91 replies to this topic

[langers]

I've had this car since I was 12 years old, I'm now 33 so thought it was about time I finished the project off! The Mini has had only 2 owners from new- my grandmother and then myself; I used it when I first passed my test when I was a teenager, then when I was 21 I killed the gearbox and thought it would be a good idea to strip it to a bare shell and do a full rebuild, well I stripped it and that was about as far as it went. Fast forward 12 years of it being sat in my parents garage (bless 'em for letting me) and I thought it was about time I started doing something with it.

I decided to pay a proffessional bodyshop to do the shell for me, and I will be doing the rest, theory being that while the 'shop are doing the shell and I have an empty garage, I will be stripping and rebuilding the subframes ready for the shell to sit on when I get it back. This all started about 6 months ago so quire a bit of progess has already been made as the pictures will show, the guy doing the bodywork for me is very talented- you will find him on this forum as panelbeaterpeter, and I cant recomend him highly enough, as the pictures show, his craftmanship is excellent.

The pictures below show how it was earlier this year before we started

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Edited by langers, 15 September 2009 - 10:30 PM.

[langers]

With all the paint off:-

more rust & work than was previousley thought
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ttachment=89584:026.jpg]  028.jpg   29.69K   19 downloads  029.jpg   23.74K   45 downloads

(Have now figured out how to make my pics smaller to fit more on, hence the editing!)

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Edited by langers, 15 September 2009 - 10:23 PM.

[tedmcedd]

looks like a good project! you do realise you can never sell it!! how cool that its been in your family for so long!

Peter's work is amazing! wish i could afford him to do my minis!!

good luck with it all!

Ed

[langers]

Thanks Ed, and yes, I will never sell it, Its got huge sentimental value, the first owner, my Nan is still alive (she is 97!) and I'm determined to get it finished and take her out for a spin round the block in it! The Mini is actually in my Last Will and Testament for it to stay in the family!

Peter is brilliant, I can't stress enough just how good he is at what he does, as the forcoming pictures will show, he is worth every penny.

I would have liked to have done all the work myself, but after the best part of 12 years of it being a shell sat in the corner I came to the decision that I have neither the skills to do it as well as I want it too be done (I'm great at welding for an mot- as long as its coverd in underseal afterwards ) and with 2 young kids I've not got enough time either.

[langers]

Once work on the shell got underway, and once the paint was off, the first part to be renewed was the sills, unfortunatley at some stage in the Minis life someone had welded on 'over sills' leaving the originals underneath to carry on rusting away

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Cut all the rust away:
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New inner sill:
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And new outer sill c/w new jacking point
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Edited by langers, 17 September 2009 - 10:12 PM.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Its excellent mate keep at it and keep up updated.

Craig

[langers]

thanks Craig, glad you like it, will be updating it as often as I can with as much info and pics as I can- always usefull to others doing similar projects, lost count how much time I've spent looking at pics of other mk1 minis to make sure I get mine right!

Here's the pics of the other outer sill getting finished + replacement of the front drivers floorpan:

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[tedmcedd]

nice! thats what i need to doon my mk2!!

[langers]

Next to get sorted out was the rear bulkhead & parcel shelf, unfortunatley when I was a teenager I decided it would be a good idea to cut some holes out for speakers in the rear 'shelf and to sink a pair of 8" subs in behind the rear seats. Isn't hindsight a ba****d?!?

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First to get sorted was the 'shelf; now the bootlid on this Mini was knackered so I had to get a replacement one, and I happened to notice that the ribbing on the inner skin of the bootlid was the same profile as the rear shelf, so Pete with his skills used the inner panel of my old bootlid to patch the shelf- genius!

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Once sprayed you will not be able to tell it was ever done- exactly as I want it and exactly why I've got pete doing it, rather than me bodging it!

Next up was the rear bulkhead and as luck would have it I've got an mk2 mini also- complete basket case with a body held together by rust, but a decent rear bulkhead, sweet!

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The doner bulkhead:
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[mk3 Cooper S]

Top quality work.

I will be wating the progress.

What colour are you going for?

[langers]

Thankyou, its going to be sprayed in cellulose in its original colour of tartan red, my intention being that I want it to look as close as possible as to how it did when it first rolled off the production line.

Progress on the bodywork is coming along very fast at the mo, I just need to pull my finger out and get on with rebuilding the subframes, ready for them to go back on! (pics of all the suspension are on their way)

[bert998]

I was looking at this down Petes place a couple of weeks back, I take my hat off to you for your commitment to the car!

Petes a bit special at what he does isnt he???

[langers]

Thanks Bert, this mini has been a long time coming, I have always been determined to restore it properly, and rather than rush it when I was younger (and skint) at least now i have the money (just!) to do it justice.

And yes, Pete is a bit special, (in a good way Pete) I'm really pleased with the amount of work he has put into my car, and the attention to detail is brilliant.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Aha good to see a thread up at last! Not sure about all these compliments though Have you got a photobucket account? it's free and loads easier than uploading pics on here

[mk3 Cooper S]

Thankyou, its going to be sprayed in cellulose in its original colour of tartan red, my intention being that I want it to look as close as possible as to how it did when it first rolled off the production line.

Progress on the bodywork is coming along very fast at the mo, I just need to pull my finger out and get on with rebuilding the subframes, ready for them to go back on! (pics of all the suspension are on their way)

What year is it?
Do you have all the original bits you are looking for?