205 replies to this topic

[Mini_Lee_86]

Hello

I'm recently new to the forum and the reason is I have just bought myself a thirty, which I am intending to restore back to original condition,

The poor girl looks as though she ain't had a bad life up until the previous owner to me had her, she has been violently attacked with Matt black rattle cans of extremely cheap paint and seriously insulted by someone who can't even spell the word "welding" let a lone do it,

Never mind, she is in safe hands now (I think), and will look as good as new after lots and lots and lots of money and more elbow grease u could shake a shiny stick at,

I must say joe u are going to have one hell of a car there when you are done, really looks like u have put ur hart and sole in to it, I dread to think the amount of time and money u have in it, but at the end of the day u have a fine piece of heritage there that is becoming harder to come by each day,

I'm looking forward to ur updates and watching ur progression, keep up the graft fella an good luck with it,

Lee

[joezone2001]

Hello

I'm recently new to the forum and the reason is I have just bought myself a thirty, which I am intending to restore back to original condition,

The poor girl looks as though she ain't had a bad life up until the previous owner to me had her, she has been violently attacked with Matt black rattle cans of extremely cheap paint and seriously insulted by someone who can't even spell the word "welding" let a lone do it,

Never mind, she is in safe hands now (I think), and will look as good as new after lots and lots and lots of money and more elbow grease u could shake a shiny stick at,

I must say joe u are going to have one hell of a car there when you are done, really looks like u have put ur hart and sole in to it, I dread to think the amount of time and money u have in it, but at the end of the day u have a fine piece of heritage there that is becoming harder to come by each day,

I'm looking forward to ur updates and watching ur progression, keep up the graft fella an good luck with it,

Lee

Hi lee. Thanks for the comment. Welcome to the forum and mini ownership by the way! You'll have to start a project thread so we can see your progress.

I've lost count of how much time I've spent on the car. It's probably not as much as I should have though to be fair.. I got her in 2010 as a full car with MOT etc although I barely drove it as it was just too unsafe. Some of the bodges that I've found are just unbelievable. The welding that's been done in the past is just frightening if I'm honest. I can really see the car turning a corner now. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel I think..
I think the 30 is one of the better special editions that there has been. It combines taste and heritage in my opinion. You've chosen well my friend! Haha. I'm assuming yours is black? They only made 1000 black ones and 2000 cherry ones. So yours is rarer than mine! Haha. There were 200 with sunroofs and 200 automatic ones. (I think)

Good luck with your project. You'll have a fine car before you know it.

Thanks for reading my thread (don't I waffle on!? Haha)
Cheers. Joe

[Mini_Lee_86]

Thanks Joe

 

Yeah i will defo be starting a thread, but i work away so may be a little slow with updates and what not. 

 

its actually a cherry red one that i have, but over the years it has been painted purple and now its currently matt black, luckerly whenever it has been ''painted'' by previous owners it has been a really bad job, as in they have just pianted over the cherry red and the log book still says cherry red, it is more obvious in the engine bay, the back seats and so on because the original colour is still there. 

 

I will have a blast at starting a thread when i have a few more pics of the strip down, and i have a bit of spare time.

 

chees

Lee

[joezone2001]

Thanks Joe
 
Yeah i will defo be starting a thread, but i work away so may be a little slow with updates and what not. 
 
its actually a cherry red one that i have, but over the years it has been painted purple and now its currently matt black, luckerly whenever it has been ''painted'' by previous owners it has been a really bad job, as in they have just pianted over the cherry red and the log book still says cherry red, it is more obvious in the engine bay, the back seats and so on because the original colour is still there. 
 
