Project Old Dog

[sparetimetoys]

How far into the door jam does the replacement panel go?   My front edge is pushed in and has put a twist in the first step but it doesn't go past that. I know it's a golf cart tire but I do like the width.

[94touring]

Just a tad bit of filler huh..  Which panel are you asking about? 

[sparetimetoys]

I need the left wing and the panel behind it that the door hinge bolts go thru that's the one with all the bondo. In your store section it's called an a panel external hinge right hand side.

[94touring]

The inner and outter A-panels are what the doors bolt to.  They just adjoin up against the outline of the door frame via a lip. 

[sparetimetoys]

I can probably bring back the one part to where it belongs but the part of the wing where it's pushed in that is toast. If the panel has a lip on the door edge side I'm golden. If not I'll have to make a little .25 by about 3" piece to weld in.

[94touring]

The inner a panels I have come with the blockoff plate under the windscreen scuttle corner too.  Once you get the a panels off you can inspect the door frame and kick panels.

[sparetimetoys]

I went out after dinner and continued prospecting. After busting out some do the bondo I found it was torn at the lower hinge holes. I started planing my cuts for damage removal. I'm going just above the upper hinge down the edge of the door jam and slight angle forward at where the door corner is.  One last question for the night. What makes these rear drums cost so much?  I was looking at brake parts at one of the on line shops and they must think these are Porsche brakes.

[94touring]

Who were you looking at?  I can get the spaced drums for about 40 bucks a pop then shipping.   

[sparetimetoys]

You need to sell yours to MM. That's where I saw the Porsche priced ones. Check the link.

http://www.minimania.com/part/SUPERFINS/Superfin-Aluminum-Alloy-Brake-Drum-pair

[94touring]

Mm is expensive.   Look here for those.  http://minispares.com/search/classic/superfins.aspx
Genuine pair would be about $170 after the exchange rate.  I have a pair in my shop but they're going on my truck. 

[sparetimetoys]

Got a fresh cutoff wheel today and got the A panel ruffed out until I get the replacement. I got the right wing off. I also worked on pulling the dents in the jam out.  I have then to where I'm happy there is just a small dip left that you would have to be looking and know it was there to find it. A slight skin coat of filler it will be golden. 

[sparetimetoys]

The guy who did the prior work on here didn't know how to weld. The wing was held on with pop rivets and where he did weld it was way overkill or they broke  I'm trying to save as much factory sheet metal as I can.  There are a couple flanges I'll need to patch in like the lower front panel.

[94touring]

It appears as though you don't have inner a-panels, just the hinges.   8.gif

[sparetimetoys]

The other side is the same way

[sparetimetoys]

Mine may have never gotten them. Looking at the 1959 mini page on the early ones they started at Morris  body number  6481 and later for Austin but they have no record of just when. They show a service letter how to install them. Mine was a way early 60 the glass date code is from 59 so it could have missed out on this.

[94touring]

That crossed my mind.   They don't look like a hack job install.   Just odd not seeing the panel that goes with them.  I took 3 layers of apanel off a car before.

[sparetimetoys]

I can get a hoist from a bud at work this weekend so I figured I would get a start on moving junk to pull the engine.  Had a little suprise its locked up.  I figured it would be.  So after I get the body all sorted Ill have to figure out rebuild or upsize?  Im thinking gane a couple hundered CC or so.  I just would like what ever to fit the stock trans so i dont have to cut up the tunnel for a shifter. also I remember reading something about datecodes on the master cyls, anyone know where I look?

[sparetimetoys]

Ok riddle me this.... I pulled the head off and thought I would find a ton of rust in the cylinders. But all I find could be wiped off and there isn't even a ridge at the top of the cylinders. There is rust in the 3/4 intake port. And is it normal for the intake pushrods to stay in the head?

[MtyMous]

What wheels/tires do you have on it right now?

[sparetimetoys]

As of this moment it has 4" casters on the platform. It came with Sea Doo trailer tires and wheels that we sold on Craig's list. The wide tire in the photo is a 205-50-10 DOT rated golf car tire good up to 86 MPH. I doubt this will go that fast with a 850 if we go back with that size engine. It's just going to be for bombing around Plano when we finish it one day.

[MtyMous]

Cool. Maybe I'll see you at the Cars & Coffee in Plano sometime when I'm in town.

[sparetimetoys]

I got an email from one of the guys on 1959 mini register today.  I had contacted them to help figure out just how early our car is.  I recieved two emails back from them with some help.  this is what they said.

Hi Larry,

You do indeed have an early US car, Austin 12530 will be approximately the
2nd week of January 1960. So it is a pre US launch car (being in March 60)
and the body number is right on the cusp of 59/60, does it have long slice
type drain holes in the front corners of the gutter? I.e. not a drilled
hole.

Regards

Bill

and this...

Hi Larry,

We were at Gaydon yesterday and checked your car out in the factory records.

It lists it as Vin. AA2S7L 12530. Body number 10093. exported to USA On
21.1.60.

Best regards

Trevor.

[Mudhen]

WOW!!  That's some good stuff right there.

Cool car!   4.gif

[sparetimetoys]

Wow busy day here in the dog house. Started by changing spark plugs on my boys F150. All the bad stories are true. When that was done we. Rolled the mini from the storage bay into the working area. We set up a redneck engine hoist. It didn't work out so good and ended up blasting over to a friends to borrow his real hoist we got the engine out and everything put up. Now sipping on some nice cold sweet tea

[tsumini]

Hi, I followed you over from the MM forum as I was interested in your restoration. I believe I told you that I have 60 Austin 850 also that was built on 20 Jan 1960 and despatched 28 Jan 1960 about a week later. I was thinking about a place for people to follow my resto and may add mine to the list.  I'm going on two years now just have a good start on the body.
Anyway you work pretty fast. I think you had some questions on the master cylinders. You last photo shows the MC's well. While I'm certainly no expert I've spent a lot of time at the 59 Registry studying 59 correct parts. The Brake MC appears to be the later type bean can with tapered  to and plastic cap. The clutch MC however appears to be a 59 correct part. I think you will find a metal cap and the top is a threaded fitting that can be unscrewed to expose the guts. I believe it is somewhat rare.
The 59 coded windows also have a single hole where the catch fits. Later ones had two holes.  I was missing the LH front catch and glass was broken so replaced with later two holer. Single hole catches are hard to find I think.
If there's any photos you need let me know.