Restoration time again

Many years have gone by since Lucy was last on the road and although she has been stored in a garage, time has taken its toll. The engine will no longer fire and the clutch is ceased in the open position. The handbrake was left off but pushing the car does not budge it an inch.

So why am I revisiting the project after all this time? It was a combination of reasons. I was tired of being ripped off by garages charging the earth just to connect a tablet to my daily drive or replacing another electronic box. I missed the simplicity of the A-series and the classic Mini in general. That and the fact that my eldest has decided that she wants to be a mechanic and would love to work on Lucy with me. Oh and no pressure but could she be back on the road in time for her prom this Summer?

So on a cold winter’s morning we tried to get the engine to fire. I showed her how to check the spark plugs, HT leads, to open the distributer cap, check the contacts and rotary arm, the coil and the battery. My old battery charger said the battery was full but I knew it was lying so I purchased one of these new ones that fit in the palm of your hand. It said the battery was dead.

When buying a car battery most web sites ask for your reg and for a classic Mini they are more than likely going to recommend a 038 battery. That's fine but I planned on making Lucy my daily drive again and that means more mods, some electricals, and there is no harm opting for a more powerful battery. After some research I opted for a 063 battery with 440 CCA and 45 AH. Car batteries, much like battery chargers, have gotten smaller over the years and this much more powerful battery just about fitted into the battery box aperature with a few mm to spare. The Mini fired up easily, back-fired once then purred. Not bad considering she last fired some years back.

new batt fitted

We still needed to inspect the car to see what needed addressing, and that required getting her out of the garage. I removed the water bottle and looked at the clutch. The master slave cylinder was ceased and the rubber seals had gone. Note to self: replace the seals. With a pry bar and some WD40 and someone working the clutch pedal we managed to get the clutch to work again. However, putting the car in gear and trying to reverse caused the car to rise up on its suspension then stall the engine.

engine runs but needs tlc

We jacked each wheel up off the ground using a car jack and axel stand for safety and rotated the wheels. The front ones moved with some grinding noise but the rear ones took some effort and piles of rust and soot fell to the floor. Note to self: overhaul all wheel hubs and inspect brakes.

With the car back on all fours I fired up the engine and reversed the car out of the garage. I tested the brakes but the pedal appears stuck so nothing. Luckily I can roll the car slowly in and out of the garage as required.

left sill falling to bits

Time had taken a toll on Lucy. Like a Monet, she looked great from a distance, but up close there was bubbling under the paint here and there, plus a rust hole on the left rear quarter panel right under the glass. The left inner and outer sills were shot plus part of the floor. The right A and hinge panels were shot as was the panel behind. The heel boards need closer inspection, and there is a hole in the rear valance under the fuel tank.

rear left quarter under glass cracked door window frame right A-panel right behind A-panel rear valance holed left outer sill and floor

Now I know I’m rubbish with a welder or angle grinder and have always farmed out those jobs so I’m currently phoning around trying to find someone that can take on this mammoth job. Meanwhile I’ve identified a few other jobs. The fuel and temperature gauges are not working, so we are going to have to run some tests to figure out what is going on there. The indicators work very slowly but the hazards don't work at all. Mice have gotten into the garage a few winters back and there is chewed wiring and they made a nest using the bulkhead insulation. Lots to do.

So this is the start of the project. The plan is to get Lucy back on the road with an MOT in time for prom, then to make her my daily drive. I’m getting on and I like my comforts so I’m going to be upgrading various components and adding some new ones. I’ve started making a list. So far I have:

Stay tuned!

Dave

Date posted: 7th February 2026

Did you enjoy this article or find the information useful? Help keep Dave and his articles online by keeping him fed with coffee by clicking the link below. Cheers!

Buy Me A Coffee

This website uses cookies. Click here to learn more about how and why we use cookies.