Hi Guys,
My Name is Dylan and i have an 66 mini that needs a lot of work done to it.
I wasn't sure if there was a thread for this specifically or not, if there is please point me in that direction.
I bought it a few years ago in the hope of getting it on the road sooner rather than later. But things change and it has sat in the garage ever since. the body is in pretty good shape besides the usual rust spots for mini's. It seems a previous owner decided that they loved filler and there are spots up to 20mm thick in areas. Currently it has all the interior, doors, glass and exterior chrome and fittings removed. i don't have all the money in the world, and so i am doing a lot of this myself. So i wanted to get opinions on where to take it to get the car stripped around Melbourne? or even a good way to get all the layers of grease/paint and bog off? i have some stripping disks for the grinder which work fine for the areas that don't have massive amounts of filler, but i was wondering any other tips and tricks any seasoned mini people might have.

Cheers Dylan

For bulk bog removal it is hard to beat an angle grinder with a twistknot wire wheel.
Wear eye protection and a facemask. Beware, it creates copious amounts of bog dust.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

As the doc said, spaghetti discs are also very very good

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If you can stretch your cash (I know you're cost conscious) you can ring around for plastic/glass bead blasting. You will get wildly different quotes. I was able to get mine done at Thomastown for 800 dollars including subframes and an extra pair of doors and protected in two pack primer. Some quotes went as high as 2000 however, so keep ringing.

These guys were where I got that price from, but times change and so do quotes. Just keep trying. http://www.sandblast.com.au/

Keep stripping it, every hour you spend is 100 dollars you haven't paid someone else.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

When I did my shell I lathered paint stripper onto a panel at a time, waited till it did its job and dried then attacked it with a grinder and wire wheel or flappy disc.
I was onto my second grinder by the time I finished the shell but it did the job. Definitely wait until the stripper is dry otherwise it flicks onto all sorts of things that it shouldn't...learnt that the hard way!
Also I chemically cleaned and then primered each panel as I completed it. That way if you have small holes that need welding you can just buzz the primer from around the edges when it comes time to weld.

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Tim

Thanks for all your input and suggestions! i have been looking around at the blasting and it might be the best option for me, as it is currently in my dads very small garage. anyway ill keep plugging away till i can find something.
Thanks again for your speedy responses. =)

Hey if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for this beuty? love this type and im currently looking for myself..

was it hard to find?

I got it for $1950 from a guy on ebay, the guy used it more as a go cart to hoon around industrial estates
un-registered. i was keeping an eye out for a while and there are some good buying guides about mini's. Really either you pay a lot for a finished one or find one that needs at least some bodywork. Mine needs a lot of body work as the previous owner just kept on hiding rust under more sills and welding new on top! I plan on doing a bare metal restoration. The engine, interior and other parts are still in good shape. it is a deluxe with a 998 engine. I think it was a pretty awesome price for everything that it had, not roadworthy but hopefully in the not so distant future! Good luck with your search!

Looks like a nice find, good luck with your restoration! I'll have to just keep looking, Thanks

Most of the Mini car clubs in each state have a marketplace where cars (and parts) are bought and sold. Search on NSW Mini club, VMCI (Vic Mini), etc. to find their websites. Some may require you to be a member to see the adverts.

Persian - suggest you add your location to your profile. You may get more help if others know you live nearby, for example.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Good idea, done! Im in Adelaide, yes ive had a look they had only one for sale which does look in good condition!