24 replies to this topic

[Willthewelder]

No! It will vary enormousely depending on what it needs and how far you want to go. I have done nearly 200 hours on it's side. I work fairly quickly too...

[sonikk4]

So does anyone have a rough estimate to the hours needed to complete a restore?

 

It really does differ from car to car. How rusty is it, how worn out is the running gear, how worn is the interior and so on. I was averaging 20 hours a week for two years welding Project Erm and doing the prep work for paint. I spent 45 hours alone prepping the car for paint.

 

My lad spent at least 4 weeks solid doing all of the subframes, brakes wheels etc so you are looking there at about 160 hours. We have not got to the interior engine build or wiring looms. So there could be at least another couple of months worth of work there.  

[lrostoke]

You say not concourse but useable and tidy

 

We went from this

 

 

 

to this

 

 

 

replaced most of the body work

front end

door skins

rear quarters

boot floor and hinge panel

new bonnet

tidied engine up

stage 1 kit

new dash

 

Cost £200 for car and £1500 on parts and paint. That was nearly 6 yrs ago....took us 10 months mainly at weekends with a fair few big gaps.

 

...and lot of repairs to the floor.

 

By the same token I've been doing very similar on my own car and only just at the prepping for paint stage and its been 10 month now.

Edited by lrostoke, 16 May 2013 - 09:01 PM.

[Grkify]

You guys have been an incredible help  you really have and thanks everyone. Have made a decision going to buy myself a wreck seen a few about from £800 to £1000 strip it back to bare metal and do it properly. I understand its going to be a long slog but its  worth it.  Going to use my few weeks of forced holiday to strip it to parts make sure I spend my time labeling what comes off so I know what goes were.  Really looking forward to the challenge. Luckily if its going to take  year or two minimum I can put the money and time in to it to make it mint. 

[zeroasylum]

Hey everyone silly question not sure if its in the right sections but here goes. I know its like asking how long a piece of string is but  here goes , how long do you think a full nut and bolt restore of a round nose mini should take not to concourse condition but to a neat and tidy standard? Reason being I will be getting rid of my clio in November and would like to buy a mini now  seen a fair few locally in shoddy condition rusted through a pannel and the like. would like to buy one with something needed doing on it as would like to put my own stamp on it seems silly to take a pristine mini and start undoing previous owners hard work as well as a little bit of a waste of money. Have access to complete garage and I am reasonably technical mind  as I am a mechanical technician by trade never attempted anything more than servicing my car and re hanging a passenger door  so not sure about whole idea but I would love to learn a few more skills.   Have a budget of around £5k and would like to have it completed in a month  of 5 day week 8 to 10 hours a day got a heap of holiday with nothing else to do with it :)  not sure if this is reasonable or not any help on this matter would be much appreciated. 

Depends on how much time you put in. I did mine 5 years ago in 12 weeks and was working on it for 7 of those weeks from 8 in the morning till 9 at night 6 days a week and got advice and assistance from many people along the way (school teacher long summer holiday) in a proper workshop with the car on a 2 poster. I learned a lot and spent a lot. To be honest around 12000 but it was worth it as I love my mini. Oh and you need a very patient wife if you are married when you go out to your mini on a Saturday morning and say your will be an hour and come back 3 later :)

[Grkify]

 

Hey everyone silly question not sure if its in the right sections but here goes. I know its like asking how long a piece of string is but  here goes , how long do you think a full nut and bolt restore of a round nose mini should take not to concourse condition but to a neat and tidy standard? Reason being I will be getting rid of my clio in November and would like to buy a mini now  seen a fair few locally in shoddy condition rusted through a pannel and the like. would like to buy one with something needed doing on it as would like to put my own stamp on it seems silly to take a pristine mini and start undoing previous owners hard work as well as a little bit of a waste of money. Have access to complete garage and I am reasonably technical mind  as I am a mechanical technician by trade never attempted anything more than servicing my car and re hanging a passenger door  so not sure about whole idea but I would love to learn a few more skills.   Have a budget of around £5k and would like to have it completed in a month  of 5 day week 8 to 10 hours a day got a heap of holiday with nothing else to do with it :)  not sure if this is reasonable or not any help on this matter would be much appreciated. 

Depends on how much time you put in. I did mine 5 years ago in 12 weeks and was working on it for 7 of those weeks from 8 in the morning till 9 at night 6 days a week and got advice and assistance from many people along the way (school teacher long summer holiday) in a proper workshop with the car on a 2 poster. I learned a lot and spent a lot. To be honest around 12000 but it was worth it as I love my mini. Oh and you need a very patient wife if you are married when you go out to your mini on a Saturday morning and say your will be an hour and come back 3 later :)

 

 

 

Thankfully the girlfriend is very understanding as one of my current hobbies is blacksmithing disappear at 7 in the morning Finnish at 4 then start work at 5. I have 4 weeks off so I can at least make a decent start plan is to spend the time I would normally at work in the workshop once I get my hands on a car I  will probably start a thread in the project bit.  Really looking forward to it although found the force racing website and instantly heard the bank manager moaning in my head :)  the titanium front subframe and rear beam look very tasty if not the best part of £1800 all together.  Then found a website with carbon fibre bits on it the arc angels or something.  plus some neat looking flip fronts on here which look amazing  I have come to the conclusion that it will never be finished. Which I am happy with as it means I will always have something to do. 

[JimminyBob]

 

 

By the same token I've been doing very similar on my own car and only just at the prepping for paint stage and its been 10 month now.

 

Is your car a red B reg? That blue one in your picture is quite often parked a few houses down from me as well as a 1970 one.

[lrostoke]

yep mines a B reg 998 :)  working on our arm muscles at the moment rubbing it down :)

 

The 70's brother in laws 998 Auto :) just passed MOT this week sailed through :)

 

Sisters is the one in the picture 998 also, really needs painting again, not sure whats caused it but lot of paint crazing , seems to be sun damage.

[JimminyBob]

Ah right, nice to have a family of Mini owners I used to have a red Mayfair which I sold in December. Me and my Dad are doing up a 1275GT now, it's going to be a steep learning curve considering neither of us have ever done a restoration before and he hasn't welded since he was at college 30 years ago.

[lrostoke]

Best thing I brought for welding apart from a welder was an auto darkening helmet :)