20 replies to this topic

[[email protected]]

I spent about an hour searching and then reading through threads about restoring versus moving everything to a new shell, but I didn't see any posts where anyone said how many hours it took to strip down the first Mini and how many hours it took to put everything back in the second shell.

I'm wondering if anyone out there can provide a good man-hours estimate for those two processes.

I'm not looking for anything super-detailed, and I'm not making the assumption that every bolt & nut will loosen easily (they won't!), but if someone can contribute a post describing what their experience was, I'd be very grateful.

I'm trying to decide between extensive rust repair versus just moving into another shell that has been offered to me at a very reasonable price.

Thanks in advance to anybody who contributes their knowledge!
Jim

Edited by [email protected], 20 December 2024 - 03:27 PM.

[MrBounce]

Having stripped a Midas to a bare shell, I can only say that other people's previous bodges and rusty nuts and bolts ALWAYS take a hell of a lot longer to sort than you might think.  I took my time stripping the Midas, but it's a horrible job that takes an unnecessarily long time. You will need to label things to be reused and make sure that you have a load of correct bolts to replace rusty originals. 

 

Unless you know every nut and bolt of the car, do NOT expect it to be an easy thing to do. 

[KTS]

for either option you'll be taking a car back to a bare shell, refurbing/replacing the components and then refitting

 

i'd have thought the major differentiator is how much time/cost/effort you'll need to put in to get either shell ready to refit everything ?

[stuart bowes]

one weekend to strip the old one if you get on with it and don't encounter anything really bad

 

a day or so making lists of what new bits you need and ordering them all

 

a week or so waiting for all those bits to turn up

 

rebuilding. how long is a piece of string (how experienced are you and have you got anyone helping) .. the mechanical bits aren't too bad but bear in mind the things that can take a long time and need lots of care and attention like roof lining, wiring etc 

 

does the new shell need prep, minor repairs, paint?  in which case obviously much longer

Edited by stuart bowes, 20 December 2024 - 04:21 PM.

[MrBounce]

one weekend to strip the old one if you get on with it and don't encounter anything really bad

 

 

It is NEVER that simple    Expect it to take a bit longer; or to use cutting tools. 

[stuart bowes]

what two whole days?  there's not that many parts lol

 

assuming you have all the tools and an engine hoist to hand it's not that big a job

 

I did mine over a weekend with only one or two minor bits left in that just weren't urgent.. for example the roof lining which is still in now, but that just pulls off at the edges and the bars pop out, what's that a 10min job maybe

 

a rattle gun and an angle grinder were used here and there.. in fairness though I wasn't planning on keeping certain annoying bits that slow you down, like getting the rear subframe out, just cut the pipes and power cable,  now if you're planning on keeping the grotty old ones for some reason then yeah it would take a bit longer

 

putting it back in, now THAT's the issue.  taking time and making sure everything is refurbed nicely, well fitted and not damaging anything else in the process.  that's months or years of work depending if you're working full time or retired, etc

Edited by stuart bowes, 20 December 2024 - 05:31 PM.

[GraemeC]

With no allowance for refurbing anything, I think you’d be into about 100 hours to swap to a different shell, assuming that one is ready to build into.

However, what you need to be aware of is the legalities of swapping into a secondhand shell.

[Cooperman]

With no allowance for refurbing anything, I think you’d be into about 100 hours to swap to a different shell, assuming that one is ready to build into.

However, what you need to be aware of is the legalities of swapping into a secondhand shell.

I was going to say 100 to 129 hours, plus the time to do any restoration work, engine/gearbox refreshing, painting, etc.

The regulations re: re-shelling may be different in the USA and it's unlikely that anyone there would actually know.

[Quinlan minor]

Can Anyone Estimate The Man-Hours Needed To Swap Shells?

 

And, once they've done that, could they tell me which six numbers are going to come up, tomorrow night?

Edited by Quinlan minor, 20 December 2024 - 09:41 PM.

