what happened to all the de seamed minis

[Tupers]

First line on advert says needs new shell which is a shame

It doesn't looks that bad, reshells are for quitters.

[Tupers]

doing the c pillers on a sprint is like skinning a cat - there is a thousand different ways to do them!

you need to be able to think like an artist and understand that its not just a case of chopping a straight 2" out and welding it all back together, it all moves in different ways.

I think this is why Neville was so good at doing them, as he was an artist first and a metal basher second, he could visualise where everything would end up.

I can't for the life of me remember where it's from but a good illustration of how he cut the back end.


I've been compiling picture of various sprints mid chop as a reference for when I do one myself. Hopefully I'll get the time to do one in 2014.

[36inter]

In fairness to Miniman the de-seamed Mini I saw had the roof gutter and rear bumper lip still in place so it was not fully de-seamed but the two front and rear vertical seams were missing completely and when I enquired as to what welding method he had used to hold it all together I got a confused look and 'hav'nt got a welder, I just put filler in the gaps' mind you he had done a beautiful job with the filler, not a dip of a blemish anywhere......

Pete

[JC T ONE]

First line on advert says needs new shell which is a shame

It doesn't looks that bad, reshells are for quitters.

Hear hear .

[underkut]

tupers, i love the article, is it possible to upload all the relevant pages?

[mk1coopers]

The article is on Neville / Marks site for the Minisprint, have a look in the archive section

http://www.minisprint.eu/

[Pete]

A famous deseamed Mini : quite controversial at the time it was built :



Another Trickett creation :

[mk1coopers]

A bit of Carlos Fandango de-seemed action here

[rich@minispares.com]

done a real neat job of trimming the body work around that radiator as well.........

[Ryan67]

just been into old skool minis in birmingham and look what they are doing only a de seamed mini look good too

[Pete]

The only ones I think you should definately leave on are the ones for the front and rear bumpers !

[mab01uk]

I remember Elf's and Hornets had no external seams even on the front wings to A panels on very early cars......do any still exist of the completely factory de-seamed early Mk1's and if so does anyone know how it was achieved......was the front wing and A panel a one piece pressing or was there an internal seam smoothed over with lead or similar?

Quote:
"Both the Riley Elf's and Wolseley Hornet's bodies were built at Fisher & Ludlow under their "Fisholow" brandname. Plates in the engine compartment on the right side fitch plate bear evidence of this speciality. Very early Mark I versions of both cars (e.g. press photo of 445MWL) had no overriders on the bumpers and a single piece front wing (A-panel and wing in one piece, no outside seam below scuttle panel) that was soon given up again, allegedly due to cost."

[rich@minispares.com]

they where a leaded seam

I guess it cost too much to carry on doing it

[underkut]

hello all, if I have managed to do this then there should be the pictures I said I would upload showing the internal weld marks and external look on my 60's roof chop/ de-seamed car that I have owned form the mid 80,s.

[graeme1293]

A bit of Carlos Fandango de-seemed action here

This one is still around - I bought it around 78 from a chap from Barbados. I would guess this is where it is racing in this photo. It was in CCC mag and had a Longman engine - car was orig from Scotland I think - Alec Poole found it for the Barbados chap.

Its in storage somewhere in Wellington here, Built on a 59 shell with genuine Comps Dept fibreglass doors and roof.

[graeme1293]

A bit of Carlos Fandango de-seemed action here

..and it had the brakes off the Complan Mini that Alec Poole used to race. Huge things off a Vauxhall Ventora and F2 Girling callipers. Had 142 hp and was a 1380 or 1360 with Mahle Pistons.

It got a Clubman front on after I sold it - sort of understandable.

[Vegard]

A famous deseamed Mini : quite controversial at the time it was built :

Why was it controversial?

[Pete]

Because as I remember Longman said at the time that taking the seams off was effectively cheating.

[JC T ONE]

Because as I remember Longman said at the time that taking the seams off was effectively cheating.

I read in some old article that the Cooper,s that had their topspeed mesured for/by the press,
were fitted with play putty, under the front roof gutter, that should have pushed the top speed up with 2 to 4 miles.

[mab01uk]

A famous deseamed Mini : quite controversial at the time it was built :

Lydden 1973. Ken Welch, Robin Brooks (Longman), (Pete sombody) Keith Padmore, Dave Foster. Lydden regulars in 850 Special Saloons.

Robin Brookes dark metallic green, de-seamed ultra lightweight Longman short-stroke 850 Mini, a frequent front runner in the 850 special saloon class in the 1970's.

Robin Brookes Mini in the Paddock at Brands Hatch 17-9-1972
"Robin Brookes and his dad (pictured here) were both butchers and raced in the 850cc free formula special saloons in the early 1970s, their dark green Mini had an ultralight weight de-seamed shell and a special engine built by Richard Longman which was the first short stroke 850 with an 850 block and 970 Cooper S crank thus giving a 846 cc ultra short stroke having the block shaved to the maximum."
Video Here:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDbwdKTAozc


2nd Dec 1973 - Old photo above I took of my brothers Free Formula race Mini (53) in the old Brands paddock alongside Robin Brookes car (51) also in the 850cc class but his had a Longman short stroke!

The reason for this post is I have just been offered an early 1960's De-seamed race Mini shell in need of restoration which has been in storage for years, kept originally as a spare by a well know Mini racer in the 1960's....I always liked the de-seamed look back then and would love to build a replica of a de-seamed 60's racer (or possibly as a 'period' modded road car) as a future retirement project with my brother (he is already retired and has been busy restoring several Minis/Mokes.). We are wondering what would be a fair price to offer for a reasonably sound de-seamed Mk1 shell?....bearing in mind there is little to compare with and quite a limited market for such a shell these days. Any thoughts are welcome.