I will have a blast at starting a thread when i have a few more pics of the strip down, and i have a bit of spare time.
 
chees
Lee

Hi Lee.
Thanks for the comment. It bamboozles me sometimes what people do to minis! Haha. I'll be honest though, The cherry red isn't my favorite colour. Nor is it a colour that I'd chose myself to put on a blank canvas. but I think that with them being a fairly rare special edition, they should at least be the right colour.
Good luck with your project anyway mate. It will all be worth while in the end (apparently! Haha) .
Cheers, joe

[sashafelix]

Nice work, wish I could start my body work, but I unfortunately don't have the space lol.  keep it up

[joezone2001]

Nice work, wish I could start my body work, but I unfortunately don't have the space lol.  keep it up

Hi. Thanks for the comment. You'd be surprised just how much room a disassembled mini takes up! Haha. My mini is under a carport at the moment which in some ways isn't ideal as you still get the wind and the rain coming at you. I do have a large garage but that houses another car and is a 'clean workshop area'
Cheers, Joe

[joezone2001]

Hi all..
Well, a very belated update is in order I think. Due to work commitments, mini-related injuries (I got something in my eye and had to have it scraped out. Not pleasant. I was wearing safety goggles too which annoys me even more. They had just slipped a bit whilst I was grinding) anyway, and lack of time progress was slow for a while but I can today say I have hit a milestone! The shell is fully welded and complete. All that's left welding wise is the doors.

Here's how she started....

I think she was well loved in her earlier years as I have a folder of paperwork with receipts etc but her later years were unkind to her and she had been bodges up just to pass mots.

I then did this....



And now she's back looking like this..




She has got a lond way to go but I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
I have started buying all the bits I need to get her back together. I have just purchased the moulton smotharide kit from mini sport.



I have near enough finished priming the underside ready for sealing and gravitex stone chip



I need to think about getting it booked into a body shop for a lick of paint now. Can anyone recommend a decent bodyshop in the Nottingham/Mansfield area that will do a mini for a reasonable price? I've rung round a few places but some paint shops are reluctant to paint minis as they're 'too fiddley' apparently. I know there is Nottingham mini bits in bulwell and I know he paints but has anyone had experience with him? I've been there before and had a few bits from him and he seems a decent chap and he's always got a mini or mg in bits in his garage so he must be busyish. I'm hoping to get it painted just as a shell and not on sub frames/wheels so that there is no overspray etc. (I hate that)
Is there a minimum usage temperature for tiger seal? I've looked but can't seem to find any info.

As always, thanks for reading.
Comments always welcome,
Joe. :)

[Minidarren83]

Looking very good joe let the filler work begin

[joezone2001]

Looking very good joe let the filler work begin

Cheers darren. Ive never attempted filling before. Should be an 'experience'
I keep umming and arring about the final paint colour.. part of me wants to keep it standard and part of me wants to change it.. when I see stretchtechs and jb93s 30 I absolutely love the colour. . But when I look at my 30 (whats left of the original paint anyway) I dont 'love' it.. maybe its because its had a dodgy respray in the past. Im not sure. Anyway, cheers for the comment mate.
Joe

[joezone2001]

Hi all. It's been a while since I last updated! I have been busy on and off with the car but life has got in the way! I am however, back into getting the car back onto the road. I am nearly at the stage of being able to drop the engine back in.
There has also been a decision as regards to the colour.. Purists won't like it but it will not be the original Cherry Red colour. It will be red and I mean RED! I'm thinking BMW Chilli Red. Unfortunately recently my mother passed away and she loved red Minis. So if anyone wants to argue about it, they'll have to take it up with her . This is also the main reason that not much work has been done with the car. I just haven't felt like it. But anyway..

Here is the car a few weeks ago (and me )

We the. Moved on and did this.


I have now finished painting the engine bay as I couldn't finish it whilst it was on the spit



I have started rebuilding the engine and so far I haven't lost anything!



I am hoping to get the engine in asap as I want this car done. If the past year has taught me anything it is that life is too short for faffing about

Oh and I have a new MINI now. I understand they're not to everyone's taste but I love it.


Thanks for looking. I hope to keep this up to date now.

Cheers Joe.

Edited by joezone2001, 16 July 2016 - 10:46 PM.

[Bobbins]

My Old mini's.. I would love to know if anyone knows where they are and if they're still bombing around and causing Mini Mayhem

H306TWP Mini City E - Picnic.


R129XOA Mini Cooper MPI. - Jack. I miss this car lots. I sold it as I was young and stupid. http://www.theminifo...MO_DIR#/sad.png

Joe, I’m in contact with the new owner of R129XOA if you’re still interested in its whereabouts.