459 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

I'm with the 800 boys by the way and even though my car was built at Cowley, I consider Longbridge to be the spiritual home of all things Austin Rover/ British Leyland.

Now now BlueRover! May I challenge that! With models such as the Wedge, Maxi (apparently with the quote that it has 501 gears, 500 being neutral) and the legendary Marina, I think Cowley did BL as least as well as Longbridge! And then we move on to Maestro and Montego - just two more sleeps until I collect my standard 1983 1.3L Maestro - you cannot imagine how excited I am!

I agree Tanya........also Alec Issigonis worked at both Cowley (for Morris) and Longbridge (for Austin).........the first Mini production prototypes are now said to have be built as Morris Mini-Minors at Cowley then sent to Longbridge for them to follow with building the first Austin Sevens and of course there was that other famous Issigonis design.......the Morris Minor which ended up with the A-Series (Austin) engine and just about survived into the British Leyland era (1971).

Edited by mab01uk, 22 November 2012 - 12:16 AM.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

This is completely awesome. People like you are the people who are preserving the Mini and helping it to live on as the awesome little car that it was, and the legend that it's become. There's people on here that might have added a stage 1 and a set of seats to their Mayfair but it's cars like yours that will go down in the history books as an outstanding restoration, one with history and all the passion behind it to save a little car which nobody would even know about if it wasn't for people trespassing the site in the first place! What's better than having this car at a show with a plinth infront of it showing those photos that I think touched us all at some point. You can say it's that car... which sat in those tunnels for 30 years and many counted as long gone. You'll be able to stand back and look at a truly special achievement when this is restored... it has a story that no amount of money could buy it. Just a legend of a little car.

Whilst I feel the spiritual home of this car may be those tunnels sometimes time has to move on... how long before it became too rusty, too far gone to be saved, to a state that even moving it would have crumbled and bent the shell beyond any state of repair. And to those saying re-shell, if he wanted to build a 1275GT I reckon he'd go out and buy one, but he wants this particular car, hence the effort he's gone to, to get it saved. Not many people would bother.

It's an honor to have somebody who has gone the extra mile to preserve some Mini history on the forum... Mini history that the rest of the world left behind. Well done

Edited by Mini-Mad-Craig, 22 November 2012 - 12:29 AM.

[stevem4323]

This is completely awesome. People like you are the people who are preserving the Mini and helping it to live on as the awesome little car that it was, and the legend that it's become. There's people on here that might have added a stage 1 and a set of seats to their Mayfair but it's cars like yours that will go down in the history books as an outstanding restoration, one with history and all the passion behind it to save a little car which nobody would even know about if it wasn't for people trespassing the site in the first place! What's better than having this car at a show with a plinth infront of it showing those photos that I think touched us all at some point. You can say it's that car... which sat in those tunnels for 30 years and many counted as long gone. You'll be able to stand back and look at a truly special achievement when this is restored... it has a story that no amount of money could buy it. Just a legend of a little car.

Whilst I feel the spiritual home of this car may be those tunnels sometimes time has to move on... how long before it became too rusty, too far gone to be saved, to a state that even moving it would have crumbled and bent the shell beyond any state of repair. And to those saying re-shell, if he wanted to build a 1275GT I reckon he'd go out and buy one, but he wants this particular car, hence the effort he's gone to, to get it saved. Not many people would bother.

It's an honor to have somebody who has gone the extra mile to preserve some Mini history on the forum... Mini history that the rest of the world left behind. Well done

cheers craig that is one of the best responses yet ......thank you

[dasupersprint]

I'm 100% behind you! Looking forward to see the restoration thread for this one!

I got a bit angry when I read comments of people who were trying to convice you not to do it...

My Mini has rust everywhere, so I should not restore it because the car wanted rust? Because God wanted it that way? That's bull**it.

You will have the best story to tell at car shows with your sparkling Clubman :)

[minijules]

my local mechanic told me that my little mini 1000 is gonna cost more than 5k to put right and that i'd be better off buying a mk1 shell and starting from scratch, but he can F**k right off! My mini, is my mini, it has sentimemntal value that goes beyond money and whether it economical to repair or not its getting done!

I aplaud you and your will to put this little mini right, a mini isn't a mini if its not on the road or in the process of being put right so it can be on the road, its like building a firework and never setting it off!

if you need an extra pair of hands, let me know, i'll be 1st to help out, granted im crap at mechanics, but i make an excellent brew!

