33 replies to this topic

[2Black]

Hi, I'm Collin a.k.a. 2Black from the Netherlands.
This topic to follow the rebuild of a 1980 (29 february. so it only has a birthday every 4 years...) Mini Van.
Bought the rubbish heap together with the mortal remains of a red Van in october 2011, and I hope to get somewhere near driveability at the far end of 2013.

So, to kick the topic off I present some pictures of what I bought and what has been done thus far (not a lot...)

Blue project Van arriving at Garage MiniMania (the Citroën CX RD Break has since been sold...)


Red Van remains arriving


Blue Van up closer. It's a car that has been stored for the last 11yrs as it is now.
The guy I bought it from 'saved' it from someone who had started working on it. Don't think that the first restorer had any idea of what he wanted, there are no signs of planned work. They just did this and that with no clear idea of method.


Reason for buying the car was the state of the bottom, seems to be in o.k. shape.


We got the windows out of the Red Van, they will eventually be transplanted into the Blue Van. In that car they removed most of the rear sides to make them flat. We'll restore them.


Quite an effort just to end up with two panels like this


After this was done I met up with a tree with my 'daily' Mini. This caused a setback in available time & funds for the Van restoration.
Hoping to get back to it now.
The Van is now available for me to work on and I've begun making preparations and plans.

[2Black]

Well, today I finally got an opportunity to have a good look at the underside of the Van.
Probably the most important part of a car when starting a restoration, and often a place where you find things you didn't want to see.

We were very, very surpised with what we saw... it is brand spanking new so it seems...
This car has been sitting in a barn for the last 11 yrs after having been 'rescued' from a project that never got finished. And judging from the outer shell we didn't have the highest of hopes for the underside. It might as well have been a case of 'no clue what these guys were thinking when they started' kind of thing.

No, it is in mint condition!
Could really only have dreamt of this, it's going too save us many hours work and me a lot of money.
Although there are many parts on the Van that show a lack of restoration (bodywork/paint) knowledge by the previous owners I've now also noticed that many parts of the body have actually been restored and that in places completely new panels have been fitted.
Plan is to remove the engine on monday, after that I can go futher with inspection & preparation.

Smooth underside, not even any evidence of previous welding anywhere.


Bottom rear, it's perfect!


Part of rear subframe, looks to be brand new! What a surpise!


Subrame & bottom front. Also squeekie clean.

[Teapot]

Total surprise! You must be over the moon. Keep up the tgood work

[2Black]

I'm extremely happy... , after the many setbacks with my 'daily' Mini that cost me a lot more than I was planning to spend during the winter this is a very welcome surpise.
As every Mini owner probably knows it's quite easy to spend far more hours (& money) on welding etc. then planned.
Quite a worry has been taken away now, I can be slighty more relaxed about continueing the project.
Welding is something I cannot do myself so paying for that was a worry.
I'd rather keep a large part of my budget available for the technical side of the work. Engine, suspension, brakes etc., as well as the completely new interior that need to be bought/built.

[2Black]

Today we removed the engine and therefore got a closer look at the front...
The quality of work done on the underside wasn't reflected there... front has now been completely removed.
It is actually quite interesting too see how people before you have attempted a restoration and somewhere apparently simply gave up, being super tidy at first and slowly getting sloppy & eventually geving up completely. Really, an enormous thumbs up for the work on the underside!
But the front was a mess. From just welding metalwork on top of ill prepared old metal to using vast amounts of what appears as bathroomtile-kit....

Any way, we made some good progress today in removing panels...

[2Black]

Today i'll have to put the Van back on it's wheels because another car needs the space.
But we're making good progress.

[2Black]

Just want to tell you a bit of backgroundstory for this restoration.

