Rusty the race car - Rebuild project. 1973 mini 1000

[weirdeh]

I have had the car 4 about 4 years. bought it with the intention of making it into a race car. well one thing lead to another and it has only sat in the corner. well now My 15 year old daughter has asked to have the car for her 16th birthday in May. (yes just 4 months from now) So we have cleaned up the garage enough to get the car on the spit. this was no easy task as there was 4 years worth of "stuff"' on top of the car.

As I was planning on making this a race car I started collecting performance parts. the plan was to Super Charge the 998 using a Mazda S/C unit. the S/C will go where the Alternator is now and the Alternator will go behind the valve cover. It will be a blow through system. I have a carb from a Metro Turbo. Hopefully without issue.

Here are a few pics.
http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/

[94touring]

Thanks for sharing.  You certainly have your work cut out! 

[weirdeh]

I hope I am not doing all of the work. the plan is if the Daughter wants the car she needs to learn to weld and do the work. it is her inside the car getting it apart. I am really only the shop foreman. :)
we have even had her younger sister out helping take the tail lights out.

It will be a fun project and really it is not that bad. my first mini was worse. at least with Rusty (that is the cars name) the cross brace and rear toe board are still there. and the boot floor is solid.

I have the "new" sub frames and a lot of the panels. at least the hard to make panels.
we think there will be about 800 hours worth of labour needed to get it close to paint.

[danotje]

I think having her help is awesome! She will appreciate it so much more. That is one of the reasons why I decided to tackle the work on my 81 (well that and the only way I can guarantee the quality of the work). Good luck! I'm interested to see how you get along.

[hypeboy]

hey buddy that's a nice car. I'm sure you and your daughter are excited on restoring that car. just replace a few mini parts which has no use already. Clean the rust, just put a lil effort and I believe that car will cost more than restoring it. goodluck post your the new pictures!

[weirdeh]

wow its been over a year since I posted on here. sorry kind of forgot about the web site. and we will need to take pics.
Progress has been made! we have almost all the floor back in. ( due to lack of cash flow we are making our own panels) the A pillers and door frame/openings have been completed! and if we are lucky we will reach our goal of getting the right front fender back on before She goes back to school next week (on March Break)
We have gone through 3 pounds of welding wire, but her welds are getting better :)

we are looking for a "cheap" 1275 head so we can S/C this 998. anybody have a spare?

will try to get photo's up later today.

[94touring]

Cool, I thought you had given up on this car its been so long!

[Mudhen]

wow its been over a year since I posted on here. sorry kind of forgot about the web site. and we will need to take pics.
Progress has been made! we have almost all the floor back in. ( due to lack of cash flow we are making our own panels) the A pillers and door frame/openings have been completed! and if we are lucky we will reach our goal of getting the right front fender back on before She goes back to school next week (on March Break)
We have gone through 3 pounds of welding wire, but her welds are getting better :)

we are looking for a "cheap" 1275 head so we can S/C this 998. anybody have a spare?

will try to get photo's up later today.

Definitely interested in seeing some updated pics.  (hint, hint)

19.gif

[weirdeh]

WOW Almost 2 years And I still haven't updated the Photo's. so slack. :)
OK so still working on it just really slow. have had some down time and unable to get to it. other projects have gotten the time and energy. will take some more phot's tomorrow. Really I promise.

The daughter has stripped the doors and they are ready for final prep then paint. hood and trunk as well.

Last month we ran across a stash of parts and now have new interior parts and a bunch of the expensive drive line parts (master cylinder, clutch disk etc) and New Carpet.

Got a nice wooden steering wheel that needs referb but can not find the boss that was to be in the boxes. the seller will double check for me.

OK so tomorrow will take pics. and maybe even work on it some we really haven't done much in a year, seeing as the Daughter is in University now.

[Mudhen]

[weirdeh]

I know I know I promised pics...but spent the day getting the GT (garden Tractor) ready for the snow coming this weekend. have not moved the Race car out of the corner of the shop yet. need some help and the daughter is writing exams (yes on a saturday) as soon as we can move my car into the corner I will take some pics. really. I could post a pic of the tractor with the snowblower and homemade cab. I mean it is a 1971 sears tractor but not really mini related much :)

[Mudhen]

Our snowblower started on the first pull this afternoon in preparation of doing battle tomorrow.  Don't worry, though - we'll make sure we save you some of the white stuff when it passes over here tonight on its way to you!   4.gif

[weirdeh]

OK I still haven't gotten Rusty out of the corner, had issues with tractor and had to work on that. tomorrow we are expecting more snow. might get to shuffle things soon.  :(

BUT I did put up 3 teaser pics on my photobucket.

http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/Adam_Raeburn/library/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild

Later.

[pbraun]

Keep at it!

[weirdeh]

My work after 3 hours
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/12192013317.jpg

Megan's work after 3 hours.

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/RearQuarter.jpg

she won't give me more pics of the work we did get done over the summer cause she thinks I take all the credit when I post :)

[94touring]

Ha that's cool  4.gif

[Mudhen]

My work after 3 hours
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/12192013317.jpg

Megan's work after 3 hours.

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/RearQuarter.jpg

she won't give me more pics of the work we did get done over the summer cause she thinks I take all the credit when I post :)

4.gif

Gives me hope that in 7 or 8 years I'll actually start getting some help.   ::)

[weirdeh]

Wow I can't believe that I dont post on here that much. Well we have to do a bit of an update. pictures a very few. but check out what she did Yesterday!
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n498/Adam_Raeburn/Rusty%20-%20The%20rebuild/Rusty%20painted.jpg
things are looking up.
the engine shop says we should have the engine in a couple more weeks!

nope not even going to promise to post more pics. (but I might)

[94touring]

Yeah where ya been?

[weirdeh]

Yeah Sorry about that. I was into old sears lawn tractors for a bit and then there was the rebuild on the 1977 GMC palm beach motorhome. (that project should finish up this summer)

Anyway. with the daughter in university in another city it makes it hard to work on the car.
That and I had to replace the tow board in my mini because the rear sub frame almost fell out. there was not much holding it in.

So now back to Rusty the Race car. things are coming together.
It took me almost a year to figure out that the wrong valves got ordered for the longman head. they apparently don't use part numbers. so now the machine shop can get the head done and back onto the 998. with all new pistons and cam etc.

Can't wait to hear it fire for the first time!