Coachbuilt Oyler Contessa

[spraybeateer]

As this is more or less finished! I thought it might be a good idea to post up the story of this car, I know some will have read or
followed it s progress else where, however it may be of interest to others.
I know Martin mab01uk has in the past posted a few links to this on here! and has as I have said before has been very inspirational
in its purchase ect by me.
The story started when a friend asked me to look at a Mini! for him to do up! the short version is he decided that it was to much for
him and wasn't interested! so after making very sure that he didn't want it, I approached the guy that owned it after finding out a bit
about it , a deal was struck.


As I first viewed and purchased, on first sight I walked away from it thinking i was a (Fred the shed deseamed job) however decided to
have a better look , as can be seen paint work was to say the least poor, the guy I purchased it from sprayed it in a Gazebo where its
sitting and he is a double amputee in a wheelchair so fair play to him for trying.
The car was Coachbuilt by Oyler Coachbuilders to Queen Victoria in Hanson Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire, and as far as I know is
the only remaining one, according to a previous owner whom owned it for most of its life Oyler built a good number of them! so
maybe someone knows more? I am waiting on photos of another one that belonged to the father of one of my daughter in laws friends,







Some of the history and paperwork that came with the car,

As I was part way through restoring another Mini this one was parked up in my driveway for a year before I got time to start any work
on it, so almost one year ago work was started,




Some stripping and storing of parts was started to assess what I was up against, I should probably say that I am a retired Body repairer
and was in the Motor trade at most disciplines inc Garage Proprietor and latterly Workshop Manager for 51yrs so no stranger to this
type of job.
Once I got into it! I found that the car had been well treated with Cadulac and was in reasonable condition regarding rust, unfortunately
the previous owner had bought the dreaded cover sills for it! and paid a local garage?? to remove the old sills and fit the new ones!!!
(I have the receipt) needles to say they left the old sills on and fitted the new ones over the rusted parts.
So really the only Body parts that were required were, 2outer sills,2door steps,2 A panels 2small front floor/inner sill parts 2 jacking
points, parts for inner slinging brackets, and a N/S door skin.










So that s most of the metal work finished it was then onto the paint prep i did do a bit of lead loading to the wing/a panel seams!
but most of the rear seam filling that was done by the coachbuilders was in good condition so it was tidied up and left as was.
as most of the photos relating to this part are still on PB will need to do a bit of messing about.
I will post up the continuation of the story over the next few days.
Thanks for looking,
Frank, (The Count)

[rich@minispares.com]

it was great that this car was saved and by such a skilled owner

one of the few minis where the ownership of it came with a title as well......

[mk1coopers]

Very nice work and another interesting car saved

[Polarsilver]

Looking forward to the next progress report.

[mab01uk]

For interest to those new to the story here is a link below to my original Mk1 Forum thread from back in 2015 when Frank (the Count) had posted some details about the Contessa on TMF (The Mini Forum). As soon as I saw it and heard the description by Frank I knew it was probably a very rare survivor of a coachbuilt Mini I first heard about back in 1975 when featured on the front cover of Motor magazine (see scan of my own copy of the mag in link below). I posted details on the Mk1 Forum in the hope that someone would be inspired to save it, as Frank said his friend was now not interested in purchasing. However with some further information and encouragement from me I was very pleased when Frank researched further and decided to take on the restoration and save this rare Mini. With his lifetime of experience in the Motor Trade the Oyler Contessa, as you will see from this project thread, was now in safe and very skilful hands!
1978 Coach-built Clubman Contessa
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14209

Looking forward to the continuation of your story over the next few days Frank, (The Count)

Martin

[spraybeateer]

Thanks for the kind words guys! as I have said before I really feel honoured and quite humbled to have found and been able to
buy this car, having been away from Minis for forty years, when I bought its immediate predecessor a 1994 Rover Sprite 1275cc
carb model! I was really looking for a MK1 S or something of that era, but most were beyond my price range, most I looked at
were Basket cases! not that the restoration work was a problem, so on with the story,



inside cleaned up! ready for primer,



seam lead loading done some more body file work still to be done on front panel seams, before they were lead loaded I opened up
the seams and treated with Deox rust stabiliser,






once the lead work was done the final filling was done using Upol D which has aluminium particles it as opposed to normal filler
which is resin and french chalk and attracts moisture, did purchase a cheapo spray gun with a 2mm fluid tip for the Upol Reface
spray poliester filler as was used by the coachbuilders originally,



after flatting back the spray filler the shel was then given three coats of Lechlar epoxy primer,



outside in the sun for the first time in a couple of months! gave me a chance to give the garage a bit of a clear out,

more to follow, thanks for looking.

the Count

[spraybeateer]

With a bit of messing about got some more photos sorted out, some of the dates are a bit mixed up
as they were also on PB! I don't seem to be able to sort them on Imgur the same way ( I am a bit slow
on Computer photo works) anyway back to the summary of the Contessa project.



