The work involved in getting a "Free Mog" on the r

Post by **Matt** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:47 pm

A brief history...

A couple of years ago a member of this forum who has stopped using the forum bought himself a "nice" maroon traveller on ebay, it had been restored and was sporting 1275 marina running gear. All was well until he started to waxoyl the car and the driver sill (made out of carboard, perspex and filler) fell out in his hands. She was then parked up in a garage until late Dec last year when I was given her.

The woodwork was good except where the waist rail meets the rear pillar on one side, the engine was missing its thermostat cover and the radiator wasnt fitted.

Over the course of 3 days at uni with a MIG welder (which I could only use after the fire warden had gone home aka in the dark) lacking in gas, a couple of old computer cases, a new thermostat cover and (shh) some filler , I got her going and passed the MoT second time out.

It was only a bodge job to get her through so I could bring her home, which I duly did. She wasn't running right, and as she wasnt cpnverted to unleaded or running on additive I decided to change the head (this was a mistake). Shortly after she started leaking more oil out of the rear crank seal than she was using petrol, so she got laid up for a few months until the summer.

I have now rebuilt the engine and slightly uprated it at the same time. Its now a 1330 with a kent 276 and a ported head. I also found an LCB on ebay which I won for £15, and I had a 2nd hand mini performance exhaust lying around, with a few bits of pipe from a trader who frequents this board I had a reasonable exhaust system too!

After putting the engine back in (without leaks this time!) I couldnt persuade the sidelights to work (and still havent). The wiring loom is a complete mess so I will be replacing that soon.

Last weekend I decided to start tackling the rust. Fortunately I have the loan of a car roller (THANKS RAY!) which has made life easier. On the drivers side the first 6" of the floorpan was removed along with the boxing panel because they were totally shot.

I started welding in new metal yesterday evening, and continued this evening (dont you just hate it when work gets in the way?) I have welded in both out floor repair sections, a B post repair, the undersill and the boxing plate, I have made one of the plates that screws in to the woodwork and welded it in. All the filler that I put in the back of the drivers side wheel arch to get the MOT is gone, and new metal has been put in. I have done another small patch in the floor just inboard of the spring hanger too.

I still need to replace most of one of the rear wheel arches, a couple of patches on the other sill, the crossmember end on that side and reattach the front spring hanger which has been slowly forcing its way through the floor! I also need to sort out a bit of tinworm at the back (the strip that goes over the rear wood) and repair a hole in the bulkhead and the gutter area!

time to start getting the camera out again!

Post by **MoggyTech** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:58 am

Good for you. Always good to hear of another Moggy getting saved by someone willing to to spend the time and money, not to mention filling about 100 swear boxes in the process

Remember to seam seal all the welds and it should last for ages. PC Cases and washing machine cases are ideal for floor patching, very corrosion resistant steel. don't be afraid to use really heavy guage steel for the rear wheel arch repairs, it pays off long term.

Happy welding, and let's see some pics

Post by **Matt** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:38 am

the PC cases were a bodge and have been ripped out (literally... they almost fell off)

I reckon its going to have cost me in the region of £1200-1500 when its sorted which is pretty cheap for a solid trav with wood in reasonable nick!

I bought the repair panel for the wheelarch, much easier than trying to put a flange on a bent piece of steel, and I am going to be using the whole panel, there is that much missing!

Post by **MoggyTech** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:49 pm

Even better when you use the proper panels, just over a grand to put a good traveller on the road is a bargain

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:50 pm

nice one matt!

keep it up

Post by **Matt** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:58 pm

More work today, and I have uploaded some piccies to photobucket. The most recent pics are at the top

http://s201.photobucket.com/albums/aa14 ... ?start=all

The pics of all the defects at the bottom were taken by the previous owner when he found them, the ones in the dark were when I got the car and the ones at the top have all been taken today (with a camera phone)

Today I have welded in a new crossmember end, repaired the rear bump stop (well the pad it hits anyhow), pulled out all the rotton material for the rear wheel arch and welded in the replacement panel (90% complete because I ran out of gas). I have decided the boot floor is to rotton to salvage and I ended up accidently removing the bottom wooden rail at the back.

I took the bumper and towbar off and the panel behind it, under the doors practically fell of in my hands!

Oh and just for interest, the pic called Image_00010 shows my exhaust system using a center exit twin box RC40 system for a mini

Post by **callyspoy** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:52 pm

hey, i think i've seen that car on that roller! looks like you put the hours in matt! really impressive! loving the exhaust idea, i've spoken a few times about doing a central exit exhaust, but was worried about it going right under the petrol tank!

Post by **Matt** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:22 pm

Mines not a central exhaust ;) its got sufficient bends that its still a side exit, i dont want a center exit, it will get in the way of the towbar!

That is the car you saw on the rollers, but I dont know if you saw the complete lack of sills or not!

Post by **callyspoy** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:26 pm

ah ha, i see now...very good!
i didn't get to see much at all of the car, stupid getting lost and stupid summer deserting us=no light! alas, hopefully will get to see it sometime soon though...

Post by **Matt** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:23 pm

The aim is to have it roadworthy and have done the first 500 miles of running in before the website rally, I doubt its going to happen, but Im trying my best!

Post by **Peetee** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:15 am

Take it easy. The weather is on the change and 1275 Minors can be tail happy.

Post by **dunketh** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:06 am

The weather is on the change and 1275 Minors can be tail happy.

Great isn't it!

Scares the poop out of you the first time you really lose it though, bit of fishtailing praying you dont bounce off a cerb.

Post by **Matt** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:37 pm

1275 Minors can be tail happy

so can Transits ;)

Today I have mostly been replacing the boot floor. Panel arrived today, old boot floor cut out, new floor nearly welded in. 20 more mins and all the boot floor and drivers side welding is done.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:31 pm

Well done so far Matt! And there was me hoping that you'd bring the Transit to the website rally so I could get all the parts I've bought from near Southampton

Post by **Matt** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:20 am

I doubt I will make it for the website rally... But even If I do its a trav, I can fold the back seats down and get all your stuff in the back

Post by **chickenjohn** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:27 am

Good progress- keep it up, good to hear of cars being saved"

Post by **Matt** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:43 pm

All the welding on the underside of the drivers side is done (however I need to do some tidying from the inside)

There is significantly less work on the passenger side, replacing the crossmember end and some of the floor around it and an area of floor under the spring hanger.

The floor under the spring hanger is in place, but needs some more bits to fill some of the holes, the old x-member end is cut through but not removed. I was hoping to finish tonight, because the engine crane that im using to lift/drop the car on the roller has to be back tomorrow, but alas I ran out of gas

Now I need to see if I can borrow someone elses

Post by **steve4063** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:50 pm

if you have a makro near you they had them for £100
i bought one and it's really good does the job nicely