The “oil pan” for our 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S needs to be reassembled. Typically an oil pan wouldn’t require so much work, but it just so happens that this one has an entire transmission inside it. Davin gets to work putting every bit and piece of the transmission back together along with several new parts (mostly bearings) that were well worn past the point of using again.

The compact nature of the Mini’s drivetrain is a big part of its character, but it’s also a big source of headache for Davin. The engine’s oil pan houses the entire transmission, and even with small gears that makes for a cluttered assembly. Luckily, he has all his reference materials lined up and everything is ready to go together. A little assembly lube here and a dot of oil there and everything slips together nicely—and we do mean everything. Davin points out that sometimes assembly is a process of elimination game, even when you have the right materials. All the proper parts are on the table, so nothing should be left when the job is done right.

With all the hardware torqued and no “spare” parts left over, this transmission is ready to be mated up to the engine. That will happen on the next Redline Update episode so be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to never miss a grease-soaked minute.

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