Mini project

Author
Discussion

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
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

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
Next was the easy stuff like the stripping down and cutting out


12/6/11 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Pulled the subframes off and sandblasted then painted them


27/11.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Then a picture of the bodyshell before the real work started with some sandblasted and painted suspension components in the picture too before they got boxed up for safe keeping


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


RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Monday 5th September 2011
quotequote all
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

darky32

12 posts

151 months

Tuesday 6th September 2011
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Looks like a great project... keep the updates coming smile

Mark

Edit-Undo

122 posts

180 months

Thursday 8th September 2011
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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 smile

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Thursday 8th September 2011
quotequote all
More pictures of the sory so far ;

Had a dig about at some of the usual rust spots


Untitled by russell.grant, on Flickr


Untitled by russell.grant, on Flickr


24/7/11.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr


26/7/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Thursday 8th September 2011
quotequote all
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

Skyedriver

17,661 posts

281 months

Thursday 8th September 2011
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Think I'll stop reading this thread....brings back horrible nightmares

Cooperman

4,428 posts

249 months

Thursday 8th September 2011
quotequote all
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.

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Saturday 10th September 2011
quotequote all
Cooperman said:
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.
The flip-front isn't set in stone yet although it would make access to the engine bay easier. I was considering perhaps fitting replacement inner wings and adding subframe brace bars for extra strength with a flip front but I'm working on the rest of the bodywork just now anyway and intend on doing the front end last. Haven't purchased any bodywork panels forward of the a panels yet anyway.

Edited by RussellG on Saturday 10th September 12:58

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Tuesday 13th September 2011
quotequote all
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


RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Wednesday 14th September 2011
quotequote all
Then it was time to cut out the badly repaired flitch panel on the same side and replace it


20/8/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr


20/8/11.3 by russell.grant, on Flickr


21/8/11.2 by russell.grant, on Flickr

That takes me to the stage im at now. I have cut out the os doorstep/lower rear 1/4 panel and replaced it. Now i Have removed the oversill a previous owner had fitted amd the original rotting sill below it (plus a couple of rotting section that were hidden by the oversill.


21/8/11.4 by russell.grant, on Flickr


28/8/11.1 by russell.grant, on Flickr

Im now at the point where I will be dressing of the floor where the oversill was attached & tackling the replacement of the end of the heelboard on the same side before plating up the hole I have cut and fitting a standard replacement sill.

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Wednesday 4th January 2012
quotequote all
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.

Pixel-Snapper

5,321 posts

191 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
Wow Russ looking good there fella.

You dont hang about either do you.

thumbup

sherbert90

1,906 posts

151 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
Bookmarked to follow progress. Top work! thumbup

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

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
Pixel-Snapper said:
Wow Russ looking good there fella.

You dont hang about either do you.

thumbup
Feel like I haven't achieved much in the last couple of months but it's all starting to come Together now. Got doors to repair and new door skins to fit once the odds and ends are finished off at the rear. Then I need to figure out what to do with the front end.

Saw your thread earlier and the van is looking good as well. Can't wait till I get to the primer stage of the build.

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
sherbert90 said:
Bookmarked to follow progress. Top work! thumbup

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.

Pixel-Snapper

5,321 posts

191 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
wouldn't worry russ mines taken 8 years to get the primer stage.

Hopefully it should speed alone now.

Looking forward to the updates.

matt

sherbert90

1,906 posts

151 months

Thursday 5th January 2012
quotequote all
RussellG said:
sherbert90 said:
Bookmarked to follow progress. Top work! thumbup

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 hehe

RussellG

Original Poster:

630 posts

184 months

Sunday 8th January 2012
quotequote all
Finished off all the welding on the rear end today, refitted the petrol tank bracket and dressed off all the welding as well. Then moved onto the bulk head which had big rust patches around where the original bonnet hinges mount, So I have cut out those and welded in a plain steel section to both sides, Also welded up the cold air intakes on both flitch panels because I would prefer a cleaner look there with a flip front.


Been online tonight and ordered a pair of BMW e46 boot hinges to use as the hinges for my new front end. Im going to make a metal flip front for the car and will probably order the panels for this during the week. I will take same pictures and put them up soon.