Day off today so got the shell tidied up - yikes really getting hit by the 'Oh what on earth have I gone and done now'. Mini parts take up a lot of space as I have found out! I don't really know what to do next and am very worried about how to tackle the derusting, protecting and painting, but I suppose a little at a time.
In two weeks it'll be back to the motor if I'm not too tied up. A few more pix for now. I fabbed up a little trolley - in hindsight wider, beefier and higher would have been better and I just tied some hi density insulating foam (leftovers) onto the corners. As I put the mini on there myself I was really hard not to move the foam but got there in the end using 4 old tires to prop it up as I wiggled it all about.
THANKS to all the restore posters and their amazing ideas, and a big thanks to the person who gave me advice about dropping the rear sub frame - it's a long haul with all the pipes but fairly straightforward I suppose.