No stranger to the open road, 'Pooh' is being readied to leave for Mini Meet West in Costa Mesa, California.  Thus, 'Pooh's California Run 2002'.

Pooh's last great adventure was to Mini Meet East at Mount Orford Park near Magog, Quebec in July 2000.  Pooh's owner Rick & Elaine Higgs traveled 12,519 kilometres on that trip, replacing only one exhaust valve.  Interestingly, after Charleston, South Carolina hosted the 2002 event, Mini Meet East 2003 will return to the Hotel Cheriburg at Mount Orford Park.

Last year, Pooh traveled the short distance to Mini Meet West in Florence on the coast of Oregon...almost like going to the corner store.

This year, the Mini Owners of America Los Angeles (MOALA) are hosting the western meet in the Market Place at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.  Host hotel is The Atrium at John Wayne Airport in adjacent Irvine.

With a few miles to challenge Pooh's machinery, Rick has pulled off, decoked and rebuilt Pooh's Cooper head with new exhaust valves and stem seals.  The radiator has been removed, cleaned and reassembled with cap screws and locktited nuts in place of standard rivets.  Experience says that the pieces will stay together longer.  A new plastic fan, weighing in at 1/6th that of the 'tropical fan', will work effectively with the cleaned radiator gills and offer less chance of mischief with the water pump bearings.

The big change in Pooh's makeup is a conversion from standard drum to Cooper S front disc brakes.  This means new (very old but cleaned/repainted)) hubs, with new ball joints, serviced tapered/roller bearings (from the drum hubs), new S CV's, boots, new S rotors and drive flanges and rebuilt 38 year old, twin piston S calipers.  With discs, the rear wheel cylinders need to be swapped for narrow bore pieces, so these  wheel bearings get cleaned, inspected, packed and reinstalled too.

On the front tear down, it became apparent that one of two left side brake cylinders had started to leak and that the right front hub was in need of replacement.  One outer CV boot had a small split as well.  The timing was perfect...to cure incipient problems in the home shop before setting out on a longer road trip.  One inner CV boot still survives Pooh's original build at Longbridge in England 23 years ago.  It will be replaced just because....

On a positive note, there was no evident wear in the aircraft grade heim jointed, front lower suspension arms.  Using homemade grease filled boots (from large diameter oil hose) has protected the heim joints from deterioration which would follow water, grit and other debris getting into the joints.

All Pooh's vital bits got a closer inspection because Rick is interested in completing the trip with as little fuss as possible and some small measure of competitive success in the slalom racing at Mini Meet and at Portland's big All British Meet at PIR on the way home.  And, Elaine will not be along to hold a vital flashlight for overnight repairs.

Now sporting Yokohama A008 tires, Pooh will have somewhat better traction though an increased rate of tire wear, because of the softer compound.  To ensure that all is right, a wheel alignment completes the work on suspension bits.  On removal, the previous front tires showed that toe out had increased slightly with the settling of the front rubber springs.  (Yes, most Minis had rubber springs called "doughnuts" because they are round and have a small hole in the middle.)   This condition can rapidly increase the rate of tire wear and produce "skipping about" with the little 10 inch front drive wheels as they snatch from side to side given the available traction.

Other than servicing and a brake upgrade, Pooh is still a quite undistinguished little russet brown Mini.  But, Rick and Pooh are going to work to help raise more money to buy wheel chairs for Ridge Meadows Hospital.

"Wheels for Wheels"

Pooh's 'California Run' continues the 'Wheels for Wheels' efforts that began in 2000 with a car show at the hospital, that was organized by Brian Taylor, and Pooh's Millennium Expotition to Quebec.

Residents of Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge are invited to send pledges based on Pooh's estimated 4,000 kilometre California Run.  for example, one half cent per kilometre is a donation of $20.  All funds are to be sent to:

Ridge Meadows Hospital Foundation
11666 Laity Street
Maple Ridge, B.C.
V2X 5A3

Pooh's in for $100 to kick things off.  Please help!

After completion of Pooh's California Run on Labour Day Weekend, a trip diary and photographs will be loaded up to share the 2002 adventure highlights.  Rick (and Pooh) looks forward to sharing the trip stories with fellow Mini owners, fans and neighbours.

Pooh, E-mail:  mhabc@telus.net

Please come back to see how the trip is progressing