mk1-forum.net

Evening all,

New to the MK1 forum, so HI everyone. Just picked up a MK1 mini project 850, one family owned car since new, numbers matching including original keys. Even managed to get videos off previous owner of the car being used in late 60s and 70s. Been off the road for 20years and now time to rescue her and put her back on road. Not going to be a quick project as rather take my time and get her right.

Any advice / tips welcome as I’ve only worked on later minis late 80s / 90s cars.

Kind regards
David

Probably asking an infuriating question that’s been asked many times and has loads of different opinions.

Do you recommend getting shell chemically dipped, sand blast or remove paint locally to bad areas until you get to good metal to limit any distortion?

My preference is media blasting providing you have a competent person to do it that is familiar with stripping cars. Last thing you want is some guy that blasts girders all day going at it like a bull in a China shop.

Usually sills, rear valance and closing panels are toast so strip those off first. Then the enclosed areas will also get cleaned up and there are less box sections for media to get stuck in.

I often see build threads where guys just strip locally and it looks to me like a total PITA. It's messy enough dressing up welds and panels without the added grime of old paint, sealer & underseal to deal with.

Hi David!

Do you have any pics of the mini?

It all depends on how bad the shell is. Firstly does it have separate outer sills? If so then minibitz’s advice is sound. If it has the earlier floor then I would be inclined to repair the floor first and temporarily fix the inner sills prior to media blasting. If you don’t do this you will never get the media out of the sill box sections.

You may want to look at my thread “1960 Morris resurrection” if you have the earlier floor. There are views of the inner sill structure.

Good luck,


D

You're on the right site and plenty of others have started on this long torturous but HIGHLY enjoyable route. Some, several times. I say enjoyable because while it might become a trial for you many times along the road, it's very enjoyable for the others looking for inspiration and ideas.

My advice, look at ANDREW 1967 and HOY, inwardly digest, read again many times plus the other similar articles and get enthused. Pick the best of the bits that suit you and get cracking. No matter what day of the week, someone on these pages will always be happy to come to your aid. And what's more, all their years - and tears - of tech advice all comes for free. I mean....., can it get better than that?

Next bit of advice. Keep taking pictures and if you're of a mind, at the end of every session, scribble a few notes on a small book about what you've done. At first, what you've done won't seem much at all........, days with nothing to show. But when it's all scribbled down in a book, it makes it all worth while. Been there, done it and got the T shirt.

Thanks all, photos attached mini is completely original except for all the rust, all the floors are original and the panels and parts have the original date stamps.

bit daunting but cant wait to get started

What a cracking find! Have you got a build date for it yet? You must post a restoration thread here. Really exited to see this progress.

D

Going to start stripping her down at start of April, get it on the rotisserie once I’ve braced it all and see how bad it is. I think it’ll take a couple of years to do it properly.

Oh man, she looks like a great project. I look forward to watching your progress.

1960mk1 wrote:Evening all,

New to the MK1 forum, so HI everyone. Just picked up a MK1 mini project 850, one family owned car since new, numbers matching including original keys. Even managed to get videos off previous owner of the car being used in late 60s and 70s. Been off the road for 20years and now time to rescue her and put her back on road. Not going to be a quick project as rather take my time and get her right.

Any advice / tips welcome as I’ve only worked on later minis late 80s / 90s cars.

Kind regards
David

Hi David

Great looking project, looks Mid 60 from the photos? Do you know the build date? I have an almost identical Mid 60 Cherry Red Morris Mini Minor.

I have switched from blasting to dipping as it's far less risky. Any more photos? Interior looks very good, is the carpet still there?

Bill

Great looking car and project, look forward to seeing progress with the resto. Lovely to still have dealer transfer on the dash too. North Heaton not far from me and a few others on here.

1960mk1 wrote:Probably asking an infuriating question that’s been asked many times and has loads of different opinions.

Do you recommend getting shell chemically dipped, sand blast or remove paint locally to bad areas until you get to good metal to limit any distortion?

I have a good blaster, he is very meticulous and I have had good results. However, if dipping was an option around here, I would do it in a heartbeat. (There is nobody within 500kms that does it) Two reasons, 1. You can never seem to get all of the sand out of the car. 2. The car lloks clean, but when it comes to welding, there always some residual seam sealer left between panels that smokes and stinks and creates gnarley welds that look terrible.

There is some anecdotal information that the cars will "bleed" chemical stripper long after the car is complete, ruining paint jobs etc. I have never seen actual evidence of this ever happening.

cookie1071 wrote:Great looking car and project, look forward to seeing progress with the resto. Lovely to still have dealer transfer on the dash too. North Heaton not far from me and a few others on here.

+1 that dealer transfer is the best part! What a lovely detail. Any chance you can tape it off and keep it there?

Looks like a great starting point for a project, best of luck and keep us updated on your progress.

Fantastic looking project

Looking forward to following the restoration thread.

Personally, I've never had any problems with sand blasting, it does depend on who is doing it though. The guy I used to use (now retired) was very careful and could even blast a roof (not that I asked) without distorting it. However, I work next to a sand blasters and they can buckle 6mm plate

I'd be tempted to remove the lower dash rail before dipping and weld it back in afterwards to keep that original dealer transfer intact!

Dealer transfer. I recall reading on the forum that there's a little outfit that remanufacture one offs such as transfers and stickers like that. I mean....., it's not even as if the sticker is complete/undamaged! If it's a water slide transfer then if it's submerged it should float off

You can get all the gear required to make your own water slide transfers on your computer I heard.

Gray wrote:You can get all the gear required to make your own water slide transfers on your computer I heard.

Can someone do me one for Rice Bros of Horsham then pls