Once the clean up and a bit of painting was done on the garage , started cleaning up the boot area
and it was really in excellent condition once I got all the smooth rite/ hammer rite! it also shows
the strengthening plate that the coachbuilders fitted, although I am not a particular fan of De seaming
I did a couple back in the day for customers and this was exactly what I did at the time,



then started cleaning the Cadulac from round about the under bonnet area at this time the idea was to
leave the engine in place as at 25k miles since new wasn't needing any work!



However the plans changed HaHa, had a bit of a break 5wks in Cyprus gives you quite a bit of thinking time!



Also decided to go full on into it and strip the car totally! the rear subframe was in good condition under the
coachbuilders rust protection,



brake pipes in great condition for 40yr old,




so after a bit of cleaning up, epoxy primer and coated with chassis black POR 15




front end basically the same condition,



engine cleaned up and painted only work done was new dif output shaft seals, a gear change oil seal ,water pump
gasket, happy days,

Thanks for looking and thanks to Mark for this great forum its a privilege to be able to use, more to follow.

The count, (the title seems to have stuck Rich)

[mk1]

Looking Good!

I can't wait to see this one finished.

[spraybeateer]

Thanks for the comment, so on with the story,
As most of the cleaning up work was more or less finished it was time to get some
painting done, first was the under bonnet area! was first given three coats of epoxy
primmer and then colour coated in Damask Red,


at this time I refitted the front subframe as space in my garage is very limited I also
did a bit of tidy up work on some of the wiring ,
then the boot area was done not the easiest to do with a full size gravity feed HVLP
spray gun!!



This arrived, as the car was fitted with a full Stainless exhaust (long gone) I visited the
Maniflow stand at the MCR day at Beaulieu and after a few phone calls (and a fair bit of
cash) I am ver pleased with it having tried to source local, with no good results,




next job was on with the painting of the inside,



none of the interior paint work is visible when the trims are fitted so this is mostly
for protection, after a couple of days the openings were masked up and the epoxy
primer that was applied a couple o months ago was flatted back,




then recoated with primer surfacer,

got a call from the coach trimmer to pick up the seats that he had done some repair
work on,




there was some damage to the back of the rear seat caused by water ingress,

then onto the main shell painting having previously done the underside,



first the lightest colour Glacier White on the waistband,




then the beige roof the gutters and door frames are the only parts that are seen
after the roof is finished,

because of limited space found the best way to do the next part was to fit the doors,
bonnet and boot lid and do the rest in two sections ,




will give it a quick buzz with the polishing machine once its hardened of a bit, this is when
I miss not having my spray booth/oven HaHa,

more to follow,

The Count

[rich@minispares.com]

those seats look as if DFS made them!

it just goes to show what sort of results you can get painting a car in a small garage, amazing what happens when you actually know what you are doing!

[Pete]

Those arm chairs look well cumfy! You'll be nodding off in those!

Great car and an interesting thread.

[mk1]

Another great update!

[spraybeateer]

Thanks for the interest!
A bit for the history of the Contessa, at this time in the story I got the details of the previous
owners of from DVLA, I am glad that i applied for them at that time! as I believe they have changed
the goalposts now, I did a bit of cold calling on the address (not something I like doing) but needs
must, the first address I called at and the first owner of the Contessa! the person had passed on,
so a couple of weeks later I went to an address in Wakefield, still no banana the owner of the house
told me the guy had moved! however he was able to lay his hands on the new address , so a few
days later I called at the address, result the old guy that answered the door had a smile from ear to
ear when I told him the car was being restored, and as I write this the plan is to take the car this
Sunday and let him see it. Anyways enough of my ramblings and on with the story of the job.





