Time lapse of “Brittas Cooper” Restoration

[Dr.Mabo]

After 8 years of restoration there is some light at the end of the tunnel. So I think it’s the right moment to share my restoration project with you.
As I’m already equipped with a pretty nice collection of Minis there is only one way to find proper arguments for an additional Mini. The best argument is: My wife needs her personal Mini.

My wife likes to drive fast and sporty Minis. I prefer the early Minis form the sixties. Since I’m in Minis the Britax Cooper always delighted me. This was renewed at the 2006 Cooper Day as I saw Richard Humphrey’s Britax Cooper in the flash for the first time. My wife’s first name is Britta, so there was just one way to bring together what needs to come together – the basic idea of “Brittas Cooper” was born.

In 2006 I went to MITP with a friend who is usually specialized in pre war racecars. Walking down the boot sale area he spotted a tired MK1 as unfinished restoration. I wasn’t really fancied about his idea that this MK1 would be the perfect Mini for Britta. But after a closer look the doors seemed to be sound, 7,5 inch disc brakes, original Minifins where installed plus a reasonable price were the key points to purchase the MK1.
First challenge was to bring the Mini from England to her new home in Germany. This was easily solved as my friend was frequently carrying pre war chassis and body shells from Germany to England and back on an extra long trailer. Second challenge was how to explain my wife I bought another Mini. After I came home I just told her I bought a set of disc brakes and Minifin brake drums. The only problem, they are still installed! She just smiled.
So the project was about to begin.

To be continued
the Doc

[Dr.Mabo]

Brittas Cooper Yellow.jpg

First step was to visualize the idea with photoshop. This helps a lot when motivation disappears due to excessive body works or other backstrokes.

IMG_4183.jpg

After arrival of the Mini a few weeks later I dismantled all mechanical parts and inspected the body repairs of the previous owner. He already changed a lot of metal but unfortunately his welding skills were very poor. At the rear end he gave up to change the panels because there was not much metal left.

IMG_4187.jpg

I had to cut out all his new panels. That means also the new wings and front panel. Obviously some water must have stood in the floor area for a while as everything was corroded up to a certain level. In 2006 the availability of MK1 body shells was a little better than nowadays many would have just scrap it. But that wasn’t an option.

IMG_4189.jpg

IMG_6078.jpg

To be continued
the Doc

[Dr.Mabo]

Another friend offered me an almost rust free Mini tail of an 80th body shell. The Britax Cooper has MK2 rear lights and the wider rear window anyway, so why not changing the entire rear end. This also has the advantage of seat belt host points at the rear seats for our little son.

First I installed some steel tubes for strengthen up the body shell. Than it was time for an excessive grinder session. Step by step I carved the rusty back end.

To be continued
the Doc

[minimans]

My goodness it never fails to amaze me what length's people go to resurrect a poor rotten mini!! Living here in California is a blessing as a rusted out mini usually means having to replace a couple of panels at most! I wish you the best with your project and my admiration at your dedication..........

Here's a shot of a typical Californian candidate for restoration..........................

DSC04790.JPG

[Dr.Mabo]

My goodness it never fails to amaze me what length's people go to resurrect a poor rotten mini!! Living here in California is a blessing as a rusted out mini usually means having to replace a couple of panels at most! I wish you the best with your project and my admiration at your dedication..........

Here's a shot of a typical Californian candidate for restoration..........................

You are lucky with bodyshells like this. That looks like an easy restoration.

In Europe the climate is just a little more wet But it keeps panel beater skills on a good level, maybe not for everybody

Looking at your rear end, I can see some unusual cutouts. Rear parcle shelf seems to be missing as well as some areas of the wheel well. So still some bodywork to do.

so long
the Doc

[almondgreen]

This year I will visit You and see it in live...

[Dr.Mabo]

This year I will visit You and see it in live...

Hi Andreas,

okay, just tell me when.

so long
the Doc

[Dr.Mabo]

After plenty of head scratching about positioning and aligning the new Mini tail to the bodyshell without a jig, I came to the result to turn the bodyshell up side down. So the wheel arches of the new tail can slip into the radius of the quarter panels. Using as much as possible of the rear panel factory seams the alignment should be no issue.

Thoroughly measuring was the key to decide how to cut the tail to make it a perfect replacement of the rusty original.

Placing the body shell up side down without damaging the roof wasn’t too difficult. I just used an old roof rack, fixed it on the rain gutter and turned the shell around. This is an excellent work height and very stable for all tasks to do at the floor panels.

The new tail was prepared and the first alignment check was successful. All gaps exactly as calculated. I fixed the tail to the bodyshell and checked the alignment between the subframe mounts. All fine and within a tolerance of 0,5 mm. It’s time for welding.

