Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 18:53:07 GMT
|
Saw an article about a car I like today which might interest a few. I first saw this car about 5-6 years ago, abandoned under Longbridge which I visited at the International Mini Meet a few years ago. Whilst I don't agree to the thought of it being restored as it is so well known, it's nice to know it won't be concreted into the ground forever. Words a pictures stolen from ARO Back in the 2005, when Urban Exploration was new and exciting, the sprawling Longbridge site came under considerable scrutiny. After MG Rover fell into administration, talented and brave young trespassers with nice DSLRs and a gift for framing a great photograph broke in and supplied us with some great pictures of hitherto unseen parts of the factory
One enduring image from the tunnels below the factory was of a lone Mini Clubman, which had been seemingly left to rot. Standing in dank water and away from sunlight for at least 30 years, the car was something of a lone and rather sad survivor – a time capsule reminder that beneath the factory is an intricate network of passages that saw so much action. They served to protect the factory workers from German bombers during WW2 and ended up becoming something of a storage-cum-hiding area in more recent years.
However, when it became clear that the tunnels were due to be filled in during the next round of site excavation and redevelopment, Steve, a Mini enthusiast, decided that he would save the car. He got in touch with St. Modwen (the site’s owner) and arranged to have the car removed legally, with a view to rescuing it. As for why the car ended up there with practically zero miles on the clock and a huge v-shaped dent in the roof, Steve said, ‘the Mini was finished and was being driven around the site as a pool car. It had covered 11 miles, then I believe a storage container fell on it. So they hid down the tunnel.’
Steve has decided to restore the car to its former glory – which will be, in his own words, a huge project. However, it has caused something of a fracas in the Mini community, with deep feelings for and against its removal in the first place and now its restoration.     |
| |
|
|
|
|
MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 19:12:26 GMT
|
|
Brave man. Cool story though; would love to see photos of its removal from the tunnels. As for 'restoration', I'd imagine that very little of the original car would remain if it's to be presented in concours condition. However, on the offchance it'll be tickled by a talented panel beater, then it would make it extra worthy of the 'resto' tag.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 19:48:18 GMT
|
|
That's gonna be a hell of a lot of work, but much better that than destined to become one with cement.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 19:49:08 GMT
|
How the hell do you fix that roof, surely cutting one off another mini?  Brave man. Kinda cool as well. Good luck to him. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 19:50:45 GMT
|
|
wow! thats amazing!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 20:12:33 GMT
|
How the hell do you fix that roof, surely cutting one off another mini? Brave man. Kinda cool as well. Good luck to him. If it bent one way you can bend it back again, its usually only economics or serious rot that dictates replacement rather than repair. Far as I can tell most "restorations" these days consist of taking old stuff off, chucking it in the bin and fitting new/second hand parts. |
| |
Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
|
|
MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 20:18:08 GMT
|
|
The more I read about this on the 'net, the more fascinating it becomes. Shame the new owner didn't get any photos of its removal though.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 20:37:56 GMT
|
|
Of course it can be repaired/rectified or what ever you want to do. Even if you have to unpick every spotweld and restitch them all back together provided it's done on some sort base which is pefectly true and squared up it'll be fine. Looks to be basic panel work and far worse than it seems. Just work methodically getting the floorpan with the two subframes anchored down correctly and not crabbed and the rest is simple.. It'll go pear shaped if you try and do it 'freehand'.Be warned! Its a MINI !
|
| |
|
|
Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,513
|
|
Nov 22, 2012 20:39:41 GMT
|
|
I'd love to see that with the roof pushed up just enough to sit inside and the rest pulled square as necessary to bolt running gear in and drive as is, still showing the massive scars of its short working life (and death).
|
| |
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
|
retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,714
Club RR Member Number: 94
|
Last Mini out of Longbridgeretrolegends
@retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member 94
|
Nov 24, 2012 14:34:15 GMT
|
|
I wonder what else was down there?
|
| |
1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2012 14:37:56 GMT
|
|
Great story that, good luck to the lad. Difficult not to be amused by all those greebos on the Mini forum getting hot under the collar about how original it will be in the end and the 'ethics' of getting it out of the tunnel and fixing it up, talk about sour grapes!!!! I'm sure they'll feel better when theyve slept on it, bummed another Metro for its A+ engine and bought a few more sets of drilled alloy window winder handles off ebay.
