Clancy's Moke Restoration

Started by MiniDave, October 08, 2018, 09:10:58 AM

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MiniDave

I'll be starting the restoration of Clancy's Moke this week, I don't have a lot of details yet and this promises to be a long, slow build as Clancy's bank account slowly recovers from the previous racing season.

My part at the beginning is to get the subframes built and ready to put under the car. To that end I received both subframes fresh from the powder coaters and retrieved several boxes of parts from another local Mini enthusiast who replaced the bearings in both the front and rear control arms.

My first job will be to strip all the suspension bits down so they can go to the powder coaters - Clancy is a big fan of powder coating, so much so that the body will be coated too instead of painted - unless he changes his mind. Plans remain in flux, so to speak!  ;D

The body is mostly stripped down and is headed off to be soda blasted, after that Clancy will assess the rust and order parts to be welded in. I found some rust, and some old patches, some were done well others not so much. The plan for this car is strictly a run about town and paddock car for the races, so it's more a function than style build, and it's certainly is not headed for concours status!

I had the engine in my engine stand several months ago and not only got it to run but found it was in pretty good shape, with good compression, oil pressure right where it should be and sounded like it would make good power - it's a 1275 AA motor on a magic wand gearbox. Here's the thread on getting the engine to run.... http://www.restorationmini.com/forum/index.php?topic=1494.msg25133#msg25133

A few pics of the shell after it was liberated from it's long term storage. Plans right now are to replace the entire front panel as this one has been hit a couple of times, then repair all the rusty patches and send it to be coated - no idea what color tho. The plan is to make it solid and safe to drive, but not concours.

Edit:Clancy says light machine grey

Here are a few pics of the shell on the dolly ready for work.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B

That's going to be a chore. Let me know if you need any photos of anything.

MiniDave

#2
Thanks! I'm sure you, MPlayle and Jedduh will be a big help as things go along.

We're in early days right now, Clancy is in process of stripping the last remaining bits off the shell, then it's going to be blasted, then off to a welder friend of his to patch the holes and make it sound again. Once all that is done it's off to the powder coaters and then it will probably come to me for reassembly.

Clancy has a plan to slightly modify the body near the windshield attaching points to allow it to fold down so it will fit in the race transporter better.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Since going more functional than show, might I recommend going to a removable front grill for easier service access to the front of the engine?

Since the plan is to replace the front panel, you could go with the later style panel that is already set up for the removable grill or go the route I did.  I let M-Parts build it with the "proper" fixed place grill then cut out the slats to retain the vertical supports.

I did have to order the new removable grill from Australia as M-Parts did not have them in stock.

This is the Aussie site I got the grill from: http://minisport.com.au/moke-gear


MiniDave

Yeah, the removable grill is a good idea!
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

jedduh01

Good project! Ide love to weld er up!

  A useful moke is fun moke! use it or loose it!

Thoughts on Powdercoat == its going to be sent to blasting soon and be  naked . no protection.. is there any concern or worry about flash rust? or a protective coating to be used before the whole PC Process... im sure with Powdercoat metal just needs to be bare and clean..   

Plenty of talk about PC a body shell = will it holdup?  Flexing etc?  (moke bodies flex for sure)

  Be prepared to put up with M-Parts in England = great proper moke parts suppler but their communication and excution to orders are a bit lacking..

Have fun!

MiniDave

Jedduh, they will soda blast it again and put it in the oven overnight before it goes into the powder coating booth, once it's coated it goes right back into the oven to bake on.

They did this with the shell of Scott's race Sprite and it still looks good years later. They also did Fitch's Folly and the Fright this way, both looked great when done. it's not the same as paint of course and doesn't look as good as a proper paint job but it's very durable, and as this is going to be a pit vehicle it should hold up well.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Since Moke prices are through the roof now (and presumably will be going forward) does it make any sense to build a vehicle where unorthodox decisions will negatively affect future value?
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

#8
Well, we discussed this....his decision was if it came down to it removing the powdercoat is just a matter of sending it back thru the oven and burning it all off again. A lot of work to R&R all the bits, but not really any more than would be required to paint it inside and out.

But your point is valid, and may be coloring some of our other decisions, such as keeping the drums or switching to discs. Of course it already has a 1275 non standard motor in it too......I'm lobbying for discs myself.

