1983 Austin Minivan Resto begins.

[Pixel-Snapper]

looks to be the same one Lund..I wonder what sort of money the guys spent on it? im trying to do mine on a shoe string, really lucky I have friends in the trade.

[Cooper1999]

That's the one! It took ten years to complete, so you've time on your hands Pixel-Snapper!

Edited by Cooper1999 on Friday 5th February 04:24

[Pixel-Snapper]

10years! im already on 6years to this stage Cooper1999 lol

Well not much happened last night as my mate forgot his primer gun like a fool, so we sat over a beer and pondered the day she will be finished.

Roll on next saturday when we start to attack her with a grinder...im quite scared as to what we will find !!!!

Edited by Pixel-Snapper on Friday 5th February 09:53

[Pixel-Snapper]

UPDATE......

Well got a fair bit done on saturday. Ended up cutting most of the drivers side A panel, inner wing and side valence out as it was rotten. Looks like whoever restored it in the past had done a bodge job, sandwiching the new panel over the top of the old one. So as we cut the panel out to my horror alot of material fell out! thats it I thought. Thankfully although some rebuilding work will take place its too bad.

Now you see it.....





Now you dont...

[Miniholic]

Good to see some progress.

I'm now at the stage where I've cleared enough junk out of the garage to see mine, but that's as far as I've got.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Miniholic said:

Good to see some progress.

I'm now at the stage where I've cleared enough junk out of the garage to see mine, but that's as far as I've got.

Lovely Van Ian,

Anymore pics at all looks a stunner! I'm planning on the same exterior but with black Group 2 arches, AA yellow body with black roof.

[vauxmini]

Good project its great to get them back on the road.

you are at the tough stage of any project where its all work and you seem to go backwards. but the more effort you put in now the more reward at the end.

get a coat of paint on it then it really starts to come together.

You are a little far off yet but have you thought about engines. I stuck my vauxhall in for about 1200 quid and i have heard of suzuki engines going in for about 1500 quid. you could spend that on an a-series. the moderen engines are better more reliable and fuel effient. but thats my opinion. The a series is a good engine if looked after and its a proper mini with proper mini engine.


Here are some pics of mine after i painted it, with the engine in and the finished project

it only took me a couple of months to get from paint it finished. But it took me 12 months to get it ready for paint





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|http://thumbsnap.com/v/bN4cIeA7.jpg[/url][url][img]


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|http://thumbsnap.com/v/5wxiQWN5.jpg[/url]


good luck with your proj keep us posted

Edited by vauxmini on Wednesday 3rd March 21:38

[Pixel-Snapper]

That looks great Ben.

What engine is that, doesnt look like you have had to lengthen the front end?.

I bought the van with a stage 3 1293cc engine, which im planning to get rebuilt by a mate that builds race engines so should be on the cheaper side. Should be aiming for around 80-90 bhp, what sort of power would the vaux be running?. Could be something to look into, however if money was no object i'd have the R1 front engine bike kit!!!!!

Thanks for the support.

[vauxmini]

Its 1.6 8valve engine code is c16se.this is a standard round nose with no extension these are 110bhp standard but its reliable. a-series can be relaible too and 1293 is not over stressin it. what ever you choose it will be great. if money was no object i would have a clubby with a 2.0l red top vaux engine 200bhp in a stand mini

i did tidy up the engine bay but have no pics got rid of that massive induction pipe and cleaned up the over spray. amazing the differnce a few cables make with the wiring

[Pixel-Snapper]

UPDATE,

Sal saw the light of day for the first time in 6 years....

Managed to get a trolley with wheels on over the weekend so wheeled the old girl out the garage.

Cut yet more metal from the driver and passenger side, also found out I need some more practice cutting straight lines with a grinder...









Now off to scouer minispares for replacement panels, hope to get some paint on it sometime in May.

Edited by Pixel-Snapper on Tuesday 6th April 16:35

[Pixel-Snapper]

Just remeembered this thread.... well May came and went and it still looks the same as the last pictures..........

Doesn't time fly when your off doing other things.

I really need a garage closer to where I live rather than at my mums 40 miles away.

[camelotr]

This is the bottom of the pit. I You can find a way to keep yourself spirited, things will get a LOT better soon. If You loose your faith on the other hand... well another abandoned project emerges. Better go on! Been there done that a few times .

Good luck!

[minivanman]

Mine was in a similar state - took me 2 years to finish, and I was working pretty hard at it:
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/index.php?sho...

The 2 things I'd have done differently?
1 - Not carried on with the flipfront and returned it to solid. Experience has taught me theres very few jobs that can't be done in a standard engine bay.
2 - Do away with the mk1 doors. They gave me nothing but trouble the whole time, they leak, you can't open the window properly and I've seen better locks on a toilet door. As it had already been modded I wish I'd put mk3 doors into it.

[Pixel-Snapper]

minivanman said:

Mine was in a similar state - took me 2 years to finish, and I was working pretty hard at it:
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/index.php?sho...

The 2 things I'd have done differently?
1 - Not carried on with the flipfront and returned it to solid. Experience has taught me theres very few jobs that can't be done in a standard engine bay.
2 - Do away with the mk1 doors. They gave me nothing but trouble the whole time, they leak, you can't open the window properly and I've seen better locks on a toilet door. As it had already been modded I wish I'd put mk3 doors into it.

WoW that looks stunning will have a proper read of the thread at some point.

Will be doing a removable front end on pins, more for looks than anything.

Interesting thought regarding the doors.

[Pixel-Snapper]

camelotr said:

well another abandoned project emerges.

She's a keeper! this shall not happen...! Unless my mum sells up and I have nowere to store it... :thumbsup:

[guru_1071]

the only problem with swopping the doors is that you have to alter both the a & b post (which means cutting into the back qtrs) plus the part of the body above the door - in other words your going to ruin the value of your van!

its a lot of work to end up with a round front clubman estate! - part of the attraction of a van is the external hinges and the slidy windows surely?

ive done it the other way (to fit mk1 doors in a mk3 shell) and it was a swine of a job

[Ferg]

Pixel-Snapper said:

Will be doing a removable front end on pins, more for looks than anything.

With a proper grille?
I'm not a fan of commercials with the car grilles on, no matter HOW much easier it is to work on stuff.

[Pixel-Snapper]

Not at all ferg saving up the pennies for the solid panel grill.

[minivanman]

guru_1071 said:

the only problem with swopping the doors is that you have to alter both the a & b post (which means cutting into the back qtrs) plus the part of the body above the door - in other words your going to ruin the value of your van!

its a lot of work to end up with a round front clubman estate! - part of the attraction of a van is the external hinges and the slidy windows surely?

ive done it the other way (to fit mk1 doors in a mk3 shell) and it was a swine of a job

It had already been deseamed, and thus totally devalued as an original so I'd have had no problem with doing it. My plan was to get a scrapper mk3 shell and transfer the relevant bits. If I'd kept it I would have used it as an everyday car, and the mk1 doors used to annoy the hell out of me. I sold it at a very strong price though at the end of last year, so I never got chance to see if it would work!

[uksurvivor]

Pixel-Snapper said:

However does anyone know where I can find the correct paint code? ive found
AA Yellow 2ct LRC-559 on an american site but would like to make sure.

I got saved by a very friendly AA bike patrol man about 3 weeks ago who let slip that he forms part of the AA team who maintain one of each of the old patrol vehicles for the company. I've pinged him a text to see if he can help.... will keep you posted.