10 years on and its time to do that full restoration

[nslocomotives2]

Hi all 10 years ago the tax expired on my daily driver and the car went into storage as I had a new job, and I was forced to rehome my other car. I have built and fitted out a workshop and I am now finally ready to start the full restoration of Nobby Minor. Some photos of the work ahead. One of the decision points on buying my house here was that i would have a nice big garage to do this restoration in.

I don't know if anyone is still here from 11/12 years ago when i was attempting to restore my original minor and I was using this car daily.. but if you are hello again!!! its good to be back.

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Nobby from the front the front panel was only meant to be temporary fix 11 years ago when she had a bit of an incident with another car.. but its still there..

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Passenger side, I had taken the boot off because the mounts had rotted out.. it simply was flapping about so i didn't want it falling off in transport when moving to my current home.

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Drivers side, you can see theres plenty of rust to attend too.

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this is typical of both sides, these rear wings have been welded into the sills behind the doors so the car is not as wide as it used to be. This happened before the car came into my care..

So to do list...
1) strip the interior out.
2) remove all the currently removable panels and doors by unbolting
3) engine out - need to build a gantry to hang my block and tackle from before i do that but meh it will be useful
4) build a rollover jig, this will be of the scaffold pole style jig.
5) remove all the remaining running gear etc and get the car on the jig.
6) identify all the replacement panels needed and order them.
7) make the next to do list.

My new years resolution is to do something on the car everyday.. until its done, I am ambitious and I want to be driving this car again in the summer.

So watch this space more photos coming soon.

Nigel

[ManyMinors]

You have a lot of work to do there! Good for you if you can get all that done in time for the summer
Great garage by the way - that'll be a big help.
Good luck with it and remember to post pictures of your progress

[Des911]

Good luck with your plan, hope the tv doesn't get in your way in the garage

[Propshaft]

Which summer was you thinking of , I have worked really hard on mine and 2 years on it's ready for final coats of paint

[nslocomotives2]

So I don't hang around too much, these days and with lockdown this is my therapy..

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front inner wing.jpg (89.19 KiB) Viewed 5274 times

pasenger front inner wing previous repair.jpg (100.9 KiB) Viewed 5274 times

bumpstop blobby welded patch.jpg (99.98 KiB) Viewed 5274 times

fuel tank out.jpg (90.27 KiB) Viewed 5274 times

[nslocomotives2]

more shots:

the usual boot floor holes.jpg (95.93 KiB) Viewed 5273 times

rear screen out.jpg (87.01 KiB) Viewed 5273 times

rear passenger side door bottom gone.jpg (66.52 KiB) Viewed 5273 times

passenger floor holes.jpg (117.06 KiB) Viewed 5273 times

pasenger front inner wing previous repair.jpg (100.9 KiB) Viewed 5273 times

[nslocomotives2]

and a few more:

rear swage and boot mounts passenger side.jpg (82.04 KiB) Viewed 5270 times

rear swage and boot mounts drivers side.jpg (95.28 KiB) Viewed 5270 times

So Items 1 and 2 on my 'to do list' are almost completed, the materials have arrived to build the gantry crane and a plan has been drawn.

I have also started to order up the panels, I have a set of bead rollers that need a stand building and i plan to set up the metal shear on a small bench not far from the car so small repair panel manufacture should be swift.

I have my 6 meter scaffold pole ready to construct the spit jig.. just need to figure out how I'm going to lock it off.

I am looking forward to getting stuck into it. further updates to follow.

[nslocomotives2]

You have a lot of work to do there! Good for you if you can get all that done in time for the summer
Great garage by the way - that'll be a big help.
Good luck with it and remember to post pictures of your progress

Thankyou, to have a garage like this has always been a dream of mine to have this space, in the last 6 months I've rebuilt a mk1 ford focus, stripped and rebuild the rear suspension of my dads Citroen Berlingo and then I did a full brake and suspension rebuild and on my Mondeo. The space works well and it feels good to finally have the space I need, and the staircase into the loft means plenty of storage for the bits.

[nslocomotives2]

Good luck with your plan, hope the tv doesn't get in your way in the garage

thanks The TV, is just part of the Feng Shui, lol but it is useful to stream too plans and pictures etc, so i don't have to print things out.

[nslocomotives2]

Which summer was you thinking of , I have worked really hard on mine and 2 years on it's ready for final coats of paint

ahh you spotted the loop hole in my plan... darn it.. that's awesome your at that final paint stage what paint are you using? are you spraying it yourself?

