Austin Mini 1963

Right well I had better start at the begining, I bought this mini from a bloke in ramsgate in 2004 with the intention of restoring it to drive when i passed my test in 2008. But due to lack of money and knowledge i missed this deadline and bought another mini to take its place. I pushed it to a corner of the garden built a shed around it and left it.

Now i have the time and kinda know what i am doing i uncovered it 2 years later. the clutch was siezed solid. With a tiny bit of old petrol and a nearly flat battery it started, there was no first gear or any brakes, but there is hope!

I have taken the engine and gearbox out while the shell gets welded up. I have also found first gear. . . in the sump and thats as far as i have got so far as my useless ford takes up most of my time. (Fix Or Repair Daily does actually apply)

This is how it was in 2004, looks good but there is alot of hidden rust!



and a little something i was playing with



and here it is a few weeks ago

Looks like a lot of work there Tom

Do you have the registration recorded with DVLA.
London registered.

Good luck with the work

Roger

Good luck mate, can't wait to see the progress!

~Lee

Good luck with your restoration Tom, keep us updated mate

Yer its a bit of a mission but is going to be well worth it. yer its in my name, the car was registered somewhere in thanet, i have been in contact with the first owner, she was bought it as her 18th birthday present back in 1963 and the following yer she took it over to america and toured parts of america with it and got it stuck in the sebring sands and got 3 strong american men to lift it out the sand for her! It then lived in london for a bit and ended up back in westgate being used by her father untill it failed its mot in the mid 80's and from then sat garaged untill a man bought it for his grandson but lost interest and i bought it off of him. Ironically i saw it advertised down at beaulieu in the newforest when i was at the autojumble there, came all the way home to buy it form 2 miles away!

Brilliant story, really nice history! I bet the owner was well impressed when you got hold of her!

~Lee

Quick update, The mini is back from the welders with all the new panels fitted!

Also i took the gearbox over to nash auto's and jon there is going to see if he can do anything with it. Bad news is my ford escort blew its cylinder head gasket last week, good news was the gearbox found some more hidden mystery oil to leak out all over the boot of the polo i borrowed!

Here is a few photo's:





There is a few more here if you wanna peek:

https://s681.photobucket.com/albums/vv177/J273MNV/

From Tom.

Looking brilliant mate! Won't be long now!

~Lee

Nice Work

Blimey what a difference, looking good.

Quick update, the gearbox . . . . no idea, havent heard from the bloke and I dont think there has been much progress there. The bodyshell should be going off in the next week or two. But in the meantime I have been splashing out on bumpers and interior parts and also cleaning up the engine and painting it and refurbing the parts on it. Check out the picture:

Wow that looks mint! Nice job Tom!

~Lee

thanks, it took a lot of time and effort but is definately worth it

Blimey Tom that looks like new, very nice work.

I wasnt too sure what colour the dynamo should be, BMC green or black. I have decided to go with green as it was the replacement lucas part that was black.

Hi quick update, the mini is going on for spraying on the 9th of april, meanwhile I have finished off the engine, and am currently going through the brakes and suspension. I have fitted new wheel bearings and top and bottom ball joints, but can anyone help, I have fitted the ball joints so that the pins are tight but still just moveable, is this right or should they be a little more loose?

Tom

Got the gearbox back and ready to fit, decided to take the head off the engine, even thou it ran fine when I last started it (4 years ago) I just wanted to check over it.

Well where do i start. It is knackered. I am currently re-building the entire engine. This is my shopping list of things i have bought for it:

Oil pump + gaskets
head gasket
Big end bearings
thrust bearings
crankshaft main bearings
new duplex timing chain
piston rings
core plugs

And i think that is it. There may be more but it has been one thing after another with it, opening a can of worms comes to mind!

so my nice shiny engine now looks like this:

The mini as of today

Looking good mate!!

~Lee

wow thats one old mini, it's coming along nicely and that engine looks like new well done mate

more progress

Looking great.

Be just intime for the winter lay up

Looking brilliant Tom! Bet you are smiling ear from ear!!!

~Lee

WE NEED UPDATES!!!!!

Split-Lee wrote:

WE NEED UPDATES!!!!!

I dont think there will be anymore from Tom!!! I reckon he has a surprise up his sleeve!!!!