Classic Austin Mini 1973 Restoration Project

1973 Austin Mini 1000.I'm just putting this out there to see what interest there is.  Here we have a 1973 Austin Mini 1000.  Originally it was an automatic but it isn't, thankfully, any longer.  I bought this car almost 10 years ago in a private sale just outside Towcester.  My intention was to export it to the U.S.A, where my brother had resided for the previous 16 years, with a view to selling it over there.  I made a plan and bought a Mini only for my brother then to tell me that he and his wife wanted to come back to Blighty.  So I decided to keep the car, do it up a bit, run it and then sell it on.  I had it parked in my garage and I took it out every week just for a run around.  One day I went to the garage, started the car, put it in reverse, took my foot off the clutch and.......nothing.  It wouldn't move.  I could select every gear with the car running and none of them would engage.  I sensed a clutch issue.I could go on but I'll cut to the chase.During my ownership the car has barely covered 250 miles.  I bought it 10 years ago with an 1970's 1100cc engine from a Mini Clubman.  I removed this engine, with a view of replacing the clutch and came across another engine which was sat in a friends garage and had been for 20 years.  This was a 1980's 1000cc engine originally from an Austin Metro.  The 1000cc engine, which is currently in the car, starts and runs very well and has had all the ancillary parts replaced as well as all the gaskets except the head gasket.  Meanwhile I replaced the clutch on the 1100cc engine and all of the ancillary parts of this engine.  Both engines have had clutch replacements, both have new distributor units and both have had all new gaskets except head gasket replacement.The car comes with 5 new tyres, new brakes all around including shoes, springs, pistons and backplates as well as number of new hoses and pipes.  The front floor footwells have also been replaced.  The seats and carpets are in excellent condition.What the car needs:Bonnet doesn't fasten down.  I have a pair of leather straps bought specifically for the job but thought I'd put this out there before drilling holes into the bonnet.Brakes are very spongy.  I have bled these repeatedly but I still can't get the car to brake properly.  Handbrake works a treat.  Of the 4 flexi-hoses on each corner I have replaced 3.  I have the remaining one but can't get sufficient access to fit it.Electrics.  I have replaced the fuse box and the solenoid.  I have lights but not indicators nor hazard warning lights.  I have had everything working in recent times so an easy fix overall I think.Fan Heater Unit.  Currently doesn't work and when the fan did work, no heat ever came out of it suggesting the heater matrix needs replacing.  An entire reconditioned unit is not costly.Rear Valance needs replacing as does the off-side rear inner arch.  Chances are that the near-side inner arch would need replacing soon too.  This is where I come up short.  I don't know how to weld and it's a costly enterprise if one can't do it oneself.  This is the reason why I thought I'd put it out there to see if anyone would be interested in taking custody of this nearly fifty year old little car.  I have had it for a long time and I have no real love for Mini's.  As I'm not prepared to lose money on this project I still may see it through but I have no real heart for it nor for the work and expense (welding).  But even if I were to do all of the above and have the rear inner arches and valance replaced - I would still sell the car as soon as I were able.  I have no real love for the project and today found myself wondering if there's anyone else out there - who does.Please ask questions.  I have a lot of photos of the underneath, of the new floor before the carpets went back down, of the holes in the rear valance and o/s inner rear wheel arch.  New brake pipes are detailed in these extra pictures.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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