9 replies to this topic

[merlinsteve]

Hi. I have just started restoring my 68 deluxe. I have ownsd it for about 15 years and it has sat under a tarp all that time.
I initially purchased it with a group of friends so that we could make it into a motorKana car.
Unfortunately my friends moved interstate and we lost contact. Luckily I got the mini WOO HOO.
I was going to do a radical modification with an sr20 with toys and about 400Kw but I never had the cash so the mini just sat there and collected rust.
The government changed the laws making the sr20 impossible in a road car so I decided to restore it with a few mods.

Photos will follow in the next couple of days.
I purchased the car from a wreckers, they had done a real bodgy fix up job to off load it, including silver paint that looked like it had been put on with a block of wood
the wiring was another thing that they had a shot at.

Here is the rundown.
The tarp came off yesterday and I had a good look at the car. Surface rust everywhere, not bad and not deep but a fair bit if bubbled paint.
There is just 1 rust hole in the scuttle pannel under the windscreen.
Brakes are non existant, they are in the boot because we removed them when we bought the car.
The syspension needs attention and all new bushes.
Wiring.. oah god, what a butcher job.
after looking at it for a bit, I decided to start. firse up I tackled a dint in the front left. I have knocked it as close to flat as i am willing to go. I then sanded the paint and the old bog and rust and painted it in rust converter.
I attached the wheel arches and descovered that the front Right is pushed back a little. I have started to pull this out using a trailer winch and an old tree but I need to gat a ram in there to do it properly.
I have wire brushed the front subframe back to bare metal and painted it in rust converter ready to start prepping with undercoat. I don't know what colour i am painting the subframe but I am leaning towards painting it the same blue I am doing the body.
Anyway enough talking, I will get some pics up ASAP

[merlinsteve]

 mini_front_quater.jpg   1.77MB   21 downloadsthe beast, in rather a sorry state I am afraid


This is the surface rust, there is heaps of it but this is the worst patch

 firewall.jpg   2.16MB   14 downloads
The firewall will be sandblasted and painted with rust converter next week

 front_frame.jpg   1.39MB   11 downloads
front frame was wirebrushed back to bare metal and painted with rust convurter

 motor.jpg   1.79MB   12 downloads
I plan to rebuild the motor last, it will be stock for the moment with extractors and a 1 1/2 su but will get fuel injection some time down the track as I am a tech head and love doing stuff like that.

Attached Files

•  Boot_rust.jpg   976.42K   7 downloads

[sweetser]

Looks like a nice project mate, good luck

[minimansean]

good luck mate, hope all goes well

[feybrand]

always good to re do the lot and start with a nice clean and rust free canvas good luck mate

[merlinsteve]

well so much for being in undercoat by the end of the week.
My mate who has done alot of spraying and was going to help me with it isn't avaliable much
besides, he said we could have the car sanded back and prepped in half a day.
He kept asking me how ling I intended to keep the car for and kept saying things like that will last a couple of years!
I basically aren't intrested in doing anything other than a proper job so it will take a bit longer and I am doing all the prep alone.
I have got sand for the sandblaster and will tackle the engine bay on the weekend
I will then return to the front subframe and get it into undercoat

[merlinsteve]

Well everything is going along SLOWLY.
My aircompressor isn't powerful enough to power either the sander or the sandblaster so I am forced back to the old wirs brush in an angle grinder. the result is still good but it takes ages.

I am looking at upgrading my aircompressor because i would have had the car stripped by now if i had it!!!!!!
I have also started stripping out the interior. the seats are stuffed but the head lining is good, just dirty.
I have been looking at the floor as it looks like it is a bit thin and rusty i think. i won't know until i strip the paint off but i can get a floor pannel to weld in for $70 so i think I am going to just replace it.

In the mean time, I have finally settled on a colour
 paint.jpg   65.53K   13 downloads


I am also going to have silver GT stripes and maybe a silver chequered flag behind the front wheel.

[mk1leg]

Looks like a stunning project ,,,,,,,,,,,,its hard to visualise the colour from a plastic bag......................can't wait to see it on car............

[merlinsteve]

Funny that... Me either!

I have bought some racing harnesses for it. I probably should have used the money on more pressing things as harnesses are right down the list of things to get but what do you do when theu are AU$100 for a pair of retractable standards approved harnesses?????

[merlinsteve]

Here is a better idea of the paint.

 ford_ute_cobalt_blue.jpg   43.14K   12 downloads

this is a factory ford colour so is cheaper than a full custom paint.
I am going to spice it up by adding the pearl in the bag a couple of posts ago into the clear coat to really bring it alive. I think it will look awsome... Provided i don't mess it up when i paint it.

Edited by merlinsteve, 15 September 2008 - 12:38 PM.