The aim for this build is to get a car for my wife as a daily driver, she drives something like 25.000km per year for her job.
She get's paid for the miles she makes so running a car doesn't really eat away at our nett income.
Last january we got a Peugeot 107, a brand new private-lease car for which we pay a monthly sum and on top of that we only need to buy fuel. We can therefore see exactly what running that car costs month by month and compare it to what comes in with her travel expense declarations.
That sum (lease price + fuel - travelpay) gives me a good indication of what would be a reasonable amount of money a car may cost to run during a 2yr period, as that is also the lease term for the Peugeot.
With that in the back of my mind I'm doing this Van restoration, knowing that spending - say - €5000 (on restoration alone, technical stuff is seperate) is reasonable if we'll use the car properly during 2 yrs. This of course does mean that my focus needs to be on reliability and cost of maintenance.
The idea of having too use this car as a 'work'object at first is what drives many decisions. Building a racer is a no go, anything that increases cost of maintenance or decreases reliability is a no go actually...., comfort however is important since my wife will be spending a lot of time in it.

After that 2-3 yr use of the car for work it should basically have paid for itself. Depreciation should be minimal when compared to a new car, again helping in making this project viable.
Since we only got the 107 last january and it's lease term is 2 yrs I have till december 2013 before the Van needs to be on the road, should be enough and also gives room for saving money and finance it all.

Maybe you're all thinking I'm crazy for trying such an approach..., could well be! But without trying i'll never find out.

[SAL 821X]

Hi Colin,

What an interesting story I enjoyed reading that. Its nice to see another Van back on the road, shame one had to be sacrificed in the process but they cant all be saved I guess.

Im mid way through my build at the moment so now what lies ahead for you.

Will keep an eye on this.

With thanks,

Matt

[2Black]

Hi Matt,
cutting up the remains of that red Traveller can hardly be described as sacrifice.... , it didn't have a front, nor suspension and most of what remained was rotting. It didn't have paperwork either, so formally it didn't even exist...
The 2 came as a package and I was just happy that the windows could be used and some small bits on the side. It had a sunroof so not even the top can be re-used for another restoration.

Technically i'll have enough to write about my project, soon I hope.
I think the route I hope to take with engine-setup will be of interest for some of you...., but it's still too early in the build. No definate decisions have been made, focussing on the bodywork and suspension first.

[2Black]

The secret word for tonight is...: MegaSquirt (or actually something based on MS)

[2Black]

Today I ordered new wings and a new front for my Van at MiniSpares. And from MiniSport a Moulton Smooth A Ride kit.
Slowly but surely we're getting in shape!

[SAL 821X]

Slowly, slowly, catchy, monkey Colin.

[2Black]

Currently working on restoring the side-rear windows.
The people who first started a project with this car (15yrs ago, they gave up half way) wanted to flatten (smoothen) the sides and cut out the windows completely. Thereby also removing the natural stiffnes that comes from the pressed shape.
We are now working to restore the sides to Traveller windows. My red donorcar was originally a Traveller with windows.

Going to be quite a job..

The cut out shape as we found it beneath a half spotwelded-on steel sheet.


Cutting the Traveller windows to fit. We (I use the term 'we' loosely... as I only take the pictures) are going to weld them in from behind (inside) and hope for a nice fit.
Then we'll just have to try for a smooth as possible finish of the seams.

Edited by 2Black, 30 May 2012 - 08:33 AM.

[2Black]

Got to retract the use of the word 'Traveller' .... it is just a Van with windows instead of the closed panels.
Anyway, that's what it will be. Mainly because I don't want my wife to sit in the dark all day long.

Started removing the panel on the right side of the car and think that will come out nicely.
Removed the layer of filler by heating it with a small blowtorch which allowed me to see the spotwelds. Than grinded them away.
Now have to remove a metal bar from the inside and then it should come free without much damage.

[2Black]

Forgot todays pictures.

Left side had been prepared for fitting what more resembles a normal Van side.
There will be glass in there. But I shouldn't have used the word Traveller for the sides as it is a Van. It doesn't have/get sliding windows.


Now getting rid of the panel on the other side. First removing the filler and thus exposing the spotwelds.
Then grind through those spotwelds carefully to not further damage the sides.



Eventually the panel comes apart from the body.