Mr Livered Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Last summer I acquired a 1958 Hillman Minx off the blue forum. I said that I would start a Readers Rides thread about it, but I just can't face posting over there. I might say something negative or use a rude word, and the world would never be the same again. It would be really great to share some quick pics of the old girl though, to share information about my progress and hopefully get a couple of pieces of advice. So is there any interest in a late fifties Rootesmobile here? I'll make a first post with some pics anyway, and we'll see. This one was definitely a gen-you-ine barn find. The lad from the blue apparently went to view a Morris Minor, but saw this in the same barn and ended up with a Minx instead: It was speculated that the sheer quantity of owl shit formed such a thick calcium-rich coating that it helps explain why the car turned out to be fairly solid. The car had apparently been parked there in 1988 (which is what the tax disc in the windscreen said) and left there ever since. As this story appears to be true, it's likely that the 24k mileage might be correct also. So it was cleaned up and here it is: I find the interior a pleasant place to be, too. The chap did much of the hard work really: besides cleaning it up, he got the engine running, serviced and treated to a new battery, new tyres, and he fabricated a new exhaust too. All to a high standard. He also did some welding, to not such a high standard. This is when he advertised it for sale on the blue. I went along, and was amazed at what good nick it was in, despite the heavily patinated(?) look. The engine ran fantastically and it drove really well on test drive too. Really easy to drive actually, with a lovely smooth column gearchange. I really liked the guy as well as the car and I thought the OMGBARNFIND story was pretty cool too, so I felt good about paying decent money for it. So money changed hands and she took up residence in my barn. The clutch was slipping so that had to be changed. Bastard job, and the gearchange is definitely stiffer than it should be. I don't know whether it will loosen up with use or not. But apart from that, as the engine runs so well, I have mostly been tackling the bodywork. There were loads of the sort of rubbish chickenwire type repairs that people seemed to do all the time in the 70s and 80s So the crap had to be cut out THe wheelarches were all shot... ...and there was rot in all sorts of fiddly bits: But the shock came when thinking that the paintwork looked a bit rough along the tops of the wings, and giving it a quick blip with the sanding disc. They disintegrated: at some point they had rotted through, and been repaired not with filler but with that gooey bathroom sealant stuff. (pretty much the same on both sides) So that had to be ground out and replaced with a bit of metal: A bit of actual metal put in: And finally, some wob ... and that's where I'm up to now. The end is in sight, and I'm looking forwards to driving around in it this summer. However here's the problem I'm chewing over at the moment: I really like the patinated, scruffy look this car has, and I was determined not to paint it. However the bodywork turned out to be quite a bit worse than I was expecting, so there are several pretty large areas of repairs that are now going to have to be pained over. Will it be possible to cover these with paint to match, or will it just look silly? In which case maybe I should abandon my intention of preserving the patina, and just give it new paint (if I can afford it)? The other thing I'd love advice on is what rustproofing products are best. It needs a good going over with something before it emerges from its hibernation. Cheers cros, Danblez, brickwall and 37 others 40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 A Minx like that is the first car I can remember my dad driving, which would have been about 1962. I have a feeling we did some quite long trips in it, but when you're three years old, any further than the day nursery is a long trip!Positively lovely, more please! beko1987 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucketeer Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Ah, so that's what your avatar pic thingummy is. As for the rust prevention, I can be no help.I'm like a rusty King Midas, everything I touch . . etc, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorfolkNWeigh Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Are you planning on MOTing ? Just curious as both my Dad with his Series 1 and a mate with a rodded Pop have both recently MOTd ,citing insurance agreed values as the reason. I resent giving the government anymore than I absolutely have to and definitely wouldn't voluntarily MOT anything I don't have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilko220 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Of course there is interest.Looks like you're doing a great job with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shep Shepherd Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 What a nice car. I remember seeing it on the blue forum some time ago and was worried that it would end up being horribly customised at some point. I'm glad that it's in safe hands urpert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Livered Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Are you planning on MOTing ? Just curious as both my Dad with his Series 1 and a mate with a rodded Pop have both recently MOTd ,citing insurance agreed values as the reason. I resent giving the government anymore than I absolutely have to and definitely wouldn't voluntarily MOT anything I don't have to.I feel the same way, although to be frank there's also the fact that I can't really be bothered to give up hours of my time to take it to the MoT centre, if I don't have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplebargeken Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Fab. Keep going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulgalour Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 For rust the best products at present appear to be Kurust for small areas and Bilt Hamber green gel for more advanced corrosion. For paint, I'd get some brush/roller on flat grey, looks similar to Ferguson tractor grey actually, and get busy applying it carefully to the areas that need it. You should end up with additional patina that looks like fresh repairs and adds to the visual story of the car, I think a full respray would lessen the appeal of this car. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Personally I wouldn't bother with the Kurust shit, but the Deox by Bilt Hamber is the bollox. Paint or patina as well as being damn near anagrammatic is also a big argument you can have with yourself. The 1955 Cowley I have is of the same calibre as the Minx (which looks so bloody nice btw) and once its painted and shiny, that's it - no longer can I say that its just how the loving Cowley craftsmen pushed it along to the rotodip and buffed it up afterwards with finest bull hide. Not that I can really say that anyway, but you get my point - its only original once. So without pushing any advice on to you - here is what I am going to do. Complete the full underside restoration (new brakes/bushes/pipes/flexies/cylinders/zorst and steel wherever needed. Sort the screen rubbers and get it running as best it can, new tyres on blasted/coated wheels (no more rim seal issues for me...) throw some seat covers and period 50s household rugs over the knackered interior and drive the bugger. All summer long. I can take a long hard look at bank balance and paint issues after I have enjoyed the car for a while. Its tantalisingly nearly ready for the road and to throw some fuel on another argument yes I am getting it MOTd. The bloke who is doing the car for me is a highly rated auto engineer with major standing in the club and he gets his own stuff MOTd - its another pair of eyes, another critical look at critical parts of the car but I am lucky in having a tester I trust. Hope this has not burdened you with too much information but that Minx reminds me so much of how the Cowley was a year ago. Good luck and good save - I love it.... Jim Bergerac, Skizzer, CGSB and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Oh, and whatever you do don't be tempted to replace those number plates. Perfection.... 