Classic Mini Restoration - Removing The Body Shell (Part 1)

Finally made a start on restoring my classic mini. The whole car is undergoing restoration, so first job...remove the body shell ready for media blasting. This was supposed to be just a 'one part' first video...but unfortunately things didn't go as planned so I've split the video into two parts.

[@markgadsby5568]

“Honey, I’m just gonna restore my little old mini.” Builds a garage in the process… 😂

[@SmugwoodMini]

Was the most expensive workshop ive ever built...still not quite finished :-)

[@nigelmackay1612]

What a bum deal! Only watched the first. Looking forward to all if it.

[@SmugwoodMini]

It still causes me problems now 😔 Took so much money but slowly making progress now 👍

[@GrahamDallas]

Great series. I started rebuilding a Land Rover Defender outside. I need to build a garage too. I've had bits of LR lying all around the place for the last 6 years.

[@SmugwoodMini]

A garage makes a huge difference...and makes working on the cars so much more enjoyable. Was a nightmare for me last year working outside in the snow 😂

[@petersnelgar1524]

Love the music. Nice to see project. Thanks

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks 😊. Sometimes the music is the hardest part as I compose most of it myself. 😊

[@TheGentlemensMotorRacingTeam]

Fantastic, keep up the good work

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks...so much work to do. 👍

[@evilcat12]

Wow man.. i love this video.. love the start of this.. Going to watch all through.. i like your style... Inspired me .. Going to follow alot of your Ideas/Thought. Thanks.

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks. It’s all new to me and I’m learning as I go along. Some days are more productive than others 😂 But there’s a lot of good help out there, the mini community is really helpful, so fingers crossed I’ll get there in the end 😊 Just in the middle of wheeling the car out to work on it but it keeps raining...typical British weather 😊

[@LoneStarMini]

liking it so far...

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks 😊 Been out there today in the cold wet weather working on it...gonna be so much more enjoyable once it’s under cover 😊

[@wannesvanhoudt6429]

bernie sent me :) good luck with the resto!

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks 😊. Intrigued as to what you mean though about Bernie sent you 😊👍

[@wannesvanhoudt6429]

@@SmugwoodMini haha bernie the 1275gt :) another youtuber. He shared your channel on a classic mini fb-page. He said to check you out "..and tell him bernie sent you" :) so i did :D

[@SmugwoodMini]

Ah right haha...thats very kind of him to do that. Very much appreciated. And funnily enough, I think I actually subbed to his channel today...The Gentlemans Motor Racing Team if im not mistaken...really good videos.

[@wannesvanhoudt6429]

@@SmugwoodMini correct! :)

[@MiniMattTV]

Ah that sucks! Hopefully you can get something sorted out to fix the water problem

[@SmugwoodMini]

Not the best start. But I’ll be having a slight change of plan I think. My existing workshop is now gonna be home to the mini and once I get this water problem sorted I’ll build a second workshop which should hopefully mean things will be back on track a bit quicker. The shell is going for a burn and blast in the new year so it’s gotta be sorted as quickly as possible so I don’t lose my place etc. So fingers crossed 😊

[@wow917]

Hey, really enjoying the series! I gotta ask, did you make that little electrical table for labelling and keeping record yourself? Could you share it? Really good idea to reference stuff back to the Manual as well!

[@SmugwoodMini]

Im trying to think now...it seems so long ago :-) Was it the once where ive used excel spreadsheet?

[@DBMiniDIY]

Nice video mate. Hope you get the water issue resolved

[@SmugwoodMini]

Thanks...been like this now for a few weeks and nobody wants responsibility of it...so Ive had to start the ball rolling for legal action of sorts. Not sure how far i'll get with it, but only one way to find out. But once its sorted...I'll be working at double speed haha. The shell is going for blasting early in the new year so I need to get my act together :-)

[@sharky09000]

Good luck with the Mini & the water leak😉

[@SmugwoodMini]

Haha thanks. Not sure which will get fixed first...the water leak or the mini 😂

[@sharky09000]

@@SmugwoodMini 🖒

[@tiplady44]

You don’t remove the body shell ,you strip out the components Done enough of them 😉

[@SmugwoodMini]

Unless you disconnect all of the parts...and lift the body shell off :-)

[@tiplady44]

@@SmugwoodMini Easier to drop the 2 subframes 🤔

[@minor0confusion]

dude, why the hell is your brake line BELOW the subframe?!?!?

[@SmugwoodMini]

Im not sure...I'll need to look at the video and see which bit you mean. Hopefully when everything goes back on it'll be done properly. Thats the problem when buying a 40 year old car...its hard to know what other people may have done and wether its been done properly etc.

[@minor0confusion]

ye, its called "i cant be arsed to drop the subframe to replace the brakeline, ill put it here where a speed bump can fracture it and leave me with no brakes" LOL 100% put that back above the subframe where it should be safe and out of harms way!! this is why i cant buy any car without checking EVERYTHING :D @@SmugwoodMini

[@claymore2k1T10]

How do you remove a Mini body shell, a better description would be stripping a Mini Body shell

[@SmugwoodMini]

I guess I was going with the thought of removing a mini body shell from the subframes 😊👍

[@gegwen7440]

You don't remove the shell you simply remove both front & rear subframes and all you are left with is a shell.

[@SmugwoodMini]

Depends from which perspective you look at it from. The front and rear subframes and all the parts where left in situ and the shell was sent away for blasting while everything else stayed where it was. So in theory, the shell was removed as everything else stayed put 😊👍