Red Clubman Estate aka "Rusty"

[94touring]

Virtually nothing holding it ttogether.  In fact I welded up a stress fracture on the tunnel before I cut out that side.  The left side is already disconnected as a result of rust.  Oh and I think the car was tan or maybe yellow.

[stan360]

The other side is worse ? .....This will be a great to watch the progression of work and see it all turn out  looking new in the end.   Do you have a color in mind for this clubman yet .

[94touring]

This is probably the worst one I've done yet honestly.  I forgot to mention the left side buckled past the door when I jacked it up to take a peak at the uunderside.  I already knew I needed the lower full side panel, but it's not something that gives you an easy feeling.  Driving through the yard it felt "flexible".  Anyways I really liked the tan on Dave's clubby and have some paint to use up from his roof job.  My mood on color might change.  Other notable crazies on this car were only two lugs bolts on the front right wheel are functional and the rear right trunion iisn't even there.   This guy drove it this way!

[stan360]

yabba dabba do.... just shave a bit more off of the left side and viola !

[MiniDave]

This is probably the worst one I've done yet honestly.  I forgot to mention the left side buckled past the door when I jacked it up to take a peak at the uunderside.  I already knew I needed the lower full side panel, but it's not something that gives you an easy feeling.  Driving through the yard it felt "flexible".  Other notable crazies on this car were only two lugs bolts on the front right wheel are functional and the rear right trunion iisn't even there.   This guy drove it this way!

Now you know why I was reluctant to try and lift it on my lift, and why I put all those boards under it for support.....so glad we trailered it rather than trying to flat tow it like I planned, there would have been parts all over the highway from KC to Tulsa!

[Merlin]

[94touring]

I should be ordering brakes for the 74 or engine parts for the engine build but couldn't resist a half floor and lower side panel including the door frame section. 

[MiniDave]

We need pistons first (that way the machine shop can finish the block), the rest can come a little later.....

[94touring]

Got some needed panels in. 

[MiniDave]

I dunno, all that new metal sure will take a lot of flex out of the chassis, could compromise the ride quality!   ;D ;D

[94touring]

Not nearly as fun when it's not like a slinky.

[MiniDave]

So, did you get a chance to weld some metal back into Rusty? At least some floors?

[94touring]

Just got back home after 3 weeks.  My wheel bearings are first so I can drive again.  Stans car is getting stripped, then back to the floors.

[94touring]

Door frame tacked in place.  Door test fit went well.  Floor is pretty close to true just sitting there.   

[94touring]

Door opens and closes without falling off now  ;D.  I had the old A panel to verify things match up before I finish the welds. 

[MiniDave]

Ha! That will be a switch, not having to hold the door up as you close it!

And what, no Flintstone floors?

[94touring]

Felt good opening the door for the 1st time.  Can't wait to weld up the floor!

[94touring]

Really isn't that hard to do.  $500 in panels for that side and 4 hours of fitting and welding is all it really took.

[94touring]

Got the floor positioned to be welded in.  I bolted 4 corners of the floor to the adjacent panels to cinch it up, as well as threw a few sheet metal screws on the lip of the door frame.  I'll probably drop the rear subframe to fix up the sub attach panel once I get to welding it all together.   

[94touring]

Dropped the rear subframe.  Neither side had front trunions or the portion of the subframe attach panel with the captive nuts.  I took dimensions from Stan's subframe attach panel and made a model of where exactly it needs to go.  Also noted that the subframe attach repair panels are 11 1/8" from the edge of the panel to the center of the captive nuts.  The full panels themselves measure 11 1/8" from the first indention edge to the captive nut as well.  This made things a bit easier to fit a patch out of thin air without having the captive nuts in the wrong place.  After I welded in the right side sub attach piece, I went ahead and fitted the cill and got all the spot welds knocked out. 

[MiniDave]

Poor Rusty, he had to go on the back burner for a while till some of the other cars get finished, but soon.......

[94touring]

Someday...  It's hard to build 8 minis at a time. 

[94touring]

The rear subframe has been torn down and ready for a media blasting.  I also just purchased enough parts to rebuild 2 subframes, this one and believe it or not my 68 pickup that's gone untouched for years.  I keep looking at the brand new subby on the shelf for the truck and decided it may be time to actually build it.

[MiniDave]

And......you have the tools!   ;D

Glad to see you making progress......what does the trucklette need? Engine and trans? Rear subframe? interior? Just a few bits here and there?

[94touring]

Well I have an spi motor for it, just need to build up the subbies.  I have interior mostly for it minus a headliner and dash, then it's really just me running a brake and fuel line and painting the rest of it.