315 replies to this topic

[RossKnight]

I'm sure some of you are aware that I used to have a red Mini City E, it was my daily drive from when I passed my test, up until August 2012. In August I had some money, and instead of spending it on the mini, and getting it decent, I decided to make the worst mistake of my life, and buy a 'sensible' daily driver, and I planned to sell the mini. But that never happened, instead I had a rubbish, boring, unreliable daily driver and a mini sat in a barn with it's MOT run out and SORN.

 

This is it before any work started.

 

 

 

Also, it managed to seize it's clutch arm from where it was sat too long, and it was an absolute bugger to free off, but I managed it in the end!

 

Now I've decided that for me to be happy driving it again, I'd want it solid, not show condition by a long stretch, just no holes and no filler/dodgy previous owner repairs..

 

In comes Jono (Down&Out on here), he's doing the welding for me, and then I'm going to sort it out properly when it gets back to me.

 

So plans..

 

Body work

 

Panels I've got to go on

 

• Both front floor pans with inner sills
• proper outer sills to replace the dreaded over sills
• both inner flitch panels
• both door steps
• a panel
• both wings
• front panel

So that's a fair old whack for Jono to crack on with! And I'm sure it's inevitable there will be more needed haha.

 

Mechanical

 

Hopefully just as the welding is finished, i'd have sold the boring daily driver and got some more cash, so I will then be buying 7.5" brakes, and putting it on some nice standard 10" steels, or possibly some mini special wheels. And apart from a rolling road set up, the only other money i'll be throwing at this sort of stuff is for the MOT.

 

Interior

 

Interior wise, this is going back to very basic, I really like mk2/3 interiors, in fact, 70's style ones. So I managed to get hold of some nice brown vinyl seats, then it's going to be a single center speedo in a mk1 binnacle I've got, with nothing else except for a nice smiths tacho mounted on the steering column. Also removing both top and bottom dash rails. Going to be so nice having an actual dash area, rather than having a dashboard again.

 

Then if all this gets done okay, the plan is to paint it ourselfs, i'm buying 5l of RAF Blue Grey paint, because for some reason I love it, and i think it'll suit the retro styling I want.

 

Here's a picture of a Beetle painted in the same colour.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, this is a lot of typing, and nothing happening yet, sorry. Have some pictures..

 

This is the state of the floor etc currently..

 

 

 

I'm sure you can see why I've gone with new floors etc!

 

 

Usual crusty front

 

 

This was my main problem, instead of it being replaced, someone has 'fixed' it...

 

 

 

 

[RossKnight]

This is sort of how the interior looked when it was on the road, only with a black suede dashboard I made, with some gauges etc..

 

 

This is what it was like the other day when I went up

 

 

 

And then I started to strip it, sold the seats etc, so had to put one of my seats in there temporarily to still get the car about

 

 

 

Stripped now and ready for it's surgery.

 

I will update it when the proper work starts, and get photos etc.

 

 

Tonight, the car magically flew over to Jonos for him to do the work.

 

Forgot to mention a little factor, I aim for it to be at L2B in May, so best get cracking!

Edited by RossKnight, 06 March 2014 - 10:25 PM.

[MaxAndPaddy]

Liking the RAF Grey, definitely going to be a different look on a mini

[RossKnight]

Liking the RAF Grey, definitely going to be a different look on a mini

 

Should look nice archless and on OEW steels. Here's the plan.

 

[Rocket.]

Will be watching this

[RossKnight]

Will be watching this

Hopefully Sunday I'll be going up to strip it properly for welding, I.e arches, strips etc. And then we can dig around to see how bad the over sills have killed it haha.

Whilst all this is being done, I'll be doing the fun bits, like interior haha

[MaxAndPaddy]

The brown seats look in good nick, do you know what they are out of?

[RossKnight]

The brown seats look in good nick, do you know what they are out of?

This is after my girlfriend worked some magic on them, they were really bad condition, torn, filthy etc, I have some before and after photos and I'll update the thread properly with it all when the other seat is finished, probably this weekend.

They are out of an early mini, I'm guessing a clubman but I'm not too sure, they don't have a locking bit, but they do slide. Mk2 or mk3

[GeorgeD]

nice plans ! similarly im also going down the standard 10" steel wheel route. Am I right assuming this will be roller painted ? Interested in seeing the end result 

[RossKnight]

nice plans ! similarly im also going down the standard 10" steel wheel route. Am I right assuming this will be roller painted ? Interested in seeing the end result 

Potentially roller painted yeh, jono has said we can use his compressor and paint gun though... we'll see what happens

[Broomer]

Buying a vw was one of my life's biggest fail too.

[RossKnight]

Buying a vw was one of my life's biggest fail too.

Stupid things

[leeuk]

I like your way of thinking Ross,

It will look very nice in that colour you have chosen mate and with the 10" steelies too, Its new interior Well I think they will defiantly complement the look that you are trying to achieve,

The period looking minis have got to be a favourite of mine,

Im looking forward to the progress 

[RossKnight]

I like your way of thinking Ross,

It will look very nice in that colour you have chosen mate and with the 10" steelies too, Its new interior Well I think they will defiantly complement the look that you are trying to achieve,

The period looking minis have got to be a favourite of mine,

Im looking forward to the progress 

 

Cheers Lee, just a shame it wasn't something a little more desirable as a base, like all of your vans, mk1s and pick ups But I will be very pleased with it when it's done, and someone may even give it a second look at a show!

 

The interior will be lovely, one thing I'm unsure on is what colour carpet, door cards and dash liner to go for. I know this would normally be a long way off considering the welding hasn't started yet, but as I'm not doing the welding, it's things like this I have to do before it gets back to me.

[leeuk]

 

I like your way of thinking Ross,

It will look very nice in that colour you have chosen mate and with the 10" steelies too, Its new interior Well I think they will defiantly complement the look that you are trying to achieve,

The period looking minis have got to be a favourite of mine,

Im looking forward to the progress 

 

 

The interior will be lovely, one thing I'm unsure on is what colour carpet, door cards and dash liner to go for. I know this would normally be a long way off considering the welding hasn't started yet, but as I'm not doing the welding, it's things like this I have to do before it gets back to me.

 

 

The good thing about choosing so early on Ross is you have plenty of time to choose your interior and stitching colours as well as your seat and door card patterns etc,  Plus plenty of time to change your mind if you decided upon something different further down the line.

Looking at other grey minis thou Ross I tend to think a nice pale light blue or pale green or even a red interior would suit but I also think grey will complement an array of different colours so you have your work cut out lol.

Best of luck with it Ross and I shall be sure to drop in to catch up on progress