1978 Coach-built Clubman Contessa

[rich@minispares.com]

the guy who owns this comes in to work, he is a really nice fella and dead keen about sorting it out, so it does bode well for its future

[mab01uk]

Restoration Project thread with photos started here on TMF:-
Coachbuilt Oyler Contessa ( The Countess)
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... -countess/

[mab01uk]

Major progress for those interested, on the Oyler Contessa restoration and lots more photos in the ongoing TMF project thread (you may need to log in to view the photos)
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... ess/page-2

[Costafortune]

He's making a superb job of that.The odd grille is from a 1975 Wolseley (Princess).

[mab01uk]

He's making a superb job of that.The odd grille is from a 1975 Wolseley (Princess).

Thanks and well spotted! Have passed the information on.





and this page below (from the recent book 'Complete Catalogue of the Mini' - page 213 from the 'Coachbuilt Mini' chapter) mentions "Oyler's emblem was a naked women" which matches up with the badge on the Wolseley sourced Contessa Mini grille.



More restoration photos here if unable to view them on TMF:-
http://s12.photobucket.com/user/frankhu ... d.jpg.html

[rich@minispares.com]

the guy who owns the contessa came into work the other week, and I was telling about scraping all the ziebart of the 'tango terror', but how good the paint was under it (where it had remained thick and gloopy), the contessa had received the same treatment and its really helped save it.

he was telling me that when he worked in body shops in the 1970's they absolutely hated cars that had been ziebrated as if you ever had to do any welding on them it wouldn't be long before you heard a dull 'WHUMP!' as the ziebart inside box sections flashed off and started to burn furiously. a youth watching with a bucket of water was a must!

[mab01uk]

Frank the current owner restoring the Oyler Contessa got the previous owners details from DVLA. A couple of
weeks ago he went to one of the addresses supplied, but the house had changed hands however
the Gent whom answered the door found the address of the previous owner, so the next week
he visited that address!! big result the 96yr old Gentleman whom had owned the Contessa from
1982 till 2009 had a smile from ear to ear when he told him that it was being restored, he also
gave him this old photo of it and asked him to keep in touch and take it to let him see it when finished.
He still owns the registration number but said its not for sale, pity as this number was on it when
Oyler finished building it.




Latest restoration photo
More here:-
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... ess/page-8

[Costafortune]

I think I prefer the Princess the grille came from!

[Peter Laidler]

70's Ziebart........ In the early 80's or so my friend Paul bought an MGBGT that'd been Ziebarted in the mid 70's............ what a mess inside the engine bay where the ziebarter man had gone loopy with the sprayer. The problem was it only truly got to the bits he could see. Alas, in the engine bay the brake fluid where those non too careful MG workers had spilled some down the bulkhead had already set about creating havoc and the rust was creeping down UNDER the ziebart - as it was everywhere else! The inner of the double sill was a basket case. So to repair the INNER, the outer had to come away anyway and what Rich says about it catching fire applied to his MGB too! Ok when applied to clean white steel but given that MGB and Midget bodies came from Swindon to Cowley along the A420, unsheeted on two deck loads of 12 of open lorries in all weathers...., sleet and snow and driving rain, they weren't clean white metal when they got to the paint shop at Cowley.

Sorry to go off at a tangent but the word Ziebart woke me up from a nightmare......

[mab01uk]

The Oyler Contessa is nearing completion and the owner Frank has done a brilliant job of restoring this rare coach built Mini.
TMF Project Thread with photos here:-
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... ss/page-12

[Pete]

I met Frank and his wife at the Manchester classic show a month or two back, great to see the car's nearl done!

[rich@minispares.com]

Give him proper his proper title



'The count'


(It's what we call frank when he comes to work!)

[spraybeateer]

I would like to thank Martin (mab01uk) for posting this on here and all his interest and help!
also thanks to the others whom have shown an interest in the Contessa.

This is the first time that i have posted anything on here despite registering some time ago
only this evening decided to give it a try again and managed to get logged on
been lurking about in the background for a couple of years.

On the Contessa work is progressing well at the moment I am re-trimming it so having to
remake all the carpets and other bit s of trim and as there is no paint visible inside the car
it quite a task.

[mk1]

Glad you have popped your posting Cherry! Rich has kept me posted on your progress, it's one of his favourite projects of the people who visit him at Minispares.

I really look forward to seeing the finished article one day.

[mab01uk]

Good to see you on here Frank (or as Rich says.....to use your proper title 'The count' )

So glad you saved this rare coach-built Mini and are restoring it to such a high standard and glad to have been of help along the way. I hope to see you and admire the finished car in the metal at one of the shows next year and I'm sure the Mini mags will be fighting over who features it on their front cover.

[nick@dunsdale]

Excellent job on the Contessa, i enjoyed the thread over on TMF

It's looking really good i bet your friend who was going to buy it originally is kicking himself

[spraybeateer]

Thanks for the comments guys, just put an update on the Contessa on the usual place
will start a build tread on here when I sort out my photos! with some still being PB and the
rest being on imgur, at the moment trying to get this finished for the end of the year.

Thanks for the interest ' The Count '

[UHR850]

Was this picture already posted

Coachbuild Clubman.jpg

[spraybeateer]

Thanks Kees, I have not seen that photo before! although I keep finding more and more
info out about the Oylers that were built.