Elanor

[nutter]

Welcome to the story so far for elanor.

This was bought several years ago when i was 16 and I've since been working on her. I've had quite a few gaps in the years though. Mainly no money and loosing interest, while needing to gather information aswell.

When i was 16 shortly after buying the mini i moved into a new house with a spacious garage which is when the project began. At first the car was just getting little bits of mods done to her but when i moved into the new house we (me and my dad) decided to respray her to give her a freshen up although there wasnt much wrong with her. Anyway we rubbed her down as she was going to be painted the smae colour but things didnt go to plan and my 17th birthday came and it wasnt ready so i got another car to learn to drive in and she was basically neglected.

Over the next 5 years she was started and little bits done on her but still no real progress. The nearly sold her to danno but i just couldnt bring myself to letting her go so back into the garage she went and work was planned but nothing done untill november 2009.

Now my dad and i had lengthy conversations regarding a flip front orginally a fibreglass then a carbon but i decided on a steel flip front so she would still remain kind of standard looking, but still no progress until i came home one evening and he was out..................................


..............................Out came charlie the angle grinder and i cut the steel work off the front end of Elanor. As the pictures below show. I was proper gutted choping the front end off i felt like i had abused her even though i knew it was the best thing for her.


http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03208.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03210.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03218.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03219.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03220.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03222.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03224.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03225.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03226.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03227.jpg



TBC

[nutter]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03228.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03229.jpg

Now the steel was off as you can see the brace bars were then ordered and put on. Not secured fully yet.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03230.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03231.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03232.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03233.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e140/KIR04023356/The%20Story%20of%20the%20Infamous%20Elanor/DSC03234.jpg






Now im fabricating the front end of the car. And fabricating the device to lift the front end and how its going to be held shut.


This project is not far off there now, she'll be going for paint soon i hope. Theres still loads of mods to do but that'll be done along the way.

My aim is to go round the ring in her this year and down the stevilo pass and down to italy for the Italian Job run. A tad ambitous maybe but Rome was'nt built in a day, and perfection cant be rushed..........

Hope you all enjoy the updates..................



PS. Some may think its weird the way i talk about her (elanor) but shes my girl and im very attached to her, we've been through alot together. Even Jade has had to learn to like her (kind of lol), and to listen to me talk rubbish for hours and follow her round tesco reading the mini mag and talking to her at which point she nods her head and says "that sounds good".................................

[Deano]

Looks great keep us posted :) Some great shots there too :cool:

[nutter]

Looks great keep us posted :) Some great shots there too :cool:

Cheers mate. As said hoping to have her finished this year before summer so i can drive her all summer long.

Got a load of stuff to go on her its just a matter of getting the flip front sorted and painting her.

[charlie_mini]

Elanor's looking good mate.. steel flip fronts are definately the way forwards.. i've got a fibreglass removable front on mine (didnt bother with hinges!) makes working on thing a million times better... but wouldn't do another one in fibreglass... :) the fit is too awkward to get it spot on!
as for PS. Some may think its weird the way i talk about her (elanor) but shes my girl and im very attached to her, we've been through alot together. Even Jade has had to learn to like her (kind of lol), and to listen to me talk rubbish for hours and follow her round tesco reading the mini mag and talking to her at which point she nods her head and says "that sounds good".................................
i think thats normal isnt it!??
we all refer to our minis by their names! they have their own personality too! :)
good luck dude!

[nutter]

Elanor's looking good mate.. steel flip fronts are definately the way forwards.. i've got a fibreglass removable front on mine (didnt bother with hinges!) makes working on thing a million times better... but wouldn't do another one in fibreglass... :) the fit is too awkward to get it spot on!
as for
i think thats normal isnt it!??
we all refer to our minis by their names! they have their own personality too! :)
good luck dude!

Thats the reason why i wanted a steel one was due to the fact its hard to get them to fit properly also thought it would keep the car looking original.

Well im not too sure its normal. I mean when i have a bad day i go to my garage and speak to elanor, best thing about her is she dosent speak back....................... ;)

[minimuff]

Nice project mate. some great pics there

good luck with her.

[nutter]

Well a little update.

Ive virtually finished the front end now, just in the middle of putting the final touches to the steelwork then i just need to get my lifters and make them work correctly. Its taking time as i dont want to fudge it up. Currently in the middle of purchasing a right hand fuel tank to have twin tanks but there so expensive due to being rare but luckily someones come up with one for a price i cant refuse(as long as its all in good order). Also selling the 12" minilights on her to buy some new 13" rims which im hopefully picking some new ones up at the mini show this weekend if all goes well that is.

[minimuff]

twin tanks!! hope you got a v good deal.... :)

[nutter]

twin tanks!! hope you got a v good deal.... :)

Id like to think so, Hopefully picking it up this friday.

Also have now aquired a new wooden dash so thats hopefully going to look good once finished. Just need to get the door cappings.