Alan R Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Hi All, This has been on the back shelf for many, many years. I have lost count. I think the reason was that I had decided I wanted to wire up the ignition, and it was at the time that my eyesight was poor due to my diabetes. However, I received a birthday card from my sister recently, and it had a picture of a Mini Cooper on it, and I saw a recent Car SOS episode where they restored a Mini Cooper S, so that inspired me to try and finish this one. Anyway, enough waffle, here is where we are at the moment: This was more or less where I had got until the other day. The only work done before I took these pictures was to wire up the ignition and put in the glazing. As it happened, the wiring went rather more easily that I had thought it would. I then installed the door panels and carefully prised the body onto the floor-pan, thus: This little blighter has been fighting me all the way to the finish line. (Still a long way to g0 yet though!!!) I was fitting the oil-cooler when the body shell fell out of my hands on to the work-bench. All the glazing fell out. A few choice words were spoken over it, but after a bit of wriggling with the glazing, I got it back in. The problem was that having installed the door panels, they now were in the way of the glass... Still, we all live and learn, and I did get the glazing back in without any PVA glue smearing the windows. Getting the body on the floor-pan was a bit of a challenge, and a couple of small bits fell off in the process. Nothing major though, and easily fixed. That's all for the mo. Thanks for looking. Cheers, Alan. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.e.charles Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Paddy would be proud! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 It's a little jewel of a kit, isn't it? I did the road version <mmpphcough> years ago and was most taken by the detail. I always thought that whoever was in charge of cutting the tooling for it must have had a real love for Minis. Your version is looking pretty darn fine Alan. I might have to get mine out of the stash and have a bash at it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Thanks everyone for the kind comments. It is a little jewel of a model. I have fond memories of driving my 850cc Morris Mini Minor waaaayy back in the early '70s. Totally bonkers handling and great fun to drive. I may not have been driving very fast, but since my bum seemed only about 2 inches above the road, it felt like I was doing 150!!! Cheers, Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Nice work Alan this is going to end up a superb replica! Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini man Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 A very nice car, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Hi Roger and Mini Man, Thanks for the kind comments. Still a way to go though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 The model is coming along very nicely and a good recovery from dropping the shell! I thought you might like to see the pictures below. I saw the Bomber County Mini's out for a drive this morning while I was out delivering beer. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bomber+county+minis&rlz=1C1GGRV_enGB757GB758&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj2pYjNoZzaAhUBZFAKHXK6AIUQsAQIMQ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini man Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Here is a 'twini' that I built about 10 years ago,to be restored soon.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 On 02/04/2018 at 7:57 PM, Pete in Lincs said: I saw the Bomber County Mini's out for a drive this morning while I was out delivering beer. Hi Pete, Wonderful set of Minis. It's amazing that after nearly 60 years, the Mini is still loved so much. Cheers, Alan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) Hi All, Some updates. What makes the Monte Carlo Mini a bit iconic, is the wheel arches. So, without further ado: I think that it makes it look a bit more purposeful. There was a bit of minor repair work to the wheel arches due to that fact that I painted them on the sprue, then had to cut them off very carefully. A quick swipe with a small rounded file, and some very fine wet-n-dry before putting them on tidied up the scarring. I touched them up after attaching them to the body. I didn't want to risk damaging the paintwork, so I attached them with Hiro-boy's Cristal Clear PVA adhesive. I figured that if it was strong enough to hold widows in, it was probably strong enough to hold the wheel arches on. So far, so good. It's beginning to look like a rally Mini. Thanks for looking, Alan. Edited April 5, 2018 by Alan R 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 Hi All again, I decided to post these two stages separately, because in reality, the first pictures were taken some time before the second. I thought that I would try to do the window surrounds and some of the chrome trim. The chrome trim appears to extend onto the wheel arches, so: As you can see, the chrome needs a bit of 'refining', so I will be touching up the chrome surrounds later. The window rubbers need a bit of work too. Again, I will be touching those up as well. The chrome trim was painted with a micro-brush, rather than the pen itself. A bit tricky to do, but it does allow for more control I think. Next. Attach the roof... Thanks for looking. Alan. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini man Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Looks spot on Alan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi All, Just a bit more progress. The roof is on. It begins to look like a Mini... You can just see the ignition leads lurking behind the oil cooler here... I have already assembled the headlights and spotlights, but not installed them yet. I think that some decaling is required first. Then I will reduce the risk of knocking them off while trying to apply the decals... Thanks for looking, Alan. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi All, Another update. I'm really on a roll with this. I have applied all the decals, and it now looks like a Rally Mini... I noticed that the Rally Plate was skew, but only after the thing had set completely. Not sure how that happened. Anyway, why not make the picture skewed as well ... Actually, it's just poor camera work... There still some more to do. More tomorrow, I hope... Thanks for looking, Alan. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 Hi All, Another 'Mini' update... I have most of the chrome-work attached now. Forgive the crap pictures: I'm not sure what happened here. The light was lowish, and I was hand-holding the camera AND crouching and wobbling... Never mind, better luck next time. Just a few more things to attach, like door handles, auxiliary lights and rear number plate. More soon. Thanks for looking, Alan. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 Hi All, Just another small update on this guy. I have managed to attach all the fiddly bits of chrome-work and most of the side-lights. All that is left to do is the back number-plate, the rear lights and the roof furniture. So, pictures: Since taking the picture, I noticed that the door-handle on the nearside was a bit skew, so I detached it (it was fixed in with strong PVA glue) and re-attached it. We are nearly there with this one. Thanks for looking, Alan. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini man Posted April 15, 2018 Share Posted April 15, 2018 (edited) Dont worry about the handle Alan,the mk1s always went askew. Edited April 15, 2018 by mini man typo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan R Posted April 15, 2018 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 1 hour ago, mini man said: Dont worry about the handle Alan,the mk1s always went askew. That's true. I think my Mini did that. Cheers, Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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