Hi all,
Starting this topic to show my progress on my classic mini restoration. I bought the car in October 2022 and has already had some life since then. The first thing in the book was to complete the London to Brighton run in the May of 2023. The car required a complete overhaul of the suspension and other service bits before completing this.
https://photos.app.g...hkarz9ogdaBK6f8
https://photos.app.g...RSddxvQVd1H4rk7
https://photos.app.g...XdRPvdQyn2W5zv7
It ended up completing the run and got home safe with no issues apart from a headache due to the noise. One of the things I discovered on the car was a quite bad exhaust leak on the downpipe. This ended up with me finding out the bolt for the top engine stabiliser had snapped inside the block. Not ideal. One thing led to another after finding some poor rust repairs (or lack of!) and I decided to complete a full restoration.
https://photos.app.g...xasjxHeVH9fH878
I've had experience in car restoration with my first job being an apprenticeship restoring Jaguar E-Types. So, I have done most things apart from body work and main engine restoration. Nearly 7 years later, I'm deciding to give it all a go myself! Mainly being because I cannot afford to have someone else do it.
Since deciding to complete a full restoration, I have since completely stripped the car to a bare shell, replaced the LHS A pillar as it was completely perished and was worried that before getting it sand blasted, the car would warp/cripple etc. Then after that, the car has been sand blasted.
https://photos.app.g...ToE6V9ykHjKzAe7
https://photos.app.g...PWfjYaeZaRZVmw9
https://photos.app.g...z35mA8DypUKANB6
While at the blasters, I was in the know that the floor was going to need completely replacing, something I did think it would need. So, I came up with an idea to manufacturer a jig for a full floor and boot floor. Once the plans were complete, and the car had arrived from the blasters, it was time to start welding up the jig using the car and subframes as templates.
https://photos.app.g...X6oBnyp51fC6Ax5
https://photos.app.g...xJUhqb4ykUiMy78
https://photos.app.g...aqcstD1XTMogJW8
And that is where I'm up to. No idea when this will be complete, I am living in Rome currently for work (Car is in UK) so it is hard to get some time on it this year, but will update when I can!
ps: Sorry for the google photos. Imgur has been deported from the UK :) (At least you get the full resolution)
