My girlfriends project car (lots of pics)
Turbo Mini Forums

I know that nobody will be interested as it's neither a bannana tree, stripper or super-lite-carbon-fest nor is it a technological break through with a big head ...... it's just a Mini but she has character and next to no tin worm!!!

I hope by posting pics regualrly I'll remain motivated and push for a quick finish to the project.

How she looks after over 4 years in a garden



The worst rust I've found (although there are some bodges to fix)



Lurking at the back is the heart transplant ... what a £50 Turbo motor looks like and that saw is proof that Candice srinks things when she washes them .... thus proving I'm not as fat as my clothes make me look (yeah right!)



Classy interior from 1 lady owner



Something tells me low speed manouvering weren't a problem

Proof I work fast ... LOL

Edited by RogerM on 18th Dec, 2006.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Wow

Looks like the other mini i inherited.

That had been sat in the lake district with the drivers window half down for just over a year. God only knows how bad it was before that.

You got a bit to do with that one. I sympathise with you.

i would say get that rust undr control but leave some strip the interior spray it black so it looks like theres carpet an stuff there there an leave it to look like a sleeper

My girlfriends has everything mapped out in her mind ... wish she would write it down so that I knew!!!

Basically the car itself is an easy resto (unless there is hidden evil in there)

The interior is the place most work has to happen ..... there has been talk of full leather retrim and even a question about air con!!!

Being a very solid shell everything is possible and I do have quite a collection of parts gathered over the last 15 years or so.

MiniMon ... love the rat look ... nothing like laughing at an Aston as your overtake it in your rough ride!!! Been there done that though ..... as a (nearly) cured show car builder I couldn't do it to that car .... not that I'd be allowed.......

Certainly going to be busy ....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

If your going to the effort of leather retrim, air con (mod cons) wouldn't you be better off starting with a later mini as a donar!

Get a "nice" rusty (cheap) early/mid 90's tinfoil cooper use the engine, interior etc and scrap and sell the bits you don't want or need. Would probably work out cheaper in the long term?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

Matty, thanks for the suggestion but the interior is to be a custom job, not lifted from another Mini and the last thing I want is another late Cooper shell. My turbo (now near dead) was built into a brand spanky new 95 shell .... rotten as a pear now!!!!

The car was free and I have most of the bits sitting waiting for the rebuild of my turbo Mini but now going super light, BMW k headed mental motor for that one ... should I ever finish this one!!!

I have two complete turbo motors to choose from here, one from my old Mety and a £50 remove it youself special from my local breakers.

The air con I don't have (looking on Jap web sites as many had it out there) but I do have a new unused set of lecy windows, full wilton carpet set, plans for a custom dash (not a "bolt on" accessory fan), remote central locking kit and most of the rest of the bits for the interior.

Due to living in hell hole central (London) for 4 years which effectively ended everything I enjoyed in life I have spent many years collecting the bits for a luxury Mini build. Now I have changed my mind and want a track car and so this Mini is to be that 'special' car .....

Edited by RogerM on 19th Dec, 2006.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

On 17th of Dec, 2006 at 09:43pm RogerM said:
I know that nobody will be interested as it's neither a bannana tree, stripper or super-lite-carbon-fest nor is it a technological break through with a big head ...... it's just a Mini but she has character and next to no tin worm!!!

I hope by posting pics regualrly I'll remain motivated and push for a quick finish to the project.

How she looks after over 4 years in a garden



The worst rust I've found (although there are some bodges to fix)



Lurking at the back is the heart transplant ... what a £50 Turbo motor looks like and that saw is proof that Candice srinks things when she washes them .... thus proving I'm not as fat as my clothes make me look (yeah right!)



Classy interior from 1 lady owner



Something tells me low speed manouvering weren't a problem

Proof I work fast ... LOL

1293 Turbo mini

A lesson learned with the tools ..... your mates won't put them back so don't let them borrow them.

Your right though I have to do good tidy up before getting started properly but for now I have been concentrating on getting her stripped enough to look at the major panels as I want to make sure Ihave everythign for Xmas week.

So far the only rust to deal with is in places where it has had the back street garage bodges for MOTs.

The heal board could be repaired but false economy so will be replaced.

One sill is not brilliant but I will do both so I can see inside the box sections.

There is a small hole at the bottom of the passengers side front bulkhead / fitch but I can let metal in there.

Going to do both wings as they aren't great and even though the A panels look ok they are being done too as it in't sensible not to at this stage.

There are a couple of little bits here and there but all in all I hope to have the shell ready for paint early Feb. Now that's cursed it hey.

Intention is to mock it up in Feb, then strip, paint and rebuild. Candice's birthday is late March so I hope to have it ready with a big bow around it for then!!!!

