475 replies to this topic

[Matrix]

Well hi to all you Mini fans... here's my project building a 1970 Mini shell from scratch













who's mad and yes the roof has gone as well

Edited by Matrix, 20 May 2009 - 01:36 PM.

[Dog]

WOW!!
Thats one major challenge!!


Might of been easier/cheaper to buy a new shell?

[Matrix]

I did think about a shell but if you look at the front its not going to be std ! and cutting up a new shell at £3k+ brought a tear to my eye...repanel under £1k and I know its welded properly hehe I have seen lots of BMH shells and they aint great. Plus I have nerer took one this far before and its been fun

[minivanman]

Wow! that is one hell of a project! you must be a real sucker for punishment What is the overall plan? sounds like its going to be pretty special

[Tomf]

Wow you must be a pro welder after all of that, great work! and there is the added bonus of of you keeping another mini on the road.

Great work!

[Matrix]

its beat watching TV lol, the car is a mk3 S and the overall plan...humm not really to sure it started as a fast road/track car but got a really bad knock about 7 years ago at Truxton on a track day...rear ended then T boned by a novice..oops the car had only just been finished about 4 months and was awesome. I then moved house and had another kiddy so its been sitting there looking very sorry for itself since. I have owned it for 18 years now so it kinda like an old friend..lol been collecting goodies for it for a few year's so not to sure how it will end up?

Here's the recently rebuilt motor 1293cc Howley special and a few other bits





coil over's all round and the roof and front are carbon fibre

Edited by Matrix, 20 May 2009 - 01:50 PM.

[miniboo]

so is that a gen cooper s engine?

[Matrix]

its all cooper s bar the box which is a rod change now not remote s/c dog with a lsd and so on also rebuilding a 1970 1275 GT I will pop some pics of that up when I get a mo.

Edited by Matrix, 02 April 2007 - 08:49 PM.

[GW]

I have owned it for 18 years now so it kinda like an old friend..lol been collecting goodies for it for a few year's so not to sure how it will end up?

That is some real dedication. I really admire the determination in a project of this scale!

[Matrix]

I have owned it for 18 years now so it kinda like an old friend..lol been collecting goodies for it for a few year's so not to sure how it will end up?

That is some real dedication. I really admire the determination in a project of this scale!

Thanks for that, I do enjoy working with really bad one's its more of a challenge. Its a great sence of achivement when it done as well. I am very lucky to be able to do all the work myself, I hate to think what it would cost to have it done for you !
I will try get some more photo's up of the progress and the GT as well

[miniallsort]

very nice dude

[$way]

sounds like this could be a good project.

ill keep an eye on this one.

good luck with it buddy

J

[Matrix]

I did say I would put some pic's of ERNIE the 70's 1275 GT so here you go, he's in a bad way as you can see and hasn't been run for almost 18 year's. This car was given to me by a friend of a friend, it belonged to her son who was killed in the Falklands war and it was just left as a memory of him... quite sad really and I promissed I would restore him to his former glory... 8k on the clock and total origianal!



did a bit on the other one as well today and found my brake set up which has been lost for about a year...lol I have to many parts after 20 years



need a bit of a clear out now so I can paint

Edited by Matrix, 20 May 2009 - 01:52 PM.

[MINIMON]

Hi mate, lookin good im definatly going to be keeping an eye on this, but i hope your fitting a cage with that c/f roof????
Other than that i no completely where your coming from saying that the welding on the bmh shells aint that good thats why i aint reshelled

Good luck mate

[Matrix]

yes indeed there's a full cage going in front +rear+doors+dash the roof isn't very structual really the cant rail does all the work... the roof came off because it had an add sun roof and I couldn't get any seals for it plus a carbon roof showing weave is cool....lol