Our Minis
OOur Minisdry paper and masking tape, with a
time slot booked in with local
bodywork pro Sean Bedford.
Sean resprayed my grey Mini
years ago, and that was worthy of a
studio shoot and front cover, so the
City was in capable hands. Rover
Flame Red can be made to really
gleam in the sun, but over time it
fades pretty badly. Colour matching
is vital if not painting the entire car,
so Sean opted for a slightly off-shade
of Flame Red than original, so as to
blend it in seamlessly.
Once back from paint it was a
whistle stop refit of the chrome
work and windows, ready for the
MoT. There was only one stumblingpoint when the indicators gave up
despite the four-way f lashers
working fine. This was eventually
traced to a dodgy hazard warning
switch, the internal connections
fixed by giving it a good finger prod
(a Mini technical term). So a new
switch is in the post.
You’ll have to wait until next time
to see if it made the IMM or not.
Also hoping to be there is our paint
pro Sean with his K-Series
converted Mini. You may recall his
project from way back in issue 247.
It’s only taken him another four
years since then, but judging by the
pics I’ve seen, it’ll be worth the wait.
More soon.A
fter a few months of living
the retirement dream, Dad
returned to the garage and
got back to work on the Mini City
project. Driving to the IMM in
Bristol was always the longterm
goal, except that lovely, relaxed
deadline quickly turned into a
pressing deadline of a couple of
weeks, as it always seems to!
We left off with refreshed panels
and rear subframe, with the
running gear all refurbished and
ready to roll. To save costs and keep
as much original Longbridge orange
peel as possible, it was decided to
only rub down and paint the parts
necessary. So out came the wet andA Flame Red spray job for Mini City, just in time for the IMM...
- MoT time
- Apply new decals
- Replace the hazard
warning switch
To do listAll prepped for a fresh
coat of Flame Red paint.Stephen Colbran
ContributorNew panels and paint have transformed the City. Sean with his long-term project - now almost complete.MINI LIFE I’ve been
around Minis since I raced
one aged 13, I rebuilt a
Mini as my first road car,
and have owned many
others along the way. I’ve
since driven, written about
and photographed some
of the best cars on the
scene. No longer using the
long term project car, in
2017 I decided to sell most
of my possessions and go
racing again.
MINI SPEC My Mini was
once a Mini Miglia, built
originally from a new
Rover Motorsport shell in
the early 2000s. Corgi
produced a diecast model
of the car and it’s had a
good deal of success over
the years. It’s set to
compete in the Mini Se7en
S-Class, a limited tuning
starter series with an
emphasis on DIY prep.
My dad’s project is a Mini
Clubman with a Vauxhall
Astra VXR engine
shoehorned up front.MINIS OWNED
Mini Se7en racer
1992 Mini CityFlame at Last
Our Minis
drypaperandmaskingtape,witha
timeslotbookedinwithlocal
bodyworkproSeanBedford.
SeanresprayedmygreyMini
yearsago,andthatwasworthyofa
studioshootandfrontcover,sothe
Citywasincapablehands.Rover
FlameRedcanbemadetoreally
gleaminthesun,butovertimeit
fadesprettybadly.Colourmatching
is vitalif notpaintingtheentirecar,
soSeanoptedfora slightlyoff-shade
ofFlameRedthanoriginal,soasto
blendit inseamlessly.
Oncebackfrompaintit wasa
whistlestoprefitofthechrome
workandwindows,readyforthe
MoT.Therewasonlyonestumblingpointwhentheindicatorsgaveup
despitethefour-wayf lashers
workingfine.Thiswaseventually
tracedtoa dodgyhazardwarning
switch,theinternalconnections
fixedbygivingit a goodfingerprod
(aMinitechnicalterm).Soa new
switchis inthepost.
You’llhavetowaituntilnexttime
toseeif it madetheIMMornot.
Alsohopingtobethereis ourpaint
proSeanwithhisK-Series
convertedMini.Youmayrecallhis
projectfromwaybackinissue247.
It’sonlytakenhimanotherfour
yearssincethen,butjudgingbythe
picsI’veseen,it’llbeworththewait.
Moresoon.A
ftera fewmonthsofliving
theretirementdream,Dad
returnedtothegarageand
gotbacktoworkontheMiniCity
project.DrivingtotheIMMin
Bristolwasalwaysthelongterm
goal,exceptthatlovely,relaxed
deadlinequicklyturnedintoa
pressingdeadlineofa coupleof
weeks,asit alwaysseemsto!
Weleftoffwithrefreshedpanels
andrearsubframe,withthe
runninggearallrefurbishedand
readytoroll.Tosavecostsandkeep
asmuchoriginalLongbridgeorange
peelaspossible,it wasdecidedto
onlyrubdownandpainttheparts
necessary.SooutcamethewetandA FlameRedsprayjobforMiniCity,justintimefortheIMM...
- MoTtime
- Apply new decals
- Replace the hazard
warning switchTodolistAll prepped for a fresh
coat of Flame Red paint.Stephen Colbran
ContributorNewpanelsandpainthavetransformedtheCity. Sean with his long-term project - now almost complete.MINI LIFE I’ve been
around Minis since I raced
one aged 13, I rebuilt a
Mini as my first road car,
and have owned many
others along the way. I’ve
since driven, written about
and photographed some
of the best cars on the
scene. No longer using the
long term project car, in
2017 I decided to sell most
of my possessions and go
racing again.
MINI SPEC My Mini was
once a Mini Miglia, built
originally from a new
Rover Motorsport shell in
the early 2000s. Corgi
produced a diecast model
of the car and it’s had a
good deal of success over
the years. It’s set to
compete in the Mini Se7en
S-Class, a limited tuning
starter series with an
emphasis on DIY prep.
My dad’s project is a Mini
Clubman with a Vauxhall
Astra VXR engine
shoehorned up front.MINIS OWNED
Mini Se7en racer
1992 Mini CityFlame at Last