Started getting the engine unit back in and some bits of the bright work fitted,

think it must have had a new water pump fitted nice to see a Unipart one fitted!!



started getting some of the interior done the sound deadening to match what was fitted by
Oyler,one of the door trims that need new backing done as the armrest has pulled it out of
shape,




more of the sound deadening and some of the old carpets that are left fitted in to se what I
have to copy,




rear bumper and lamps fitted,




I managed to get some Wilton! like carpet from a local suppler. nearest colour available as
Oyler were part of the Holmfry Carpet Group I believe that the made and dyed the carpets
for it! as the old guy whom owned it for 25+ years told me he had tried way back to get
matching carpet with no luck.


and because of the amount of binding ect on the trim needing done I purchased this to do
the job.

More to follow.

The Count.

[mk1]

Thanks for the "update" Count!

Rich told me you had some great progress this week, but I won't let the cat out of the bag as I enjoy reading the "updates" too much.

[spraybeateer]

Thanks Mark, apart from the photos only one (member on here) person other than
family have seen the car in the metal as they say! so with nowt else to do on a snowy
miserable Sunday afternoon on with the story,








All the suspension parts cleaned, checked and painted only one radius arm pin bush and
bearing had to be replaced, also replaced all the brake cylinders the PO had replaced them
a few years ago along with new brake shoes the car was never run after that so we all know
what happens with brake cylinder when they lie with fluid in them,






as we were away for a few days in Dundee at a family wedding! I took the opportunity before we
left to give all the inner sills and other enclosed bits a good dousing with Bilt Hamber cavity wax
and let it drip out messy but hopefully worth the effort!





When we got back next job was to strip the heater down (as much as possible) the Coachbuilders
had done some mods to the heater ie the pipes for the matrix have been altered which meant I had
to leave the end plate on they also moved the de mister vent, the mods were done as the heater is
lowered a couple of inches to allow for the radio to be fitted between it and the lower dash rail,

So the next part of the job and the one that I did get somebody else to do, the vinyl roof, I have
in the past fitted them myself! but as I got a coach trimmer to make the roof he also fitted it,











the Everflex material was supplied by Boy Riven, got to say defiantly pleased with how it turned out.
also got some other parts fitted, number plate lamp holder and chrome no plate carrier,
fitted the exhaust, and some other parts, have fitted a fair amount of exhausts back in the day
when we branched out into tyres and exhausts, was more than happy with the fit of the Maniflow
system,

More to follow ,

The Count.

[spraybeateer]

To continue, I missed a couple of photos in the previous part of the rebuild story,



exhaust, rear no plate holder ect fitted,



extra fan under the wing, interesting that Rover did this on their later cars,



heater fitted showing the reason for the modifications! to allow the radio
to be fitted between the lower dash rail and the heater,



started getting some of the other bits of wiring and other bits fitted under the
bonnet, stripped and cleaned out the carburettor! the bowl was half full of
brown dust from dried out fuel,







Then the weather shields roof frame fitted,



as can be seen the cloth head lining was rotten to say the least,

round about his time in the job after getting a old photo of the car
from the old gent, I found out it had rim embellishers fitted, and after seeing
some on eBay and didn't bid on them! and them hunting everywhere to find them
a chance mention to Rich one day when over at Minispares, got these from a
member on here Great result ,



Thanks to all concerned,

dug this out of the storage boxes this was fitted originally,



fitted some of the old carpet parts in just to see how they fitted before I start
making op the new carpets,



this what was left of the O?S companion box carpet with the vinyl lining for inside!
the vinyl will be reused so my sewing (or lack of) skills will be taxed to the limit



under bonnet work just about complete, although the two 6RA relays behind the air
filter were later removed 1 had been wrecked by water ingress and could find no real
idea exactly tree purpose,I think they may have had something to do with an old alarm
system as they were linked into the flashers,



and just to keep up the West Yorkshire theme could not use any other oil, HaHa,



Progressing every day.
More to follow,

The Count.

[Old English White]

Amazing progress - and what an interesting car

[mk1]

By the look of some of the trim you managed to catch the Contessa just before it became a REALLY big job.

[rich@minispares.com]

I found out it had rim embellishers fitted, and after seeing
some on eBay and didn't bid on them! and them hunting everywhere to find them
a chance mention to Rich one day when over at Minispares, got these from a
member on here Great result ,
.

you can thank 'hipwell' on here for those embellishers, he had 4 x n.o.s in his emporioum!

[Hipwell]

I found out it had rim embellishers fitted, and after seeing
some on eBay and didn't bid on them! and them hunting everywhere to find them
a chance mention to Rich one day when over at Minispares, got these from a
member on here Great result ,
.

you can thank 'hipwell' on here for those embellishers, he had 4 x n.o.s in his emporioum!

Emporium, thats one word for it.