24 replies to this topic

[Poolrev]

I am already a reader of this forum for a long time, and it gave me lots of ideas, so I thought it was time to share my Mini story.

 

My addiction to Mini started when I was on holiday in the UK when I was a teenager, back in 1999. On our way back to Dover, we saw a lot of Mini's, which were on their way to the IMM. At that moment I decided I must have a Mini as my first car. A few years later, I got one! It was a modified 1982 1000HLE with a 1293 engine:

 

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   Mini_oranjerit2006_1.jpg   82.85K   1 downloads

(The one on the left side of the pic)

 

After a few years, when I finished school and got my first fulltime job and got my first companycar (which was a new MINI Cooper ), I decided to took my Mini into the garage and do a full rebuild and create my own customized Mini. The floor was very rusty as well, so I wasn't passing the APK (Dutch variant to MOT) anymore.

 

So then the long slow story started. I started back in 2007 with stripping it, and I met a lot of 'nice' surprises:

 

 01372d95c9152f06d6eb1acbe4c92bb514ea44570d.jpg   63.75K   1 downloads

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After sandblasting it, it was even more worse:

 

 01e13c4432117e63e42510e3a1b6087b273895ad09.jpg   56.5K   0 downloads

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Then a lot of welding was done, like a new back:

 

 014533fbef4604220d984f9817e17c7cf1f10e1cd8.jpg   57.29K   1 downloads

 

And modifying the bulkhead because I want to fit a Weber to my new engine:

 0148196d4fc1856a59e7ce22dd66f88987592b2868.jpg   50.02K   1 downloads

 

And test fitting the roll cage:

 01d96c3aaaf20d4b5c1aa5e5ebe0f20f736f80654c.jpg   66.52K   1 downloads

 

After finishing the welding, it was sand blasted again and got a epoxy primer:

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And I handed it over to a guy who will do the paintwork:

 0173098b229b38688ceab99e4a77fb328772eb80ca.jpg   54.56K   0 downloads

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 01ccd012228e6012757c2b89b5ed71dc227c892c42.jpg   45.45K   0 downloads

 

And that's where the project was got on hold for a few years, because I met my wife, we bought a house, got kids, etc.

 

Almost 1,5 year ago, we moved the Mini and all its parts to another place, near my home, to our man cave which I have with some friends, and we continued the Mini story:

 011725544f502329d5b21aa7bbbc57d1347a31d590.jpg   30.19K   0 downloads

Edited by Poolrev, 16 January 2018 - 09:12 AM.

[johnR]

Good start - wives and kids are not always the Mini's friend!

[Poolrev]

Because the first post has to be verified, it took a while before I could post the next phase. The next phase after moving is completed as well .

 

We started by test fitting parts before we bring it to the painter, and modify some parts for the wheel arches and the MK1 grille:

 

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And do some final work before sending it to the painter for the first part of the paintjob:

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When the body was at the painter, we continued by building the subframes, which were sandblasted and powdercoated in red:

 0194d9a262c313c0ec5048d9599ce874ca889ee57b.jpg   61.33K   0 downloads

 

The body returned from the first part of the paintjob after a while. The colour is from Aston Martin, Aviemore Blue:

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 019bca79c2c890029b543e1f20bb9b179f8b3ede65.jpg   62.12K   0 downloads

 

So we can finally continue with building with all new or reconditioned parts, firstly fitting the front subframe:

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 017d74c47b526894fba31de313b698601ac5542481.jpg   68.5K   0 downloads

 

And the rear subframe, where we encounter some problems with the camber brackets of MiniSport, but that was solved by new brackets from Minispares:

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Fitting new brake & petrol hoses:

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And the complete suspension is fitted:

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Also the pedalbox and steering column are reconditioned and fitted (with temporary steering wheel):

 0112cbf81c209d27bbe97ccd035b391661ef894c3f.jpg   36.08K   0 downloads

 

And reconditioning the gear lever and fitting the KAD quick shift:

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The complete picture with the Trigger handbrake and gear lever in place:

 01981e7cf63a2ad6ee9e4fab32a5e68ae15167f529.jpg   44.74K   0 downloads

Edited by Poolrev, 27 October 2017 - 10:20 AM.

[73MkIII]

very nice so far. enjoying this rather rapid makeover

[Poolrev]

And after a while the body was nearly ready to be sended to the painter again for the final paintjob:

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I've reconditioned the Weber 40, which is ready to fit:

 01a84fa6af66d4cc4605286c13484fd4df184c440a.jpg   113.37K   2 downloads

 

Then the engine need to be fitted. decided to replace the 1293 engine with something more powerfull. A member of the Dutch MiniSevenClub was selling his 1400 engine, which I bought from him some years ago:

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I knew I had to take a good look into this engine and recondition it as well, so we disassemble the full engine. And I brought it to a Mini specialist to recondition and rebuilding it. This was a bit disappointing, because a lot of parts wheren't in good condition, so the pistons, camshaft and many other smaller parts need to be replaced. Also there was a wrong clutch plate was fitted, there was a non-verto plate, but it was verto type clutch :-(. But anyway, the engine was rebuilded last month:

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Fitting the rebuiled engine:

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 0154cc27f7a7a912af2be3d48e4aa75426795ecece.jpg   53.13K   4 downloads

 

 

So, that's the current status, it is now at the painter for the final paintjob. It will be painted in Aston Martin colours. The body will be painted in Aviemore Blue, the roof, roll cage & petrol tank in Ultramarine Black. I'm looking forward to have it back in a few weeks, so we can do the final assembly!

[Vinay-RS]

Love the mods you're doing to this Mini. Looking good. 

[alex-95]

Great work, 2 problems I can see is one the top engine steady should be underneath the bracket and two the pedals are on the wrong side  

[MacGyver]

I think the top bracket is just missing the top plate... 🤔
Just the bottom bracket will not hold for more than 5sec.

[Poolrev]

Thanks for the comments!

 

Great work, 2 problems I can see is one the top engine steady should be underneath the bracket and two the pedals are on the wrong side  

 

Haha! Well, the pedals will stay like this off course

 

I think the top bracket is just missing the top plate... 🤔
Just the bottom bracket will not hold for more than 5sec.

 

Good point . The top bracket plate wasn't in place yet, because it was being powdercoated. It will be put in place when the body is returned from the painter.

 

 

Thanks for the comments!

[pinkmini99]

Wow great work there. Also will be following this

[InnoCooperExport]

Looks good! Being in Veenendaal I guess you must know Dylan? Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh at a future club meeting.

[Poolrev]

Thanks! Yes, I know Dylan very well. He rebuilded the engine for me .

[Poolrev]

Update: painting is almost finished!  I was at the painter and they were almost finished. One door need to be done again, due to some dust...

 

I am really happy with the result. The colours are exactly what I had in mind. I like the roof, which is black with a dark blue glow in it.

 

Some pics:

 

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Edited by Poolrev, 30 November 2017 - 02:55 PM.

[panky]

Very nice, looks like the same colour as the car in the background.

[johnR]

Nice looking build - I notice you've painted/coated your inlet manifold black - is that a thermal barrier of some sort?