[crazicarl]

Well done Steve, hats off to you for saving this one!
I know there are a lot of people who want to see it preserved, but the reality of it is that it will rust. Here you are giving this one a fighting chance to finally get on the road, the chance it never had. Your reasoning for wanting to save this one is great and as a time served employee it's only right that you do this for yourself and those who worked there.
I come from South Africa, where you make the most of what you have and make it work, so if you can save this shell, well most of it, and get this GT on the road then I applaud you.
If I lived closer to you I would offer you a hand but commuting from London is a bit of a trek.
Good luck :)

[stevem4323]

thanks for all the offers of help ...i may take some of you up on the offer ....but thanks again for the brilliant comments it really does mean a lot to me ..
thanks again
steve

[panelbeaterpeter]

Bloody hell there really are some total f*ckwits on this forum nowadays. Steve, congratulations on getting it out. You're lucky you don't have any rust to deal with, it will take some very skilled panel beating to get straight, but it looks possible. In my opinion it would definitely be best to restore it sympathetically, just paint the areas needed, and in cellulose so it doesn't look too shiny and new.. Please don't turn it into a convertible, or modify it from what it would have looked like had it made it off the 'line, it's your car but it would ruin it if it were to be modified. Good luck, and make sure you start a project thread when you get cracking!

[Artful Dodger]

Bloody hell there really are some total f*ckwits on this forum nowadays. Steve, congratulations on getting it out. You're lucky you don't have any rust to deal with, it will take some very skilled panel beating to get straight, but it looks possible. In my opinion it would definitely be best to restore it sympathetically, just paint the areas needed, and in cellulose so it doesn't look too shiny and new.. Please don't turn it into a convertible, or modify it from what it would have looked like had it made it off the 'line, it's your car but it would ruin it if it were to be modified. Good luck, and make sure you start a project thread when you get cracking!

Don't think I could agree more!

[Magnetagz]

Fantastic work mate!
I must admit, up until now I have been unsure about my views on the fate of the poor little Mini. But seeing the picture of it out and in it's first new surrounding in years I believe that you have done the right thing, you've gave it a new lease on life. it should not have been left to rot and eventually filled in along with the tunnels, yes it has a history but lets face it, left under there that history would have been lost. Now it has a chance to be seen and admired as the true last Mini from Longbridge.
I can not wait to see your progress with the car and hope I get to see it at shows in the future.

All the best with the resto.

[stevem4323]

Fantastic work mate!
I must admit, up until now I have been unsure about my views on the fate of the poor little Mini. But seeing the picture of it out and in it's first new surrounding in years I believe that you have done the right thing, you've gave it a new lease on life. it should not have been left to rot and eventually filled in along with the tunnels, yes it has a history but lets face it, left under there that history would have been lost. Now it has a chance to be seen and admired as the true last Mini from Longbridge.
I can not wait to see your progress with the car and hope I get to see it at shows in the future.

All the best with the resto.

fantastic comment thank you

[James_1]

Wow! Well done on saving it! I'm also really interested to see that you are planning on restoring it. To all those out there saying that it's beyond saving or to cut the roof off I suggest you look at the Lindner LWE. So long as the metal isn't terminally rusty it can be repaired. It's not just the last Mini to leave Longbridge, it's the last car full stop. It's worth it.

[hennasxi]

I also think its great that its been saved from its tunnel grave. For those who say it should have been left - do you think its a human body or something? Its a car, so it should not be buried in a tunnel it should on the road !

Good luck with the project, I look forward to seeing it at a show whenever you manage to get it to one!

[stevem4323]

Wow! Well done on saving it! I'm also really interested to see that you are planning on restoring it. To all those out there saying that it's beyond saving or to cut the roof off I suggest you look at the Lindner LWE. So long as the metal isn't terminally rusty it can be repaired. It's not just the last Mini to leave Longbridge, it's the last car full stop. It's worth it.

wow thanks for that

[James_1]

Not at all! The best of luck to you, anything is possible with time and skill, it's only metal at the end of the day. If you want any more information about the Lindner restoration or contact details for the company that did it PM me :)

Edited by James_1, 22 November 2012 - 08:18 PM.