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Newbie with a Minx

ExDelayed

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Hi everyone.

I picked up a `60 Minx last weekend. The PO had it listed as a `63, but in his ad something seemed familiar, but wrong. I shot him a message, and we got together and talked. It turned out I had seen this car before, twenty years earlier. Then it was sitting about 10 blocks from where I have it stored now, I was 16, thought it was cool, but was just getting my feet wet with cars, let alone something like this. If my memory serves me correctly, the guy was asking $1000, and the car didn't run. I still wanted it, because I could change the engine (probably to a 350), because that's what needed to be done, and have I'd a little hot rod. I didn't realize that something that large would never fit without some major engineering skills that were, and still are, outside of my talents. Even if it fit, it would tear the little car to shreds.

I remember dad was telling me not to get it, since finding parts would be difficult. I also remember us having a Lancia (I think it was a Beta Berlina) when I was young, and I remember that when it broke, it would be parked for a long time. That left sour taste in my mouth, since I didn't want to have it parked forever while I waited on parts. I still was saving my money for it, just because, until someone broke out its back window. I walked away, thinking I would never see it again, but missing it for some reason.

Well, the car I was looking at had a broken window. It had been set into the car, but it didn't fit. Realizing I had found the same car, I went over it with a fine tooth comb, knowing that the window had been missing for quite some time. The ill-fitting window was also the reason that the current owner was selling it. The window fits very well now, since he had set it in, upside down. I looked hard at the car, but the rear floorboards looked good, but the front is another story. The car appears to have been somone's Bondo project years ago; perhaps to hide rust?

Lots of flaws, and a lot of work, but I own her now, 20 years later.


IMG_20150822_160820.jpg
 

Mickey Richaud

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Great story, and welcome to the BCF!

Looking forward to seeing the next leg of your journey.

:cheers:
Mickey
 

LarryK

Yoda
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Have you started yet?
 
OP
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ExDelayed

Freshman Member
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All I have done so far is to give it a deep cleaning. I pulled the rear seat, whats left of the front floormat and the trunk mat, so I could inspect the floorboards, vacuum up the dirt and rust and see what additional parts I ended up with. I was happy with that I found.
 

Basil

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Welcome aboard! Looks like a fun little car to restore! Baby the way, I'm very familiar with Ogden as I was stationed at Hill for 4years.
Basil
 
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Welcome, cool car!
 
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ExDelayed

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The PO said it ran, but I honestly didn't believe him. Got some ether out today, and after getting creative with the coil wire (it was cut), I got it to turn over and actually run for a short while. Time to do a compression test, find some parts (like a fuel pump) and really make it come to life.
 
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ExDelayed

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Update.

The Minx has probably spent more time indoors this winter, than any other time in it's life. It came in back in September, and sat, warm and dry, while I was working on another project (92 Dakota V6 -> V8 swap).

Anyway, started tinkering with her last month, and found out that I have a Bondo queen. :-( Seems like at some point before I first found it, someone tried to fix her up. They actually did good (aesthetically) fixing the front fenders, rockers and quarters. Apparently they didn't know how to weld, because they just mashed aluminum foil into the voids in the body and filled over them. They removed the side mirrors, bonked the studs down, and filled over them as well.

I have cut out the rusted left front floor, rebuilt the left rocker, repaired the rust damage at the base of the windshield on the left side fender, removed the foil from the fender and rebuilt the large rust hole, along with the mostly missing left rocker. Since the two body spears were missing some parts, those have been removed them and filled the mounting holes (properly). I still have to repair a small patch above the left rear tire, and the bottom of the left quarter. Something was on its quarters, similar to the fenders, and they were smashed in and filled over as well; so was the fuel filler neck. The right side is similar to the left, but the floor is a lot better.

I'm almost ready to remove the stock engine/trans. I'll make sure to offer up the parts to others, but a VW TDI/Toy 5-speed are going to find their way under the bonnet. The TDI came to the shop today. When the ground dries a little more, I'll head to the yard and pull the trans.

I really wish I could have known what it saw betwee '60 and '96, when I first found her.

I did find a British half penny under the floor mat! :-D


EDIT: Didn't realize this was still in introductions. Mods, please move if inappropriate.
 
Last edited:

Basil

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That's quite a project you're undertaking! Maybe you could start a BCF Blog here and chronicle your progress :encouragement:
 

Nelson

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The first car I ever owned was a Minx. I was in the Air Force and stationed in England. It was driven all over England in 1960 and 61. Never had any problems with it. I sold it in January of 1962 when I bought my new 1962 Sprite that I still drive. Actually just fired it up in the garage a few minutes ago.Hillman.jpg
 

JPSmit

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Cool car and cool story! Can you say more about the engine transmission combination? I know you can get VW/ Suzuki conversion kits for the Samurai - but hadn't heard of the Toyota.
 
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ExDelayed

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That's quite a project you're undertaking! Maybe you could start a BCF Blog here and chronicle your progress :encouragement:

I been thinking about a blog since you originally mentioned it. Not just for others, but for me as well. I didn't quite like the idea of trapping it on one site though, since a lot of sites have a problem with linking to other forums. With the direction this build is moving, I will be leaning on multiple sites, not just this one. Instead I have been working on a wordpress site for it, then it will be safe, and nobody will complain that I'm linking elsewhere; that link is in my signature.
 
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