The Shocking Cost to Restore My Rare Mini Cooper - Was It Worth It? CMW Part 95

[@markdraper7]

It's a fantastically restored car mate which you should be super proud of doing all on your own, Well done!!! 😎

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks mate

[@rubyfewster9862]

Thank you buddy.You inspired me on my journey and now half way through,I hope.

[@billkingdom5038]

Thanks for posting this. Starting my journey up restoring my 97mpi… keep finding more body rot as we strip. Going to be awesome when finished .. albeit skint

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks, good luck.

[@TheRio58]

Well done on the restoration Keith. I have enjoyed watching the progress over the past two years so thank you for that. Hopefully I will see the car at Mini Fair in January. 👍🏼

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks 👍

[@peterobrien3539]

A great restoration Keith,. Your workmanship is second to none and a beautiful racing green, thanks for taking us on your journey. Wirgong you a very happy Christmas.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Many thanks, happy Xmas

[@barryford7135]

Nice one Keith, cracking job on the mini. 👍

[@mystudios1052]

Been an enjoyable 2 years watching this project. Have a merry Christmas 🎄

[@classicminiworkshop]

Happy holidays!

[@peterdraper9595]

Great build Keith really enjoyed the journey an amazing finish on the mini certainly worth the money

[@recreativesigns4571]

Appreciate the hours you’ve put into the Racing Green restoration. What a transformation. Big money but I think it’s been worth it. You’ll be super proud to show it off in 2025 at various events. Maybe my Mini Thirty can park near it too. As you know I don’t have the skill set to do what you’ve done but my wallet felt the pinch when mine had its full exterior resto. The parts spend certainly can run away on these classics but worth it.

[@larrycluness5438]

Brilliant job, well done! thank you for going to the effort to create the video series too!

[@martingibbs9277]

Great job, I think it's worth that all day long, and the fact that you done it all yourself makes it more valuable to you personally.

[@pda49184]

The Racing Green was a brilliant series Keith.. Thank you, and hoping you and yours have a Merry Christmas & Prosperous New Near.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you. Have a nice Xmas

[@edwardfothergill6156]

Absolutely brilliant Kieth. Lovely car & many thanks for the hours of viewing. If you think you spent too much, I definitely did & it is not the unique motor yours is. Enjoy it now it is done. Have a great Christmas break.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Glad you enjoyed it, happy Christmas

[@JPMergens]

Very much loved this entire build series! Thank you so much. Your knowledge and insight have helped me so much in doing the limited things I've been able to do on my Mini. There aren't a lot of Mini resources here in the states, so your instruction has really been invaluable. I'm very much looking forward to your next project. Happiest of Holidays to you and yours!

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you, best wishes

[@maverick4177]

Have loved watching this one especially, the attention to detail, and dedication are admirable, the spend was brave too 😂 You should be proud of what you have achieved Keith 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you

[@ClassicMinishorts]

Lovely car, congratulations. These videos would definitely help people understand the costs of a sorted car!

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@philtucker1224]

I don’t think you can put a price on the labour cost because this type of hobby is as much a benefit to your ( and Mark’s) mental health , so that is priceless. Well done, it’s beautiful 👌👍

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Phil, Happy Xmas

[@andyfry1970]

Hi Keith, I have loved watching this restoration - build of the racing green. You have done a fantastic job with the restoration. And you certainly have a unique model there, given the JCW additions. It really looks the part now! And I guess from a money perspective...what you've spent, well it is what it is to achieve this level of perfection!! I also like the original brochures you have...all adds to the package hey. Great stuff Keith as always! A Merry Christmas to you and your family. I look forward to seeing your new content in the new year! 😊

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Andy, Merry Xmas

[@philkitson3563]

Well done Keith, enjoyed every minute of watching, on to the next one, Merry Christmas mate

[@classicminiworkshop]

Merry Christmas Phil

[@Polecat54941]

Very good to be able to share this journey, I do hope you get a nice MK 4 Leyland some day as the late 70's Mins do not get enough love in my opinion despite being better built than the Rovers :)

[@grahamwoodier5066]

I have a 78 Leyland Mini 1000 and I agree that was a good era for the quality of Mini builds.

[@Polecat54941]

@grahamwoodier5066 78 clearly the best year, you got the stripey seats?

[@grahamwoodier5066]

@@Polecat54941 Yes, stripey seats and Vermillion paint.

[@Polecat54941]

@grahamwoodier5066 mine Inca yellow with grey striped, did you get the altisimo rear lights due to the Lucas strike also? They have circles on the lenses

[@velmathemini]

The car looks awesome & hopefully I'll see it at Bingley Hall in January.

[@peterdraper9595]

Thanks

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Peter, Merry Christmas to you and the family. Thanks for supporting the channel.

[@richardwalker5906]

It's an amazing build & worth 16k especially to anyone who watches your chanel 🎉 merry Christmas

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks, you too!

[@simonwebster6855]

Well done Beautiful job Mine had a full cooper conversation done in 1995 and is in malachite blue With all the genuine accessories

[@classicminiworkshop]

Nice one!

