7 replies to this topic

[Bam]

About 2 years ago i bought a mini mayfair off ebay, the add said that it was in good condition, and that it just needed a new wing and a-pannele.

i bought it for £600 and then spent about £400 on parts.

once i got it home i stripped it back to a bare shell and discovered ALOT of rust.

This is what would have needed replacing:

complete floor pan.
drivers quater pannele.
drivers innar wing.
boot floor.
boot lid.
scuttle.
valance.
bulk head.
passanger door sill.
both wheel arches.
heel board

and plating:

on passanger innar wing.
below rear lights on divers side.
aroung windows.
bottom of doors.


the engine bairly worked, it did about 20mph and the back subframe was so rusty that it was only attached in 3 places.

the only good condition parts were the roof, the passanger side door and the seats.

This weekend after 2 years of trying to restore it and battling with rust i gave up and had to cut it up. :'(

i took the doors off and took the engine out, everything else had been taken out. using a small angle grinder i cut the roof off, then cut it in half, then just broke the quaters off as theu were so rusty then broke the floor pan off and then (when the angle grinder broke i smashed the rest up with a hmmer)

Any way when it worked i loved that mini and now it has gone, it was my first mini and ill miss it.

R.I.P. DCL 36Y, She will be missed.

Thank you.

[Teapot]

Dude, I've re-read your posts and can't believe your tale of woe could be all about the same mini. It seems to have been one long struggle just to go backwards. All work and no play etc.

What will you do now? Keep trying? If you've got any cash left for another mini you seriously don't want to be conned again. Get the strength of the tmf wisdom around you before taking the plunge!

[Bam]

Dont worry, ive got a 1979 mini special which ive had for over a year , that one is in really good condition and is my pride and joy, (although the engine has just seized) and i intend on keeping my mini special for a long time. the mayfair was a restoration project but it still cost me alot of money and caused alot of problems.

my mini special has had alot of problems, everything seems to go wrong with my mini.

[Teapot]

OK, I see it in your signature and it sounds like fun, although

that one is in really good condition and is my pride and joy, (although the engine has just seized)

is a bit worrying. Perhaps you're a realist about minis and I'm just an old dreamer! Anyway, all the best with your projects

[Bam]

OK, I see it in your signature and it sounds like fun, although. a bit worrying. Perhaps you're a realist about minis and I'm just an old dreamer! Anyway, all the best with your projects

Thanks for the support.

My mini should be back on the road soon.

[Adam the Flatulent]

i no what you mean Bam everytime my mini get back on the road it seems to go rong sumwhere else :'( but battle on mate there well worth it in the end. tis always a sad day when a mini goes up to the big garage in the sky :'(

by the way if anyone does buy a car on ebay its always a good idea to mail the seller saying that you want to look st it before you hand over ant money because sad stories lik this come up. your first mini is always the hardest to el or giv up on. my first mini failed it MOT in sept and ive been working on it since. unfortunatly i'm sorry busy im gonna have to take it to the garage but, many a time iv'e herd people saying to sell it and buy another but NO i will not give up on him.

i must pay my respects.
R.I.P. DCL 36Y

add

[The Fat Leodensian]

Dont worry, ive got a 1979 mini special which ive had for over a year , that one is in really good condition and is my pride and joy, (although the engine has just seized) and i intend on keeping my mini special for a long time. the mayfair was a restoration project but it still cost me alot of money and caused alot of problems.

my mini special has had alot of problems, everything seems to go wrong with my mini.

I got a 79 spesh too. Mine's sitting in my the garage because its engine went pop. if your gonna sell any of the bits from the mayfair can u let us know? Ta

Al

[Teapot]

Well, while we're on the subject of RIP, it's about three years since Rosie (before and after restoration, below), met a fiery end somewhere near Weymouth (not owned by me at the time). Failed to take a bend, I'm told, hit a wall, spun back into the road, caught fire, burnt out. I worked quite hard prepping that bodywork too ...