1988 austin mini red hot

[josh]

hi i decided that i wanted a mini for my first car a short while back and within a couple of of weeks i stumbled upon a 1988 red hot, i ended up buying this for £160. i then had her inspected by my uncles who are both macanics and found out that i needed new sills, a panles and a new rear valance.

[Deano]

Not bad if thats all it needs for £160:)

[moddinmad]

bargain! good luck mate.

[josh]

i cut out the a panles the other day and i think the a posts may need replacing. there is also a rust hole eather side near the rear of the arches.

before a panles
http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/?action=view&current=IMG_0278.jpg

right side
http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/?action=view&current=IMG_0237.jpg

left side
http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/?action=view&current=IMG_0238.jpg

a panels removed
http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/?action=view&current=IMG_0280.jpg


do you know the best way to fix this wether that it be a plate or new panles?

thanks for all your help and feel free to add any suggestions

keep checking back

[clubbyestate]

new panels m8 that way you lose all the rot;)

[RSPop]

Good luck mate don't forget to take loads of pics and post them on the forum

[josh]

i have fitted a new silicon vacum hose because the original broke
i just wanted to know if it is safe/will it harm my engine to run a boose guage off this as a vacume guage using a t peice ?

[josh]

i have fixed the 2 rust holes at the rear of the arches, i am done this by cutting out the rust out and fitting repair panles

pics of before the repair panels:
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG_0237.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG_0238.jpg

pics of the repair panles fitted but not welded:
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG_0322.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG_0300.jpg

i have also removed the rear seat, rear cards and rear seatbelts and i am fitting a 6 point weld in roll cage( http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/myrollcagebefore.jpg ) as i want to make it more like a track car

my plans for this car are:
-a alliuminum fuel tank and battery box where the rear seat was so i still have useable boot space
-fibreglass flip front, bootlid and elentualy doors for lower waight and maintnence
-a full respray in white
-bucket seats
you are probaly now wondering why i have no engine mods listed, this is because im not 17 till november so my insurance will be sky high as it is. but once i build up some no clains bonas i want to relace the standard 998 engine with a metro turbo lump.

next job... replacing left doorstep panel

keep checking back and pleese add comments

[TONYELF]

Looking good so far.:)

[Deano]

Looks good mate :) Personally i wouldnt fancy the fuel tank in the car with me i like the fact that the fuel tank & battery are behind a steel wall incase of a roll or inpact fuel vapours etc

It would balance the car out tho.

[Steve]

Looking good, keep up the good work.

[josh]

i am also thinking of relocating the washer bottle to the rear seat area as i will free up space in the engine bay and make it look neater, what do you think of this?

[josh]

hi everyone i have now got the roll cage welded in, i ended up cutting out the door bars and dash bar as these would have made it to aquward for everyday use.
pics:
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00048.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00049.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00055.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00056.jpg

also i have the a post anda panel fitted and welded in
pics:
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00053.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00054.jpg

[josh]

hi all sorry about the delay been busy with other stuff, i have started cutting out the left door step(pics up soon).

i am now thinking of moddifing the car for rally, what do you think?

also will it need any body strenthing or suspention mods for rallying on gravel and dirt windy rought country roads that sort of thing? if so what?

any help apreciated.

[josh]

hi i am defently modifing my car for rally and these are the mods i am looking at doing:

-plate the underside of the floor with 3mm thick steel plate
-plate/strengthen the rear subframe
-fit a steel sump guard
-strengthen the tie bar mounts on the frount subframe
-reroute fuel, brake and battery lines/cables inside the car
-put a plate on the frount towers wher the bumpstops hit
-strengthen the cross member inside the car with 1" steel angle
-fit an over lap plate for the rear subframe

today i fitted a fire extinguisher and done a bit of undersealing on the a-post area

[josh]

hi everyone today i have cut out the rear packets and overhanging part of the rear seat
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00119.jpg
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv44/josh_t_867/IMG00121.jpg

still needs a bit of tiding up

any comments on what you think of this

[Steve]

Looking good keep up the good work.

[josh]

yesterday i started fitting a new alarm a clifford g5 to be precice. its nerly all in just a couple of things left to do

[Gr4H4m]

getting excited to get it back on the road then

[josh]

hey sorry for the confusion when i said "its nerly all in just a couple of things left to do " i was talking about the alarm. i am thinking that i may buy another car to drive everyday so i gan get insured cheeply and in the mean time i can keep my mini off the road and modify it to completly the way i want it. then when my insurance gose down i will get insured on my mini. and i also think that i am going to keep my mini red.

[minimuff]

great work mate. What a bargain price it was snapped up for.

Well done!!