Munster Mini - '98 Cooper Restoration

[Billy]

I bought this '98 Cooper last March, got it through its NCT first time, and the diff shattered the gearbox on the way home. Through this forum I picked up another MPi engine and gearbox which has worked fine but I needed to sort out the bodywork. This has got to be ready for the trip to Switzerland for IMM2011. I stripped the shell and delivered it to Martin Murray in Croom who is a club member and the owner of a gorgeous Mk1 Moke.




The lift I bought on the forum was very handy


Rust on both corners of scuttle and damage to wheelwell from a jack




Off to Martin's on the trusty trailer


Passenger door with new skin


Inner scuttle cut out for replacement. Outer scuttle will be repaired at corners

[DaveC]

Good work Billy

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Nice work Billy.


How exactly do you intend getting back to 2010 ? Will there be some DeLoren parts fitted ?

[kerryminigringo]

Good to see progress on the Munster Mini,will the logos be going back on it again.And I see no shots of the rear of the trailer,best not to get TMG crying again about his light board.

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Fuffin mutterin bloomin fummer.

[Billy]

Went to visit Martin today to see how progress was coming with the Munster Mini.

Here's the original front panel with damage and rust all along the bottom of it:


And here's the replacement Heritage panel:


The subframe is out and will be cleaned up and painted


Rust on the inner ashtray panel thanks to the infamous wide windscreen rubber


Inner wings showing drilled out spotwelds



And the engine bay cleaned up from split brake fluid


The passenger side had taken a slap at some point in the past and the wing had been replaced


We held up the new front panel to the car and you can see the huge difference between the factory wing on the drivers side and the replacement spurious wing on the passenger side. You can also see where the aperture for the headlight had been butchered to adjust the lights. The aperture is a different shape.



Needless to say we are now replacing the passenger wing with a genuine Heritage panel.

Billy

[Billy]

Some rust on the upper sill means a phone call to Somerford in the morning

[macker]

Billy, if you want i have a door step repair panel that might do the trick for that

[Billy]

If I was living closer Macker, I would definitely take it off you. Thanks for the offer though.

I assume this is what I'm looking for?

http://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/eshop/in ... cts_id=316

I have to order a few more small bits for the car anyway so I'll get them all together.

Billy

[kerryminigringo]

Might want to replace that bent pasenger side tie arm as well.Looking like a proper job is being done on it.

[Tony Cooney]

Looking forward to seeing the finished job and my tent is looking forward to going to IMM in it.......!!!!!



Tony

[Billy]

The new door step section arrived today so off again to Croom to inspect progress. One thing I noticed about the repair section is that it doesn't include the crease where the step meets the rear wing. You have to take it for granted that spurious panels are rarely as good as genuine Heritage ones. Martin will be cutting this panel so that it meets the correct seam.



The new inner scuttle has been welded in


Along with a couple of small holes in the drivers floor


The spurious LH wing has been removed


and the front scuttle has been repaired using the sections got from Somerford



Next on the agenda is repair the door step, verify the door fitting, fit the new Heritage LH wing, and then fit the new front panel. As the car took a slap with a previous owner, Martin wants to make sure each new section is perfectly aligned before proceeding forward towards the front panel.

The next week should see a big difference.

Billy

[Laurna77]

Looking forward to seen the Munster back on the road soon

[Jason79]

jas billy some serious work going on, she'll be lovely when shes finished...

[Billy]

Jason,

Unlike you who did all the work on your own car, I have to get others to work on mine as my only attempts at welding were sticking rods to metal back in AnCO (FAS predecessor) in college.

It will be nice as I've seen Martin's work (especially his Mini Moke) and he does a good job.

Billy

[Kenneth Murphy]

sticking rods to metal back in AnCO (FAS predecessor) in college.

ha - my Dad done that as well but he bought a welder recently and just keeps practicing

[Tony Cooney]

Coming along nicely Billy


Tony

[Billy]

The new doorstep has been fitted:


Sitting up on one of Martin's two chassis-straightening jigs, though thankfully my shell is straight.


Getting closer to painting.

Billy

[kerryminigringo]

Good progress there Billy,is that a MKI,II Transit I see in the backround of the last picture.

[Billy]

It's a Mk1 Transit pickup that Martin has lengthened the chassis on and will use it as a beavertail to transport his old cars to shows. Great workmanship.

If anyone wants to view Martin's workshop, let me know and we can arrange to call there.

Billy

[Billy]

The new A-panels, passenger wing and front panel are now welded on.





FYI, Martin advertises each month in Irish Vintage Scene for fitting vinyl roofs for anyone with a Mini Special (and there's a few in the club and they originally came with a vinyl roof which inevitably rips). He was working on this Ford Cortina Mk2 when I called this morning.

[Billy]

More news on the resto.

Collected the new front subframe last night (Thanks Bert!) and the Mini is now in primer. Had to do some checking on paint codes and according to the VIN plate, the paint code for my car is RCQ. This equates to Flame Red for the body and White Diamond 2 for the roof.

Everything you need to know about UK-spec paint codes can be figured out from these two websites:

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=289950
http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/in ... ntry517233

Photos in primer later.

Billy

[Billy]

With the paint codes sorted, it's now ready for painting.

I now have to build up the new subframe back home which will then be put back in place once the painting is completely finished.

Billy

[Tony Cooney]

It's coming along nicely Billy. Will look better with its' new BMW tow bar on the back of it............!!!



Tony

[Billy]

It's coming along nicely Billy. Will look better with its' new BMW tow bar on the back of it............!!!



Tony

We showed him!!!