Classic Mini Talk Interested in the Classic Mini? Discuss the Classic and its variants here!

Restoration Complete...lots of pics

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:11 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Restoration Complete...lots of pics

took a little over a year to do this ground up build

here are some before and after shots:
---------------------------------------









----------------------------------------------









 
  #2  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:17 AM
tdm156's Avatar
tdm156
tdm156 is offline
Ruling the curves
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: San Antonio Texas
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thats an awesome Restoration!
 
  #3  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:24 AM
Gil-galad's Avatar
Gil-galad
Gil-galad is offline
Coordinator :: Eastern Iowa MINIs
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Decorah, IA
Posts: 5,520
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Fantastic transformation. Brought that Mini back from the dead, and now it's something to lust after. You are one talented dude.
 
  #4  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:28 AM
davavd's Avatar
davavd
davavd is offline
6th Gear
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Covington, Louisiana
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Beautiful!! I know where there is an old Mini in a carport under a pile of junk. I would love to be able to watch that happen to one that was mine.
 
  #5  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:36 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
the owners are really excited......i cant wait to see the look on their face when they get here.....last time they saw it in person, they thought there was no hope and they were quite concerned on what they were getting into.....lol.......there's no need to fear, "MiniCreations" is here.....lol
 
  #6  
Old 05-17-2008, 07:46 AM
Minidrivr's Avatar
Minidrivr
Minidrivr is offline
6th Gear
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,881
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Just plain awesome! Some day I will have one of the classics!
 
  #7  
Old 05-17-2008, 08:33 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
here is a couple more i just took



 
  #8  
Old 05-17-2008, 09:04 AM
gemgirlpa's Avatar
gemgirlpa
gemgirlpa is offline
6th Gear
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Pennsylavnia
Posts: 2,087
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
what year is this car?
 
  #9  
Old 05-17-2008, 10:39 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1980
 
  #10  
Old 05-17-2008, 11:15 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
customers finally got here and they were very happy...woo hoo......

here is a link to a video of them driven around
http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...t=DSCN1073.flv

plus some pics:




 
  #11  
Old 05-17-2008, 11:38 AM
Stu's Avatar
Stu
Stu is offline
3rd Gear
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 278
Received 12 Likes on 9 Posts
Great job. How did it get here from the UK? I noticed it still had the RAC (a AAA organisation in Britain) sticker in the window - they would have had a job getting that started a year ago!
 
  #12  
Old 05-17-2008, 11:49 AM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
it's a 74 not 80 i was thinking of another mini......came on a boat....not sure what sticker your talking about?
 
  #13  
Old 05-17-2008, 11:54 AM
Stu's Avatar
Stu
Stu is offline
3rd Gear
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CT
Posts: 278
Received 12 Likes on 9 Posts
First picture - there is an RAC tax holder in the upper left of the front window.
 
  #14  
Old 05-17-2008, 12:00 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
it was shipped over from the UK prob 3 yrs ago and it sat un touched until we bought it
 
  #15  
Old 05-17-2008, 12:40 PM
trackster's Avatar
trackster
trackster is offline
5th Gear
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Congragulations Way to bring another one back from the dead. It has to be a real source of accomplishment when you look at it now . I've been there a couple of times and it does make all the hard work seem a little less trying once it is done . Nice job !
 
  #16  
Old 05-17-2008, 01:56 PM
TWISTER's Avatar
TWISTER
TWISTER is offline
6th Gear
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: 27106
Posts: 2,974
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Big Norm,
Congrats on a job well done.

On another note, your site has a few (MANY) broken links. They are all looking for stuff on your PC hard drive. I can help you if you want. 11+ years of web development. Free for you if you want it.
 
  #17  
Old 05-17-2008, 01:58 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
my site is being re-done as we speak......hopefully will be redone soon.....tryin to snaz it up a bit
 
  #18  
Old 05-17-2008, 02:51 PM
travis 10 incher's Avatar
travis 10 incher
travis 10 incher is offline
2nd Gear
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey Norm,

How did they get it in that trailer?
Enclosed trailers are nice but dang it looks like a tight fit!!!!!!

TTI
 
  #19  
Old 05-17-2008, 02:59 PM
CR&PW&JB's Avatar
CR&PW&JB
CR&PW&JB is offline
OVERDRIVE
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 12,326
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Norm, which is more fun for you: The actual restoration process, or the day the owners come to pick it up and see your work ?

That is an incredible job... gorgeous Mini !!
 
  #20  
Old 05-17-2008, 03:03 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
well it was a very stressfull period waiting for them to arrive this morining.....you never know how someone is gonna react....but they were very happy with how it all turned out, so i was very relieved.....doing the restoration sucks....lol.....j/k.....it has it's ups and downs of course....there are times where you say "what was i thinking, taking on this project"....but when the cust finally see's what there car was and is now, it's the best of all of it
 
  #21  
Old 05-17-2008, 03:06 PM
CR&PW&JB's Avatar
CR&PW&JB
CR&PW&JB is offline
OVERDRIVE
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 12,326
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Looking at that Mini, it's hard to imagine you were a little nervous about the customer's reaction. But hey, after all that effort and time invested, I guess you can't help but worry a little.

Yeah, I'm sure the projects can get quite stressful. But I haven't seen one of your restorations yet that didn't come out great. Very cool work you're doing. Wow.
 
  #22  
Old 05-17-2008, 03:27 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
if anyone wants to see other restorations i've done go to youtube.com and search for austinmininorm and they should show up
 
  #23  
Old 05-17-2008, 05:54 PM
billie_morini's Avatar
billie_morini
billie_morini is offline
5th Gear
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,008
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Stunning! Gorgeous!
Thank you for posting so many wonderful photos, Big Norm.
 
  #24  
Old 05-17-2008, 06:20 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i do it to show people, that you can make something out of nothing and that anything is possible......i ventured into mini restorations after restoring my own mini "Chubby Checker" about 2 and a half years ago.......i learned alot from that mini and i also have alot of good people working with me on these builds now........the biggest thing i learned is to not be afraid, anything can be fixed
 
  #25  
Old 05-17-2008, 06:54 PM
Big Norm's Avatar
Big Norm
Big Norm is offline
6th Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
my site is up and working again for those who were asking....Thanks TWISTER.... my web developer is still working on the flash site, i will let everyone know when that launches
 


Quick Reply: Restoration Complete...lots of pics



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:44 PM.