Start 'em Young
Discussion
My Grandson, 'Cooperkid' is 11 and really into Minis. He recently asked if I thought he was being silly if he wanted to do a restoration of his own. The result is that I've bought him a 1986 Mayfair 998 needing restoration. The body is really excellent with virtually no rust, but the paint job was dreadful. It looks as though someone had painted over the original metallic green with a tar brush and a pot of black enamel.
'Cooperkid' then spent 35 hours and used 6 litres of Nitromors getting it all back to bare metal and he and I etch-primed it until it's time to paint it properly. He can now use a spray gun with primer.
He took the engine out virtually unaided last Saturday plus most of the rest of the underbonnet stuff, and removed the petrol tank.
It's such a pleasure to watch him work and I only help when asked, as it's his car.
It will be painted in Tartan Red with an O.E White roof.
The family are all 'chipping-in' to help and he saves all his pocket money towards it.
It's just so nice to be able to encourage a youngster in this way and he's getting parts donated from all over the place. All he needs now is a really good passenger door, as there is no rust anywhere else. Can anyone help with this?
Peter
'Cooperkid' then spent 35 hours and used 6 litres of Nitromors getting it all back to bare metal and he and I etch-primed it until it's time to paint it properly. He can now use a spray gun with primer.
He took the engine out virtually unaided last Saturday plus most of the rest of the underbonnet stuff, and removed the petrol tank.
It's such a pleasure to watch him work and I only help when asked, as it's his car.
It will be painted in Tartan Red with an O.E White roof.
The family are all 'chipping-in' to help and he saves all his pocket money towards it.
It's just so nice to be able to encourage a youngster in this way and he's getting parts donated from all over the place. All he needs now is a really good passenger door, as there is no rust anywhere else. Can anyone help with this?
Peter
Hmmm, it's always the driver's door that goes first for some reason.
I do have one. Rust-wise, it's pretty good, just a bit of surface rust in a few places - not sure about the bottom of the door but I'll check. Main problem with it is that where the window frame meets the door top (at the front) is breaking apart but perhaps it could be welded.
Anyway, if it's of any use to him, just give me a shout.
I do have one. Rust-wise, it's pretty good, just a bit of surface rust in a few places - not sure about the bottom of the door but I'll check. Main problem with it is that where the window frame meets the door top (at the front) is breaking apart but perhaps it could be welded.
Anyway, if it's of any use to him, just give me a shout.
miniman said:
Hmmm, it's always the driver's door that goes first for some reason.
I do have one. Rust-wise, it's pretty good, just a bit of surface rust in a few places - not sure about the bottom of the door but I'll check. Main problem with it is that where the window frame meets the door top (at the front) is breaking apart but perhaps it could be welded.
Anyway, if it's of any use to him, just give me a shout.
Thanks, James. The one he has is just gone a bit at the bottom and I could repair it with a door skin and a bottom structural section. As it's not really too bad I could do a repair with 'Hole Bridge' and chemical metal which, if I cut all the rest of the rust out, would probably last a couple of years, during which time I've no doubt a door would 'come my way'.
I'm keen that he should learn all the various techniques, like repair methods, so this would help him. If I knew how to do it I would post a piccie of Cooperkid with his Mini.
good luck to him, i was 12 when i started on meeni (now 15) and its the best thing ive done, he will learn so much by doing it himself. but be careful, if hes anything like me he will have another one soon and be driving them every chance he gets.. :P
>> Edited by meeni on Saturday 13th May 13:33
>> Edited by meeni on Saturday 13th May 13:33
He didn't get to work on it this weekend as we've been working on the Rover 214 rally car trying to get as much excess weight out of it as possible. Next weekend he's going to start stripping out the front suspension and braking system to rebuild it all.
He is just so keen.
Thanks to you all for your encouragement.
Peter
He is just so keen.
Thanks to you all for your encouragement.
Peter
Just to give anyone interested an up-date on this project, he needs quite a few quid for his engine bits and all the tartan red and white paint. So my wife contacted the BBC1 programme 'Car Booty' and told them that we are going to do a car boot sale to raise some cash for him. The result is that we are all going on the programme and the camera team was at our house on Friday filming us all, plus the Mini (and my 'S' as well). On Sundayw e go to the big car boot sale to see if we make the projected figure.
It's great fun and the producer says that everyone, including all her team, love the calssic Mini.
We reckon we'll make enough cash for him to complete the project. Very exciting!
It's great fun and the producer says that everyone, including all her team, love the calssic Mini.
We reckon we'll make enough cash for him to complete the project. Very exciting!
I've just had my father on the phone lamenting about how I have had 2 minis at his house, immobile for 4 years, finally I have had to kick start into gear to get them sorted!!To keep this up-to-date its ready for final painting this weekend - tartan red with an old English white roof. The young man has made a super job with the basic preparation and has sprayed some of the high-build primer himself. I've agreed to spray the top coats as the paint is so expensive. Should be a good weekend weatherwise for this, nice and dry with low humidity. Two 50/50 coats, a light 'nibbing down', then one 30/70 coat should do fine. Flat & polish the following weekend, then he can start to re-assemble.
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