Discussion
Hi guys, new to the site and after some true advice.
Im looking to buy a classic mini and not to bothered about the condition of the car as I am more than happy to restore it (all in good time of course)an to learn the tricks of the trade as well.
I am almost certainly looking to revamp the engine and plonk a supercharger on there as well. I am looking too change to a form of body kit as well.
As I said before I am not bothered about the condition of the car as long as it is all there.
I need advice on where to shop about for these aftermarket parts ( Good quality ones ) and genuine parts.
What sort of price would I be looking at for the car??
Im looking to buy a classic mini and not to bothered about the condition of the car as I am more than happy to restore it (all in good time of course)an to learn the tricks of the trade as well.
I am almost certainly looking to revamp the engine and plonk a supercharger on there as well. I am looking too change to a form of body kit as well.
As I said before I am not bothered about the condition of the car as long as it is all there.
I need advice on where to shop about for these aftermarket parts ( Good quality ones ) and genuine parts.
What sort of price would I be looking at for the car??
Hi,
I almost replied to your post yesterday with similar comments to Sprocketman but resisted in case you found the info unwelcome.
To try to help, we need more info
Budget - as already said, both for buying the car and the mods you will need
Your present skill level - can you weld/use machines/rebuild engines, fit windows and trim?
You don't have to have all of those skills, but it keeps costs down.
I would avoid learning the 'tricks of the trade' - some unscrupulous ones have been known to put pan scrubs in sills and fill over them! I once removed a good rear subframe from a 'professionally restored' car to find that 2 of the bolts which hold it to the sill end had sheared and had heads glued on to make it look right! (Company was gone by then)
It also helps to have a fairly clear picture at the beginning in your mind of what you want/need to achieve - perhaps there is another way for you of gaining more power without supercharging - VTEC or Turbo.
Starting with a really good sound shell is a great way to begin (perhaps even a new Heritage one if you would have to farm out all of the welding and panelling on a rotten one)
Give us a clue!
I almost replied to your post yesterday with similar comments to Sprocketman but resisted in case you found the info unwelcome.
To try to help, we need more info
Budget - as already said, both for buying the car and the mods you will need
Your present skill level - can you weld/use machines/rebuild engines, fit windows and trim?
You don't have to have all of those skills, but it keeps costs down.
I would avoid learning the 'tricks of the trade' - some unscrupulous ones have been known to put pan scrubs in sills and fill over them! I once removed a good rear subframe from a 'professionally restored' car to find that 2 of the bolts which hold it to the sill end had sheared and had heads glued on to make it look right! (Company was gone by then)
It also helps to have a fairly clear picture at the beginning in your mind of what you want/need to achieve - perhaps there is another way for you of gaining more power without supercharging - VTEC or Turbo.
Starting with a really good sound shell is a great way to begin (perhaps even a new Heritage one if you would have to farm out all of the welding and panelling on a rotten one)
Give us a clue!
Edited by Orcadian on Tuesday 29th October 13:24
Edited by Orcadian on Tuesday 29th October 13:32
I should have around the 4000 mark to start off.
Im a full time Technician so rebuilds and technical things are not really problem.
As for the welding I am willing to learn and have people to tech me.
Tools are not a problem either.
The car would be a 100% project motor and never for every day use.
Im a full time Technician so rebuilds and technical things are not really problem.
As for the welding I am willing to learn and have people to tech me.
Tools are not a problem either.
The car would be a 100% project motor and never for every day use.
For a good restoration project you could try to find an early 850 and restore to 'as original' condition.
That would give you a true classic which will increase in value as time passes as well as giving you the pleasure of real 'retro driving'.
Expect to pay around £1500 for a restorable Mk.1 850.
That would give you a true classic which will increase in value as time passes as well as giving you the pleasure of real 'retro driving'.
Expect to pay around £1500 for a restorable Mk.1 850.
Buy the oldest,most solid (that's the difficult one!!) thing you can research prices of parts before you buy,best places to start for quality are generally:
Minispares,Minisport,Somerford Mini,M-Machine...there are a few who are best avoided pm me for details
What bodystyle are you looking for?
Mk1/2 Saloon
Mk 3 on Saloon
Traveller/Estate/Van
Clubman or Estate?
Rule of thumb for buying Mini's all that shines is generally hiding more nightmares than you can possibly imagine....
1 There is no such thing as "Surface rust" on a Mini body shell
2 Restored 99% of the time means bucket of filler first rain storm and you'll be crying more than the clouds.
3 The newer the car,the worse they are 84 on bad 90 on worse.....
4 Take someone with you who isn't going to fall in love with a shiny set of rims and a flashy set of chrome.
Sorry if this seems a little negative,but I've been doing this a LONG time....and there isn't much I haven't seen...including cars deseamed with filler..and nothing else.....
Minispares,Minisport,Somerford Mini,M-Machine...there are a few who are best avoided pm me for details
What bodystyle are you looking for?
Mk1/2 Saloon
Mk 3 on Saloon
Traveller/Estate/Van
Clubman or Estate?
Rule of thumb for buying Mini's all that shines is generally hiding more nightmares than you can possibly imagine....
1 There is no such thing as "Surface rust" on a Mini body shell
2 Restored 99% of the time means bucket of filler first rain storm and you'll be crying more than the clouds.
3 The newer the car,the worse they are 84 on bad 90 on worse.....
4 Take someone with you who isn't going to fall in love with a shiny set of rims and a flashy set of chrome.
Sorry if this seems a little negative,but I've been doing this a LONG time....and there isn't much I haven't seen...including cars deseamed with filler..and nothing else.....
Budget 3K to restore a shell properly. Add 1500 quid for paint.
Damn sight cheaper than a full heritage shell. But the onus is very much buying the best structurally sound car to kick off with. Take a screw driver and have a good prod. Any seller that bellyaches, wave goodbye to them. All part and parcel of the mini purchase minefield.
Damn sight cheaper than a full heritage shell. But the onus is very much buying the best structurally sound car to kick off with. Take a screw driver and have a good prod. Any seller that bellyaches, wave goodbye to them. All part and parcel of the mini purchase minefield.
I acquired a 1964 Mk.1 Mini restoration project from a widow whose husband passed away some years ago without finishing the car. The shell was almost bare and there were lots of new and NOS parts included. The shell was alleged to be fully restored. I always expect the worst, having been around Minis for 52 years and this one is no different.
I am currently preparing the shell for welding and it needs:
New RH inner front wing, new RH front wing, New LH inner & outer A-Panel, Rear companion box closing panels both sides, new rear quarter panels both sides, new jacking points, new outer (correct for a Mk.1) sills, front panel flange repair, grinding back all the original repair welds and full re-painting inside & out. So much for 'fully restored'!
Once completed it will truly be 'fully restored' and rust-free. A rare Mini indeed.
That is what to expect from a 'restored' car - lots of work to get it right.
However, I do have a 1997 Cooper MPI completely rust-free and restored, including engine, gearbox, suspension & brakes; for sale. PM me if interested.
I am currently preparing the shell for welding and it needs:
New RH inner front wing, new RH front wing, New LH inner & outer A-Panel, Rear companion box closing panels both sides, new rear quarter panels both sides, new jacking points, new outer (correct for a Mk.1) sills, front panel flange repair, grinding back all the original repair welds and full re-painting inside & out. So much for 'fully restored'!
Once completed it will truly be 'fully restored' and rust-free. A rare Mini indeed.
That is what to expect from a 'restored' car - lots of work to get it right.
However, I do have a 1997 Cooper MPI completely rust-free and restored, including engine, gearbox, suspension & brakes; for sale. PM me if interested.
Buy the best car you can for £1500. They are generally either mint cars or projects.
You need to look for an honest car. Paint falling off & rust is fine, as long as you can see it.
Just treat about every shiny nice looking £4K plus car is a £1500 waiting to erupt.
The trick is not to pay too much for a project.
You need to look for an honest car. Paint falling off & rust is fine, as long as you can see it.
Just treat about every shiny nice looking £4K plus car is a £1500 waiting to erupt.
The trick is not to pay too much for a project.
Wow guys thank you for all your replies. This is the sort of info I am looking for. I do understand that what I buy will never be perfect but what is in life?? A challenge is always a good thing and as I said before im willing to put the time and effort in.
I will admit though I am looking more to have something a little different to a original restored mini. As I said before I am almost 100% looking to tweak the engine (hence the supercharger)
Not looking for standard seats or even seats in the back for that matter.
As for the body kits I was looking at the Evo kits. A few people have told me to watch out for a lot of kits in general as apparently there are loads that don't fit properly.??
Have any of you guys ever attempted to spray or prepare a body before??
If there where parts that I didn't want or need is there a market out there for them?? ie, seats engine parts??
I will admit though I am looking more to have something a little different to a original restored mini. As I said before I am almost 100% looking to tweak the engine (hence the supercharger)
Not looking for standard seats or even seats in the back for that matter.
As for the body kits I was looking at the Evo kits. A few people have told me to watch out for a lot of kits in general as apparently there are loads that don't fit properly.??
Have any of you guys ever attempted to spray or prepare a body before??
If there where parts that I didn't want or need is there a market out there for them?? ie, seats engine parts??
Right then,
Now we've all got more info it will be easier to help you find what you need. There are many of us on this forum who have done bodywork, for ourselves and some professionally. Many good paint jobs are let down by poor preparation - it can take many hundreds of hours to get everything ready for painting. 2 pack paint gets a great durable finish - but cannot sensibly be applied in you own garage unless you go for a pressure fed mask and some form of extraction. BUT you could do all of the donkey work and as long as the painter is willing to apply his paint in his oven over your prep, you can have a good job done at less expense. Guide coating over primer is absolutely essential for a flawless finish - but still doesn't guarantee it!
As you say there are lots of poorly fitting body kits around - go to some of the Mini shows and ask around about the ones you see which fit.
As far as parts go, Mini stuff always sells, some at more of a premium than others.
As well as buying complete cars and modifying them, which often means getting rid of stuff you don't need or is not quite good enough for you to use - there is always the route of starting with a bare shell and V5 and only buying the stuff you really want. It can be a bit tedious now that there is not a whole pile of old Minis in every breakers yard. I have done it that way a few times and my Injected Clubman Estate is sort of one of those. There is a bit on my web site about that one. plus a few other Mini stories.
http://www.stallard-engineering.co.uk/stories/Mini...
Now we've all got more info it will be easier to help you find what you need. There are many of us on this forum who have done bodywork, for ourselves and some professionally. Many good paint jobs are let down by poor preparation - it can take many hundreds of hours to get everything ready for painting. 2 pack paint gets a great durable finish - but cannot sensibly be applied in you own garage unless you go for a pressure fed mask and some form of extraction. BUT you could do all of the donkey work and as long as the painter is willing to apply his paint in his oven over your prep, you can have a good job done at less expense. Guide coating over primer is absolutely essential for a flawless finish - but still doesn't guarantee it!
As you say there are lots of poorly fitting body kits around - go to some of the Mini shows and ask around about the ones you see which fit.
As far as parts go, Mini stuff always sells, some at more of a premium than others.
As well as buying complete cars and modifying them, which often means getting rid of stuff you don't need or is not quite good enough for you to use - there is always the route of starting with a bare shell and V5 and only buying the stuff you really want. It can be a bit tedious now that there is not a whole pile of old Minis in every breakers yard. I have done it that way a few times and my Injected Clubman Estate is sort of one of those. There is a bit on my web site about that one. plus a few other Mini stories.
http://www.stallard-engineering.co.uk/stories/Mini...
Hello again,
Yes, it's certainly POSSIBLE to paint in your own home garage but unless as I said before, you equip yourself with a air fed mask and some form of extraction, then 2 Pack is not a safe option. Cellulose is almost unobtainable but there are still paints around for spraying. If you don't have a decent compressor with oil/water filtering, then you might be better off, again as I said, doing all of the prep and then getting someone else to finish it. I still do quite a few small motorcycle parts with aerosols and with some flatting and polishing get really good results. The problems with cars, even Minis, is that the panels are really too large to keep everything 'wet' as you apply the paint and so you end up with a coloured panel with streaks and dry patches, which need a lot of remedial work. Saying that, there are some really good cars around which have been done outside with rattle cans. Another thing to remember is that paint is very expensive, so don't be tempted to put expensive paint over poor prep. I personally use UPOL number 1 'smooth and easy' filler and always use a foam block to hold the rubbing down paper (3m freecut)
BUT, your first hurdle is to find a suitable shell or car!
Feel free to keep asking (sensible) questions,
Ian
Yes, it's certainly POSSIBLE to paint in your own home garage but unless as I said before, you equip yourself with a air fed mask and some form of extraction, then 2 Pack is not a safe option. Cellulose is almost unobtainable but there are still paints around for spraying. If you don't have a decent compressor with oil/water filtering, then you might be better off, again as I said, doing all of the prep and then getting someone else to finish it. I still do quite a few small motorcycle parts with aerosols and with some flatting and polishing get really good results. The problems with cars, even Minis, is that the panels are really too large to keep everything 'wet' as you apply the paint and so you end up with a coloured panel with streaks and dry patches, which need a lot of remedial work. Saying that, there are some really good cars around which have been done outside with rattle cans. Another thing to remember is that paint is very expensive, so don't be tempted to put expensive paint over poor prep. I personally use UPOL number 1 'smooth and easy' filler and always use a foam block to hold the rubbing down paper (3m freecut)
BUT, your first hurdle is to find a suitable shell or car!
Feel free to keep asking (sensible) questions,
Ian
FWDRacer said:
Mini? Bodykits? If it doesn't make it go faster, it doesn't go anywhere near the car 
X 2 Totally!!!!None of the kits fit,not even the alleged "Factory" ERA or Lamm Cabrio ones....take yourself outside and talk yourself out of the kit idea,in reality they NEVER work...less is deffo more....
Take a look at this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-MPI-Restored-Rust-F...
By the way, I did the body restoration and can guarantee that it's 100% rust-free and I do mean 100%.
Not me selling it by the way, it's my Grandson.
Feel free to PM me.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-MPI-Restored-Rust-F...
By the way, I did the body restoration and can guarantee that it's 100% rust-free and I do mean 100%.
Not me selling it by the way, it's my Grandson.
Feel free to PM me.
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