Cecil

my current Mini needs a bit of work to the front end (we all know the story, it's a Mini: A-panels, wings, scuttle, front panel and bonnet) so I got some quotes and at the same time had a look for another Mini.

Found this for less than the quotes, will pick her up next weekend once the cheque has cleared.



She currently runs on a 998cc with twin carbs and that is the project as I have a 1275cc in the garage that needs a bit of attention, such as an unleaded head but should then be ready to go. Apart from that she needs some small rust patches treated and a bit of personalisation but not too much.

Description was

Full and complete restoration on a 1972 Mini. Thousands spent on this car during 2005/6.

Tax exempt, original MK111 shell
MOT til April 2009

Colour: Tundra Green (which is an original Commercial Mini colour)

Loads spent during 2005/06 to restore this car - "Cecil". Has been on many Mini runs including into Europe - its first outing attracting the eye of the Mini Magazine editor who immediately set up a four page feature in Mini magazine.

10" original Mini Cooper S reverse rim wheels (5 of).

All new subframes and all new panels. The MK111 shell is its original. This was a complete shell rebuild with all old rust and rot cut out and replaced. The original engine has been replaced with another 1000cc unit.

Twin carbs, LCB exhaust, front disc brake conversion kit

Will post more pics once I have collected her.

The engine is this one, which came from a 1983 Austin Metro and needs a good clean once the temperatur climbs above 0

thats rather 70's. very nice! good luck

Looks very nice, look foward to seeing more pictures

Absolutely love the colour

love it, what you doing with the twin carbs?

I've never seen that colour before, looks amazing. Can't wait to see some more pictures of it!

Love the color, hope to see more pics of it.

love it, what you doing with the twin carbs?

I'll be selling the engine currently in the car as I don't need another 998 in the garage

The colour was used on commerical Minis apparently, but I've never seen it before either.

will post more pics once the car is home and had a wash

started the day by clearing the garage and working a bit on the 1275 engine, amazing how much muck an engine collects, but the gunk I bought managed to get most it off, even off a cold engine.

big thanks to stretch for driving me up to Peterborough and following me on the way back plus some moral support in between

so, Cecil is home ...

stretch came around just before 1 pm and we left in really nice sunshine. stretch had come in his Mini, so we had a proper run up there with no problems. The seller was a bit surprised by the Mini given the distance but at least I had enjoyed the drive up.

So, I got the keys and off we went in a big cloud of gey smoke ... which cleared quite quickly and Cecil was behaving quite good. A bit lumpy at the top end but okay to drive. We then stopped on a layby on the A1(M) to take some pictures. The first thing we noticed was oil dripping (well, maybe more flowing) from Cecil. I checked the oil and according to the dipstick, there was more than enough oil in the engine. This was also supported by the oil pressure gauge which showed a healthy pressure a along.

We decided to not stay too long just in case the oil would cause a problem. However, Cecil refused to start ... we checked the the we had fuel coming from the pump and a spark, so we decided to let it cool down a bit and then try again. After a couple of minutes Cecil still refused to start ... I had been driving with the choke all the way, as when I tried to push it all the way in, the engine started to loose power. stretch pushed it all the way in and Cecil fired up.

We got to South Mimms Services, around 5 miles before Cecil's fuel gauge suddenly went from 1/2 to E, so we stopped for me to get some fuel. Starting without choke worked again and I left a small puddle of oil behind. The oil pressure was still fine, so we got underway for the final leg. We made it back to my place at around 5pm and I put Cecil into the garage.

The idea now definitely is to get the engine changed before the MOT is due in April. A couple of busy weekends ahead I think ...

pictures will follow when I get a chance to download them from the camera

Glad you all made it home safely, really looking forward to seeing some pictures & progress with this lovely little thing.

right ... some more stuff and some pictures

Cecil was featured in July 2007 edition of Mini Magazine, if anybody has a collection, there are more pictures in there. I have a full folder with old MOTs, tax discs and receipts. Starting with the rebuild in 2005/06 I have receipts for totalling nearly 4.5k, so quite a bit (and much more than I paid).



on the way home




don't really like the round door mirrors, so will replace them with the ones from my current Mini

interior



I will have to get a rev counter, probably one that goes onto the steering column. Also not sure if I'll keep the little green Mini on the dash.

the steering wheel will be up for grabs at some point as I find it way too big. And I will probably also replace the radio, it's nice and period but only a radio and I like my current Sony HU that plays MP3s from a USB stick.

meaningless mileages since the engine was replaced during rebuild


oil leak


nowhere near as bad as it was when we stopped on the way home on Saturday

partly cleaned engine


I have started to build a shopping list for Bingley Hall next weekend (won't come in either Mini though):

chrome ring for front indicators
foglight
reversing light
rubber for rear window and chrome strip
flywheel puller thingy

i knew i recognised that!!. take good care of it, it seems to have had a lot of love put into it

will do, it's a bit older than me so I know it needs TLC

so, work started today, though first on the red Mini. I finished off the dash, fixed the cigarette lighter thingy and the stereo so they don't half hang out anymore, then changed the steering wheel back to the plasticy, rubbery thingy that came with the car. I also removed the passenger door mirror as I want to fit them to Cecil. The plan was to removed the ones from Cecil and fit them to the red one. Didn't work out as I ran out of time/warmth. Just need to take out the Werder Bremen stuff and the phone holder and it's ready to be sold.

Then onto the green one. First job, take out the rear window and do something about the rust. A lot of brushing with a wire brush and treatment with KuRust and it looks ready for the next stage ... next week. I actually started by pulling the engine out of the garage but about two minutes later it started to snow a bit too much for my liking so I pushed it back in. Another day without snow will surely come.



Next job, while the KuRust was drying was to tackle the fog and reversing light. Both chrome items and in really bad shape. I had bought replacement items (same shape) at Bingley Hall, so it should have been a fairly straight forward job. Only, nothing ever is. The fog light went okay, but the reversing light refused to budge, so I had to saw through the screw before I could fit the new one. And yes, they are not yet wired in.



On to the next set of lights, the front indicators. Both were a bit tatty, one more or less out of chrome and the rubber on the other was so old that it had gone completely hard. Both came out without much hassle but I thought instead of doing a bodge job with the wiring (why did one of the old ones have two wires and the other only one?) I'd solder the wire ends together. Not the easiest job in the freezing cold when the wire end coming out through the indicator hole is not that long. But I got there, might tidy it up a bit next weekend, but they work.



I then moved onto removing the air horns form the boot. Not only do they take up space, I also don't see the point. They came out really easy (I guess screws being inside the car just don't corrode as bad as the ones outside) and only one washer dropped behind the tank.

Final job of the day, fit the steering wheel from the red Mini. The Moto Lita was simply way to big for my liking.



Also managed to take a picture of the engine.



Also found out that my jack doesn't fit under Cecil as she is really low at the front, so will have to get a lower one.

Edited by warhonowicz, 01 February 2009 - 08:46 PM.

Love the colour! Please promise me you won't turn Cecil into a red mk1 lookalike.