Another factor is cost - he can get it powdercoated for $1500 including the blasting, burning, baking and so on.

Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

I know! At the very least I'll lobby for fully built backing plates with single leading shoes rather than the twin leading that's on there now. It needs everything redone, so why spend the money when $200 gets you all new everything.....

I'd rather see him do discs but right now both Spares and Sport are out of their disc brake conversion kits.

Seems like Spares has been out of a lot of stuff lately.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

#10
Quote from: MiniDave on October 09, 2018, 10:48:29 AM
I know! At the very least I'll lobby for fully built backing plates with single leading shoes rather than the twin leading that's on there now.

Is today Backwards Day?   8.gif


I agree with Whee, go to discs.  But the folding windshield and powder coat is what I am wondering about.


I'm thinking of the much-modified Penske Moke recently on BaT - too bitsa to find a buyer. 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

Clancy just came by and picked up some parts to be blasted, coated and/or painted and he agreed to the disc conversion. So once they become available again we'll get one on the way. He's found almost all the missing parts and is ready to start the process on the body.

I'm sure this car will remain in the family indefinitely so sale value just isn't really a consideration. Rather, reliability and long term stability is upper most.

Like I said at the start, this will be a long term project unless/until he finds a buyer for the Aquilla S-2000 racecar.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

Seems I do not need to chime in as one more on the side of converting to disk brakes in the front.


drmini

Quote from: MiniDave on October 09, 2018, 10:48:29 AM
I know! At the very least I'll lobby for fully built backing plates with single leading shoes rather than the twin leading that's on there now. It needs everything redone, so why spend the money when $200 gets you all new everything.....

I'd rather see him do discs but right now both Spares and Sport are out of their disc brake conversion kits.

Seems like Spares has been out of a lot of stuff lately.

I certainly don't understand the reference to Single Leading Shoe brakes.  All production Mokes were built long after the introduction of Twin Leading Shoe brakes, so therefore, it shouldn't have SLS brakes.

MiniDave

I may have my terminology wrong.....which one has two wheel cylinders per side?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Twin leading have two cylinders per side. 

MiniDave

That's what I thought, that's what it has in the front.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

I think the confusion is twin leading are better than the singles. 

BruceK

Quote from: 94touring on October 09, 2018, 02:33:57 PM
I think the confusion is twin leading are better than the singles.

That's why I said is was backwards day.  Twin beats single.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

jedduh01

Just to add this to the 'moke' builders brains...

When it comes time for Fuel tank + sending units.. If your Moke sending unit is bad... (they dont offer, MOKE- sending untis anymore)

Go with a 6 Bolt / traveler / van Sending unit.  Still screws in same as stock.
  I straightened the rod a tiny bit  + flipped the float to how it arrived.

Worked perfectly.  (not that checking fuel in a Moke manually  was ever a problem )= this was a equipment fix.

https://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Fuel/Tanks,%20fittings/AAU8340MS.aspx?1304&ReturnUrl=/search/classic/fuel%20sending.aspx|Back%20to%20search






MiniDave

Ok Mokies......Clancy is having no luck finding a front panel for his Moke, M-Machine says "someday"....anyone have another source? He's anxious to get going (it's only been 10 or 20 years.....)   ;D 
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Willie_B


MiniDave

Thanks, I sent that along to Clancy, we'll see if they have it in stock.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

#23
Reply to your PM sent with a few other possible sources.

Edit: Here is the response for others to have the references:

Seven Ent lists it on their website - best to call to be sure they have it in stock:

https://www.7ent.com/products/front-panel-uk-moke-ala7001.html

Other places to try:

M-Parts (where Brad and I got our shells - definitely call first as they can be slow to respond to emails):
http://www.m-parts.co.uk/

The Aussie site I got the removable grill from:
http://minisport.com.au/moke-gear

The front panels listed are the fixed grill kind at Seven and the Aussie site.  M-Parts lists both styles of front panel, but call first to ensure what they actually have in stock or when they will have it.

MiniDave

He's waiting for a quote from Mokeparts, but I'm thinking he may just fix the one on the car. 7Ent wants $840 plus shipping, the body man quoted half that to fix the one he has.......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad