25 replies to this topic

[playdays2k1]

not really a complete rebuild but.....
this seems the best place to start my thread
don't really know where to start so i will begin with a little intro of how i got this far.
i was looking for a mini at a reasonable price for my son who is 17 in February. I have a little bit of mechanical knowledge so finding something that needed a little work was not really an issue. the plan was to buy something i could modify to the standard a young 17 year old boy would feel happy driving in and looking good while keeping running costs down i.e petrol, tax, insurance and general running costs. So a modified mini (with wheels , arches,interior,exhaust etc etc)with a 1000cc engine that could possibly be insured as a classic/modified classic or that kind of thing seemed the way to go. So i came across this 1979 mini special that needed some small amount of work to put back to a roadworthy condition that i could then add the extras. After some research here on TMF and other places i was surprised to hear that these minis are reasonably rare and that modifying it to the place i was heading was not really a good idea .so i find myself between rock and a hard place in order to restore this mini to mint/original condition will take time and money with a good return (time and money is not in abundance) restoring it to as close to original and roadworthy would pretty much only give me a return on my money and in which case i may aswell go with the original plan

so to follow are some pictures please bear in mind that i understand what would be needed to be done to make this a collectors item for the mini enthusiast to part good money for as well as what would be enough to make this mini roadworthy, safe and good enough for a 17 year old to look and feel good in (but safety is paramount may i add)

here it is at a glance

Edited by playdays2k1, 09 October 2012 - 09:20 PM.

[joezone2001]

looks a good car. doesn't look too rusty.. good luck with the build.
joe

[playdays2k1]

yeh but they are photos at a glance there is welding to be done but not a grand scale problem area photos to follow lol

[playdays2k1]

this car is really a game of two halves examples to follow any suggestions welcome

OK lets start problem 1 (more to follow lets take it slowly one at a time)

this is the off side inner cill original and almost perfect

however the outer cill is completely rotten and will need replacing

this is the nearside inner cill has had work (welded plate) previously

however the outer cill is fine i.e would pass MOT

this is the offside upper door cill/step not perfect but would pass an MOT (however the connecting outer cill is rotten remember


this is the nearside upper door/cill copletley rotten but the outer cill is fine remember



as i said a complete game of two haves

any suggestions welcome

Edited by playdays2k1, 09 October 2012 - 11:12 PM.

[joezone2001]

Hi. I can see what you mean about a game of two halves. I wouldn't despair. It looks doable. I would advise further investigation in the boot area and especially where the rear subframe is bolted. Both, just behind wheel arches, in the floor and in the crossmember just in front of the rear wheel arches. Also a good place for rust to hide is at the top of the flitch panels and in the rear seat. If you require new panels (unless you're making your own I mean) I have used Somerford Mini for most of mine and have found them to be quite reasonable and helpful. I would also say get heritage parts. When I have bought pattern parts they have been a pain to fit and have required some 'adjustment' to fit correctly but where I have used genuine bits the job has been a lot easier. It's just down to cost really as heritage parts are much more expensive but I guess you get what you pay for...

I am absolutely no expert but I think the car looks ok. Is definitely not the worsed one I have seen. My mini was much worse than yours (where it had gone rusty, new panels were badly welded over the top of the rot and grot and not protected properly)and yours is older than mine ( good old rover build quality! Haha)

I look at it this way.. When you find a 'bodge' just think " would I have this car if this hadn't been done?" I know you should never bodge a repair and I never would (I'd try not to anyway) but these cars are getting rare now and if things like that hadn't been done to keep them legal they'd probably have been crushed!

Anyway, good luck with it.
Joe

Edited by joezone2001, 10 October 2012 - 02:07 AM.

[sonikk4]

Taking a bit of a punt here but has the car got oversills fitted?? I'm a tad suspicious as the door step to outer sill flange looks rather thick. If this is the case there could be some nasties hiding under them. If the door step is rotten like yours is there will be issues within the sill area.

[playdays2k1]

i was thinking the same sonikk4 but is there a way of finding out without removing them? also bearing in mind the superb condition of the offside inner cill where the nearside has already had plate work done .... this kind of thing happens in a few places on the car (this is just "PROBLEM 1" of about 5 or 6 still to discuss and show) and hence my description " a game of two halves" i am still unsure whether to go in all gung ho and revert back to mint or repair to a satisfactory and SAFE condition or just pass it on to someone who will love for what it truly is

[sonikk4]

It looks like a nice car so worth keeping. Take a look at your outer sills and post a picture on here. Unfortunately if over sills are fitted then what may look like good inners on one side will be very rusty on the other.

[Shifty]

Yup, thats got oversills, you can see the floor has seam welding burns along it.

Nice car though and looks pretty original.

Good find.

[playdays2k1]

may sound like a noob Q (again i kinda am) but how much difference between overcills and or other cill (?) is it structural cosmetic or any other difference ie cost and labour intensive bearing in mind when i replace off side outer cill i will also need repair work toward rear end just under wheel arch where sub frame mounst are Usual place)

[sonikk4]

Oversills are repair panels and not as strong. They are normally used to cover up damage or rust. They can take longer to fit than standard sills. The short sills will look like this

oversills

and this is minor rust pitting as i was lucky with over sills that were fitted to my Clubman before i bought him

[playdays2k1]

by the way sonnik4 checked the stroke length today it is 1098cc thanx for the info yesterday greatly appreciated

[playdays2k1]

can an over cill be used as a proper cill with all the bad cill removed or is there such a thing as a replacment cill

[sonikk4]

If you look at the picture i just posted thats the difference. Fit the correct short sill for several reasons. One they will be much stronger, two if you decide to sell the car on a buyer will not be put off by over sills being fitted especially if they know mini's.

Short sills are easy to purchase, i buy mine from M Machine and are very good quality. Thicker metal than all of the other pattern panels out there.

[playdays2k1]

where did you post that pic sonikk



duuuhhhhh ok call me stupid lol

Edited by playdays2k1, 10 October 2012 - 08:43 PM.