Shifting a Mini that has been sat for the last 20 years.....ITS HOME!
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi All,

I have been given a Mini that has been left stood for the last 20 years in a garage since 1994. Its nothing special just a 1978 998 by the looks of things with the typical rusted through boot floor holey floor and knackered doors etc.

I havent been able to weigh it up properley to see if its worth salvaging but at worst im sure there are a few things on it worth keeping if the body does turn out to be knackered.

Anyway we tried to move it today and admittedly it still had flat tyres but none of the wheels would budge and the truck just dragged it a few feet before we bounced it back in to the garage.

Anyone got any tips on how to easily get the thing at least rolling so i can winch it on to the backof a trailer

i dont particularly want to spend hours on it stri[pping the brakes and or hubs down if i dont have to. If i get some air in the tyres do you think that would help?

Cheers
Andy

Edited by Andy500 on 16th Jul, 2014.

Air in tyres, wheels off give the drums a good twat with hammer see if it frees them off

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

inflate the tyres for a start and at least try to give it a chance to break free.

If it was dragged with inflated tyres itd prob give! N its not 'just a mini' its a free mini!! Plus in a few years itll have free tax too!

Thats what Im thinking...have a set of steelies at home which i will wack on it tomorrow and give it another go! as i doubt the tyres on it would hold any air by the looks!

I did the same thing a couple of years back. Had a 1960 MK1 that had been sat outside for over a decade. It had sunk into the ground and was in a VERY bad state. Just put some air in the tyres, take a copper mallet with you as sometimes seized brakes will free off with a few sharp clouts. We just carefully dragged it out and got it onto a trailer. Hope it goes well

Just knock the drums of. Nothing to bind then.

No mini is beyond saving, it's just time and money.

If necessary,break the drums off with a big hammer - they are cheap enough to replace.

pump the tyres up andy and then "drag" it on the trailor

push it backwards in case the handbrake quadrants have seized and if you've got a good old fashioned copper hammer give all the drums a good twatting. If the brake adjusters aren't seized try loosening them off as well. Another trick is to put some diesel in the brakes by squirting it with 1 of those cheap gardening spray guns and leaving it for 1/2 hour

Masturbation is not a crime its a hobby

I got one like those last year. Sat ther for 16 years. We had to use a grinding disc to cut slots on both sides of the drum aand the brake it in 2 with a shizle and a big hammer. They where all fild up with grid and dirth.

you can do anything if you set your mind to it...
i rather blow it up winning than keep it together losing.

finish date set for project 1... march 2018

We have success!

I inflated some 12" wheels/tyres last night and put them on today with a few twats of the hammer on the drums, the fronts are rolling as are the backs now but the wheel offsett is wrong as the wheels were off a later spacered drum brake mini so i think they are binding on the shocks at the rear.

I'm taking the 10" steelies home tonight to try and get some air in them and will then swap the rears tomorrow i think and see if that sorts it out so its completely free.

It would be possible to drag it on to a trailer at least now!

Thanks for the help chaps.

if you have 12" steels just put em on back to front to move it.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing half of.

Good thinking John!

you can do anything if you set your mind to it...
i rather blow it up winning than keep it together losing.

finish date set for project 1... march 2018

Holy moley! Any pics of this trend?

It's home! Got my work cut out here.....this one will take a few years. Let me know what you think!

Attachments:

468.25kb

567.7kb

569.98kb

575.4kb

Edited by Andy500 on 16th Jul, 2014.

A few more

Attachments:

561.62kb

417.1kb

562.93kb

525.06kb

Boots a bit holey as well!

Attachments:

579.63kb

Doesn't look half bad at all! Nice project

Doesn't look terrible. Considering that colour for my t'other mini.

That steering wheel is so chunky!

They don't die, they just get faster!

What colour is it Andy? I actually quite like it ad well!

Java Green IIRC.