1960s Rally Spec Mini Cooper Restoration Project

Hxc · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:37

Completely depends how much rust there is!

Subframes are about £300~ in parts for both (a bit cheaper if you have dry, rather than hydrolastic suspension). Fitting is a tedious job, it can be done yourself but it'll take you a while and you need to get the car solidly jacked up fairly high or you'll struggle.

Scuttle is likely to be screwed if the windows are covered in algie and that's a cut out and weld in job, something you want done decently or it will significantly reduce structural integrity.

I had rear subframe replaced, 2 new sills, a new panel behind the subframe, and some other general underside welding done, as well as a couple of other things for £500 and that was purely labour, 20+ hours, which is about right considering how long it would've taken us to do at home (no ability to weld, either).

Body panels? For example, replacing a door panel and getting it sprayed etc will cost you about... £200.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:40

Hxc said:
Completely depends how much rust there is!

Subframes are about £300~ in parts for both (a bit cheaper if you have dry, rather than hydrolastic suspension). Fitting is a tedious job, it can be done yourself but it'll take you a while and you need to get the car solidly jacked up fairly high or you'll struggle.

Scuttle is likely to be screwed if the windows are covered in algie and that's a cut out and weld in job, something you want done decently or it will significantly reduce structural integrity.

I had rear subframe replaced, 2 new sills, a new panel behind the subframe, and some other general underside welding done, as well as a couple of other things for £500 and that was purely labour, 20+ hours, which is about right considering how long it would've taken us to do at home (no ability to weld, either).

Body panels? For example, replacing a door panel and getting it sprayed etc will cost you about... £200.

Well not too bad then, if I have a 2K budget. Could I not replace body panels myself? I thought the panels on Minis were only spot welded? It's not hard to spot weld is it?

Hxc · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:45

Which panels are you thinking of? Most if not all will require some serious grinding to get out and then welding to get back in... they are part of the main shell rather than just being attached.

2k will get eaten up very fast on a restoration unless you do a lot of work yourself.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:47

Hxc said:
Which panels are you thinking of? Most if not all will require some serious grinding to get out and then welding to get back in... they are part of the main shell rather than just being attached.

2k will get eaten up very fast on a restoration unless you do a lot of work yourself.

I don't know to be honest, I haven't seen it in a while. I'm not sure how the front is attached either, since it's all fibre glass it can't be welded. I seem to remember my dad saying that the fibre glass front is shot as well, so that would probably need replacing.

I'm happy to do work myself, just I don't know where my limits will be since I have no real mechanical experience.

Wicksta · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:49

The front will be held on by some kind of clips/posts, possibly hinged. A new flip front shouldn't cost too much. However this project sounds like far to much for you to take on and your budget is likely far too small. You be much better off spending the money on an already working Mini if you really want one.

InvaderGIR · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:50

Put it this way, welding is not the easiest of things to do, especially on thin metal.

Hxc · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:51

It'll be a fibreglass flip front in all likelyhood, a one piece one is £180 new. Then there's sprawying it....

No mechanical experience won't help. The engine will be shot after 25 years, will likely need a full strip down and rebuild, which will cost most of your 2k budget unless by some off chance you are lucky and it just requires some fresh oil and a new points and dizzy. That would idiotically lucky, however.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:53

Hxc said:
It'll be a fibreglass flip front in all likelyhood, a one piece one is £180 new. Then there's sprawying it....

No mechanical experience won't help. The engine will be shot after 25 years, will likely need a full strip down and rebuild, which will cost most of your 2k budget unless by some off chance you are lucky and it just requires some fresh oil and a new points and dizzy. That would idiotically lucky, however.

Well I could get a 998cc for £20 until I can afford to do a full restore of the original. Then the body/chassis/subframe could be done for 1.5k perhaps? leaving 500 for any other odd bits? Or am I being to optimistic?

Hxc · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:54

Too optimistic imo.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:56

Hxc said:
Too optimistic imo.

Hmm, well how much would it cost to have it drivable, so that is passes MOT? I could then just work on the rest of it over time.

Hxc · 30 Jan 2009 at 16:59

How do you expect us to know when even YOU don't know much about the condition of the car?

You could be lucky and it'll cost £20 and a few hours work. You could be unlucky and it'll cost your budget to make it road legal.

You need more than just drivable to pass MOT, believe me.

Wicksta · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:00

yantorsen said:
Hmm, well how much would it cost to have it drivable, so that is passes MOT? I could then just work on the rest of it over time.

no one knows!!! You'll need new brakes, suspension, everything. Then it depends how much rot there is. no one can tell you how much it will cost.

Lead_Head · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:00

Why was it put off the road in the first place?

I'd like to see it restored and would follow the story if it was posted with updates, however I wouldn't take the project on myself.

You'll probably kick yourself when your 40+ and wished you did rebuild it mind...

Malt_Vinegar · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:27

What the hell, go take a look at it.

It might be in great nick! Either way you get to see your Grandad, and maybe get a car!

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:39

Hxc said:
How do you expect us to know when even YOU don't know much about the condition of the car?

You could be lucky and it'll cost £20 and a few hours work. You could be unlucky and it'll cost your budget to make it road legal. My dad always used to say it was a bucket of rust when I used to try to persuade him to restore it when I was younger.

You need more than just drivable to pass MOT, believe me.

If I can get it to pass the MOT for 2K i'll be happy to be honest. Then I can just work on it over time.

Wicksta said:
no one knows!!! You'll need new brakes, suspension, everything. Then it depends how much rot there is. no one can tell you how much it will cost.

Yeah true, I know it's an open ended question.

Lead_Head said:
Why was it put off the road in the first place?

I'd like to see it restored and would follow the story if it was posted with updates, however I wouldn't take the project on myself.

You'll probably kick yourself when your 40+ and wished you did rebuild it mind...

I've always wanted to restore it, but I guess I need to think sensible really. I'm not sure why it was taken off the road to be honest, it probably failed it's MOT or it might have just got too small, since I believe my granddads next car was a Mini Clubman Estate.

Malt_Vinegar said:
What the hell, go take a look at it.

It might be in great nick! Either way you get to see your Grandad, and maybe get a car!

He lives quite far from me though, so probably won't be able to have a look for a while, I might have some pics somewhere though of it.

BigglesPiP · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:48

A mini may be a cheap 1st car, but there is one word which will more than quadruple your insurance: "modified".

A racing sped mini is not a good 1st car. Go and buy a *****y little Furd Fiesta like everyone else has to and stop making these stupid threads.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:51

BigglesPiP said:
A mini may be a cheap 1st car, but there is one word which will more than quadruple your insurance: "modified".

A racing sped mini is not a good 1st car. Go and buy a *****y little Furd Fiesta like everyone else has to and stop making these stupid threads.

It's not modified, and it won't be, unless restored counts as modified. Everything on it is factory fitted.

BigglesPiP · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:54

If it was rally prepared by Mini then you're looking at almost the cost of one modified by yourself. This is not a viable cheap thrill. A 998cc Mini will be cheap, but not thrilling.

yantorsen · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:56

BigglesPiP said:
If it was rally prepared by Mini then you're looking at almost the cost of one modified by yourself. This is not a viable cheap thrill.

I'm not sure what you mean. But regardless of insurance I wouldn't mind working out how much it would cost to restore it. Because even if I didn't drive it on the road until I was 19/20 I could still start restoring for then when I have built up a no claims bonus etc.

Muffin` · 30 Jan 2009 at 17:57

I see Quicksilvers are quite affordable.