412 replies to this topic

[Tom Sanderson]

Hello TMF

I'd like to start a journal for a new mini I bought just before Christmas, it's a 1982 mini van, currently it has no name so is just simply called the van!
I've wanted a mini van for some time and this one came up on eBay for a sensible price so I went for it and decided to buy, it's far from roadworthy let alone presentable but I can see potential In it and I'm looking forward to the rebuild. The roof and rear panels are in good order which was important to me being the only bits you can't replace with new metal.
The plan really is to get all the body shell sorted first then worry about what spec it will be as I go along, I would like to keep it factory looking if not all origional to the year. Here are some pictures for now of when I got it home after a nice 6 hour drive to the other end of the country!















I'll keep this thread updated with my progress

Tom

Edited by Tom Sanderson, 14 January 2014 - 10:03 PM.

[Artful Dodger]

 cor blimey thats rusty!

 

good luck with the build mate!

[Domneon]

Followed

 

Good luck with the restoration!

[Archived1]

You're a brave man Tom.

 

Great to have people like you restoring such vans

[myredmini]

Is that a banded steel wheel on the n/s back ? 

[leeuk]

It looks like you have quite a challenge ahead of you there mate,

I shall defiantly be popping back to see how things are progressing 

Good luck with your build

[Tom Sanderson]

Is that a banded steel wheel on the n/s back ? 

 

I dont think so, its just that theres a metro wheel on the front so maybe its that!

[ryan22_lgm]

Looks like a good project get stuck in!!!!

[minimissions]

Looks to be all there, keep loads of pics coming :)

[Mini Manannán]

You don't mind a challenge Tom, nice one!  I'll follow this one.

[Tom Sanderson]

Cheers for the comments. After having a good look around it today I've noticed it's got mg metro 4 pot calipers and hubs, solid engine mounts and adjustable suspension so that's a brucey bonus.
Any ideas if the 12 inch wheels are std or have they been fitted afterwards? It's a late 82, I thought all vans were fitted with 10's

Anyway hopefully tommorow I will get steamed on with stripping it down and see how much is left.

[smeg]

Like it good luck with this project looking forward to more pics as you crack on

[Nossedout]

goodluck with the project.... looking forward for more updates and photos! 

[Jared Mk3]

Good luck with this one, look's like it'll be a lot of fun.

[Tom Sanderson]

I've had a busy day on the van today and got most of the main components taken off to evaluate the situation and see just how much i'm going to have to spend on panels. It came apart fairly easily to be honest although there is very little interior anyway so it was mainly just a case of taking out the engine and sub frames. As you can see from the pictures the rust is in quite an advanced state so my plan is going to be to get a new bulkhead panel floor and load floor so the bottom half of the van is completely new. I think most of the van specific parts i need are still available and the front half is just the same as any other mk1 so thats not a problem. Here are some pics now its pulled back outside.
 
 





 
Not a bad days work i don't think, i still need to get the last few bits removed and some bracing will probably be a good idea as it feels like its going to snap in half!

Edited by Tom Sanderson, 14 January 2014 - 07:08 AM.