16 replies to this topic

[Hipsway]

Hi all,

 

New to the forum and after some thoughts on a 1275GT project.  I'm looking at buying one of two different 1275GTs for restoration.  The first is a 1978 rolling chassis, shell is pretty good but needs stripping and painting.  Subframes good, but no engine/gearbox.  Interior needs a complete refurb.  History on the car is limited but fairly confident its clean and legitimate.  The second is a 1980, shell is pretty poor (£3000+ of work required before paint), engine is reconditioned as is gearbox, seats/carpets are very good/new, glass is original, front subframe is good, rear is shot, has a good history with originial documentation, heritage cert, service passport etc.  Both are going for roughly the same price and between needing either engine/gearbox/interior or lots of welding+subframe, I'm probably looking at a similar overall restoration cost.

 

Question is, which one to go for.  1980 with good history but loads of work on the shell etc. or the 1978 with no engine and no (little) history but with a good shell?

 

I did consider buying both, making one good car and then selling whats left.....but there's a heap of issues around the identity etc.

 

Thoughts/comments appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

A.

 

 

[sonscar]

I would buy the most complete car,missing small parts are tedious and expensive to source.If you are going to replace everything anyway then buy the cheapest.They will both probably need the same body repairs when you start.Have fun whatever your choice.Steve..

[lsto]

As above buy the most complete car. I bought my current mini as a rolling shell, as it was an abandoned project for someone. As I had a engine and gearbox I'd built previously I thought it would be a good idea.
I spent so much time and effort sourcing all the missing components it was unbelievable. I had the engine but had to find mounts, rad housing, brackets, bolts, gear selector and all associated fixings. Hoses, cables, and god knows what else. The amount of stupid brackets and random bolts I had to find...only a couple of quid each but the costs soon mount up.
On top of that my shell was pretty stripped so I had to source a complete interior, door locks, all rubber mouldings and trim, seat belts, belt mounts and bolts, some glass, wiring looms etc, etc, etc... do not underestimate how much all these silly bits cost!
I have had my car on the road over a year now and even so I'm still missing trim on the c-pillars and below the rear window. My rear quarter glasses are slightly green tinted whereas the rest off the windows are clear as I had to source them and didn't realise I needed tinted. Plus other silly bits, it is such a mix I always call it a bitsa when people ask what it is.

Edited by lsto, 12 July 2024 - 02:54 PM.

[Chris1275gt]

My tuppence worth is I’d go for the 1980 with the history engine gearbox and interior.

[1293gt]

I too would go for the 1980 car as it was the last year of production and the car has a history file.

[Hipsway]

Thanks for all the feedback. Both have the positives and negatives. Think both are similarly incomplete, just in different ways. It’s the shell in the 1980 that bothers me, it’s got plenty of holes in it and it’s been badly welded up in the past, so all the decent panels will need to come off anyway. Initial rough costs on that were £3500 to get it to a paintable stage. There’s no suspension or brakes, rear subframe is rotten but front is good. But there are good new seats, carpet and door cards. Windows are original and marked with the reg. And I do like the history. Going to see the ‘78 tomorrow so will post more about it then.

Keep the comments coming!!

[Hipsway]

Well, looks like I’ve bought a Mini :). Have gone with the better shell. All round better starting point I think. Comes with an engine, it’s an A+, but that’ll do to get us going.

[Designer]

Hi,

 

Great news on the purchase.

It sounds as though you are going to be raiding the Piggy Bank in a BIG way.

I suggest joining as a TMF+ member for the cost of £5 and get the 71/2% discount from Minispares once you have registered your TMF+ membership with them.

Have a Mini mountain of fun with your project.

Please start a build post with loads of pictures of the progress.

 

Paddy

Edited by Designer, 13 July 2024 - 04:40 PM.

[Hipsway]

Thanks Paddy!

Joining sounds like a good idea. Will start a build post and update as we go along. Piggy bank has been warned…!!

Cheers


A

[Hipsway]

Followup to the project.  I've been doing some digging on the Mini I've put a deposit down on, the one with a decent shell but no history (no log book/registration etc.).  Finally got hold of a heritage certificate and the paint/interior colours don;t match any of the shell or the interior thats with it.  Certificate says a 1979 car with Java paint and beige interior.  The physcial car has a vermillion shell (backend) and a red front/wings.  The interior is grey/black deck chair style that is in pretty poor shape.  So the backend colour and seats are correct for a 1275GT, just don't match the VIN.

 

Seems to me that the VIN has been move to a different body at some point, which throws into question the whole history of the car, ability to get it registered and a V5 etc.  I don't really want a green/beige 1275GT, but I could just run with it and build it how I want it.  But from a future value perspective, not really too bothered but its a consideration, and any potential buyer would see the discrepency between orignal and how I've finished it.

 

Any thoughts?

[stuart bowes]

Opinions will no doubt vary on that as its kinda subjective.. personally I don't hold a lot of stock in originality I say build it and paint it in the way that you want it to be, why build something to please other people and not end up happy with it yourself

If you want originality of course don't forget the panels should all be slightly misaligned and you need to cut corners on the rust prevention so it's all brown again in about 10 years time lol

That's just me though, if you're trying to do it to make a heap of cash at the end the chances of that are pretty minimal, unless you're doing all the work yourself up to and including paint you'll be doing it at a loss. Even doing all yourself probably lucky to break even

For me, my build is about learning the skills and enjoying the process and fingers crossed breaking even or as close to as possible (in terms of agreed insurance value anyway). I'm not painting it the original colour because I think my choice will be more attractive. But again, purely subjective

Edited by stuart bowes, 26 July 2024 - 07:22 PM.

[Steve Harris]

Hi,  Bit late posting to this so apologies.

I have a 1980 1275GT which I am restoring.

Be aware that, if you have the original engine, somewhere in David Vizards writings he mentions that around this period the factory were having trouble with producing the crankshafts.

The journal radius, which was rolled on, was faulty and cranks were liable to break!!

Mine did on the way home from work but didn't do much damage fortunately.  It broke across one of main bearings.

Regards.  Steve Harris

[Chris1275gt]

Hi,  Bit late posting to this so apologies.
I have a 1980 1275GT which I am restoring.
Be aware that, if you have the original engine, somewhere in David Vizards writings he mentions that around this period the factory were having trouble with producing the crankshafts.
The journal radius, which was rolled on, was faulty and cranks were liable to break!!
Mine did on the way home from work but didn't do much damage fortunately.  It broke across one of main bearings.
Regards.  Steve Harris

Doesn’t happen to be HJM 209W does it one of my old ones.

[Steve Harris]

No, sorry Cris1275gt, not yours.

Regards.  Steve Harris

[mini-mad-mark]

Followup to the project.  I've been doing some digging on the Mini I've put a deposit down on, the one with a decent shell but no history (no log book/registration etc.).  Finally got hold of a heritage certificate and the paint/interior colours don;t match any of the shell or the interior thats with it.  Certificate says a 1979 car with Java paint and beige interior.  The physcial car has a vermillion shell (backend) and a red front/wings.  The interior is grey/black deck chair style that is in pretty poor shape.  So the backend colour and seats are correct for a 1275GT, just don't match the VIN.

 

Seems to me that the VIN has been move to a different body at some point, which throws into question the whole history of the car, ability to get it registered and a V5 etc.  I don't really want a green/beige 1275GT, but I could just run with it and build it how I want it.  But from a future value perspective, not really too bothered but its a consideration, and any potential buyer would see the discrepency between orignal and how I've finished it.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Yes, thoughts are that no log book or registration sounds a bit iffy, especially when you mention that the VIN doesn't seem to match the car?