1966 Mini Van (the rustiest one yet)

[kevs 1961 mk1]

excellent work there fella ,did you use heritage door skins or pattern

[harrymini]

Thanks Kev, went with heritage. Wanted the best i could get really seeing as how much metal work i will be replacing

[kevs 1961 mk1]

Thanks Kev, went with heritage. Wanted the best i could get really seeing as how much metal work i will be replacing

thanks mate im doing the same with my 61 mk1, saloon ,i think heritage is best for a good fitting panel

[harrymini]

Bits and bobs done this bank holiday weekend.

Got some roof repair sections fitted:





I next had a look at the upper dash rail which needed a repair:




Had to cut the master cylinders off the pedal box




Did a batch of blasting:



This showed some areas that needed repair work, i did a really light blast on the recirculatory heater and had to put a new panel in the side:





Luckily the rust hadnt affected the pedal box too much so i got away with just restudding it:




Just going to keep slogging away at any jobs i can now until the panels are ready, i have got paint arriving this week so should be able to get the majority of the black bits sprayed and the wheels primed, prepped and painted too.

[Andrew1967]

Some great work here Harry.

This really is a true rescue story .

[harrymini]

Thanks Andrew,

We seem to pick the rough ones dont we. HOY is looking lovely now though. Hopefully i can get the van painted this year

[Ronnie]

First class work

[Peter Laidler]

I like your work on the heater. Never seen a pedal box like that. Jeeeees, it's had a hard life - a bit like me.

[harrymini]

Thanks peter, was really happy when i got through the layers and found it was still solid underneath!

[mini_surfari]

great work harry... making this look like light work!

[MiNiKiN]

Awesome skills along with perseverance. I really like the quality of your welding.

[roger mcnab]

hi no chance of a repair of master cyl
doing great work keep going and soon be driving it around
cheers roger

[harrymini]

Small update, due to waiting now for panels i am getting on with other bits.

Prepped and sprayed the steering wheel, may wet sand and give another coat of black when i get a moment just to get a little smother:





Got the blasted wheels primed, i also apply a flexible seam sealer to the joint in the wheel, makes for a nicer job and reduces the chance of runs trying to get coverage in the gap.









Sprayed any black bits i could except for bits on the outside of the car, which i will do in a batch as i will epoxy prime before the black.



Recirculating heater came out nice



All wrapped in cling film to protect



Blasted and painted the number plate backs and carefully cleaned up all the original bluemels digits ready to go on to the plate. Luckily all i had to do was stick an F back together and bought a NOS D which i had to age to match the others:

[kevs 1961 mk1]

brilliant work ,what a differance you can make sorting and painting bits and bobs up ,love seing stuff like this ,keep the pics coming

[Peter Laidler]

You're right Kev. I made a point of assembling restored parts into complete assemblies, ready to be put back as finished units. Took great pleasure in seeing the finished assemblies such as the SU's, all the brackets etc etc pedal boxes sub frames all in our spare room or on the garage shelves ready to fit. And then fitting them to bigger assemblies. Andy, Daz and HarryMini almost make wants me to do it all again..........

[harrymini]

Yep, its a great feeling filling a shelf with painted parts. (I have a few shelves with my multiple projects )

[Costafortune]

Is there an engine/gearbox with it?

I wonder when it was last used? I'd guess mid to late seventies. Isn't BF a Stoke/Uttoxeter area registration?

[harrymini]

Yes i have the original engine/gearbox. Luckily i have been sending some emails to the heritage certificate department of the motor museum since i bought the car, and kindly they used the engine number to run though the archives to see if they could finds anything.

Really happy to say that i received the certificate over the past weekend, now a v62 form has gone in with the DVLA.

[kevs 1961 mk1]

Yes i have the original engine/gearbox. Luckily i have been sending some emails to the heritage certificate department of the motor museum since i bought the car, and kindly they used the engine number to run though the archives to see if they could finds anything.

Really happy to say that i received the certificate over the past weekend, now a v62 form has gone in with the DVLA.

excellent on getting a heritage certificate ,when the v5 arrives youl be over the moon ,brilliant work on saving another van a credit too you mate

[miniminor]

Fantastic work. Wheels look cracking