12 replies to this topic

[Thorpsta]

Hello everyone, bit of a story behind this project.

 

When my grandad owned the farm that we live next too, the fields use to be orchards and in his hay-day of banger racing my dad had over 100 cars (pictures soon) lined up in the orchards, some waiting to be stripped and some waiting for the windows to be knocked out and loaded up.

 

When my dad packed up banger racing he had a Morris Oxford, and kept it and a few others in case he got "itchy feet"

 

Although, he never did. He parked it up in our then greenhouse, I think it needed new brakes? I'm not sure. Anyway as with most of the things on his to do list it got the "Yeah, I'll do that later" treatment and it never got done.

 

Anyway, a few years ago I made a few attempts at cleaning the greenhouse out as it was overgrown with brambles and even a elder tree has grown there. However, she never got touched.

 

The third time I cleaned it we put some fuel in her and fired her up, moved her around a bit but couldn't get very far as the clutch pedal hit the floor and sat there.

 

The 4th time I started a Youtube series (now removed) about the restoration of it, I actually got it all clear again, however, disaster struck. There was a extremely bad thunderstorm and heavy rain and in the night the green house fell over.. on the car and the project was put on hold due to the fact there is glass.. everywhere.

 

Nature had once again taken over.

 

Now, I'm getting her out again. It's more of a gardening project than a restoration at the moment.

 

I have no pictures of the green house clean and standing, but here you can sort of see that it was almost cleaned out.

 

 

 

Perhaps the brambles where holding it up?

 

Anyway, I am actually.. rather shocked at how good the chrome still is! the interior is tidy and unmarked so there are a few ways this could go, since it's been stood in a greenhouse the bottom is most likely rotten

 

• A light resto ( few repairs, paint)


• A full resto


• Rotten and sold


• Rotten and raced

 

 

This is before I started

 

 

 

And where I got too today.

 

 

 

 

This is going to be an EXTREMELY slow project, almost at a halt as we've got the Mini to do and other general things and every day jobs to do, plus I'm leaving for the Army soon

 

Thanks

Edited by Thorpsta, 09 May 2013 - 10:52 PM.

[oli8925]

Strip it and asses how bad it is, then chose either a light or full resto. If you really don't think you've got the time for a full resto with everything else going on, pop it on ebay with an optimistic reserve? Would be an awesome thing to roll about in, what engine does it have?

[Thorpsta]

Strip it and asses how bad it is, then chose either a light or full resto. If you really don't think you've got the time for a full resto with everything else going on, pop it on ebay with an optimistic reserve? Would be an awesome thing to roll about in, what engine does it have?

 

That's the plan, it's got to come out and that area be sorted anyway I popped my head under earlier and other than the exhaust being on the floor it looks quite solid so fingers crossed

 

It's a 1622cc B-series, 4 on the floor, they did do a column change version, I'm not sure if this is a healthy example or not

 

[Thorpsta]

Well, the damage is visible now.. and it doesn't look too bad! I've free''d her from the rain forest

 

Cracked the door open, old car smell, mmmmmm

 

 

 

Exhaust is on the floor, I found out it originally wanted the sills doing, looking at these pictures it's actually quite solid, few surface rusty bits here and there, back springs want doing and a patch in the front

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrows job? Clean the glass around it, perhaps move the compressor behind it, and try and take the master cylinder off, give that a freeing up, fire her up and back her out!

[998dave]

Get some oil in there first!

[Spud_133]

Kick the windows out and take it to Eastbourne in the summer

[Thorpsta]

Get some oil in there first!

  

Ah yeah, cant forget that
 

Kick the windows out and take it to Eastbourne in the summer

Part of me is hoping its too far gone for that reason ;)

Edited by Thorpsta, 17 May 2013 - 10:51 AM.

[dow62]

Hednesford pre 68 meeting, you will be in good company in the unders ! Looking forward to see those photos !

Edited by dow62, 17 May 2013 - 01:32 PM.

[oli8925]

Don't banger it.

 

Looks like more than a quick resto though. Full strip down and rebuild, although very easy to let costs run away from you, especially when you factor in refurbishing all the components and battling on Ebay for all the hard to find spares.

[chipster196]

ive got £500 if you ever want to sell it, i'll look after it i promise :) i'll take her to mildenhall or kings lynn

[Thorpsta]

Hednesford pre 68 meeting, you will be in good company in the unders ! Looking forward to see those photos !

 

 

Don't banger it.

 

Looks like more than a quick resto though. Full strip down and rebuild, although very easy to let costs run away from you, especially when you factor in refurbishing all the components and battling on Ebay for all the hard to find spares.

 

 

ive got £500 if you ever want to sell it, i'll look after it i promise :) i'll take her to mildenhall or kings lynn

 

 

It's slightly too good for bangers but we'll see how it goes

 

It's just a project to keep me occupied when I can't do anything Mini related, I took the master cylinder off to free it up but it started raining and has been cold ever since so that's as far as I got , in terms of the brambles and stuff next to it that's all cleared really, just need to sweep the glass off, get it running and back her out,  have already been researching engine conversions, but it will be something special

[olds_kool_lews]

Dont banger it, its survived this long, would be a shame to see it smashed to bits! Would be sweet with a modern engine conversion!

[Thorpsta]

Dont banger it, its survived this long, would be a shame to see it smashed to bits! Would be sweet with a modern engine conversion!

 

 

We're eyeing up a 3ltre or a v8 p5 conversion, or a hidden sleeper, I've been busy with Mini and College work, then a customer job has gone wrong so I havent spent any more time on it, I'll perhaps post the pictures up tomorrow