Not a bike Bangers & Cash S1-E1 Mini Cooper S auction!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Just watched the above episode about the Cooper S  heap of rust that had been stored for well over 20 years in a garage.
It was an early model without the right hand extra petrol tank - it fetched £18,000.

I checked the VRM DFY160C its now taxed  so presumably re-shelled and now fully restored.

[Johnwebley]

They did a catch up show,

And yes, fully restored and up and running

No longer moving on a pallet and forklift



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[K2-K6]

APPARENTLY  it wasn't a reshell, as noted in the catch-up show.

Just how far the panel replacement went in getting it back to competent wasn't revealed in any significant way. There's been some notable repair jobs on these car show programs generally though, with shells welded with temporary significant internal frame + jigs etc to keep the original salvageable structure as much as possible. 

I think it's good to save cars like that, but open to interpretation as to just how much metal has to be replaced. After all a shell is literally a collection of pressings anyway.

[oapcb400]

Triggers broom, 1275cc version

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Triggers Broom !

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

APPARENTLY  it wasn't a reshell, as noted in the catch-up show.

Just how far the panel replacement went in getting it back to competent wasn't revealed in any significant way. There's been some notable repair jobs on these car show programs generally though, with shells welded with temporary significant internal frame + jigs etc to keep the original salvageable structure as much as possible. 

I think it's good to save cars like that, but open to interpretation as to just how much metal has to be replaced. After all a shell is literally a collection of pressings anyway.

As it's a Mk1 model in the 1980's you could only buy the later Mk 2 bodyshells though that might have changed.
I have helped my best mate re-shell a couple of Minis - all sorts of things were different - rear window size & wiper mountings on the front scuttle spring to mind. Be interesting to know if they kept the Hydraulastic suspension iirc all 1275 S models were originally wet suspension. The early 1071 S might have had dry suspension, the 970 S I think were all wet.

[AshimotoK0]

Seen that mini on the road years and years  ago around East Yorks.. my sister in-laws brother had one in the late 1960's ...possibly the same one.

[Laverda Dave]

There are quite a few Spitfires flying around these days that are supposedly original. A few of them have been dug out of the ground (there was a famous one dug up from a French beach where it had sat below the sand for over 60 years). In all cases the pilots had ejected (or rather, jumped out) prior to the plane crashing. These aircraft are then restored to original but the fact is they are not original whatsoever, when a plane goes into the ground at 300+ MPH there is nothing salvageable left. The only part of the aircraft that is original is the manufacturing / serial plate. A Merlin engine only had a very short engine life before it required replacement (a sleeve valve 'H' configuration engine as used in the Tempest/Typhoon was 18 hours!). As with cars and motorcycles, where is the cut off point where it isn't original? I would say a complete re-shell immediately loses the originality of a vehicle as it is the shell (in a monocoque vehicle) that carries the history and especially considering mechanical parts get replaced as they wear out. Replacement of 90% of the panels is also stretching the originality criteria. Nothing can ever be classed as 100% original as it left the factory simply because the air in the tires will eventually be lost!

[SumpMagnet]

Classic 'Triggers Broom' scenario.

'I've had the same broom for over 20 years and it;s still good as new. Had 8 handles and 12 new heads....

A classic vehicle is only an identity. Keep the same engine and chassis number, and it is those that hold the history of the thing. Buy a new frame from a dealer and it comes without a VIN stamped on it. You provide the evidence and they will stamp it. Technically still theh same bike. Having also seen some of the welding work done on old Triumph motors the old man restored for customers, where pistons, rods, chains and who knows what else had been through the cases. Especially ones that had been used as competition motors in sprints or grass track. Then stuck in a box and sold as 'easy rebuild' basket cases.

[Bryanj]

According tothe books i read the Merlin had a combat life of 250 hours but nobody was really sure as few aircraft lasted that long without majour repair anyway.
Merlins in aircraft use now are not pushed to "combat" power so in theory should last longer