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Gray wrote:That is such a nice shell, wish we could find them like that. Great thread, I'm enjoying this one! Graeme

Thanks Graeme!

And now we could get on with the balance of bodywork;

Looking great! Keep up the great work, the engine rebuild looks clean and the bodywork is coming along nicely.

I recon at this point it is worth discussing what this car should look like. What started out in my mind as a pure restoration project got somewhat side tracked with the 544 camshaft. Add to that the fact that I stumbled onto a set of original UK 10" Minilites and one can see how the originality is becoming less important.

The image that sort of did it for me was the one below;
Tweed grey (correct for a 63/64 1071 S), black roof instead of OEW, W&P group 2 arches also in black as well as bumper over-riders with corner bars. Obviously no stickers spot lights and such.

So that is what we do then.

I found a set of old and seriously tatty looking UK Mini Lights from Brandon at Mini Spares & Repairs in Woodstock, Cape Town. A couple of days with Mag Master in Montague Gardens and they were not only de-buckled but repaired like new. Then fitted a set of new Dunlop SP Sport R7s 165/70/10;

Whilst the bodywork was in progress I started on the front sub-frame. Now I must admit, I really enjoy building Mini sub-frames. In keeping with a typical 1964 South African 1071 S, dry suspension was the most prevalent and that is what I preferred to stick with considering that the 850 shell was fitted with a dry suspension.

The sub-frame was completely stripped, then shot blasted and finally powder coated in black. All bushes, seals and bump stops were replaced as a matter of course;

The radius arms were stripped down to metal, received high heat primer and was painted in satin black as a final coat. These arms were also completely stripped and rebuilt;

New brake pipes were made up by Brake Super Service in Cape Town and installed on the front sub-frame;
Making progress with front suspension;

Time for the trumpets and rubber suspension balls to be fitted. The suspension balls were lightly shot blasted. The metal parts were primed and painted satin black. Trumpets were shot blasted and powder coated in silver;
Good old Mowog compressing tool;
And in it goes;
New knuckle joints fitted on trumpets;

Erm, in the pictures, the engine mounts are on upside down...

Nice build though.

smithyrc30 wrote:Erm, in the pictures, the engine mounts are on upside down...

Nice build though.

Found that out much later. Honestly didn't think about it at the time. It was safe in position - you don't appreciate how I loose things!!

With the front suspension now complete is was time to fit the drive shafts and hubs;

I ended up retaining the original disks as it was still of a suitable thickness. A light skim later and it was ready to fit (well only after I had them shot blasted because I was too lazy to clean them with a wire brush!);

Brake calipers fitted with new ATE brake pads;

Your doing stellar work their!! but those front disc's are shot! they'll tear up your new pads in no time........

Great build keep the updates coming.

Matt_Tupman wrote:Great build keep the updates coming.

Thank you!

its going together well

you just cannot beat a 1071 engine!

people who have never enjoyed a good thrash in one just haven't lived!

This is shaping up to be another cracking project.