firestone service centers and both said that specific model of tire was unavailable. Not just the size we needed, but none of the "old Indy 500's were on their list. I called a few independent tires stores that advertised Firestone and came up empty there too. After an internet search, I found the Tires on Amazon, but noticed they were from a Firestone dealer in Florida. I called them directly and I now have 4 new tires ready to put on Carlos when he is ready.

3. Change power steering fluid-

4. Change Coolant -

5. Change transmission/transaxle Fluid -

6. Change Cabin Air filter -

7. Inspect timing chain tensioner - (Valve cover gasket is leaking so that has to come off any way so... While I am in there syndrome has kicked in).

8. Refurbish headlight lenses -

9. Change Sparkplugs-

10. Change supercharger oil - This may warrant a new water pump and a few new hoses, we shall see.

11. Change engine oil - to include thread sealant and a new crush washer for the oil temp sensor that is used as a drain plug because despite my best efforts, it will eventually drip..... again.

12. Change engine air filter -

13. Change cabin filter -

14. Change

15. Change

You get the idea. Oh one other big headache; I will be retrofitting cruise control.