41 replies to this topic

[whiskymac]

Hi everyone,

Thought I should give my poor little car his own restoration thread, so here goes! Some of you may know Orville already, I got him for my 16th birthday and drove him around for the next 6 years or so until he had completly fallen apart - I then decided he deserved being mended properly.

He has been through the wars a bit (dodgy respray and a load of welding patches) and looked like this before I started taking him apart:



Then after a bit of poking with a stick, he looked a bit more sorry:



I've now got the shell stripped out and this was the current state as of yesterday at the bodyshop:




Hoping to get it welded and painted in the next few weeks (green and silver) and then get it back home to start making it look more like a Mini again!

I'll try and update this thread when I can, also got a facebook page - www.facebook.com/orvillethemini

Matt

[whiskymac]

Quick update, these are the photos taken last week, off to see the car again tomorrow, so hoping for some decent progress!





Matt

[Bean]

Aww, looks like decent progress - And quick, too! Bet it's weird seeing him like that, though!

Nice to see him being restored though - Good on 'ya!

[J_1275_O]

Good Luck with the Project! Are You Spraying Orville the same colour again?

[whiskymac]

Thanks for the comments guys, going to go for a metallic british racing green body with a platinum silver roof - it only took me about 3 years to decide on a colour!

Not much progress today so didnt take any more photos, welding should be finished this time next week though

[sazal]

Hey Matt, long time no speak! Glad to see Orvilles getting there!

When are you hoping to have him finished by?

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Looking good!

[whiskymac]

Hey Matt, long time no speak! Glad to see Orvilles getting there!

When are you hoping to have him finished by?

Hey Sarah, how are you (and Lily!) ?

He is getting there slowly, hopefully he will be prepped for paint next week so should be able to bring him home in a couple of weeks time...not that I have anything ready this end to be able to rebuild him, guess there will be a few late nights ahead out in the cold.

[sazal]

Yeah, we're good thanks!

Well hes looking better than the last pics I saw of him!

[whiskymac]

Hmmm, long time since last update, slow progress at the moment - still Orville looks a bit like a Mini again now!





Sorry about the rubbish quality photos!

[AVV IT]

Your project aside for a minute, that is one seriously BIG bottle of gas you've got there! Just how much welding are you planning on doing exactly????

[whiskymac]

Hmmm, yes. Car is at a bodyshop so they do quite a lot a welding...however my car has had more than its fair share of welding done!!

[whiskymac]

Hmmm long time no update...and very slow progress...

Car now actually getting into some primer




Both subframes stripped down:



A good rub down, degreasing and couple of coats of paint:



Hopefully getting somewhere! Want the frames fully painted this week and then I can start assembling them up next weekend

Matt

Edited by whiskymac, 16 April 2011 - 09:07 PM.

[Jupitus]

Blimey O'Reilly! Finally getting on with it! Good job I didn't ake out my 998 and keep it ready for you

Well... I can't talk... my situation has changed dramatically and although I've not even started on Nala really, she has to go and her rust is very bad now... a posts, boot, rear quarters, all round the front end

Drop me a line matey - she's up for sale and has some great wheels... I also have all the components of a beautiful 1310 build that never started - over 900 quid of machining !

[whiskymac]

Proper progress!

Really pleased with the paint, still needs polishing though - the roof is silver although its hard to tell in these photos. All a little bit blurry, must having been shaking with excitment!







Thanks for watching!