|
| |
1974 Lancia Beta Saloon
1975 Mazda 929 Coupé
1986 Mazda 929 Wagon
1979 Mazda 929 Hardtop
1982 Fiat Argenta 2.0 iniezione elettronica
1977 Toyota Carina TA14
1989 Subaru 1800 Wagon
1982 Hyundai Pony 1200TL 2-dr
1985 Hyundai Pony 1200 GL
1986 Maserati 425 Biturbo
1992 Rover 214 SEi 5-dr
2000 Rover 45 V6 Club
1994 Peugeot 205 'Junior' Diesel
1988 Volvo 760 Turbodiesel Saloon
1992 Talbot Express Autosleeper Rambler
2003 Renault Laguna SPEARS OR REAPERS
|
|
Porsche
West Midlands
Kev from B'ham.
Posts: 4,725 
|
|
Nov 24, 2012 14:47:58 GMT
|
I wonder what else was down there? I heard years ago that alot of the cars that are now in the heritage collection were stored down there before they thought of opening the museum at Gaydon. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2012 16:27:38 GMT
|
|
thats an awesome story and good luck to him on the resto
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2012 16:40:33 GMT
|
Fair play to the owner for even considering a restoration of this Clubman... I do hope that a load of detailed snaps are taken so we can see its re-birth... If it were up to me I'd leave it exactly as it is as it's just so interesting (but utterly useless!) in its current state. However, it's not up to me and I don't own it so whatever happens to it is entirely in the hands of its current custodian...  This is most certainy going to end up in a fair few magazines in the future... |
| |
***GARAGE CURRENTLY EMPTY***
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 13:48:05 GMT
|
Bit of t-cut and that'll buff right out  Its nice that somebody is getting all excited over a Mini that isn't a Cooper S ;D |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 14:39:37 GMT
|
|
Man, I'm amazed that they were able to actually buy this off the developers. Red tape and scrap buyers would usually have scuppered such a purchase. I've seen this car loads of times since following the Urbex pictures of Longbridge since it closed. I'm happy that it's not been cubed, but I do think it'll be a shame to restore it to shiny mini standards. Seth put it pretty well - Pull the roof out, bash the window apertures about til you can fit glass then stick an engine and box in and off you go.
Anyone got a link to a build thread?
|
| |
|
|
Porsche
West Midlands
Kev from B'ham.
Posts: 4,725
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 15:18:35 GMT
|
|
I think it'd be nice to leave it as it is, find out the exact story about how it came to be dented and left in the tunnel then display it at Gaydon.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 15:28:47 GMT
|
Great story that, good luck to the lad. Difficult not to be amused by all those greebos on the Mini forum getting hot under the collar about how original it will be in the end and the 'ethics' of getting it out of the tunnel and fixing it up, talk about sour grapes!!!! I'm sure they'll feel better when theyve slept on it, bummed another Metro for its A+ engine and bought a few more sets of drilled alloy window winder handles off ebay.  They need to pull their heads out of their arses, load of divs. I think it's great someone has the gonads to restore it, fair play to him. How would it work once it's finished? I'm assuming it was never registered, so once it's completed, would it be registered as a new car? |
| |
1993 Mercedes-Benz 190e LE in Azzuro Blue.
|
|
Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 17:47:06 GMT
|
Man, I'm amazed that they were able to actually buy this off the developers. Red tape and scrap buyers would usually have scuppered such a purchase. I've seen this car loads of times since following the Urbex pictures of Longbridge since it closed. I'm happy that it's not been cubed, but I do think it'll be a shame to restore it to shiny mini standards. Seth put it pretty well - Pull the roof out, bash the window apertures about til you can fit glass then stick an engine and box in and off you go. Anyone got a link to a build thread? The guy has started a thread on The Mini Forum, I found it via Google but havnt read it. I hope it has some sore of Vin and Commission number on it otherwise it can't ever be a restoration as there's not enough useable bits! ;D |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2012 19:44:10 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
[*]
Its nice that somebody is getting all excited over a Mini that isn't a Cooper S ;D
