Evening All,
Debated posting this for a few days now. Need some advise on whether its time to restore our Mini.
Things i want to clarify first. This mini was always bought as a resto project. It happened to have 9 months MOT on when we bought it so have been driving it and messing around with it since we bought it but the plan was always to restore it. I've kind of lost sign of that initial plan because i love driving it so much. I expect to spend money restoring it and for it to take a while.I'm very much an amateur mechanic and will be learning as i go so will defiantly make mistakes. I want to do as much work as possible. I will teach myself to weld with the help of a few more experienced people. May even do a course.
Easiest way to do this i think is to list all the bad points.
Rust
Mini is starting to show the common signs of rust in the usual spots.
- Boot floor - Quite bad surface rust on the boot floor with a small hole in the floor and battery box as well
- Rear Window (unsure of Panel Name) - bubbling up around the bottom of the window and down the seams (both sides)
- Rear Bumper - below the boot the paint is bubbling up
- Rear Fog - Paint is rusting behind the rear fog light
- Top of Scuttle Panel - where the panel meets the window there's a really poor bodge job which is rusting through to the inside
- Roof - Where the seam meets the roof its bubbling up
- drivers door - completely rotten lol
- Outer Sills - looks like they've been patched/replaced
- Bonnet - completely rotten through and rattling
- A posts are rusting through at the bottom and suspect they're in a bad way
Mechanical and electrical
The engine runs fine and has taken us on some good days out over the last few months. the head has a small chip which i did when screwing back in the thermostat before (school boy error when screwing into blind screw holes)
There is however some mechanical issues.
- Knocking noise from under the floor when lifting off accelerator. think its either engine mounts, sub-frame mounts or even the exhaust hitting the gear lever housings.
- gearbox slips out of second gear when the revs get high.
- wearing/whining when lifting off in 1st at low speeds
- All suspension bushes/rubbers seem to be perished.
- Shocks are rusted
- exhaust is a patchwork quilt and blowing
- clicking when steering right. potentially CV Joint although sounds like its coming through the steering column under the plastic cover.
- The wiring if you have seen my previous posts is just a real mess and starting to think is potentially dangerous with some of the stuff i've found
I could go on and on lol but i suppose why i'm posting is at what point to i stop and start stripping its down rather than fixing different bits. My worry is going over the same things twice and the mini will just get worst. My other thought process is carry on enjoying it for as long as possible but with MOT due next month and now panels that are rotten through I think its time. Its now in a garage so can do it at my own pace.
Here's a few pictures of what I've found this weekend.
thanks