In 2010 I was commissioned to build two electric mini's for a San Fransisco start up, I sourced and purchased two cars, One was a complete genuine 1968 MKII 1275 'S' and the other was a 1959 850 shell and boxes of parts. As it turned out although registered as a 59 it's actually an early Jan 60 shell. Work was started and the cars were stripped and blasted, as usual absolutely no rust was evident! some body damage to repair but not a bad start. here comes the part where you may want to look away.......both shells then had the rear seat and floors cut away inc the boot floors to make way for the battery compartments and the front end was cut off the 60 shell in one piece to allow for a carbon fibre front.
fast forward to 2014, as happens the start up did not survive and I heard through the grapevine that the cars were in storage in the city to be sold. I was given a call and offered both cars but at a price that was eye watering, I thanked and declined the offer........
Couple of months later I got a phone call saying they were now desperate to get the cars out of the building by the following day and to "give us an offer" So as I did what any of us would too such a desperate plea! and said I'll be down in a couple of hours with a trailer and take them away for a bag of peanuts! and sure enough they accepted my offer.
So I now had two shells and parts but unfortunately I had sold off the important parts of the 68 'S' over the preceding two years so have a 68s shell and paperwork but no engine or interior....
Fast forward again to 2016 and I decided it was time to build myself a mini instead of building cars for other people. As I wanted to build myself a boy racer 60's style car I decided to use the 60 shell instead of making the plight of the 'S' any worse!
I still had the complete front end from the shell in the loft so it was natural to want to put that back on. It had been rather crudely cut off so there was a ragged 3in cut missing from the back of the front wings. fortunately a member of the minimania web site was selling a complete front end off his 90's mini to fit a clubman front and the front had been removed retaining the flanges to the wings! So my son and myself jumped in the Jag and made a road trip of 1200 miles in 22 hours through a raging snow storm to go pick it up (The things you do to save a buck!)
So I now have the front end glued back on and am going off tomorrow on another trip to pick up a rear half 64 to get the missing boot floor and wheel wells. Here's some pictures to be going on with for now, this will not be a fast build due to actually having to earn a crust but I will update as we go on. Comments and suggestions welcome (but don't beat me up over destroying two rare cars in the first place a feel bad enough already)
1960 California MKI build
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minimans
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1960 California MKI build
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
The Cooper..........
Note the welded up tank holes.....mot much use for those on an electric car!
Note the welded up tank holes.....mot much use for those on an electric car!
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
went and picked up the half shell (sounds like an oyster!) yesterday now I can replace that boot floor and repair the rear wheel arch panels and probably enough floor to splice in.
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Well spent an enjoyable afternoon with the cutters and spot weld drill and got the boot floor ready to clean up and weld in.
Just have to take it out again and clean up the floor and prime it then finish weld it in, I've had no luck finding a rear bulkhead so far so I think I'm going to have to fab something and in keeping with the boy racer theme I think it will be in aluminium.
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NicholasUpton
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
We have http://www.7ent.com/products/rear-seat- ... a5523.html ready to ship just up in auburn, Wish I had known that you only needed that small part of the front fenders, as I would have given you the metal front end I removed that got smashed across both headlamps, currently sitting in my old shop in woodland.
Also be sure you put a rear sub frame in before welding in the seat back as the rear mounts all want to twist with it removed.
Also be sure you put a rear sub frame in before welding in the seat back as the rear mounts all want to twist with it removed.
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Got a bit done today, fitted the doors to check the gaps after pulling and welding the front end. All looking really good from the get go. the left side is a bit strange as I have too big a gap at the rear of the door even with the hinges loosened and door pulled back as far as it will go, I will have to massage the holes a bit in the door and let it back an 1/8 or so just to even up the gaps front and rear.
As usual on these early cars the body is cracked at the waistline at the B pillar so I gound it out and welded it in the forlorn hope that it won't crack after painting! This also shows the rather large gap but I'd rather it was too large than too small!
I also found a rather nice Les Leston steering wheel for the car, It was on an MGB GT that I scrapped a while ago, The MBG steering shaft is a smaller diameter than the mini so I reamed the hub out to the correct size and used an old mini column to use as a tool to form new splines, after much wacking in and driving out the shaft I had a nice set of splines in the hub.
After much pulling and pushing on the front end I finally got the bonnet to somewhat line up with the slam panel, the panel has a lot of lead in it on the right side but I've decided to leave well enough alone at this point until the painter has his penny's worth...............
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mk1
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Its great to see this car slowly getting back to being a Mini again.
There aren't many 1960 shells as rust free as that in the UK!
M
There aren't many 1960 shells as rust free as that in the UK!
M
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Thanks Mark, It really is a pleasure to work on "Old" cars here in California after growing up in England and trying desperately to stay in front of the tin worm!
I have been trying to locate an original eversure mirror head for the car I have the original stem but couldn't find the glass but in searching I found a repo eversure for the plastic Cobra mob and for $17.00 I thought I'd give it a look! It arrived this morning and to my delight is a perfect fit for the original stem its a bit shinny but some crackle black will sort that out.........
I have been trying to locate an original eversure mirror head for the car I have the original stem but couldn't find the glass but in searching I found a repo eversure for the plastic Cobra mob and for $17.00 I thought I'd give it a look! It arrived this morning and to my delight is a perfect fit for the original stem its a bit shinny but some crackle black will sort that out.........