[Spider]

I'd also say around 100 to 120 hours minimum to repair your shell and get it in paint, ready to assemble, however be aware it may not end us as good as a new shell as you'll only have repaired what can be seen and found. There's quite a few cavities that can't be checked without making holes and lapped joints that may have something rotten that's only just starting. While I and other here have said '100 hours' that's a dead set minimum, and it doesn't take much for that to blow out to 300 hours or more. I wouldn't say 'never' but if following this, proceed with extreme caution.

 

 

Can Anyone Estimate The Man-Hours Needed To Swap Shells?

 

And, once they've done that, could they tell me which six numbers are going to come up, tomorrow night?

 

Again, I'd suggest a similar time frame to that 100 Hrs here if it's a used shell, there will be some remedial work needed and that figure I have allowed for painting.

 

If you were to go to a new shell, doors, bonnet, boot lid etc, I'd still be saying around 60 - 80 hrs to get it in paint. While they may be new, there's also some rectification / fitting work needed, I'm yet to see a new one come out of the box and in to the spray booth, however one big upside of this is that it'll be rust free and items like subframes should slot straight in, but it would be smart to check.
 

[slidehammer]

One thing you have to be honest about, is how many man hours you can devote to the project over a week. Never under estimate the time they take to do well, that is why Ebay s full of unfinished projects. In the past I have spent hours and hours dealing with seized nuts and bolts that should take seconds to remove. Good luck whatever you decide. Make sure the replacement shell is actually as good as it looks and you could be back yo square one with rust repairs.

[gazza82]

Purchase some GOOD penetrating fluid (not WD40) and spray suspect nuts and bolts a few days BEFORE you start ... that way you may find a few more will undo without the need for a cutting disc!

A cordless impact gun and set of impact sockets (AF) will also help, as will a couple of different length breaker bars.

But then my classic had sat for over 40 years in what turns out wasn't a water-proof garage and was 60 years old when I started stripping it down. So ... it had only been on the road for 18 years and was still a PITA to take apart!

[Aridgerunner]

I agree, how long is a piece of string. The hours required are so dependant on so many variables it's impossible to give an accurate estimate. What kind of person are you? A maniac can strip out a shell in one day. The shop floor will be a mess and nothing will be properly sorted, inspected, cleaned and put away.

Inhave watched my brother restore many cars over the past fifty years. Recently he has done two MGB reshells. Being careful and working 5 to 6 hours a day it took him about one year. The last car he did (last year) was a restoration on an very rough MGA. No reshell. That took about 14 months.

Then there's projects like my sons (TJ's 78 Mini) that has taken 12 years so far. It might be done this coming summer. Life kept getting the way.

I wish you luck. Do not get in a hurry. Do it right.

[Designer]

Hi,

 

Above all don't despair and lose heart, enjoy the project and relish the reward of the feeling of great pride in achieving what might have looked impossible at the start.

 

Paddy

[sledgehammer]

If you really go for it , just a straight swap with sub-frames kept complete -

I've done one around 80 - 90 hrs on a newish crashed saloon (hardly anything seized), swapped for a new shell ,

 

back in the 80's when it was only just worth doing , as they were plentiful & parts were cheap .

I had plenty of room & was on a ramp , with crane above & occasional help .

The more room you have , the quicker you can work , 

 

Doors were with the shell & fitted / taped at the back edge , that saved a lot of time

 

I will say get the pedals & master cyl's in before the interior as clevis can be a *****

also feeding wire loom down the a pillar was a sod 

I didn't do headliner or front / rear glass - that was done after paint

IIRC rear sub-frame didn't want to line up first time & took a bit of time & ratchet strap

I did shultz under sub-frame areas , sills , arches, rear valence & lower engine bay before start - but that took a few min's with shultz gun

I did rip my knuckle's to bits & in the end , my boss said we lost money on the job (but he always said that)

If you do several , one after another , you will get a lot quicker , lot of time wasted doing things in the wrong order , when rushing

 

best of luck

 

(also the twisted car was full of beer cans & stunk of larger / fags - carpets were hosed down & hung up to dry .

It was a silver 1984 , mini 25 about 2 years old )

 

Edited by sledgehammer, 21 December 2024 - 04:18 PM.