[@simonwebster6855]

I have two sets of the RSP wheels One in silver for winter use and touring and the posh set which I have just had re powder coated with new tyres and the same centre badges for shows Full walnut interior and cooper dash and the cylinder head in gray not blue as it was an early one I have all the orginal bills showing what was purchased It’s been a four year rolling restoration Body work not perfect but it shows its history

[@triumphstu]

Excellent restoration I'll have a nosey at Bingley!

[@classicminiworkshop]

See you there!

[@peterdemetriou2263]

Looks lovely, definitely a keeper ! £20k + if you had to pay someone else to do it. I’d love to have mine restored someday, I’ll keep doing the lotto and hope for the best lol 👍

[@karlgt9989]

Congrats and well done 🎉🎉

[@ElizabethThomas-qp2dn]

Worth 16 k if not more Keith,you have done a fantastic job 👍

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you

[@evansisgreat]

Definitely agree, a sorted (documented) rust free mini with the JC conversion is a bargain at that kind of money even with the weak market just now.

[@rbirdi900]

Keith.. Seasons greetings to you, the family, and all on the channel. Spectacular series to see this amazing nut and bolt restoration. The Green looks excellent.. You need to do at least one show and shine before you move on to the next project.. All the best for the new year project (van/pickup?) All the best..Raj B.

[@classicminiworkshop]

All the best mate, hope you are doing well.

[@rustinsooper]

Great vid, I had 1990 racing green with the same JCC kit, back in...97..., great fun, easily kept up with the MPI. Feel your pain on costs, I keep an itemised google sheet, and with garage tools, parts et all (inc shipping) starting from scratch, I'm up to about 17K which I'll probably double... Nice too another one saved 🙂 Make and sell body jigs, i'm positive they would sell like hot cakes! :-) I'd buy one!!

[@gsxrpat6147]

Crikey Keith. Really wish I would be able to restore mine somewhat similar. Perhaps not as much monies...but somewhat😂😂

[@garethkeri]

£16k is a lot of money, but the enjoyment you've got probably knocks a fair bit off that. I've been rebuilding a van over the last 6 years, in my spare time. As I've been in no rush I've managed to save a fair bit by buying new old stock bits, am probably up to about £4k now, but thats in topcoat and the majority is ready to be put back together. Also a lot of the expensive parts were purchased pre covid so again worked out a lot cheaper than todays prices.

[@neilpye6089]

Well done on your hard work with rg

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Neil

[@barryjackson8512]

Credit to you.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you

[@simonmercer9530]

I think it’s a lovely job a great car. Something is worth what you can get for it, I recon you’d get your money back. See you at Bingley

[@classicminiworkshop]

Cheers Simon, see you at Bingley

[@johnmiddleton470]

Will we be seeing it at the IMM next year? 👌👌

[@classicminiworkshop]

Yes, I should be there

[@catalintrifu1225]

Seen al your videos with much enjoyment, can you please make a video of the Cherakote after the Bingley Hall run, i am interested on the results, on another note if you factor in the labour it would be a ridiculous amount of money the car owes you, but that is not why we restore classic cars, cheers.

[@classicminiworkshop]

It's labour as love as they say! I have a video on the Ceracote kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn3KZZJobcmMarssi=HCqZPLmmg3BTG4f-

[@catalintrifu1225]

@@classicminiworkshop Yes i saw that one, thank you for taking the time to make it, i am interested in how it holds after a few heat cycles, cheers

[@rbirdi900]

Keith, one would day, what a great end to the build, with spectacular timing ahead of Christmas. The Green looks worthy of show and shine entrance.. so that before you make a decision to move on.. What about a van/pickup for the next project..??

[@classicminiworkshop]

I would love a pick up, always fancied one but never owned one

[@mcmotors100]

Worth every penny. 👍 As for what to do next, maybe restore/repair a subscriber cars car? Do a draw, with a stipulation that they must have owned the car for at least 12or24or36 months. And they pay all costs except your time??? Have a great Christmas.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Cheers, merry xmas

[@philtucker1224]

Keith if you were paying a resto company they would be charging at least £60 per hour x 300 hours.

[@mikeroz6549]

She's lovely Keith. The 998 is supposed to be a really sweet engine. I have a tuned 1275 which I've owned nearly 40 years. Back in the mid to late 1980 I knew a lad who had done a 998 MK3 mini up to look like a Cooper. It was nearly as fast as my 1275 which itself had been worked on & properly dyno'ed by Aldon Automotive.

[@paulrobinson3528]

16k Ouch, but worth it. It turned out to be a really nice build Keith, well done. So what is next??

[@classicminiworkshop]

I'm always on the lookout mate, not found anything yet!

[@recreativesigns4571]

@@classicminiworkshopas space in your garage is a little limited with the current car collection, perhaps you should start building a Mini Shorty.

[@andymurdoch1346]

A R53 Mini is probably cheaper to buy and restore nowadays and the driving experience is actually night and day

[@ricksampson6780]

Probably not, we have been experiencing a "cost of living" crisis in Australia for the last four years. For example, a small 250g cheese block retails for AT LEAST $7.50. I congratulate you on having such a disposable income to spend on your hobbies.

