Brian’s making progress on the engine strip down, but it might need a little more work than we were hoping.
That’s not right.
Should a thrust bearing be that colour? I think not.
How to remove a Mini’s engine and front subframe.
Step 1: remove everything that’s not the engine. Unbolt the subframe from the body.
Step 2: Realise you need the rear wheels to do this properly. Put the rear subframe and suspension back in, then use an appropriate hoist to lift the body up. If an appropriate hoist is not available, use a piece of string and some pulleys you found. Don’t worry, the shell is extremely lightweight and this photo wasn’t posed at all.
Step 3: the engine will now gracefully exit the engine bay- unless, like everyone else, you forgot to undo the earthing strap or brake lines.
Brian made a few notes about work that would need doing:
Headlamps have water damage (but they’re British Pre-Focus units anyway, so will have to go)
Something suspicious is happening around the front wings.
Not sure why the roof has rusted just in the middle- maybe the previous owner was short and couldn’t reach that spot when waxing the car?
Look at that gorgeous engine bay!
The drop-down number plate in action.
Moustache and whiskers are still there, but there’s obviously some rust there.
With a switch panel this complex I’m not sure the Dymo labels are necessary.
It still has the original service book! Well, *an* original service book from a Mini.
Last night we talked about restoring a car together, sometime. It might be a fun project! What sort of car would we like? Hypothetically speaking, of course. Let’s have a look at Trade Me- just to see what’s out there.
Today we’re off to Silverdale, cash in pocket, to look at a Mini. Funny how that happens.
Meet Rupert: he’s a 1963 Mini Super Deluxe, though someone’s gone to a lot of trouble to collect as many Cooper bits as they can. And I think he might become ours.
He looks to be in fairly good condition underneath the faded paint and well loved interior. All the right bits are there- “it should be a fairly easy restoration”, I said at the time. (Here’s a tip: if anyone ever says that to you, just slap them until they come to their senses.)
The interior looks original and fairly complete, and the floors haven’t been replaced.
Original swing down number plate holder….
Cooper ventilated wheels, overriders, stainless sill trims, piano hinge rear windows- all the good stuff! A (far too brief) test drive and he was ours. Deposit paid, we’d be back in a couple of days to pick him up.