Hello from new member in Gloucestershire with a MKII project

[Ollie78]

Hi all, I decided last year to buy another mini after not having driven one since 2004 and fancied a project.
I made the classic mistake and bought one blind on an auction site that day, I've been repairing the body for over a year now welding for a few hours a week.
I hope you all don't mind my joining as my car is a mkII, quite close to a mkI as its a 67 built car. I'm a member of another mini forum but am finding that this is the place I come when I need to do some research so I thought I'd say hello. So much useful info on this site and so many inspirational projects, thanks to those that make it happen.
Regards, Ollie

[JC T ONE]

Hi, and welcome inhere Ollie




Jens Christian

[Ollie78]

Here's a few pictures of my project.

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[Lakeland997]

Great work so far!

[Gray]

Nice work, where are you in Glos Ollie

[Ollie78]

Thanks for the welcome and comments, the body is getting there at last. Its a little further along now, just the front end to weld on and doors to re-skin and repair. Still fighting the rust.
Gray, I live and work at Gloucester Cathedral but my car is in the Stroud area not far from you if your in Nailsworth. Years ago I used to drive a mkIII around the area, you might remember, styled as a mkI, Iris blue with OEW roof, noisy with the straight cut gears and 1380.

[miniminor]

Looks like great quality work you're doing, wish i had your skills!

[Ollie78]

Thanks very much, I'm learning as I go along really, trying to do the best I can.
I've been visiting this site for a good while now and have picked up so much useful information, I thought I should say hello and thanks. The sub frame alignment diagram I found on this site was invaluable when I was fitting the complete new underside, lining up the panels with the sub frames and suspension mounting points.
When I get a bit more time I'll post up some more pictures of the scrap I bought in the projects section so you can all have a laugh.

[Gray]

Can't say I remember it Ollie, but if ever you need an extra pair of hands just shout, 1071bob helped me out of a few problems so I know how it can feel to have someone local handy. Graeme

[JC T ONE]

Hi Ollie,


thats some nice work you do


How will you build your car ? original ? or to your own spec ?



Jens Christian

[Ollie78]

Thanks for the offer Graeme, I might need a hand or some advice when it comes to the engine and gearbox building having only done it once before on my last mini.

Thanks Jens I really enjoy locking myself in the garage to do some metalwork. To answer your question I'm not totally sure yet, probably more to my own spec. I don't have the complete car anyway so going original will be difficult.
I certainly plan on using all the original parts I own but funds are limited so I might be a case of using what I already have in the way of mini spares to complete the car in the short term.
I've been collecting parts for it as and when I can afford but there still is a lot to find or make.

I made these badges MkII non cooper as new ones are not available, it took me ages to find an original broken one to copy. Might be of some interest to some of you, I cooked them in the oven at home.

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I plan on keeping the original colour of the car although I don't really like it ...yet (El Paso Beige) and for it to look fairly standard, engine wise also I'd like to keep it as a 1000cc but modified, that might be harder financially as I have more spares for modified 1275 based engine available. Still I have been collecting and have a 12g295, and some twin 1 1/4". Also I have found this, I didn't know what it was and picked it up as I thought it looked like a good performer, I've been told via the mini forum its a Vortz manifold from the 80's, is that correct? Its never been used before.

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[Tim]

The badges look fantastic. I'm kind of working on some Morris ones myself. You seem to have managed to not get any bubbles in them, which is very encouraging.

Tim

[Ollie78]

Hi Tim, cheers, yes its difficult to cast without bubbles, the badge on the right of the pic has bubbles. I had to cut an extra hole for the air to escape in the mould, I believe the correct terminology is vent?
Also I found if I poured a little then resin then rotated the mould through 360 degree's with my fingers over the vents it coats the inside of the mound and reduces the likelihood of air getting trapped and bubble forming in the detailed areas.
It took 2 attempts to make the mould as well due to bubbles forming in the Austin coat of arms. I imagine the Morris one will be slightly easier as its a simpler design.
The next problem is finding some paint suitable. I tried to use silver for the chrome but it looks absolute rubbish.
I'm new to this website, is this something you guys might be interested to see? I could take some pictures of the casting moulds I made. Where would be the appropriate place to post it?

[Dr.Mabo]

I'm new to this website, is this something you guys might be interested to see? I could take some pictures of the casting moulds I made. Where would be the appropriate place to post it?

Of course, its highly interesting.

The "How to do it" section would be the best palce to post.

so long
the Doc

[Ollie78]

OK, I put a quick write up with some pictures in the how to do it section if you'd like to see.
Ollie

[Tim]

Great stuff Ollie, you've inspired me to get going again with the Morris badge.

I know what you mean about the silver. Silver paint just comes out greyish, when painted on the back of clear plastic. I think the originals used something like silver mirroring to get the effect. I'm planning to try Krylon Looking Glass paint, if I can get some. Its intended for spraying on the back of glass to give a mirrored effect. Its not perfectly bright but seems to be a lot better than silver paint. There are other mirroring treatments available but they cost a fortune to get started and you'd need to be in mass production to justify the cost.

Tim

[Chris64]

Hi Ollie,

Welcome to the forum! Those badges look amazing! Looking forward to seeing your progress on the car. I'm not too far away from you in Cirencester. Sounds like there are a few of us around this area now - maybe we should arrange a meet up sometime!?

Cheers,

Chris

[Ollie78]

Hmmm, that krylon looking glass paint could be really promising. It says its for mirroring and painting on the back of plain glass. Good find Tim. How far have you got with the Morris badge? Have you taken a similar approach to my efforts? Got any pics?

Hi Chris thanks for the welcome. I'm planning on putting a few pictures up in the projects area soon.
Do you and the other Gloucestershire area members all have road going minis? mkI's? I'm afraid both of my minis are non-operational (and not mkI) and sadly there status wont be changing for a good while as I'm slow and poor. Hopefully one day when the rust is gone I'll be able to join in.
Time is my enemy but I try to get a few hours, sometimes a day on a Saturdays. I'm busy for a good few weeks now but I definitely plan on getting a good amount of welding time in around Christmas, come over and have a look one day if you like, that is if you like looking at worn out rusty old tat.
I'm hoping to get the inner wings welded in next along with some small repairs to the bulkhead and scuttle corners.
Here's where I'm at presently, everything on the rear of the car/ behind the bulkhead is rust free and for a large part new metal, everything in front of bulkhead is pretty much scrap and will be replaced with new.

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[Tim]

Hmmm, that krylon looking glass paint could be really promising. It says its for mirroring and painting on the back of plain glass. Good find Tim. How far have you got with the Morris badge? Have you taken a similar approach to my efforts? Got any pics?

No I haven't got far enough to take any pics. I've obtained a badly crazed badge, and cleaned all the paint off it, but haven't made the mould or attempted to cast it yet. I bought the mould making silicone and casting resin a few years ago to try to make some light lenses, but never got to it, hopefully it still fresh enough to use for the badges. I've done a little bit of resin casting through my work and I've made plaster mouldings for houses, so, I'm hoping putting the two together will work.

I did a bit more reading about the looking glass paint, its not recommended for plastic, although I found a website where they used it successfully on plastic film. It seems to have a very powerful solvent, so it will depend on how resistant the resin is to the solvent I suspect.

Tim

[Ronnie]

Check this out>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUc8QsLjS1s It might work plenty on Google