500tops 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Wonderful! That interior looks like a timewarp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 It looks wonderful! If it were mine I'd plaster the underside with oil and grease and paint only the new repairs with coach enamel then just drive it... Asimo and Shep Shepherd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Very nice! I'd just primer the repairs - or source a used non-NOS wing and replace it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oman5 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 That is lovely. interior perfect, I think a full respray might make the patina'd areas of the car look worse though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Wonderful. Lots of great advice above about not painting the whole car. I agree entirely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_the_cat Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Another vote for Bilt Hamber here, although I've not tried their rust converter, but the Deox gel works, if slowly. Their S50 cavity wax is a lot more penetrative than Waxoyl, and I found a forum where a guy had tested them back to back which was interesting. Post 27 onwards. Before I knew about BH I used Dinitrol 3125. The BX is the car I've used it on the longest (10 years) and has yet to need any structural welding after 230k miles of daily use. Gut feeling says the BH seems better, but I've no long term experience of it yet! brickwall 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 One of the best looking cars of that era, they just seem to exude class/style. I wouldn't worry if you end up having the whole thing painted or just patch it up, either way it'll look great. The Autoshite way would be different shades of different paints, but it's your car at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Livered Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Thanks That's the issue really: there are quite a few repair patches, and it's just a question of whether or not there are so many that it makes more sense to paint the whole car, or at least the bottom half. I'd rather not. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squire_Dawson Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 On already rusted metal you can't beat POR-15. My tuppenn 'orth viz. pre-1960 MoT exemption is that I have always had it done, as I'm not a professional mechanic and like to be on the safe side. That is a lovely Minx though and here's another vote for keeping it looking essentially 'as found'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angrydicky Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 That is lovely! I had the horn for this when it was for sale on the blue forum. What a great job you're making of the repairs as well, really impressed. Considering the clutch was worn out I would suggest the mileage is round the clock, the seats are generally quite tough as long as they're not allowed to collapse and of course it could have had seat covers for most of its life. As for the paint issue, it's a difficult one. My Atlantic has presented the same quandary to me - it has great patina, but is hiding a lot of rust and bodged repairs, and if I'm going to the trouble of repairing the bodywork properly, I think it needs a respray to do it justice. The Somerset, on the other hand, I'm lucky with. It looks like a shed with great patina, but apart from a few small bits is very, very solid, so I won't be respraying. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Livered Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Considering the clutch was worn out I would suggest the mileage is round the clockIt could be, of course, but I'm blaming myself for the knackered clutch. When I picked it up from Bridgwater, which is about an hour from me, I realised that it was almost impossible to avoid motorways on the way home and quite frankly I lacked the balls, so I opted to have it recovered back to Livered Towers by a local firm. I was still trying to get to grips with the column change and err I drove it up the very steep ramp onto the truck in err third gear Angrydicky, CGSB, barefoot and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthebeard Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 What a lovely car!Regarding rustproofing, around 18 months ago I mixed black waxoyl with engine oil (70:30 ratio approx) and sprayed into the repaired sills of my 1988 944. It was fairly runny and when sprayed using electric spray gun and flexible lance, the penetration/coverage seemed fairly good. The misting was horrendous too, which probably helped the coverage but did nothing for the paintwork and windows that it settled on during the messy process! Having just peered into the sills through various bungs and vents it appears to be holding out so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSparrow Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Great purchase.Don't worry about it not being 'shite enough'. Its a great little car and it warms my heart to see stuff like this ressurected. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthebeard Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Great purchase.Don't worry about it not being 'shite enough'. Its a great little car and it warms my heart to see stuff like this ressurected.+1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonm Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you ever wanted to sell it, I'd be interested in spraying it metallic aqua blue and lowering it on to some really phat wheels with a noisy exhaust. Not really, but I remember loads of those driving about, and that looks superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Pelican Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Local to me ( or at least was ) stunning car in every way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyarddog Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Lovely old car.Looking forward to updates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sudsprint Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Extra points for the photo of it parked in your lounge. My wife would have objected, so full marks to you for sneaking it in. anonymous user 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scruff Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 A proper car, wonderful!! I like Vulg's suggestion of slapping some Fergie grey on the repaired bits. If it looks crap you've lost nothing except a few quid on paint. eddyramrod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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