Mini Clubman for restoration - Good Project?

[boycieboy]

Seen this on ebay;

Mini Clubman for restoration

Keep thinking about restoring an old mini and this looks like a good project being low mileage and low reserve. Looks in good condition compared with others offered for resoration on ebay!

Thought I would share it with others so as to get a view, may bid a bit on this one to see if the low reserve is low (Was thinking under £500) I would value opinon's on the idea

Thanks

[annodomini2]

I suggest you look at the car first hand and take someone with you who knows exactly what they are doing when it comes to restoring a mini, i.e. what needs changing and how much of a challenge it is.

Additionally paint covers a lot which you may only be able to find in person.

[Cooperman]

From the photos it looks as though it requires panel replacement and welding in all the usual areas, so unless you are a good welder it would be very expensive to pay for the bodywork to be done. It will need a complete re-paint all over as well. The panel work will be extensive.
An auto is not everyone's idea of a great Mini, but it's not too difficult to convert it to manual. You could also turn it into a 1275 GT at the same time. A good rule of thumb for Mini restoration is that the job will take twice as long and cost twice as much as first thought in order to get it right.
I bought a 1966 Mini 850 with less work required that that Clubman for less than £1000. The bodywork required is minimal in Mini terms, straightforward and easy. It has done only 42,000 miles from new. Also it's a manual. Once complately done to a high standard it could be worth c.£5000, but it will cost a further £2000 plus my labour to get it there.

[Dino42]

I think what would put me off most from those photos is the skuttle (around the front windscreen). It's not an easy fix and given how bad it looks you can be sure the underlying panels will have gone.
Really to make it ecenomic you'd have to able to weld, but I guess that's true of most Minis.

[DanGT]

Good points are it look compleat and not to much played with.
Bad I have restored a clubman that looked a lot better than that and there was a lot of welding to do. Parts are easy to get but you will need a lot of them.

I think if it was me I would not go for this one (unless you like to do welding a lot, some peple do!) Find a project with as little rust as posible dont look so much at milege.

Good luke.