[@classicminiworkshop]

It's an investment as I tell my wife LOL. There are many hobbies where you burn money with nothing to show for it. I got 2-years of enjoyment and I could probably get most of the money back if I wanted to sell in a hurry, or I keep it and let it appreciate in value. I started doing this properly in 2014 and that Mini cost me £990, since then, I've pretty much just traded up. Before doing this restoration, I sold Project Spout which pretty much covered the cost and that car cost me £1500 originally

[@grahamwoodier5066]

Hi Keith, Seems reasonable to me and I don't see how you could have done it properly for much less. When I restored my 92 Cooper SPi with a new shell it cost just over £16k and I didn't do anything to the engine/gearbox except for a clean and paint. You have probably saved a fortune by doing the panel work and paint yourself.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Cheer Graham, happy Xmas

[@MadeInGreatBritain]

£16k doesn’t buy you much of a car nowadays. I’d much rather spend all of that money on my mini instead of buying something new

[@keithoftheshire2805]

What about the cost to set up the dizzy advance curve and carbs. With the parts fitted and modern fuel, I'm sure it would greatly benefit from a full tune.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Once it's run in I will be getting a rolling road done. The dizzy is a Mini Spares EVO unit with a matched curve to the cam, so should be near spot on

[@StefanMiniCooper]

​@@classicminiworkshopor make a video together with AC Dodd and let it tune by him (on the rolling road)

[@TheColinf1]

I've spent over 5k with minispares, you'd think they'd throw in a few free stickers!

[@classicminiworkshop]

LOL, I don't think I've ever had a freebie from Mini Spares!

[@andymurdoch1346]

Me too. Tighter than a fishes arse

[@adsminibuild5791]

Enjoyment doing it has got to nock lots of money off total build in my opinion. It's a great looking car you can definitely be proud of 👍

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Mate, happy Xmas

[@neilwharton720]

You have made a very nice job of this but just goes to show when you restore something it costs a fortune and the market value is not normally anywhere near what you have spent but hey it’s for the love of cars 👍👍👍🎅🎅

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thank you, like you say, it's for the love of cars. It should last another 30+ years which would be amazing

[@surfjon67]

Hi Keith thanks for brilliant vids. What sort of horsepower is the car now? Thanks Jon

[@classicminiworkshop]

Once run in and rolling road tuned, it should be capable of 70BHP. I would be very happy with that.

[@Solargold1]

Hi Keith Stunning car, just about to buy my first welder, what welder do you have and would you recommend it. Gas or gas less

[@classicminiworkshop]

Gas less welders are not great unless you absolutely have to have one because always welding outside in the wind. I have used a simple Clarke 135TE for all the restorations I have done and it works great. If I replaced the welder I would probably upgrade to a GYS Smart Mig, but for beginners a Clarke 135TE is the sweet spot

[@Solargold1]

@@classicminiworkshop A Clarke 135te it is then, watch all your videos, love the welding and bodywork, great work , keep the restorations coming👍👍

[@TheGentlemensMotorRacingTeam]

Wow you could buy a lot of cheese for that

[@classicminiworkshop]

Cheers mate, have a Brie-lliant Christmas!

[@recreativesigns4571]

In for a penny, in for a pound or two.

[@classicminiworkshop]

LOL, hell yeah

[@RexBanner_]

How much was it?

[@RexBanner_]

Just shy of £16K.

[@alanwoolley4749]

How much BHP are you making. I’ve put a refurbished cooper 998 head on mine a standard mini 1000 engine. Twin SUs and LCB and 1 3/4 exhaust system and makes 51bhp

[@classicminiworkshop]

Not sure yet. I will have it rolling road tuned once it's run in.

[@classic1989mini]

Very expensive, I don’t think it’s worth that. 12k would be my estimate. I wouldn’t warrant forking out that sort of money

[@pauljeffries]

You haven't seen the car in real life, i have, its a stunner and worth every penny of £16k.

[@classicminiworkshop]

As the saying goes, it's only worth what someone is willing to pay. I would agree a well-restored Mini is probably worth around £12k ish, this car is pretty rare with the John Cooper Conversion and all the provenance to back it up, but that said, it's probably as rare as the people that want to buy it! Either way, I didn't restore it to sell it, so not that fussed about the value.

[@simonmercer9530]

Don’t buy it then 😂

[@Polecat54941]

@@classicminiworkshop You can get a 3 year old Kia washing machine car for more money, I would rather spend mine on an Icon of British motoring personally.

[@bernardwarr4187]

Classic1989mini, hasn’t go a clue? I think your get quoted 15k to get a specialist to overhaul the powertrain alone. Great build and great value! A high quality paint job will be over 7k

[@dnf1903]

Hiya Keith-still watch re-runs of the Bruce build. Sprout was a great build, watch but RG has been the best yet. RG is almost like a modern Mini but with the old school twin SU engine and it's amazing. Hope to see it and you at Bingley. Keep well, and maybe a1275 GT rebuild next?