198 replies to this topic

[Down&Out]

Thanks a million retro . Progress will happen in the next few month or so... I'm hoping.

Edited by Knebworth 79, 05 August 2009 - 01:31 AM.

[Down&Out]

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Edited by Knebworth 79, 09 August 2009 - 07:30 PM.

[Down&Out]

Okay,

Thought i would start doing the small jobs while i wait for time and space to have the Chelsea welded.

4 years ago, i was faffing about with this mini and i was under some delusion i wanted to refoam the seat frames. So i stripped off the covers and ended up leaving them scrumpled up in a plastic bag for 4 years.

Then today i decided to put them back on, but i dont want to spend loads on foam so i decided to use one of the seats from the Mayfair.

Here's the seat i used.



Bunged in with the mini parts i cleared up last weekend.





I then swapped the covers. I first removed the brown headrest and stripped that, and replaced it with the Chelsea cover using a vice to keep it still. Then i simply did the same with the rest of the seat which was a pig to do .



There was originally red plastic letters here, which in pretty much every chelsea fell off, so i'm going to paint over the script here with red fabric paint .



Although, due to the fact i stored them scrumpled up in carrier bags for years, the vynil has gone all wrinkly .



The cover is pulled as tight as i can get it, but i dont know how to get the wrinkles out

Any ideas?

Edited by Knebworth 79, 09 August 2009 - 06:44 PM.

[ross k]

dont suppose you need any original alloys got a set of mini chelsea alloys with practically new tyres if your interested pm me thanks ross mini looks good

[Down&Out]

It's not so much the alloys i need, it's the center caps. So if you have them, brilliant. If not, no worries, but thanks for the offer anyway .

[tedmcedd]

the wrinkles... you could take it off again and iron it with a tea towel over the top....

[Down&Out]

Haha i dont want to take it off again its all stretched, glued and clipped on now but i could always do it with them on.

I'm gunna do the rear seat later so ill have an update to come .

[Down&Out]

Did a bit more work today.

First of all, set to work sorting the doorcards out.

This one had the hardboard on the back snapped. So i put some glue in the gap and set it flat on the floor, then using the well known ladder method to keep it flat .



One of these was coming up at the edges, so i glued them down and used the other one to keep the edges down. Left them for a few minutes so i knew the glue had gone tacky then took the wheels off and left the glue to set properly.



On the left is the one that i put the cover on yesterday, and on the right is an untouched one. The only way you can tell the difference is because the back of the recovered one is wrinkled .



This is all thats left to cover now.



I started with the bottom cushion.



And then, annoyingly, the top cover smelt of p*ss where some rats had a leak, so that went in the washing machine and is drying as i type this .

So i set about repairing a hole in the side of the seat i put the cover on...



Stuck some vynil behind it.



Stuck the plastic surround back on.



Pull handle then screwed back on.



I also tipped the mini shell back over so it's the right way up again , although i didnt get a pic of that because the camera convieniently ran out of batteries.

Once the cover is dry, i will complete the back seat tomorrow.

Edited by Knebworth 79, 10 August 2009 - 04:26 PM.

[Retro_10s]

So.... is this going to be a factory standard chelsea? BIG kudos to you if it is!

[Down&Out]

Factory standard with a few simple 'easily changed back' modifications. Nothing uber drastic .

They're getting rare, see .

[Retro_10s]

Give that man a banana! great news - glad you're restoring it this way

[mighty mini jack]

Noice!

[Down&Out]

Seats are now finished .



Slipped with one of the clips putting that on though and gouged my finger . Not reccomended! Bleeds loads!.

Annoyingly, on the bottom cushion theres a rip. I'll most probably get mum to fix that .



Plonked them in place. Theyre suprisingly comfortable. Dunno why people go to seriously lengths to replace them, theyre comfier than my Mum's modern car ones are!



The shell looks like its tilted to the left slightly, but it isn't. It's flat on the floor. It's so fun sat in the back of this, would be brilliant to actually have it this low .

[Retro_10s]

great - keeping the ritz alloys? they're great. What does the shell need?

[Down&Out]

great - keeping the ritz alloys? they're great. What does the shell need?

Don't know about the alloys.

Shells needs both doorsteps, both inner and outer sills, rear part of boot floor, valance, subrame mount corners and battery box replaced.

I have 99% of the panels ready to go its just the fact that we have so much going on at the moment.