posted about this a while ago RE mini restoration...

I spoke previous if anyone had any advice or had ever attempted to restore a mini cooper pre-1990s. I've finally got my arse in gear and will be buying a mini shell in the next month or so (looked at a few but some looks beyond even restoration). A few posters on here asked for regular updates with pictures and videos so I shall be posting a few bits! Hopefully I'll have it complete by September! Sorry to bore those who aren't interested!

I'll be respraying, welding, sanding, the whole works basically. I have previously helped restore a 1974 lambretta with a friend of mine, 2 years later it was complete and we sold it on for an amazing 35 quid profit LOL. This is a project and I will be keeping the car for shows etc...

So the money pit has been dug out and it's time to full it with pennies!

 

I'll Deffo be interested in hearing how it goes. Got a 90's Cooper myself

 

Good lad, keep us posted, how much of the shell are you replacing, one tip I would pass on is that before cutting out floor pans, sills etc I would weld in some temporary braces front to back and side to side to stop the body moving or twisting which would cause loads of problems, I'm assuming the body is straight, I would also mark out a load of datum points and take loads of measurements and keep checking them every time you replace a section. I would imagine there are web sites where you can get the original measurements to refer to. Good luck, take your time and most of all enjoy it.

 

As it stands mate I'm not sure, I'm off to look at two today one in wakey and one in south emsall. Any knowledge would be very helpful as this is the first time I will have attempted to take on a car for restoration. I have spent the last 3 weeks reading two different haynes manuals and countless different write ups on websites. Money isn't an issue as I'm doing it for the fun of it, otherwise I don't really think it would be worth it but ever since a young lad I had a massive interest in Minis and Scooters, it's a dream to restore both and this time around keep them.

 

Biggest killer on Mini's is obviously corrosion. Check the sills, subframes & mounts, scuttle panel & down the body seams. They are the hardest to rectify if rotten. Floor, Doors & A panels are easy to sort.
Good luck!!

 

Just about to set off to view the first one, I've got high hopes for it as it has been acid dipped which can only be a gold thing but ill be double checking everything! also managed to find the engine for the car which is another bonus! I'll keep you updated people

 

I'd definitely be interested to read about it mate. Hope to do the same when I'm more settled, probably quite some time in the future. A guy who lives near my parents does it as a hobby, he's restored all sorts. Always been interested in it, just got nowhere near enough cash to do it. Or the knowledge to be fair but how hard can it be

 

Just a quick update, I bought a shell today and shall be welded and sandblasted in the next month or so! I shall add pictures as the work gets underway.

Stopping going to away games should help get the job done quicker as I've said to myself I'm putting all the money I would spend at away games on the car!

 

What model is it.

 

It is a rover mini cooper mate, I originally wanted a 1970s but I couldn't stretch my budget to that. Needs new front wings and a fair bit of welding but that's to be excepted

I'll be off to hand the lad who's selling it the money on either Saturday or monday, he's doing a few bits to it aswell as he's restored minis for many years and my knowledge on restoration is minimal (see what I did there?)

Here she is as it stands...

 

Very nice, keep posting updates.

 

Let me know if you need any panels as I supply them. Only good quality ones I use in my own bodyshop