Littlest Rat aka Mini Rat in England.

Hi all these are some before pics of my Riley Elf (aka a classis mini with a trunk), When I bought this I had custom in mind but the rat look is really setting in now... the red is several shades inc what looks like red oxide primer and the beige roof is worn through to the red below (the cars were painted all one colour in the factory paint bay and the roofs were repainted before they left the factory) and very crazed

the plan is to yank out the 1000cc motor and fit a 1300cc one, fit discs up front for safety and 12" wheels to fit over bigger discs, wheels will be red & tyres will have white wall inserts as I love that look oh yeah and arches to cover the wheels as we're not allowed to have wheels outside the body (wish I lived in the US were you have all those lovely open wheelers).

I chose an Elf as I feel the trunk will give it better lines when I lop the roof off - not sure if I'm going to keep the screen or leave a half screen of none at all...I will start with a full and see how I feel as hell of a job to put it back if I dont like it!

Paint is to be black...satin black and I may turn the chrome red or at least the grilles the rest will go satin black too, and may be old skool flames.

I know this is not your norm...but I thought you may like something different.

its cute bwahahahaha

Jim

wow, that is different,
looks fun, in my opinion, your chrome to red idea, is cool, but i wouldn't rush and do that first, there is alot of chrome on that car, and it might look better leaving it that way, it will stand out nice against the black, alot of guys try to minimize chrome, and that's cool, but it might be the only thing that people see on it at night, without it that might get backed over or something.

maybe go red on the top?

i think flames would be sweet too, or you could also paint red on the cowl, or the center section of your bonnet(to us yanks n' rebs it's a hood).

That's an interesting project BIGGLES. You can make a line drawing of your car and the pencil in the different color combinations that you are considering. Or one of these computer saavy photoshop guys can do the different combos for you. May I suggest that you do not remove the entire windshield, or screen as you say, though. It will be tough to drive and miserable in any type of foul weather, unless that is not a bother for you.

Good heavens! I've never seen one of those before. Its "smashing". We actually have fenders laws in this country based on vehicle weight. For the most part, it is not enforced. There is a bloke here that has an Austin station wagon with the top removed. He added extended frame rails and a dropped axle, suicide style. It is quite unusual and draws considerable attention.

Good luck on your project and please post updates. Cheerio

I think the mini would look pretty bad painted satin black with a nice flat clear and all the chrome left on her.

That's a cutie! Never saw one before, lots of Mini's but not like that. Have fun whacking it!

Thats mad I got a Leyland sedan with a 1100 and a Morris K van. The Clubman is my daily driver and the Van is my shiny project being put off while I build the bedford (the two MGs are really long term projects) and the Commodore is my wifes daily driver. The Ford Laser is for sale though. My point... good to see you taking on something different. and I think I have too many cars! My opinion, white walls and minis/elfs, dont really mix. And for the rat look, keep the 10s (reversed split rims) with hub caps and just go some fat rubber with some profile. Flares will probably look too modern for your look. The front of the elf never really did it for me either, but you could cut it off and make is a Morris front, make it flip like mine However, its your car, everything above is just my 2c which is worth nuthin. I don't want to tell you how to build your car

hey take heaps of pics, I want to see how you go.

heres my lil' beasts

i love little cars like that man, very awesome! i've never seen one with a trunk either which is way cool. is it a family car or can you live with a two seater? the reason i ask is, how about a rear engine car? ditch the back seat, find a wrecked 850 volvo turbo, use the motor and front wheel drive tranny in the back. make a nice cover for it and tint the rear windows for stealth.

i know you want to go old skool but i figure the volvo motor might be easier for you to obtain and would give some good power.

Some more Pic's

I thought you may like a pic of the interior with its factory leather seats and walnut dash.

