ground up reshell from '73 to SPI shell

[jeffm5150]

Hi all - a friend recommended I post some information on my Mini build here, so here goes.

I bought a '73 Canadian Austin Mini 1000 in 2008.  At the end of last year I decided to install a roll cage since I regularly participate in track weekends for the Arizona National Auto Sport Association.  I came to the conclusion that a full floor, cross member, inner and outer sills, and heel board would have to be replaced to address all rusty panels.  A came across a new-old-stock shell and decided to do a ground up reshell restoration, in which I'm currently in final assembly stage.

My goal is to build the car the way I want without concern about full originality.  I have plenty of fabrication skills so I've made many custom brackets and parts that you'll not see on any other car.  I had a roll cage built by a specialist, did the dry fitting of nearly all parts myself, then had a top quality paint and body shop do their magic.  All final assembly is being done by myself (and a little help from friends when 2 hands aren't enough) in my garage.

For those that want to follow my almost-daily blog updates with detailed pictures and writeup, I encourage you to check out my online blog and/or the associated Facebook blog site.  I also have a massive collection of pictures I've taken of the project in my online photo gallery.

I'm attaching a few pictures - one a year after I purchased the car, one on track at a NASA event this time last year, one of the shell that I'm currently doing final assembly, and the last is of the car as it sits in the garage right now today.

Some links:

• blog site (you can subscribe with RSS link): http://miniblog.desertwave.com/
• Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/arizonaclassicmini
• Photo gallery: http://desertwave.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=15543

I hope my build is interesting to at least a few of you.  I can't wait to get my Mini back on the road/track.

[94touring]

Thanks for sharing. 

[Mudhen]

Hey JeffM - welcome aboard!

'found a NOS shell'...cheater.   :D

Your build is absolutely of interest to me...will be digging into your pics and posts - particularly around the cage install.  I plan on building my own cage if I can ever get around to finishing the shell...will also be trying to build just towards functionality and going non-original when it makes sense.  As if any of this makes sense...lol.

Thanks for posting it up!

Pat