Project Angel

Bought a new mini today, E reg City E. The shell is solid, the rest is pap. So all my spares need transplanting in. She's going to be a fairly good project car, just can't wait to get her road worthy again. I think I'm going to steer clear of the sporty, show off stuff though.
Nice simple honest Mini.

Nice one I bet sporty things sneak in there some where if you need a hand with anything let me know

Huh? Steer clear from sporty yet use the spares from the previous sporty mini?

Haha something there makes no sense!

Good luck and take lots of pictures!

U told me u were a secret chav when I saw u so blatently gonna be sporty again!!!! :p
Where did the name angel come from?

Maybe the name refers to the two massive ( un-sporty of course ) wings which could be fitted on each side, angel stylee in memory of the recently departed sporty red one!

I thought it might be as in "guardian angel"

higf came up with it .... i cant remember y tho lol

Yeah, I guess it's going to be semi sporty on the outside with Miglia arches, S-type bonnet and a deseemed de bumpered look. But inside it's going to be pure comfort. Just trying to decide what colour I want her resprayed, perhaps Satin Black.

Worked on her for a bit today, although I didnt get as far as I had hoped. Fitted the fuel tank and battery although i couldn't get any life into the engine. It's got to be an electrical problem.

Then I ground down all the hidden rust to reveal the full extent of the problem. My passengers floor well has more holes than a cheap whores stockings, the N/S door frame looks like swiss cheese and the door itself is good for the bin, its just filler on top of metal rot. So I guess I should start learning how to weld. Just want to get her structuraly and mechanicaly sound so its drivable.

Then it's off to the body and paint shop she goes.

Well I hope you manage to get the engine working quickly (and without needing to buy a new one!), that is one place where I was lucky... all mine needed was a new battery from the shed and the Distributor Cap cleaned. Hopefully yours is a similar easy to fix problem!

I have now removed all the rust. All I need to do is weld up the floors at the front and then get it to my body shop for the rest. I didn't try to start the engine today as im not too fussed about getting it moving until it's structuraly decent. I just want to throw some money at it to make her look presentable. Then I'll probably just drop my old 1275 engine into it.

I have got loads of spares up for sale, have a look at the for sale thread to see if there's anything you want.

New pictures of all the rust holes are up on facebook

Right, about time for a little update.
I seem to have spent a lot of time on her but got nowhere. But I have two weeks off at the end of this month so here is my plan.
Engine is more or less ready for lifting out, which will be done on the twenty something of this month. Then I need to grind, weld, refurbish and paint the bulkhead and front subframe. Fit the window into the drivers side door and fit one of my spare doors onto passengers side.

After this all my attention will go to the poor engine sitting in my garrage.

I will update early August to let you know how far I got.

If I can find somewhere to rent an engine lift from tommorow i will get my engine out. Thanks to Paul knight who gave me sooo much help today.

an engine crane has been organised for the weekend. I will be picking it up on friday afternoon.
I have bought all the mounts and bolts needed to put the 1275 engine back in.

So if all goes to plan the engine will be out by saterday evening then reconditioning can begin on sunday.

Engine is out! it is now friday evening. A whole day ahead of schedule.

All suspension is now stripped from the front end, bulkhead and subfame are painted.

waiting to be fitted are
-Full set of polyflex bushings front and rear
-new suspension compertition/race doughnuts
-Hilos front and rear
-Spax adjustable dampers front and rear
-adjustable tie bars
-adjustable bottom arm for negative camber
-rear adjustable negative camber bracket
-bottom arm pins
-top arm reapair kits
-ball joints

reconstruction is starting this weekend.

Most is put together, just need to put the subframe back intomorrow

Ok I know it's been a while but Angel now has her new suspension fitted, new brake lines (except the long front to rear one as the floors stil need replacing). Also the bulkhead has been cleaned and painted aswel as the front subframe which has been fitted with poly bushings.

I have a new 7.5" disc setup on the front but I will need to wait until I next get paid because I need to buy new drive flanges, bearings, castle nuts and washers. For the rear I have alloy finned drums with a built in spacer. As always I'm waiting for things to arive in the post, such as brake shoes and the usual boring clobber. Finaly I have bought some 7x10" split rims from force-racing.

I now have a week off work and I have finished most the work needed on the car itself, so after I have tweaked those last few thing I will turn my atention to my engine. It needs a good clean and a few coats of paint. Idealy I would like to have it in the car by next weekend.

EDIT...
Work on the front drivetrain and brakes should be continued later this week thanks to a generous loan from the bank of Daddy.

It is now early Tuesday morning. Got out of bed at 6 for breakfast and internet shopping on minispares.

Yesterday I played with the ride hieght of the rear hilos. I'm not entirely convinced it's correct, it looks too high, however if I adjust them any lower and then jack the back of the car up the radius arm swings down to the limit of the shock and the hilos go slack againts the rubber doughnut and fall out. Do I need shorter shocks? Can anyone help?

After leaving the Hilos alone I turned my attention to my engine. Only took two cans of gunk, a hell of a lot of wire brushing and a hose down and it was looking...cr@ppy. Its amazing what a lick of paint can do, just one coat on at the moment but im very proud, I've never been much of an artist but this engine is begining to look just a wee bit sexy.

Engine and all the little bolt on bits are painted and ready to be dropped in. New driveshafts arived today, I have stripped the hubs and removed the old bearings ready for the new ones (hopefuly tomorrow). So if all goes to plan the front running gear will go on tomorrow, complete with 7.5" discs, new calipers and evrything.

Still waiting for things in the post
I hate Snail mail

I recieved the bearings in the post yesterday afternoon, I got the bearings fitted but only got the offside running gear put together although not yet fitted to the car. I did however get time to run some more brake lines and fit braided brake hoses. Overall I didnt get all I wanted done yesterday and I'm realy going to have to pick up the slack today in order to lift the engine in tomorrow.

All front running gear is done, engine is in and rear brakes are being done.
next on my shopping list is an exhaust system, inlet manifold, silicone hoses, HT leads and general service parts.

I'm on the home straight

This was my last day off from work. I have just finished fitting the rear brakes and tidying up the garage. I have three days off mid Feb, two weeks in march and two weeks in may. Should be enough time to get her finished... i hope

Still need to buy;
*coolent hoses
*ht leads
*oil+filter
*exhaust system
*inlet manifold
*clutch hoses
*accelerator cable
*tyres
Not too much

Got my Force-racing 7" x 10" split rims (had to buy them as Ashley Supercharged recomended them way back in August)

just need to get some rubber, but thats not important, im not going anywhere for a while

I have now got my stage 1 kit, including twin dtm centre exit exhaust, oil filter, accelerator cable, special spanner for drum brake adjustment and I have my silicone hoses on order.

Hopefully (with help from Paul) we will get the exhaust and carb fitted this saterday. Which leaves me Sunday to fiddle with my brakes and maybe do some electrical wizardry.

exhaust fitted

very nearly finished. Unfortunately I need to fit a new cylinder head, but other than that and a new loom I am practicaly finished. It's going off to Raw Motorsport for thr body work soon, well... as soon as they finish Steves mini and they have room for mine.

I still need to buy all my brightwork, battery etc

James at Raw motorsport is aiming to finish Angel 3-4 days before the L2B. Then it needs an MOT, a bit tight for time I know.