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
I also spent a bit of time on the LL wheel looks pretty good, not perfect but then that's not the look I'm going for........
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JC T ONE
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Started building the front subframe and came to a grinding halt. checking the swivels I found the upper right one was really loose so I thought OK just replace the swivel right? Knocked the locktabs back and the swivel fell off!! completely stripped threads on the hub, I've never seen this before and to think this car was driving around like this before I stripped it...........
So now I need to find a replacement right hub before I go any further. Old school adjustable lower arm and tie rod found on ebay Perfect for me and cheap as chips........
So now I need to find a replacement right hub before I go any further. Old school adjustable lower arm and tie rod found on ebay Perfect for me and cheap as chips........
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Well some progress made this week, trouble is customers want their cars as well..............
any way got the frames built up, the original 60 rear frame came apart without any hic up's and went off to be powder coated and came back shinny and new. I used the original fabricated arm's with two bushes as they were in perfect unworn condition also the fabricated trumpets came up a treat. I used 'S' rear brake assemblies to go with the 'S' disc's up front. and a Nice set of new old stock lowered Spax Adjustable dampers. So now I have two shiny complete frames but I'm waiting on my painter who seems to think two broken ribs is an excuse not to be getting on with it...................
any way got the frames built up, the original 60 rear frame came apart without any hic up's and went off to be powder coated and came back shinny and new. I used the original fabricated arm's with two bushes as they were in perfect unworn condition also the fabricated trumpets came up a treat. I used 'S' rear brake assemblies to go with the 'S' disc's up front. and a Nice set of new old stock lowered Spax Adjustable dampers. So now I have two shiny complete frames but I'm waiting on my painter who seems to think two broken ribs is an excuse not to be getting on with it...................
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Small amount of progress this week got my tyres mounted on the rim's.
Yesterday I went to go pick up a few parts for the car from a fellow minimania forumite and came away with a "cunning plan my lord" on the engine front!
Picked up a nice SC CR three synchro box and an Arden 8 port....................I think the plan of a little sleeper just went over the top. Noe if I can find a long stroke Paul Ivey crank I'll be able to replicate our old race motor from the 70's.... The box came with a NOS laygear to replace the manky one in it.
Yesterday I went to go pick up a few parts for the car from a fellow minimania forumite and came away with a "cunning plan my lord" on the engine front!
Picked up a nice SC CR three synchro box and an Arden 8 port....................I think the plan of a little sleeper just went over the top. Noe if I can find a long stroke Paul Ivey crank I'll be able to replicate our old race motor from the 70's.... The box came with a NOS laygear to replace the manky one in it.
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Well bit of major progress made this weekend. Drove 400 miles with the Disco and trailer and picked up another half mini! This one is another early 60's shell so provided all the rest of the rear interior panels except for the parcel shelf and I have a lead on a couple of those so It's amost ready for the painter to get started. I got the Heritage Cert. on Friday and it turns out to have been built 4-7th of March 1960 Original colour was Old English White which is Perfect as I am going to paint it OEW with a gloss black roof!
Trial fitted the rear sub frame today and it's a perfect fit, after all the welding and replacement panels at the back it was a bit of a concern. I reinstated the fuel tank filler hole and made a template from that (after making sure the tank fitted) for the Janspeed right hand tank. With both tanks and a spare there's not much room for my golf club's!!
So just the parcel shelf and the rear companion boxes to fit and I can put the welder away which is a relief because my poor old eyes cant do the hours of Mig welding without giving me grief anymore.............
Trial fitted the rear sub frame today and it's a perfect fit, after all the welding and replacement panels at the back it was a bit of a concern. I reinstated the fuel tank filler hole and made a template from that (after making sure the tank fitted) for the Janspeed right hand tank. With both tanks and a spare there's not much room for my golf club's!!
So just the parcel shelf and the rear companion boxes to fit and I can put the welder away which is a relief because my poor old eyes cant do the hours of Mig welding without giving me grief anymore.............
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smithyrc30
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Good grief! Nice work but how much fuel goes in the Janspeed tank?
You'll be at the pumps for hours filling that one!
You'll be at the pumps for hours filling that one!
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Tis rather large isn't it. but with the 8 port and my two position throttle leg I rather think it will be of some use!! 
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rich@minispares.com
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
that's nothing some stronger springs on the carb wouldn't sort out!!minimans wrote: my two position throttle leg
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Trying to decide on seats at the moment. I have a pair of corbeau GT4's but they are knackered! and it's cheaper to buy new than have them ship me new covers.... But When I picked up the Arden head I was kindly given a pair of seats to nick the seat brackets it wasn't until I got them home and took a good look I realized that they are Paddy Hopkirk Recaros So off to the trim shop with a Hide of cream coloured leather and we'll see what they look like when I get them back.............eventually.........My trim shop is NOT known for fast work...........
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minimans
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Re: 1960 California MKI build
Oh and my painter has recovered enough from his broken ribs to start laying on some crap to straighten out my welding work!!
I also managed to get the rear seat base and companion boxes cut out of yet another donor shell just need to get them welded in hopefully at the weekend but I have a car show to go to on Sunday so maybe not........
I'm taking this it;s not a mini but at least it's a Morris!
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