The long and winding road (alt title- Daves '63 Mk1)

[mk1rally]

After reading a few of these, I thought I'd add to the mix on my next project. I've built a few in the past but not done a Mk1 for a while, save the regular upkeep of my rally car.

I recently finished my Dad's lovely SPi with JC garage mods and have gotten the bug again and a decent garage now with space, lights and a clean, dry floor!

I started this build with the promise of another, painted and complete shell but this proved not to be but, in some respects that was a good thing. It was a '60 and it would have been a shame to not build it as standard really. Trim is harder to get hold of and therefore holds a higher price so when this was not to be and a oppertunity of a later car came about, it made a bit more economic and spiritual sense!

I was offfered a complete (bar the main shell structure, it was completely had it!!) April '63 850 in white. I also managed a later ('66) 850 shell that although needs a fair bit of work, could live to grace the roads again. Well that's the idea.

Just when the coffers tub was empty, along came on this forum a 1071 engine minus the head and box. Funds found for this rare chance, the purchase was made and taken to be looked at. The engine did need a little bit of work, but Jim Brindle from R.A.C.E came up trumps and recovered the tail of the crank and announce the rest good to go. The spec is plus 40's on the bore but with early forged pistons, the genuine crank on 10's and it had been fitted with new cam bearings. It came with a genuine ST 649 cam (though I now doubt this will be going in it) The story goes this was built by Osseli and put under a bench for 30 years, rusting the exposed tail. The previous owner had been told this and that it was recoverable. Measuring up and a closer examination proved this to be the case and I slept better from that point!!.

A nice, un-cracked 163 head was found, I already had a good set of HS4's and a proper Cooper S exhaust manifold. A chum has a later 1128 4 sync box due for a rebuild (I know it should be '333 but parts are more available for the later box, I have it and they are suposed to be stronger) and I have tubs of all sorts of bits and bobs that together, could help this build and keep the cost's down.

So the plan was hatched. Build a 1963, fast road 850 (1071!) with period ish tuning bits and maybe planned, when it comes to painting for it to be a race replica of one of the lesser copied teams or it's original white hue, maybe with a black roof. might sound daft, but I'm sort of building it round some bits I have knocking about!! a full set of R7's to go on a set of Minispares rosepetals, Les Leston rim, S disc's and a early fibreglass lowback bucket seat. It's a while off the paint colour or the wheels yet though!!

Getting the shell back the stripping has begun, wings/front panel desposed of (they were later ones anyway and not greatly fitted). The doors could do with reskining but the boot and bonnet are in great condition. The floor wells in the front, Inner out cill's, toe board, rear arches and flinch panels are for scrap. The boot floor has had a interesting repair where someone took the time to make a decent job, new hindge panel and rear valance, but 3/4 inch further in than they should be leaving the bottom of the boot lid sitting proud!!

You have to ask if it's worth the effort on the shell, but I was always one for a challange and I'm doing the work myself (as theropy!) so that helps. Not sure if it would be economical if I was not.

No real time scale, but as a project manager by trade, I appreciate goals must be set so I am going for a completed, painted shell by the spring (2012!!). The engine is already being built and I need a few extra bits of trim and the rest needs cleaning. Well that's the high level look at it anyway.

I've braced the shell, ready for the cills to come off and the panel list to get bigger. Standby for silly questions, my last Mk1 shell wasn't this bad!!

Pictures to follow.

[mk1rally]

As promised:- as the shell came.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/582 ... bb00_m.jpg

Stripped down and braced:-

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/582 ... 2464_m.jpg

Plenty to do:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46726182@N ... hotostream

[dhenry]

Nice. That's not far off my shell to be quite honest. Easy.

[atlanticdave]

That looks better than mine tbh, I started taking off the layers of gloss paint that someone has applied found a couple of new bad bits, and rebuilt both the doors the other day when i was waiting on the rest of my bits arriving for the 76 mini. I think the order for the 62 mini is going to be large but hey there 40+ years old, you a Beatles fan btw?

[mk1rally]

Well picked up some more panels now, just the front panel, both cills and boot floor/repair and rear valence to find.

Managed to pick up some new, unused heritage complete inner wings, rear hinge panel, door skins.

Question is:-

Do I need to have the front panel (I have the wings) in place to lign up the inners or can I go off the fit to the front cross member?

do I do the floor and then fit the flinch panel part of the inner wings fit too them, or the other way round?

I made up the brackets and fitted the shell to a spit.

More pictures to follow but the garage is a little full at the mo and until I clear my dads SPI cooper out of the way, work will be limited.

Anyone want a lovely SPI with JCG kit fitted inc suspension. Complete front end and repaint for alot less than it cost to get it into this condition?