94 replies to this topic

[minimissions]

Hi all well on to the next project now the Mini Sidewalk has been done around 18 months.

 

Let me introduce my Fiancée's 1989 Mini Flame LE named Gary.

 

A little bit of his back ground, she bought him over 6 years ago now and learnt to drive in him and used him daily for around 2 years. He was taken off the road getting on for 4 years ago now when the smoking of the engine got worse and the rust issues caught up with the car. She decided to dry store him while she is at uni.

 

Gary himself we always thought was a solid little mini the previous owner had changed the original colours from the flame red and white roof to the Rover Nightfire Red and black roof you see now, this is one of the reason she bought him over other cars.

 

Plan for the build is to get the shell as right as we can, I will also be painting this car from start to finish so the paint side is a first for me. We are keeping the Rover Nightfire Red and black roof and adding some Mk2 style retro touches to the finished build to give him the retro look. My other half is also doing a seat re-trim to add a personal touch and also add to the overall retro look of the car.

 

His engine is currently a 1275cc Metro engine which was fitted when he was bought, we do have a standard 998cc to put in but lets see how the shell goes to decided when we rebuild the 1275 or put the 998 in for the time being, its all about time and funds...

 

We have a date and got a few years to get this car right, but I would like to take him to the IMM Bristol 2019...

 

Wish us luck

 

This is how he sat for the last few years

 

 

Bringing him home...

 

I will post some more photos soon of the some of the issues we have found so far.

 

Thanks for looking

Edited by minimissions, 21 June 2018 - 05:59 AM.

[Aaron3]

Awesome, get well soon Gary lol. Looks pretty tidy from those pics.

[GT Jimmy]

If it turns out like your sidewalk it will be an excellent car. Enjoy the build

[robj2502]

I too am hoping to completed by IMM 2019! good luck with the build and I look forward to the Gary updates

[Steve8274]

Looks a good project. Lick of paint and it will be fine ?

[Lord Oversill]

Great colour Nightfire, black roof is definitely the way . Ivory white is close though?
Like that wavey grille also. Getting a bit of a Jason Bourne vibe from the pictures.
Nice car.

[minimissions]

Awesome, get well soon Gary lol. Looks pretty tidy from those pics.

O Yes it does but don't be fooled lol He is far worse than we thought, I will let some more pics do the talking soon..

[minimissions]

If it turns out like your sidewalk it will be an excellent car. Enjoy the build

Thanks Jimmy we shall see this should be nicer really, more new panels etc

[minimissions]

Great colour Nightfire, black roof is definitely the way . Ivory white is close though?
Like that wavey grille also. Getting a bit of a Jason Bourne vibe from the pictures.
Nice car.

Yeah we do like the colour plus we have a matching Land Rover now as well.. The Austin wavey grille is staying and the plan is to add the retro look.

I have never thought of it that way with the Jason Bourne vibe but defo see it now...

[robj2502]

Great colour Nightfire, black roof is definitely the way . Ivory white is close though?
Like that wavey grille also. Getting a bit of a Jason Bourne vibe from the pictures.
Nice car.

I see the Jason Bourne vibe now too!

 

[minimissions]

haha love it I will have to show the mrs later...

[minimissions]

Right here are some pics of what we have found so far.

 

The drivers side inner arch has been poorly repaired no rust cut out just a plate over it all.

 

The boot has gone in both corners, and the tyre well is covered in small pin holes.

All round the rear valance is covered in rust between the seams

The rear window aperture has always been an issue.

We have decided to cut the lot out, so a new heritage boot floor is on the cards, as is a new half back panel, obviously new valance and closers etc..

[minimissions]

Well we started cutting some of the rot out the boot a few weeks back, to find this and a little to much rust around the subframe mounts, the centre of the tyre well has gone the battery box and some of the rear seat section. So we have decided to go with a full boot floor. As we have always said this needs to be done properly and to cut the rubbish repairs out...

Some nice use of cable ties here haha

Rear valance cut off to see how bad things are...

 

 

 

A hole found on the rear seat bench section, enforcing the fact the boot floor needs to go.

 

 

Edited by minimissions, 29 June 2018 - 05:53 AM.

[minimissions]

I also came across this, when violet and Gary were last on the road together... This must have been back in 2012

Edited by minimissions, 29 June 2018 - 05:54 AM.

[fiestaharry]

Good luck, Marc, you will find all the bodges of every previous owner, but keep chipping through.

 

I hate doing the boot repair panels