sutty2006 Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Not mine. But an ex work colleague that I keep in touch with required my assistance today. He’s bought this mini van that’s not seen the road since late 90s. Last tax disk in window 99. It’s been sat under trees at the top of a steep drive ever since, wedged between a double garage and a wall. its borked. But my mate is going to restore it. the exhaust had to be cable tied up. the floor isn’t there anymore Ive braced across the dash support to the b pillar, as jacking the front up left the back bit where it sat. once the nackered wheels and tyres were replaced for good ones, and the front drums smashed off it rolled. Diff was seized but that freed off with a bar. it now sits awaiting a trailer tomorrow. How much of it will fall off during transit. Place your bets. It’s a 1971 by the way. UltraWomble, theshadow, danthecapriman and 41 others 43 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 sutty2006 and Twiggy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the van Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 He's a brave man.😬 808 Estate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 'Kinell. I hope it was cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Jetter Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Why isn't he on here? 500tops and Flat4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Longbridge Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Wow! Whilst it looks rogered, all of the parts which need replacement are normal Mini resto stuff I'd have thought. At least there'll be no question of whether certain parts require patching/repairing - it'll be swathes of new panels regardless. Interestingly, the roof seams and rear quarters look pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Where do you start welding that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 13 hours ago, sierraman said: Where do you start welding that? ya ass to the parts and panels web page online ordering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fumbler Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 10 minutes ago, sierraman said: Where do you start welding that? 4 minutes ago, stuboy said: ya ass AnnoyingPentium and horriblemercedes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 One advantage of Mini's being expensive is scrap like this is worth repairing. It's so far gone, it can't be bodged to get back on the road and has to be done properly! Probably end up better than many shiny others for sale. Saabnut, JMotor, BlankFrank and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 22, 2022 Author Share Posted April 22, 2022 2 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said: Interestingly, the roof seams and rear quarters look pretty good. Pretty much the only panels that will be reused. Everything else has either fallen off or will inevitably fall off once the hammer comes out. Today has been productive. My welder was giving me grief, to the point where I sacked it off and drove half a mile up the road to borrow one off a good friend who has the same welder but with 0.8 wire instead of my 0.6 and what a difference that made. and yes. It looks like every panel apart from the roof is buyable, new. So I recon a lot will be made from new panels, but you have to have a reference to put them together, so he has a base to go off. Cost? Less than a grand. Low Horatio gearbox, LightBulbFun, BlankFrank and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobloseven Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Wonder how much it'd go for at Mathewsons? Weekends work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 22, 2022 Author Share Posted April 22, 2022 Cheapest van on evilbay is 12k restored. Probably gonna take close to 7/8k to restore? I’ll keep this post updated as and when I can. Tickman and puddlethumper 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 22, 2022 Author Share Posted April 22, 2022 17 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said: How the actual fuck do you even begin to weld that back together? By buying shares in mig wire and gas 🤣 in all honest. I think he will start at the bottom, and work his way up. HarmonicCheeseburger, 808 Estate and GingerNuttz 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 22, 2022 Author Share Posted April 22, 2022 2 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said: Given the values of them I suppose even if he replaces every panel bar the roof he still could make a solid profit. I’d say so yes. It’ll be a van of pretty much new panels. Bonnet, doors, front end all shot to pieces. We left the front wings there in the scrap pile as there wasn’t a non rusty edge on them. It has literally fallen in half. this was the photo he sent me a few days ago. Before work started. He took the doors off by pulling the a pillars off. Low Horatio gearbox, theshadow, 500tops and 1 other 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 It's hard not to like a Mini van even when half of it has dissolved . HMC, AnnoyingPentium, eddyramrod and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Jetter Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 45 minutes ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said: What state is the engine/box in? Not really that relevant, can be sorted. Body is the rare thing and the rear especially. HarmonicCheeseburger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 7 hours ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said: What state is the engine/box in? Seized and rusty. Like everything else. We had to free something off inside the diff as after smashing the front drums off the wheels still wouldn’t turn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2_craig Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Fair play to the lad for wanting to have a crack at that, it looks absolutely CATTLED. If he takes his time then the market will probably have risen enough to result in a tasty profit margin. Is the plan to go back to original condition, or modify/upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMotor Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Following this. Do like a good resto thread. But I do envy Mini owners. Because of the available panels, ok some are crap quality. But nowt as bad as some of the shite I've been forced to use. Sills on the Vectra were a phoned in job for sure! sutty2006, AnnoyingPentium and Matty 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_Rocket Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 I've never seen one that bad ever come back together again. Kudos to your pal if he manages to get it back to the point it'll support its own weight, but realistically, that one is done, regardless of panel availability! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiatPhil Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Excellent project. I'd love to have the dedication to do this type of thing. I looked at the British Motor Heritage website; it looks like the body shell for the car is available complete, but only selected panels for the van, it seems quite a bit of the rear of this car will have to be re-used! https://www.bmh-ltd.com/vehicle-parts/mini-parts/traveller-van-pick-up-specific-panels/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiC Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 I believe its the M Machine panels are regarded as some of the best. @Ben_O is our resident Mini restoring professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobloseven Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Really looking forward to seeing how this progresses. One good thing, there's not much trim to replace! Friend bought one new in 1972.Don't think it even had floor mats. Think paint was an option, with vans supplied in grey primer if required so as buyers could finish them in their own livery. Would love to see it end up as it was on the day it left the factory. Appreciate other opinions are available, though! Interesting to see the care you're taking moving it. In contrast to the£18k Mathewsons Cooper S, which they knew would be reshelled anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Utoob 'UPbuild' mini nutter..... Every panel gap + hidden spot-weld. Exhausting just to watch [and build a garage too!] 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_O Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 The more knackered they are, the more joy you get from restoring them. Top buyage, I would 😉 Good luck to your pal Ben SiC, chaseracer, Merryck and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 The van “Labby” is now home. According to Steve they swept a lot of it off the trailer. But that’s part n parcel of it. it has foldable rear seats. Apparently a dealer option back in the day. He’s ordering a custom made load bed for it but he’s unsure if he’s keeping the rear seats or not. I said keep them. He’s not so sure and wants it original. It’s amazing what does still work. The door latches and locks still work. All the switches inside still work. a view from the back. The rear doors still open and the latch works perfect it sits next to a J plate mini that Steve has beautifully kept on the road. the original 850 engine felt seized. We pulled the plugs, threw some maintenance spray down there and put it in gear. Rocked it forward and backward and the engine freed off pretty quickly. He’s considering keeping the 850 in it. More rear rustiness. JrWomble, tooSavvy, Datsuncog and 21 others 23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Looking forward to seeing the welding on this. I’m guessing it’ll start with a pair of sills? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 His plan is to tuck the blue one up close to the edge of his car port and put the van in the middle. He will then get a rear subframe and bolt the new floor to it. Then the sills and floors after and weld them in. Any parts that can be reused off the original will be. But mostly used as reference. SiC, N Dentressangle and Dyslexic Viking 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Jetter Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Keep those seats in. I think it was a rarely taken option, might set it apart from others. sutty2006, Cavcraft, Rust Collector and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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