New [to me] Mini - pictures

[racingenglishcars]

Well, I made the deal, $294 I know, it's a lot, it looks pretty bad, but it's a very original 1964 body with absolutely minimal rust. (and I got someone else to pay for it)

It comes with all glass, doors, front and rear lids, repair panels for the dash and most importantly, papers (Swedish).

I have a 998 engine and trans, lcb, aluminium wheels.

I don't have interior and brightwork, so it looks like evilbay.uk may strike again.

 

[racingenglishcars]

Now it gets really strange. I mentioned before that my neighbor got an old mini in nearly the same conditions as this one I just got.
https://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x288/frogeye61/Minis/

Well, he came by last night as said he can't do anything with it (duh) and he will give it to me.

Now I two old "vrag" minis coming home in the next couple days. So I spent last night cleaning out the back of my garage to make space.

This is going to be fun. At least they don't cost me anything except a whole lot of work.

 

[Silverghost]

Isn't there an old addage to the effect of "the most expensive car you'll ever own is the one you'll get for free"??

 

[dklawson]

The $294 car is very interesting. Yeh... OK, a bit rough perhaps but as you said, it looks complete with minimal rust. Having a good body to start with will save you a lot of money to build a really nice car.

A couple of things I noticed that you should look at handling during the bodywork are to replace the front slam panel brace. It looks like it was completely removed, perhaps to fit an oil cooler. It also looks like a previous owner has cut an access hole through the seat back to gain access to the upper shock mount on the left side (so they didn't have to pull the fuel tank). I've seen that done before but a closer panel is typically fitted over the opening instead of re-bent sheet metal.

What I found really curious was the gearshift opening. It LOOKS to be a floor opening for a remote shift box. However, I didn't notice the old opening for the magic wand box. Are you sure this car started life as an 850? The 850 wouldn't have had the electric fuel pump either (I think). And speaking of electrics, it looks like a previous owner fitted a later fuse box at some point.

On the dash, it looks like the speedo is for an earlier car. I've always liked the unique look of the silver finish gauges.

I took a look at the "Peter's Mini" pictures at Photobucket. I could swear I've seen those pictures. Have you posted them before?

 

[racingenglishcars]

Isn't there an old addage to the effect of "the most expensive car you'll ever own is the one you'll get for free"??

I think you're right there. Fortunately it's a hobby, and hobbies are supposed to cost money. I certainly see your point though.

Parts here, well at least in England, are cheap. Just look at evilbay.uk. In this country Minis are very expensive though. I just wish I could get a Mk1 for anywhere near a normal price. From $6500 to $18000 for Minis from '92 to '97 in the local paper today. But there is a very nice 67 Mk1 for sale for $10900. through the historic motorsport site.
https://www.hms.dk/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=6369
I can't see a car like that being worth that much money. I was hoping just to make a driver, not a "fine example". To make it nice would probably cost double what that nice one on hms costs.


Doug, You are very observant!
I was wondering about that cut in the rear seat back. So that's why!

It took a bit of researching to understand what you meant by "slam panel" but now I see what you are talking about.
https://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x288/frogeye61/MiniTrafRoskilde07/P1070864.jpg
Isn't that something I could just make up and weld in?

The old gearshift hole and starter button hole were pop-riveted closed. The remote shift box is a bit hard to find. The car was apparently fitted with the later full synchro box, which I have a couple of in my garage.

Neither am I sure it was an 850. I'm sure it's a 1964 dry suspension car, but I really have no idea of the original engine.

The bottom had been cleaned nicely, and apparently a new set of subframes not long ago.

I'm not sure about that fuse box. It looks to me like something from a Fiat or something.

The dash is something special. They had made a carburetor box, and moved the spedo to a homemade instrument panel which was welded to the original sheetmetal. This completely butchered the lower dash lip / edge. I have a new replacement for that though, so I was thinking of putting an original instrument set back in to the correct position, though maybe shoved backwards a couple inches to allow for the carb box.

As for the "Peter's Mini" pictures. Yeah, back when Peter, my neighbor got the car I posted the link. But who would have known that he would just come to my house and give me the car?

Problem is though, that I'm still doing the Bugeye, and the house, and the Fiat. It really sounds like the best plan is to park them in the garage until I get time to work on them. Then put one together as a driver and sell the other shell. My daughter did actually show interest in helping me. She has wanted an old Mini about as long as I have. Now I have leverage for her inspiration.

 

[dklawson]

Hi Donn,

You certainly can make a brace for the slam panel. It's nothing more than a shallow C-shaped piece of sheet metal welded to the back of the grille opening. Peter's car probably has one that you can copy. However, after '67 most the cars put that brace on an angle so fitting the horizontal oil cooler in place is possible. If Peter's car has the brace vertical you may want to ask a post '67 -S owner if you can see and measure their brace. Most -S owners are very happy to show off their cars.

Are your full synchro boxes wand type, remote, or rod-shift? I assume from your comments above that they are rod-shift. There are adapter brackets to simplify fitting rod-shifts to early shells. Mini Spares should have them. It is my understanding though that fitting the rod-shift linkage and the exhaust in the round floor tunnel can be a bit of a challenge. I've never done this myself.

As you are watching eBay, keep your eyes open for the heater components. At the moment your '64 has none. However, the fresh air intake is still mounted at the right front corner of the grille opening. That part is hard to find. The heaters are fairly easy to come by, but the intake hose is rare and it's an odd size. Mk2 cars used a smaller hose with adapter fittings at each end. You may find one of those. Many people improvise with anything they can find that is close in size.

Were that '64 mine, I'd take full advantage of a place about an hour west of me. They can chemically strip and phosphate coat entire cars (big cars). Doing a Mini would be a piece of cake for them. I'd love to start with such a solid looking shell as your car and epoxy prime the bare treated metal.

Sorry you've got to wait for a while to start your project. It looks like a really good one!

BTW, the Mk1 on the Historic Motorsport site... did you notice it doesn't have a back seat? It also appears to be missing a windshield washer jet. For $10.9k I'd want a back seat!