Team BMC - Shitbox Rally 2013 - 69 Mini Van - We did it!

[bnicho]

ive liked you on face book, does this make me a stalker??

We always welcome more talkers on Facebook.

[TerryG]

ive liked you on face book, does this make me a stalker??

No, but your restraining order from Anna Friel says that you are

[rich.]

[bnicho]

Welded a patch into the rear quarter and welded up a few pinholes on the flange. I'm pretty happy with the result for my first attempt at butt-welding into a panel. A skim of filler and it should be good.



Cheers,

[JPB]

Nothing wrong with that repair, I sometimes think that it's an unwritten rule of eBay UK that people listing minis on there must use only Cataloy and newspaper to effect repairs in that location.

[bnicho]

Nothing wrong with that repair, I sometimes think that it's an unwritten rule of eBay UK that people listing minis on there must use only Cataloy and newspaper to effect repairs in that location.

I've never seen rust in that spot before!

This car continues to surprise me. We thought the rear valance was rust-free until the other day when I tapped it with a screwdriver and it went through in two places!!

So the list of welding repairs left is:

- Patch repairs to both front wings. Maybe replace the passenger side one completely.
- Replace one A panel and patch the other.
- Partial skins on both rear load doors.
- Patch in the top of the drivers side inner front wing.
- Repair drivers door pocket.
- Patch the corner of the right rear quarter.
- Patch or replace rear valance.
- Patch bumper mount lip on the front panel. Or I may cut the rusty bit out of it and cut the bumper back to match. The Lotus Cortina look!

About 16 weeks until the Rally. Trying not to leave it all to the last minute.

At least the mechanical part is familiar territory. Once the bodywork its done it should come together pretty quickly.

Cheers,

[JPB]

I've never seen rust in that spot before!

If only shipping a mini shell from Aus to the UK were financially viable. (Yes, I've even checked, it would be twice as much as American shipping )

I've welded up minis where there was nothing but fresh air between there and the heelboard/rear arch area, so much so that a jig would be required to fit heelboard captive nut sections if the car were to run true - many of them don't of course.
Ironically, such relatively major mini rust is more of a problem now that values (or "asking prices" as I prefer to call them) of decent examples are so high. A few short years ago, anything where the lower edge of those quarters was rotten enough to compromise the shell's integrity (yours is near perfect by comparison with most UK minis) would simply have become a parts donor and maybe a fridge or two, now people whose welding is frankly shocking are cobbling minis together with no more care than taking rough measurements in the dark before attaching those three structural zones together with no regard for accuracy.
There's a clean looking MK1 on eBay just now which simply doesn't drive in a straight line and has been fitted with half an inch of spacer thickness behind its N/S/R wheel just so that the back end appears true if measured to the edges of the arch lips.
Believe me when I tell you that yours is in the sort of condition we used to see in four to five year old minis from areas of the UK that used road salt. You're lucky to be where you are for so many reasons, but even I'd consider moving to another country if that country could supply as many rust free and virtually rust free minis, '70s Japanese tin and "Fins & Chrome" motors with the steering wheel in the correct place.


I hope you're not easily frightened, have a look at this piccie:

[bnicho]

I've never seen rust in that spot before!

If only shipping a mini shell from Aus to the UK were financially viable. (Yes, I've even checked, it would be twice as much as American shipping )

Four would fit in one 20 foot container if carefully packed as two stories. That would make it more viable.

An awful lot of Aussie Minis have already gone to the US and UK.

I guess we are fortunate in many ways. Old cars do survive here in high numbers, historic rego and insurance is cheap.

However, the cost of living and property prices are high. So it's not all good.

Cheers,

[kstrutt1]

You should try tge property prices in the southest of the Uk GPB 200k fo the most basic 3 bedroom house often with no parking or garage, move closer to London and this can easily double

[bnicho]

You should try tge property prices in the southest of the Uk GPB 200k fo the most basic 3 bedroom house often with no parking or garage, move closer to London and this can easily double

200GBP will only buy a small flat in Western Sydney these days. Maybe 90mins commute to the city. In Melbourne (where I live) or Brisbane that will buy you an entry level two or three bedroom house or villa in the outer suburbs, maybe an hour's commute from the city. Again, the closer you get, the higher the prices go.

But I think our wages are higher than the UK, so maybe it evens out.

I choose to live 45 mins from the city so we can afford a decent sized 4 bed house and a relatively large block. In a couple of years we hope to move further out onto a couple of acres so we have even more space. I'll just put up with the commute.

Cheers,