My first Mk1 a 1966 Austin smooth roof van

[mini-van-josh]

Hi all,
Just thought I would start a restoration diary for my latest project. I am not new to minis however I am new to the mk1 scene as this is my first mk1, it is a 1966 smooth roof Austin van in need of restoration. My plan for this is to keep it standard and try to get it as correct as I possibly can, it should be willow green I believe (heritage cert to confirm). I will start to add progress pictures as and when there is some, and there will be plenty of questions i need answering along the way I'm sure.


Josh

[Thee Adder]

Welcome to the Forum Josh.

Andy

[minimissions]

What a rare find, enjoy the build!

[coop12g295]

How many smooth roof vans are owned by forum members
I have a 63 in CCC colours but scruffy

[mk1]

I have been looking for the right van for years. Sadly, it has never come along. I have a great project in mind, but with the way prices are now, I suspect it will never get done.

[swindrum]

Welcome! Looks like a great project, I have a ribbed roof project in the queue, registered as a 68 but it is a bit of a mongrel made from a number of different years. I think the scuttle forward is a 68, but the rest is later..

[java gt]

Big project Josh,it will be worth it in the end as a Willow green van is such a nice commercial.I have a 61 Irish van,bought it for €200 complete in 2007.Not 100% original but I am on the look out for a few bits like a battery cover and one Raydyot mirror.

[mini-van-josh]

Luckily I have most of the bits I need for it, and there isn't much to find. The only tricky bit I have got to find, is a small square type commercial heater box as that is missing. I know it's a big project but I'm always up for a good challenge, I plan to have no time scale on this and let it take as long as it takes. I have other minis and 3 metro vans so will have to fit this in and around them.

I have made a little start on restoring a few of the bits for the van, whilst I wait to get the shell home, I have stripped the speedo back and started to clean it up. Also whilst it's in bits I've returned the speedo back to 0 this vans been off the road since the 80s so the original mileage is unknown.

On the subject of battery covers Newton commercial make reproduction commercial battery covers now that don't look to bad, I think in time I will try one of those on this project.

Josh

[coop12g295]

Josh I have one of those heater boxes from my van which has
a leak happy to sell for £50 and yes they don't turn up often

[Emaljevan]

Josh I have one of those heater boxes from my van which has
a leak happy to sell for £50 and yes they don't turn up often

[Emaljevan]

Nice One. God luck

[liam-ds]

I have been looking for the right van for years. Sadly, it has never come along. I have a great project in mind, but with the way prices are now, I suspect it will never get done.

i didnt really want to sell this but after finding the earlier van something had to give,but if josh didnt want it i wouldnt have sold it on

cant wait to see it on the road where it deserves to be

Liam

[mini-van-josh]

I've finally got round to sorting a few pictures out, will get some more as and when I can.








Oh and a little photo of the aimed end result, hopefully.



Thanks Josh

[mini-van-josh]

no updates on the van as such, just organising with Liam bringing the shell home. i have been collecting parts !! i picked up a mint cream speedo pod at IMM for the grand total of 10 euros, and i was also excited to find that this is still on its original correctly date marked glass (bar the windscreen). i have also been making a roll over jig up to stick the shell onto when i get it home:





Josh

[mk1]

Accumulating the bits is a good bit of the battle.

[Pandora]

I loved my van. It's fairly high up on the list of cars I've sold I'd like to buy back one day.

At least I know where it is, should that day come

I'm looking forward to following this thread

Al

[mini-van-josh]

the shell is being delivered to my unit on tuesday evening, and i have purchased the nos exhaust that Andrew1967 had for sale so that should also be arriving on monday ( pics to follow next week )

Josh

[mini-van-josh]

A few more little bits have been arriving over the last few days. Post man must love me !!















Josh