[Propshaft]

Hi I have used lechler etch primer and there filler primer on top the top coat is to be carried out by a pro in his spray booth using two pack paint. The car was in a similar state to yours when I started it . It's a 59 two door , I also have a van which I carried out a ground up restoration on over three years

[philipkearney]

So I don't hang around too much, these days and with lockdown this is my therapy..

Certainly looks like you don't hang around ! Looks like you have your work cut out, but if you keep going at this pace, you'll make huge strides.

Looking forward to seeing the photos as you progress.

[GavinL]

Looking good, i'm about 2/3 of the way through my rebuild and I've got a similar rotisserie using a 2" water pipe, I lock mine off with webbing straps attached to roof beams.

[nslocomotives2]

Looking good, i'm about 2/3 of the way through my rebuild and I've got a similar rotisserie using a 2" water pipe, I lock mine off with webbing straps attached to roof beams.

Couldn't send me a quick photo of that lock off method could you?

[nslocomotives2]

Hi I have used lechler etch primer and there filler primer on top the top coat is to be carried out by a pro in his spray booth using two pack paint. The car was in a similar state to yours when I started it . It's a 59 two door , I also have a van which I carried out a ground up restoration on over three years

Awesome Ill have a look for that, i have been looking at products by rustbuster with their epoxy primer kit but I'm keen to see good feedback before i part with my ££££

[nslocomotives2]

So I don't hang around too much, these days and with lockdown this is my therapy..

Certainly looks like you don't hang around ! Looks like you have your work cut out, but if you keep going at this pace, you'll make huge strides.

Looking forward to seeing the photos as you progress.

So I am about to head out there after tea... I'm hoping to get the engine ready to lift tonight... more photos threatened...

[philipkearney]

Keep the photos coming !

[nslocomotives2]

So more photos. Construction of a lifting gantry from CLS timber using three pieces laminated and bolted together, ready to hang my block and tackle, mainly this has been built to lift the engine out, however it will be useful in the garage to move my milling machine about while I'm restoring that too later on... Please forgive the sheets of sterling board lent against the old girl for now, i need to cut them to size, some of this material is for storage dollies and racks for the parts in the loft space.

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So this is one of the two legs built, glued up and ready for the cross beam to slot in the top

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^^^^ The observant amongst you might see a donor boot aperture part. I collected this years ago when i heard of a car being cut for scrap. This is the same shot but shoeing the foot arrangement

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Test fit of the cross beam, this gantry is as high as i can go in the garage without fowling the lighting.

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Block and tackle slung un place, with some angle scraps slotted in to protect the timber and spread the load a bit.

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the chain hanging low, so i can lubricate and test the block and tackle is still functional.. I don't trust lifting tools that have been sat for a 5 years without use. I did push the car out briefly and have swung three lidl shopping bags each with a bag of B&Q sharp sand inside on the hook. Which I think is close enough test for an engine and gearbox.. but if its not up to it i will find out lol

I have built this to be unbolted for storage. next on item to be build will be the dollies for the engine, gearbox and doors. once repaired i want the doors to be safe.. storage for the bonnet will be interesting but... ill come up with something, it will need some repair work first..

Next the car...

[nslocomotives2]

IMG_4283.JPEG (880.36 KiB) Viewed 5132 times

Bonnet removed and windscreen out.. Im quite surprised as to how good the windscreen aperture is. Which is a bonus because i realy didnt want to repair it

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Steering wheel and column removed, along with associated wiring loom element.

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Cant you just smell the oil and rotten minor smell... the job ahead, its all coming out. I had stopped for a cuppa to warm my hands by the gas fire.

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fuse box, voltage regulator and makers plate removed. the chassis plate had rotted out long time ago, so i want to look to see if i can do something to put that back with a properly stamped example.

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more of the same but the wiring has been butchered somewhat, I am considering treating myself to a new negative earth loom, i think because its got an alternator i don't need to put the voltage regulator back.. but meh ill think on that one.

[nslocomotives2]

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So a shot of the drivers side tie plate, this is one of my own running repairs from 10 years ago, i intend to put these repairs right.

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Passenger side tie plate, yum yum I had an incident with a Kia and left the imprint of a minor nose in the boot of it.. that's why there are no bumper mounts, i have the new ones, but some repairs and alignment is needed before they can go back on... i am going to be using the measurement chart shared on this very forum to solve this.

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the bonnet tie bar, appears to have been pot riveted in the past is this correct? its completely detached but that's ok, because I do need new hinges, and i have a load of black gooo to remove from the inside.

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more nasty.

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and more nasty on the inside of the bonnet.. I have a big can of heavy duty chemical stripper for this. job..