Our 63model 850

[niceboy1275]

Hi all,
here is our 63 model 850. My great uncle bought it when it was just 12 months old, and then babied it for the next 40 years.
She is starting to show some signs of cancer around her seams, so time for a back to bare metal respray..




crusing around tasmania last year




and with friends in swansea (tasmania) at the morris general store

[niceboy1275]

And the stripping starts!
Doors off, paint coming off, engine coming out for the first time in 46 years!


Engine out!


Interior being stripped


bare metal






rusty bits


SHINY


Beer time


undercoated

[niceboy1275]

base color, original porcelain green!






engine bay being base coated, rubbed and clearcoated


More pics to come, clear coat going on this week!

[asahartz]

That's in awesome condition for it's age! I've seen 10-year-old cars far worse!
I'm surprised you needed to strip the paint so much - it looks as though there's hardly anything wrong with it. You must be looking for perfection!

[998auto]

Nice car.

Looks in mint condition.

[niceboy1275]

thanks guys, yeah the paint was ok, but was starting to fade on the roof. it only had 50,000 miles on the clock when I got it, but was starting to rust around the rear seams, so thought we'd better catch it before it got worse

[clambod]

It looked really good before you took the paint off. You really are cracking on with it. I liked the novel way off lifting the body up

[notamini]

Great wee car! Love the colour. I think Toyota has something close to it this year in a metallic.
Especially love the pic from Morris' with the two ADO16's.
Quite easy to spot they are Aussie. Rear window defogger!
Are either of them automatics?

[niceboy1275]

The grey one with the "ADO16" number plates is a morris 1100S auto with the 1275 auto. We gave him a hard time by overtaking him on hills in the 850 *grins* The austin countryman (brown) is a 1275 manual. It flew!

[niceboy1275]

Incidently, the only car there that is a true aussie is the morris 1100S auto, as the 850 is a very early car, that were imported before we started building our own, and the austin countryman is a british car that was imported 10 years ago!

[notamini]

Never noticed the plate, duh!
Not fair using a mini manual against the heavier 1275 ADO16.
You realize they weigh in at 1,962 lbs.?

[niceboy1275]

Yeah the 1100S is a bit of a tank. They also packed EVERYTHING, where we were travelling light. It all helps

[niceboy1275]

Shiny freshly painted 850 engine. Decided against painting the whole thing green, think the polished gearbox etc looks different.

[clambod]

That looks really good. you have obviously spent some time on it, especially the polishing. I hope you lacquered to stop it dulling.

[niceboy1275]

Green base coats on, ready for clear, engine bay in clear. YAY!

[clambod]

That's looking really good. Fantastic finish.

[niceboy1275]

Hello all, time for an update. Spent all day sunday putting the engine into the subframe and trying to fit the whole unit into the shell without scratching any paint (painter was watching our every move) and after 5 hours it was all with only a slight scratch to one of the subframe towers which said painter will touch up. *wipes sweat off brow* 5 people, about 400 ciggarettes and 4 litres of wine, and it was in and we were all still friends (amazingly).
nice shiny engine bay


Fitting engine into subrfame




Subframe going in...





In at last and fitted off with all brake lines, genny, starter etc...




This week will be all about more base coats, rubbing back and clear coating. Next weekend is drop rear subframes for a lick of 2 pack, and start assembling the interior.

[clambod]

Looking good. The engine is as shiny as the rest of the car.

[(minisniper)]

Have to agree with Clambod it's looking great and I love the colour of the engine it looks great

Can't wait for the next update

[niceboy1275]

Another update, painting all finished except roof and rear beaver panel. So the assembly starts (see "where the heck did we put that part?" "this isn't going in back on yet, it needs to be painted again" etc...)











Sorry about the picture quality, left my camera in the other car, only had my iphone

[clambod]

That's looking fantastic. You are doing a really cracking job on that.

[(minisniper)]

Hiya
Your mini is looking absolutely fab and it looks like you're making good progress, can't wait for the next update!!!

[niceboy1275]

Our 850 is back on the road! and just in time for next weekend's 50th anniversary of the mini in Australia.






First drive.... nothing fell off or caught fire! yay!!

[clambod]

That looks stunning. That's a really high class restoration you've completed.

[shoutforjoy]

Feb 27, 2011 7:50:14 GMT clambod said:

That looks stunning. That's a really high class restoration you've completed.

I have to agree. It looks fantastic. Should stand you well for many years to come.

[niceboy1275]

Thanks for the compliments. I am very happy with it, its just such a lovely original car to drive.