[Dr.Mabo]

Some alignment and welding pics

to be continued
the Doc

[swifty]

It was looking pretty good to me , right up to the point of ( a butt weld straight across the floor ) . Now it's more like a ( cut and shut ) . ..... ! ... Ken

[foxy52]

It was looking pretty good to me , right up to the point of ( a butt weld straight across the floor ) . Now it's more like a ( cut and shut ) . ..... ! ... Ken

...I thought very much the same before I read yr post.. !! how does all this effect the structural integrity of a mini ?? tortional strength etc etc... twas never the best car in a shunt !!!... even at 30 mph I can testify to the serious damage that can be done compared to modern cars .. not doubting that this car will look the bees knees but !!! foxy52

[Dr S]

I don't think it'll make much odds. If you get it to the point of buckling the floor 6'' forward of the heelboard then the hard weld will change that. But once you've done that the fact the seats don't bolt down and its full of hard surfaces will get you first. I'd drive it in a heart beat.

[Dr.Mabo]

Strength in general and particular of the floor was part of my thoughts before I started. The basic strength is generated by inner and outer sills. As you may notice on the previous pics there was not much left below the quarter panels, even no sills. And believe me I really don’t like cuts through the sills neither

After all seams of the new tail were properly welded with the bodyshell I continued to rebuild the outer part of the floor section. I used repair panels with full inner/outer sill to the first groove for both sides. Also I had to change both floor front quarter panels. Eventually there is not much left of the old floor. Just the tunnel and some square centimeters left and right in the floor middle section. Nowadays I would go for a full floor section but that time it was a matter of budget

[Dr.Mabo]

Since the floor and rear end was back in it was a good moment for sandblasting and priming the bodyshell.

After a break of 1,5 years, I continued with the bodywork. In the meantime I moved house and garage with all Minis, parts and tools. Oh, I forgot, I had to build the garage first

A Britax themed Mini of course needs a couple of Britax accessories. So a Britax sliding roof is one of it. With the bodyshell still standing on the roof rack it was quite comfortable to find the best position, to do all necessary measurements from inside and to make the cutout for the sliding roof.

Then I went on with the inner wings.

[Dr.Mabo]

The remainings of the inner wings where just rag rugs. So the whole inner wings had to go. This gave me the chance to renew parts of the A-pillar and the bulked crossmember ends.

I also removed the brackets between crossmember and inner wing, cleaned off the corrosion and reinstalled them.

[foxy52]

Having said that,your work seems clinically brilliant.. neat is not the word.. as I said it will obv look great when finished !!.. foxy52

[rich@minispares.com]

nice 12/4 Riley 9 monaco on the huge trailer as well...

what happened to that?

turned into a special I guess, which is a shame as the monacos are such a pretty little car, but it looks as if it needed a fair bit!


that trailer as well, if you got caught using that over here (as a uk licence holder) VOSA would bum you dry!

[Dr.Mabo]

@ foxy52: thanks

@ rich:
Yes the Riley turned or will turn into a special. Since I moved house and garage I'm not up to date of my friends projects anymore. But to build specials is usually his attention.

To drive around with that trailer realy is a challenge. A few years back and with the intorduction of the EU drivers licence (cars) the regulations are less strict. Before there was a maximum wheight of I think 12 tons in combination with maximal 3 axles. Two axles for the tow vehicle and one axle of the trailer. For more axles a licence for trucks was necessary. With the EU licence the axle limitation was skipped. So these trailers are legally usable with a car drivers licence

so long
the Doc

[foxy52]

@ foxy52: thanks

@ rich:
Yes the Riley turned or will turn into a special. Since I moved house and garage I'm not up to date of my friends projects anymore. But to build specials is usually his attention.

To drive around with that trailer realy is a challenge. A few years back and with the intorduction of the EU drivers licence (cars) the regulations are less strict. Before there was a maximum wheight of I think 12 tons in combination with maximal 3 axles. Two axles for the tow vehicle and one axle of the trailer. For more axles a licence for trucks was necessary. With the EU licence the axle limitation was skipped. So these trailers are legally usable with a car drivers licence

so long
the Doc

...Nice,..Britax Weathershield short sunroof !! I have the same on my car.. I like fresh air and no draughts..virtually never open the windows but always have the sun roof ajar !! visor up !! happy mini-ing.. foxy52

[Dr.Mabo]

For the inner wings I had several modifications in mind.

First was to get the fresh air duct for the heater out of the engine bay and to route it through the wing like in later Minis. But I also don’t like the modern plastic elbows, which comes back into the engine bay to pickup the fresh air behind the grill. That’s why I decided to route the whole duct inside the wing with the air inlet scoop behind the r/h edge of the grill. So the BMH MK1 inner wing needs a proper hole and flange as in later Minis.

I started with a smaller hole. Then I beaded the edge, extended it with a metal ring and drilled the holes for the plenum.