I havent had a mini for years but always regretted not keeping my cooper injection. So last year I decided I would get myself a mini as a bit of a project. Only thing stopping me was an old wooden garage that wasnt big enough or practical enough to do it in.

So this time last year I knocked down the old garage and built a new one in its place. Took me tilla few months ago to finish the garage inside and out. Then it was time for the project car finally.

It looked like this when it first arrived


8/6/11.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Doesnt looked to bad at first glance but it has all the usual rust and some rough repairs covered up by a paint job. Still not in bad condition considering it hadnt turned a wheel in 9 years

Then the real fun began


19/7/11 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Decide to replace the frontend with a 1 piece flip front so the angle grinder soon made short work of the rotten old front end

This looks like it'll be a great project, best of luck.
I do love seeing minis being disassembled like that. They're almost comically simple

Decided after a bit of hacking that I better start adding some new metal before the was nothing left.


26/7/11.3 by russell.grant, on Flickr


26/7/11.4 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Same story on the offside too.

Then I fixed a few minor points and stripped back some paint & underseal while waiting on parts


28/7/11 by russell.grant, on Flickr

A few days later and the first of the parts deliverys arrived


3/8/11 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Are you sure you want a 'flip-front'>
It will probably reduce the strength and crash-worthiness of the car overall and could require you to have an IVA inspection as it is a structural modification.

Next thing was to make a spit for doing the car bodywork on


4/8/11 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Then I made a start to the osf floorpan, spot welded inside and out the stitch welded in when i was hapy with the fit


11/8/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


11/8/11.3 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Havent posted any updates for a while. truth be told I havent beeen able to spend nearly as much time as I would have liked to on the car recently. something else always seems to come up.

Anyway I have a few pictures to help get the thread back up to speed.


01/10/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


01/10/.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr


17/10/11.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr


17/10/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


7/12/11.5 by russell.grant, on Flickr

front floor sections and flitch panels have been replaced on both sides now, inner sills have been repaired and the old outer sills and over sills have been removed, the floor has been repaired at the rear where required and new standard sills have been fitted. I have also replace the lower sections of both door frames but forgot to photograph these.

Started on the boot section next which needed a repair panel in the boot floor, repairs in both wheel arches and a new rear valance and closing panels. Havent quite finished this yet but just have a bit of dressing up the welding left.


7/12/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


7/12/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


7/12/11.3 by russell.grant, on Flickr


7/12/11.4 by russell.grant, on Flickr


4/1/12.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


4/1/12.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr


4/1/12.3 by russell.grant, on Flickr


4/1/12.4 by russell.grant, on Flickr

I fitted repair sections to both sides of the heel board as well but cant find the pictures I took of that. Will try and get some picutres of that at the weekend when hopefully I can get a bit more down.

Bookmarked to follow progress. Top work!

Such a simple car. I want one now...

Go on get one you know you want to. You just can't help but smile when you get being the wheel of a mini.

Oh i know. One of my best mates had one as his first car. So easy to drive quickly, its like being in a slightly bigger go-kart. Feels like you are going twice as fast as you are.

fking hell, you've got me searching the classifieds now