Stiltzkin's Rebirth

[Fingolfin]

Hello, I'm Fin. You may know me from my restoration of Mog, the maroon two-door saloon, which is winding down. Now I have another project, and it's a bit of a doozy...[frame][/frame]
I've named it "Stiltzkin", in keeping with my tradition of naming Minors after Moogles. Stiltzkin hasn't been driven for at least thirty years, and was received by a Minoring friend of mine about twenty years ago in roughly its current condition; he kept it in a fairly-well closed garage and never did anything with it. So he gave it to me to restore.
The car has no ID plates, but its number is 792871, which places it in early 1960.[frame][/frame]
The structure is really bad:[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
I'm not sure when I'll start on it, but it won't be now. Probably the first little bits will take place about Christmas.
I'm considering modifying it some; it'd be neat to have a 1275 or 1500cc A-series slotted in there, and some big brakes, and comfy seats and a suitable drivetrain. But that's far off for now! First must come the metal structure, then the wood.

[Fingolfin]

The steering wheel, which I thought was sadly funny.[frame][/frame]

[MarkyB]

Fred Flintstone had one like that

[benb]

Now that's a challenge, something id take on all the best.

Ben

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Quite a challenge there, but Im sure you have mastered the art of welding on your other car

[Fingolfin]

Thank you everyone. It will be an enormous project, but I have confidence I can do it -- given enough time, motivation, and money. Luckily, alongside Stiltzkin, I also received a large stock of Minor parts:[frame][/frame]
My first challenge is figuring out where to start!

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

I can see a new steering wheel hanging up there, thats a good start anyway

[Fingolfin]

Yeah! The trouble is -- the new wheel actually has two cracks in it. Not sure if that can be repaired, but it'd be neat to try, since three-spoke wheels are getting a bit rare (I heard).

[dunketh]

Holy moses.. that looks like you pulled it out the ocean!
How is it even standing upright?

I dont think 'brave' really covers it.

[Fingolfin]

Believe it or not, the front suspension mounts onto pretty sound metal (that's a lie but it's true enough). One of the front spring hangers, for the rear suspension, has pulled away from the car; but otherwise they're mounted firmly enough for now. It's not like I'm going to drive it any time soon! It will be very solid, and full of wood, in two to three years.

[davidmiles]

Go Fin Go. If anyone can save Stiltsy it's our Fin. Great Challenge for you there, loving the photography, the one with the wood grain could win a still life competition. Your posts are great to watch,keep it up.
regards Dave

[foghorn14]

Fin,
It is addictive, isn't it!
Thane

[jvickholm]

Wow, and I thought that our car is rusted and bruised.. Great challenge indeed, go Fin go!

[stag36587]

Very brave but every credit to you, it's survived "by the skin of its roof" so deserves to be saved. Can't wait to see pics of progress

[Jared]

Wow now that is a challenge, also very inspirational as it makes the very rusty convertable I've had my eye on for some time seem totally restorable.

[Fingolfin]

Thanks, everyone, for the love and encouragement. I sure need it for this project! I think the first thing is to strip Stiltzkin down (what little remains). After that, I should probably buy a complete floorpan, engine bay floor, and chassis legs first, and fix the rot in the driver's side A-pillar and the sills. After that should come the boot floor, then woodwork. I think.

Never done a traveller before!

[Jared]

I think i'd add some bracing before cutting any metal away if it where me and also don't take the roof off till the floors in better shape or I think you may be in serious danger of the whole thing folding in 2.

Good luck and looking forward to the updates

[Fingolfin]

Absolutely, bracing first. I should probably try and ascertain the frame is straight before cutting into it, and make sure I can hold it steady in that straightness. I won't take the welded-on portion of the roof off -- but doesn't the Trav rear section of roof just bolt on? Could that be removed without distortion?

Updates will be a while yet.........

[ASL642]

Fin - the rear section of the Traveller's roof is held on (under the guttering) with small copper tacks. You need to carefully prize the roof gutter off. This may be fillered onto the roof as well so go carefully as you don't want to dent the aluminium.

The gutter starts at cab rubber and goes in one piece around to the rubber at the other side. Once the gutter is removed you need to prize out the small tacks. The rear roof is also attached to the front cab roof using bolts through the roof rubber inside the car. These need removing as well. Once all this is done carefully lift the roof away from the car (2 people)

[Fingolfin]

There are no sides, though. The entire aluminum roof is loose except at the front edge where it joins on to the main roof. If I understand you correctly, though, there are tacks AND bolts along the front edge?