Everyone seems to like pictures here, so I thought I'd start a thread to track my (slow) progress on getting the Mini back on the road.
Been on blocks since '06... so I'm itching for both time and money just to get it drivable again!! Basically rebuilding both subframes, with Hi Lo kits and adjustable stuff.... and a general suspension redo.
Enjoy!
... more to follow as often as I can...
Rich
Before and after....
... pulled the engine a few weeks ago to get at the front sub. Going to remove it and recondition it before it goes back together....
... back in the day.... 1994....
Thanks for sharing. I dig the old green paint hidden on the sub attach panel.
awesome. Love the old photo, too. Herc pilot, eh? My dad was a 130 driver for 26 years.
Had some time on my hands with some good weather (which has been hard to get up here...) Finally managed to drop the subframe and get the upper arms and cones out! 71.gif
Gonna start cleaning and painting things...
Well, its been quite a while and a lot had changed... Sometimes repairs are easy, and sometimes more issues are found at each moment a piece is removed! Just a simple suspension upgrade has officially turned into a full bare metal show quality restoration! "Restoration Mini" indeed... 71.gif
So, here are some pics of the progress... Enjoy!
First pics here are the initial tear down to bare shell...
Rear sub and disc brakes almost ready...
Initial body work... after all the welding to the inner wings, rear sub attachments and covering the "Canadian" side lights...
Isn't that how it always goes? I pulled the engine out of my old Jag to fix an oil leak and wound up doing a 4 year total restoration!
Keep up with the pics and story, we love restos!
What color are you going back with?
Quote from: MiniDave on March 02, 2019, 09:10:20 PM
Isn't that how it always goes? I pulled the engine out of my old Jag to fix an oil leak and wound up doing a 4 year total restoration!
Keep up with the pics and story, we love restos!
What color are you going back with?
Dark BRG with a Black roof... it will match my Dads '67 MGB...
Looks like good work, the type I have in my future. Are the disc brakes a new upgrade from drums?
Quote from: Hercplt on November 10, 2015, 05:15:09 PM
... back in the day.... 1994....
also, any chance you still have those wheels? ;D
I sold those old hub caps years ago... it had 6x10 Starmags most recently. I wish I kept the caps though... I can't find any now!
The Discs are all new. Drums were good, but the tweeked engine needs a better set up..
Engine was refreshed. Torn down for all new seals etc... and a classic paint job!
It was rebored many years ago +60, with a ported 12G295 head. I had been running an HIF44, but it was too much... it will have a set of HS2 Twins when it goes back in. Not your average 998... 77.gif
Latest shot that I have... just about ready for paint...
What will you spend to have the paint/body work done?
It's gotten pretty expensive here in the states, wonder how it compares in the GWN?
Quote from: MiniDave on March 03, 2019, 09:32:33 AM
What will you spend to have the paint/body work done?
It's gotten pretty expensive here in the states, wonder how it compares in the GWN?
This is a great question... :-X
Quote from: Hercplt on March 03, 2019, 08:19:30 AM
Engine was refreshed. Torn down for all new seals etc... and a classic paint job!
It was rebored many years ago +60, with a ported 12G295 head. I had been running an HIF44, but it was too much... it will have a set of HS2 Twins when it goes back in. Not your average 998... 77.gif
Nice work looks great.
I have a ported polished 12G295 head to install on my 998 stock bore A+ Moke along with twin 1.25's and a Maniflow 3 into 1 header, i have used this set up before and it works well as much as everyone seems to like the 1275's the 998 is a much smoother revving engine imo.
BTW your engine fan is on backwards.
"BTW your engine fan is on backwards."
;D ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: MiniDave on March 04, 2019, 01:27:33 PM
"BTW your engine fan is on backwards."
;D ;D ;D ;D
::)
Your Mini is certainly shaping up nicely! Good catch regarding the engine fan btw.
Latest pics from a few weeks ago!! Out of paint... and on to build up...
Beautiful! 4.gif
Ok... opinions please! Do I send the body back to paint in order to have the drip rail painted green??? or do I just live with it? Its a dark green, so it isn't as contrasting as some other lighter colours. Thoughts??
Cheers!
I have seen a lot of cars with contrasting roofs that have black trim on the gutter rails. So I think it looks fine the way it is.
I'm OK with it.... 4.gif
As Brad (Willie_B) says, many Minis with contrasting roofs have a black edge trim around the roof rail that gives the same look.
At first glance that is what I thought was there, so looks fine to me.
seeing this post and the old picture again this morning reminds me of something I read a few weeks ago about Canadian Minis:
https://jalopnik.com/canada-had-its-very-own-strange-mini-variant-1833924950
Only in Canada, eh?
Wonder if it was made from maple wood? ;D
Quote from: ADRay on May 24, 2019, 05:27:18 AM
seeing this post and the old picture again this morning reminds me of something I read a few weeks ago about Canadian Minis:
https://jalopnik.com/canada-had-its-very-own-strange-mini-variant-1833924950
Man, I'll tell you what... those super ugly Canadian bumpers saved my ass when I rear ended a Toyota not long after that picture was taken... Only had to replace one wing and the front panel... I actually wish I still had the bumpers only because so many of us simply got rid of them...
Couple shots from today... Twin HS2 are finding their new home... and that darn fan has been re-mounted (for those with such attention to detail... LOL)
You're really smoking along!
Checking out the bling!!
Finally got around to getting some pics of the finished project... Other than a problem with the ignition / Carb / tuning... it's never been this slick looking... can't wait to get it on the road again!! Enjoy the pics!
Cool!
Tell us about the plane?
Quote from: MiniDave on March 20, 2020, 12:50:08 PM
Cool!
Tell us about the plane?
Ha... the plane belongs to my parents...
Good lookin Mini!