I'm thinking of restoring a mini and an engine conversion and I'm curious to know if anyone has anyone they can recommend for body work and paint?

Can you guys let me know costs as well and any parts suppliers you recommend.

How much can you do yourself? & that will help in a big way of how much things can cost. Do you already have a car to start with? Are you after a daily car, weekend car or a concourse quality car? What sort of mini do you want? What sort of engine conversion do you want? You could spend anywhere between $1000 to $50,000. If you are looking at it from a monetary value it might be cheaper buying a car already finished.


Brad

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During the day I work on English designed cars & on my own time I work on English designed cars....

After I posted I realised my post was a little vague.

I don't have a mini just yet, I'm on the lookout. I can do everything except for body work. I just haven't tried to do any bodywork and I don't think I'll be good at it. I will drive the car everyday, however I want the car to be done properly and if something looks old, I will most likely replace it so it's new and shiny. I'm not too concerned with cost just yet.

Due to the conversion it has to be a pre 73 mini. You asked what mini I want, and to be honest I'm not familiar with models and common terminology so I'll just say round nose without the rectangular lights at the rear.

The engine conversion I would like is the Vetech Hayabusa kit that's still being developed at the moment.

I should also say that I will upgrade the brakes, suspension and interior with all new gauges and seats, door cards, basically everything to suit my style/taste which is more slanted towards race/track than street.

Where are you located Cosi. You need to update your profile. That way you'll get appropriate answers and contacts.

There was an R1 powered Clubby for sale last year. https://www.facebook.com/groups/4427759 ... 015292654/

Most body places wont topcoat over someone elses body work. Depends on the state of the body.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

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http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=93352

If I'm carrying on like a pork-chop, I'm having a great time.

If I go very quiet there's a very good chance I broke something.

Sorry about that, I am in Sydney



I have asked an RMS signatory/engineer over the years about motorcycle engine kits and none of them are up to the standards he would consider legal except for the Vetech kit. The supercharge option is very attractive to me. However, before I lay the money down I might get a mate in the UK to go for a ride in their demo car.

Have you joined any of the mini facebook groups yet?

Just this group MORRIS/LEYLAND MINI buy,swap,sell Australia

Can you suggest any

I hope these links work ok

https://www.facebook.com/www.miniclub.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/250368238352982/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/216862841671190/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/499323503574953/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/180450932005600/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44277597653/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/620881087981725/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/886243474768098/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/115830335101408/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469020373312633/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/846046202127341/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1591659074449884/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/miniclubsa/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/74959098758/

cool, thanks.

So many options. I'll have to sit tight until their kit is proven in their orange road car and then I will decide if I want to get this kit.

Best way to start a restoration is to put one only hundred dollar note on the table,.
and then put 99 other notes on top of the first one.

This is just the starting point, you may have to add a few extra notes to the stack on the table.

Most of my restorations have cost about 15-16,000 $ each. I now have an early moke, a pick up
and a mini sedan.

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Alpine Mountains full of Mini's and Moke's.

...and your partner said

The hardest part about paying for restoration work is finding a competent tradesperson, who is honest (no offence to the many honest ones, but some of your colleagues are letting you down!), can listen, advise, discuss and agree, and isn't absolutely snowed under with work

Beware the low hourly rate..."we only charge $70/Hour"...which means nothing really (e.g. if they put a novice on the job or take twice as long as the people quoting over a $100 per)

A written agreement is probably not worth the paper it is written on...but if worse comes to worse and you decide to risk losing your assets in a court of law...then it may be useful as evidence and as a bargaining tool.

Fair Trading The Best of British Luck dealing with that lot

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"Show me the Mini!"

It all comes down to what sort of restoration you want. I have seen some half assed jobs that were "restored". To me restored means stripping the car to a bare shell and replacing everything and I mean everything with either new or restored parts right down to every nut and bolt.

For this type of restoration you will spend minimum $20K. You need to decide right at the start to what level you are going to restore and stick to it eg seats, do you just get them recovered or do you strip them to the frames, blast and powder coat them and then replace everything with brand new parts.

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1965 Riley Elf
1974 Ex Army Moke
1997 Rover Cooper
2002 JCW Cooper
2003 JCW Cooper S

What's the word for working original then? Cos I don't feel like im half assing by using what i have.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

_________________
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=93352

If I'm carrying on like a pork-chop, I'm having a great time.

If I go very quiet there's a very good chance I broke something.