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

I'm an in-law get me out of here!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously though .... best advert for contriception ever Xmas with somebody else's kids!!!! I'm off to find two bricks!!!

As soon as I get back I'm to the garage ..... rear subby out and have a look at the damage back there.

Pics later...

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Right then, no camera operator (I would stand more chance of doing open heart surgery blind folded than take a decent picture) so no new photo :(

My comments for the day are;

Air tools are great unless you have to take a car apart that some chimp has used a rattle gun to round of almost every fixing .......

Why do people bodge things???? The nominally sound car has shown up a fwe other areas of rot now it's nearly apart.

Front drivers floor (around the area it's been bodged)

Lower fitch panel both sides (around the areas that have been bodged)

Heal board on passengers side (around the area that has been bodged)

Rear valance .... not been bodged but a bit soft in places

Front panel is a little rough but not holed.

Slam panel gone soft both sides (will be going anyway).

Looks like I am going to be doing a bit more welding than I'd planned. Might be me being picky as most people would just properly patch / let in new metal but I prefer to use genuine panels if possible, although on this build I will be letting some new metal in but only where changing a panel is lots of hastle and the repair can be done well.

Hopefully a full day tomorrow so long as I getmy engine hoist back .. otherwise I wast a day fetching it as front frame not coming out until engine does due to lack of height in garage to lift the body over the frame.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

itll be worth it!

cut them out and do it properly, and it feels like its getting warmer now

Sure will Nic.

I am a bit of a perfectionist and got trained as a kid to do bodywork by a friend of my fathers who was Rolls Royce approved. Not done anything serious for around 5 years but it should come back. I have a rule though which tends to make things a little harder for myself. I only let metal in if it can be made invisable otherwise it's a whole new panel.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

I've just seen this pic, you must have been really busy over the last couple of years if you've managed to get a Mini all the way to the back of your work shop! If I remember correctly we struggled to get your compressor into the workshop due to the amount of junk.

Thanks for that Rob ..... with friends like you ......

I have been busy ... mostly on the house where most of the crap should have been in the first place. Stripped the kit, made the jigs for chassis remanufacture and built up a couple of chassis for people (can almost see one hiding behind the Mini there ....)

Anyway you cheeky bugger as far as I can tell all you have done on your Mini over the same period is play musical engines ....

Will get some photos up tonight hopefully showing the worst of it. Car is nearly fully stripped now, Xmas really got in the way!!!!

Candice is still a little 'fluid' about the spec so a lot of research and buying has had to be done as I don't see any point in doing a bare shell nut and bolt rebuild to then go back and put a drill through the fresh paint!!!!! Hopefully still on target to get her to an MOT for late March ...... unless life gets in the way again..

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Today I went out to the garage with great intentions then ....

The MIG welder packed up.
I decided to TIG what I was doing instead but oh no ..... my Argon reg is leaking ..... not playing with it like that.

Stripped MIG down and found the problem to be a liner that had given up ... off to Machine Mart for another (VAT free special day at my local one so they were open and I picked up some other bits whilst there).

Time for lunch .... Candice wanted a proper meal but was struggling with the Cooker so I did it as usual.

Out to fit the liner and like a prat buggered up removing the tip from the tourch .... snapped it off!!!!

Drilled it out, retapped the tourch .... fitted liner ... working MIG.

Went to get the grinder from the drawer and it wouldn't start ... loose connection in the grinder.
Fetched other grinder that is normally used for wire brushes as I lost the disc drive washer years ago ..... drive off other grinder wouldn't fit!!

Stripped grinder down to fix the loose connection which looks like it had been on the way out from new.

Got a few bits for the frame to turn the shell on it's side then it's 9pm and Candice want's feeding again!

Total waste of a day and frustrating too.

Tomorrow is another day.

Must keep smiling

Edited by RogerM on 9th Jan, 2007.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

poor old girl, i hope you get sorting her soon, keep us posted on your progress:)

Best 1/4 mile 13.2 seconds @116 mph
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on a carb?
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on Injection?

http://www.mattwoodsphotography.com

haha we all get days like that

however i had a fabulous day in the garage today and im in a fantastic mood!! (sorry)

Nic the git ... LOL

Well today was even better ..... didn't make it into the garage at all ... on kitchen duty .... at least Candice and I should be fed for lunches this week so I can concentrate on cooking up a nice car not washing up ... LOL

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

LOL

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

OH no ......... you have it all wrong.

I love my food and have worked in the industry before. Candice is to cooking what speed bumps are to fun supercar motoring!!!! If we ever meet I'm sure it will all become clear.......

Edited by RogerM on 9th Jan, 2007.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

dont worry, weve all been there...

...bar nic :)

Edited by joeybaby83 on 9th Jan, 2007.

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"