My restoration at the mo

[Pikey]

Ok its not exactly a Morris Minor but its a Morris Mini minor, made in April 1960. I thought Id share her pictures with you all.

Shes nearing the end of a 5 year restoration after being laid up in my parents garage for the last 20 years. Its been my mums cars since 1970.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Hopefully in another month or so she'll be on the road again and she'll be alongside the pickup at shows in 2011

Regards

Steve B

[ptitterington]

Looks good. You can definately see similarities with the moggy. (and parts!)

[the-green-monkey]

Looks lovely, I have a 1990 Rover mini but i definately prefer the subtle differences with the morris and austin minis. What work needs done to it by the way?

[beero]

Looks really good, my wife is envious!

[minor65]

Great car. Now thats what I call a mini, not like the new minis!!!

[Pikey]

Thanks all.
As regards work shes had done.
Welding wise new boot floor, valance below the rear lights and valance under the rear bumper, drivers side full length sill and half an inner sill, and passender side half both inner and outer sills and thats it. The front wings etc are the originals ones, quite rare for a mini and of course the rear subframe, which is a dry doughnut type on this car.

Work left to be done, refurbish the hinges and hang the doors, fit the speedo and dash switches, fit the beautiful overiders weve just had back from the chromers and other little bits of trim like the grilles whiskers under the indicators etc finish off the interior like carpets etc and its MOT time.

Ive had the engine running but I had a leaky core plug so it didnt run for very long. Well Ive replaced the core plug now, but she still doesnt have working brakes because the master cylinder needed replacing, we bought a NOS last week at beaulieu, so thats the next job to go on and then I hope to drive her.

The black roof isnt right, but its how she looked when my mum bought her back in 1970 and we did remove it back in the late 1980's when the car was being used as a everyday car, but in our opinion she just didnt look right, so this time weve put the black roof back on.

Regards

Steve B

[chickenjohn]

Steve, the car looks great!

Did you do the paintwork and welding yourself? If so, I'd like to see pictures.

I really like the original 60's /pre 72 Mini's. They have just as much character as our Moggies, unlike the later Minis that had to comply with regulations, etc.

[Pikey]

When I was a wee nipper, I used to do car shows with my parents nearly every weekend up to the late 80's early 90's and then the Mini was taken off the road due to a rotten boot floor and rear subframe.
Then when I left college back in circa 1994 ish I took the rear subframe out during the summer holidays ready for the welding work. And that was as far as my work went then.
I then took on the Morris Pickup in 1997 and restored that my self, and the poor old mini sat in the garage the whole time sitting on blocks.
When I eventually put the Pickup on the road back in 2001, I then started up on the mini again and did all of the welding myself along with my dad, only for me to meet my now Wife in 2003 and left home and the mini was left abandoned again!
Back in April of this year we decided to finish her off. Most of the welding was already done at this stage and it was just a case of finishing the welds off and start the paint work and re-assembly.

The paint work is Cellulose and Ive done most of that myself, I also did the Pickup myself too. Although my job isnt perfect at first at least with cellulose its a fairly forgiving stuff and you can flat it back and create a pretty good finish.

The most difficult part of the restoration is trying to find where everything has been scattered around two houses.

I'll try and upload some pictures but it is a bit difficult because the restoration has taken place over the last 15-20 years, and photos are probably mislaid but I'll try and upload some of the newer ones.

Regards

Steve