32 replies to this topic

[Mike D92]

This is a question that has been making us wonder for many years, especially when we saw in the news paper last week that one that was found in a barn sold for £10k.

Right just to fill the gaps in this was my dad's first car, in which in his youth he decided (like us youngsters do) to change various things which oviously affects the originality. Im unsure on everything he has changed but its quite a lot.
The engine i beleive is different, a long with the gearbox, it has been deseamed and also has some different wheels on it. Also i believe the bonnet is made from fibreglass but apart from that i think the rest isn't modified just replacement stuff which has gone wrong.

The car hasn't seen the road in around 25-30 years also so isn't what you call in perfect condition but i have seen worse, it has been left in a dry building under a plastic sheet so this has all helped.

Also if i have placed this in the wrong area of this forum i apologise in advance.

Any Feedback would be great
Many thanks
Mike.

[sonikk4]

Pictures speak a thousand words

[Cooperman]

Some photos showing condition would help, but as a restoration project to put back to as near original as possible, it has to be worth around £12k as a minimum.
Just an inspired guess really.

[sledgehammer]

A pic is worth a thousand words - de-seamed - me likes - purist's don't sadly

unless it's a sprint ?

beaten to the phrase

Edited by sledgehammer, 26 February 2013 - 06:51 PM.

[Mike D92]

It's also had a few other things that i've been told, the interior is fairly stripped out, one of the inner wings has been chopped to place a electric fan or something also, i might get a few pictures up in the next couple days

[lrostoke]

we've got to be kidding really £12k ????, no offence but reading the mods whats going be left of the original car if its "restored"...

he says deseamed, if thats all over then its new panels or some very clever fabrication.
non original engine.
no interior.
fibreglass bonnet and a few other front end swaps.

It's no wonder 2nd hand prices are steep if people are suggesting these sort of figures..

It's sort of a bugbear with me restorations which are really just triggers broom (had same broom for 20 yrs, only had 10 heads and 12 handles :) )

[Mike D92]

But wow really anything around the £10k mark? He really wants to return it to its former glory and over a few years he collected parts in order to do so, but with time and everything never got round to doing it, but he is definately set on it before he gets too old

[Artful Dodger]

we've got to be kidding really £12k ????, no offence but reading the mods whats going be left of the original car if its "restored"...

he says deseamed, if thats all over then its new panels or some very clever fabrication.
non original engine.
no interior.
fibreglass bonnet and a few other front end swaps.

It's no wonder 2nd hand prices are steep if people are suggesting these sort of figures..

It's sort of a bugbear with me restorations which are really just triggers broom (had same broom for 20 yrs, only had 10 heads and 12 handles :) )

its a 1959 mini.. you would be amazed. Miked92, restore it back to its former glory! a cool deaseamed modded 59 will be cool to see, especially at a show! would get the purists crying thats for sure!

[Mike D92]

I dont know if its changed panels or what, we are both mechanics and both do fabrications also, oviously he is more experienced but he hasn't specified on changed panels or whatever.

[sonikk4]

There will be a lot of work involved to restore it back to original. If the roof has been de seamed then that will be a mountain of work on its own.

A lot of money to be spent on panel work alone.

[Mike D92]

He wants to return it as best as he can, oviously the seemed bit it hard to replace so that will probably be missing, but apart from that i think he wants it as original as he can with money playing a role but not hugely.

[Artful Dodger]

i wouldnt do it back to factory original if i was going to keep it. obviously there is sentimental value, so i doubt its going to get sold in the near distant future.

but mike, if you were going to do it to sell it, id get it done by someone who can do a mint job, as it would effect the price hugley, 59 minis do not come up for sale much!

[Mike D92]

Bodywork/ welding etc isn't too much of problem aslong as replacement panels are still around if needed then it isn't too bad for us anyway, as the mechanical workshop we work at he also owns when it comes to equipment etc we still have it, and will be done out of hours and stuff so wont cost us hugely. But oviously wont be cheap and will take a huge amount of hours depending on its overall condition as we havn't had a massive look over it to be honest.

[Mike D92]

i wouldnt do it back to factory original if i was going to keep it. obviously there is sentimental value, so i doubt its going to get sold in the near distant future.

but mike, if you were going to do it to sell it, id get it done by someone who can do a mint job, as it would effect the price hugley, 59 minis do not come up for sale much!

He will more than likely be keeping it, just the value is oviously a nice thing to be able to think about

I think he would like it fairly original but i think a few of his old changes would stay in place.

Also he is very good with his fabrication work as the mini has had new sills in etc in the past all done by him, i think he said he changed the colour of the mini 5 times or something lol

[conlad]

Its his (yours) mini... Dont just put it back to standard for moneys sake and a good resale value... But dont mod it too much! A 1980's mini is to be modded loads but there is a line with a '59.. A few 'different' adaptations are wicked, as Artful dodger says, do something cool