Here are also some pics of the latest developments... the new 1293cc (78.9ci) (old one was 998cc - 60.9ci) (big huh ) is in the newly blackened engine bay and the front brake have been converted from drum to disk as the discs are bigger than the drums at has required bigger wheels (12") which I refurbed myself and painted in Mazda Miata Red with rattle cans I got at the Beaulieu Autojumble (biggest in UK) they came out really well also arches are fitted to keep law at bay

Oh yeah and I got p155ed off the other night so sanded down the horible beige roof and painted it black! and now I'm starting to like the look so it may stay this way for a bit (at least winter) and then off with its roof!

To Joeb

I also have a Clubman...a reg'ed Dec 1st '69 (thats early the first were sold Nov 1st '69) it is standard and original except for the 60's alloys when I got it the seats were sooo dirty I had to use my wife oven cleaner spray to break down the oil and the carpets needed water blasting!

I'm eating my words! those white walls and flares look mad! well done. and that will go mad with the motor too. its not the size that counts, its the way you use it

you need some spax adjustables, get that ride height down! is it hydrospastic or rubber cone?

looks good like that, i'm suprised as well. cool man!

getting the ride down

Hi Joeb,

Mk3 Elf's (Elves?) should be hydro but mines on rubber (BONUS ) so mod'ed cones and new rubbers may be on the cards - you do not need adj Spax (they just change the damping rate) but Hi-los or cut down cones change the ride height.

For the beifit of our US friends mini's have two suspension types -

Rubber Cone - standard style with shocks but rubber cones in place of springs its cheap & functional

Hydrolastic - no shocks, no springs... but fluid filled units linked front to rear using basic principils of hydralics when compresses the other expands via damping valves its gives very smooth ride but is VERY expensive.

Good Job..

Looks good, Biggles.
The car reminds me of a cross between a mini cooper and an MG 1100.
I had an 1100 with the hydo suspension, strange ride with the front and rear connected side for side .
But a kick to drive.

I've owned some british cars over the years....
2 Austin Healy 100-4, 1 '59 100-6 2 seater, 1 3000 Mk2, 2 bug eye sprites ( one with full factory racing gear), MGA, MG 1100, Triumph.
That's all I can remember at the moment.
I've always had a thing for Morgans ( 3 & 4 wheel) and cycle cars.

Keep up the good work. '22

My dad had a Sunbeam ALpine when I was little. Fun car

Planning...

I took a leaf from Powerplants book "A minutes worth of thinking can save hours worth of doing"...

Except my minutes of thinking took a while longer and then i tried it out on my parts car! I had been thinking about suiciding the doors... but how? Rumaging in my parts boxes I found some external hinges from a very early mini so with a bit of measuring, couple of card templates and a few holes drilled, hinges that should go at the front of the door now go at the back of the door they are noticable now but when color matched will look better, now to find the guts to do it to the real car Oh yes and the little matter of lock/latch that to will come from an early mini.

More to come inc. deroofing and painting

BIGGLES! said:

now to find the guts to do it to the real car
More to come inc. deroofing and painting

Click to expand...

Lookin' good! Why do you need to find the guts to apply the suicide doors to the "real' car if you're "deroofing" it? LOL...Just kidding. It should actually go quite well with the open look. Only thing is that you might have to strengthen the pillars slightly as they won't have structural support from the roof anymore. Although these doors don't weigh all that much it might still pull the quarters out of alignment.

Neophyte said:

Only thing is that you might have to strengthen the pillars slightly as they won't have structural support from the roof anymore. .

Click to expand...

Yeah Neophyte I had thought of that... the plan is to weld in a vertical off the box section beam I am putting in to stengthen the sill (rocker panel) thanks for your input its always welcome, even from someone in Jo'berg whats the rod scene like over there?

Hey don't worry about the Jo'berg thing...we all have to come from somewhere

Neophyte said:

Only thing is that you might have to strengthen the pillars slightly as they won't have structural support from the roof anymore.

Click to expand...

Yeah Neophyte I had thought of that... the plan is to weld in a vertical off the box section beam I am putting in to stengthen the sill (rocker panel) thanks for your input its always welcome, even from someone in Jo'berg whats the rod scene like over there?

Hey don't worry about the Jo'berg thing...we all have to come from somewhere heck I spent 25 years in NZ!!!