Mk3 Mini Auto Restoration

[andysauto]

Hi All

I have started this thread for you all to see my Mk3 Saloon who is called Rosie. This thread will be a copy of and continuation from the welcome thread.

Enjoy!

Well this is an odd one! I am about to take on for the 3rd time a total rebuild of a car that i have owned twice before spanning over 9 years! Here's the story:

I bought Rosie over 9 years ago from a young girl down on the south coast. She was a 998cc Auto Mk3 in pretty good condition (and so was the MINI !!!! LOL) but needed a few panels to make good.

I'm not sure how long i had her but after some fiddling i sold her on to a friend who fixes up mini's for a living. After a few years i had the urge to build a mini and found out that my mate still had Rosie so i bought her back. He had fitted a new front and here is what she looked like before she came home.




I stripped the car to her bare bones and spent many an unhappy hour under the car getting rid of the mild surface rust and coating the whole underside in rust treatment. After a while i got fed up with all that and wanted to build another kit car which i did. My mate had the car back and now after 3 years I'm buying her back!!! This time it's for keeps.

I'm going to build a std looking car with 10" wheels (not decided which yet!), disc brakes, original colour but with cream roof and a std engine. Just about everything going on the car will be new or recon. I'll post pics when the car arrives. Can't wait!


Car arrives:

Right... My mate is finishing off some welding this week so Rosie the mini can come home this week. I went round today and took a few pics.

Much work to do!! ^_^









Rosie the Mini comes home! YAY! :proud:

Home at last.


Surprising how little room she takes up.


Underneath looking good. A wire brush and some paint and she will look spanking!


From the back.

[andysauto]

Post 2:

I have been out in the garage this morning under sealing the car with that rubbery black under seal stuff. It's handy having a compressor!!

On the pics you can see where i have missed areas. When you look at the actual car you can't see these areas!! Weird!

Also the car is going back to it's original auto engine and box.

Here are a few pics:






Bottom is now painted the original Bracken color and in Rustolium using a compressor and spray gun. I have never sprayed before and this was a good opportunity to have a go and it went quite well.

1st coat. Using flash on the camera. This is the proper color as seen by the naked eye.


Wheel well:


2nd coat with no flash on camera.


Another angle

[Holly]

she's coming along well, keep up the good work

[andysauto]

I'm ordering a new subframe next week and i'll be running the brake line when the paint is properly dry. It will be nice to put new things on the car:)

[Holly]

I always think the best bit of any restoration is when you get to the point where things are more constructive and going back together rather than the destructive taking things to pieces stage

[andysauto]

Yep!! The best bit is putting new things on a nice shiny new shell. Can't wait!!

[Admin/Founder 2]

Hi Andy
i must say I'm drooling at this one and cannot wait to see it completed Early Mk3 minis hold a special place in my heart
When i was little in the 70,s my auntie had one in what I'm sure was the same colour?

Is that Bronze Yellow?
I know Bronze Yellow and Bracken are in the same colour region and get mixed up at times to which one is which?

I really want a second mini next year,Boris will always be the little Trouble Maker ;D but id also like an original Auto on 10"s and i most relate to the Mk3/4 1969-84ish

I guess in more likely to end up with an early 80,s City,HLE or Mayfair but id love an early Mk3 in a Fabb 70,s colour like yours

Keep up the good work
it looks Fabbo

Huggz
Jodie

[andysauto]

Hi

Thanks very much.

The color is definitely Bracken which is pretty rare as i have seen very few mini's this color. in fact in the 27 years i have been driving (and owned 11 mini's!) i have only ever seen 2 other mini's in Bracken and they were on TV!!!

You are going to have to wait a long time for this mini to be finished as i'm out of a job at the moment and times are financially very hard for me. I can still paint the car as i have everything i need for that so at least i can make some progress.
I'll get there!!

[Admin/Founder 2]

Hey Andy
feel foolish now you had mentioned it was bracken and despite reading this several times never noticed that oops

Sorry to hear about the job situation but don't give up on the mini we all need something to tinker around with it will still be there when you've got another job which i hope wont be too long

Huggz
Jodie

[andysauto]

Nov 24, 2009 9:52:59 GMT Admin/Founder 2 said:

Hey Andy
feel foolish now you had mentioned it was bracken and despite reading this several times never noticed that oops

Sorry to hear about the job situation but don't give up on the mini we all need something to tinker around with it will still be there when you've got another job which i hope wont be too long

Huggz
Jodie

He he, thanks. I'm sure something will pop up sooner or later. At least it gives me time to get out in the garage and tinker!!!