The engine as you can see is out, dismounted from the subframe, cleaned and ready for stripping.

Nothing too untoward found, probably the most major problem to fix under the bonnet is going to be the wiring. The original loom has been rather cut and shut. It’s been converted to use an Alternator instead of the original Dynamo and voltage regulator, but the wiring work leaves a bit to be desired!

So more jobs for the list!

The good news is, ther subframe and front suspension all look just fine, with the exception of the discs and pads that will need to be replaced with new.

First things first though, and that’s to strip the engine to make sure all is well inside. I’m hoping it won’t reveal too many surprises, it was running well when I bought the car. It actually drove about 150 miles home without any major issues. But there was a little oily smoke on start up and there is definitly excessive whine from the gearbox even by Mini standards.

Ok so here we are. I’ve stripped everything out of the shell, literally everything, so it’s ready to go for shot blasting.

Fortunatly there are no major surprises, although there are patches on patches in a few places and a few strange “fixes” like new outer A-Panels while the inner ones are rotten through, so there is very little holding the doors on! It’s had new front wings, but they have been badly fitted to the original inner wings, so will need some work. Probably carefull cutting off the new wings and then replacement of the old inner ones.

So it’s off to the shot blasters. I wonder how much will be left when it comes back?

While it’s there I’ll get stuck into the engine and gearbox!

It might not look too rough from the outside, but under the skin there is plenty to keep me busy.

My intension is to restore it to as original condition as possible. So what exactly is it? 

It’s a 1969 998cc Mini Cooper, with the original body, engine and gearbox, all great for the future value. However the body is suffering and needs some serious attention. It’s had a fair few patches already welded into it, so to make it as original as possible it’s going to need all these removing and quite a few replacement panels, certainly floor pans, inner wings and A- Panels. The doors will need careful repair too. The boot floor, although quite new, might need some ‘re-work’. This is probably just the tip of the iceberg?

The engine runs but will need to be opened and fully checked. There is a little smoke when accelerating under load, and the oil pressure could be better. Hopfully reconditioning the Cylinder Head, re-honeing the bores, a set of piston rings and bearing shells and a new oil pump should see it in tip top order again, unless there are other yet undetected gremlins.

The Gearbox is very noisy, so is in for a strip and rebuild and I predict it won’t be going back together with the original bearings! Hopefully all the gears are ok, but if not they will need to be replaced too.

The subframes are both solid, but they will be stripped, cleaned, painted and re-built with new bushes, bearings, brakes, nuts bolts and anything else they need.

Inside there will be some more major work! All the seats need to be re-conditioned and that’s just the start, the carpets and headlining will need to be renewed and the dash board needs attention too!

All this plus it’s going to need nearly all the wiring sorting out, it’s had a bad alternator conversion, but it will go back to the original Dynamo and regulator system.

So not a project for the faint hearted. Fortunatly this is my passion and it’s not the first project of this kind that I have taken on. It is however the first time I have recorded my exploits on the internet. So bear with me and hopfully the story as it unfolds will prove interesting, and perhaps even entertaining?

Watch this space…..!

This is a story about the rebirth of a 1969 Mini Cooper

“I’m going to make it Great Again!”