Lockdown / Retirement blues (or red)

So it’s been a pretty dire year this year, what with lockdowns and retirement for me personally, bored is not the word for it. So when a friend of mine ask me if I would like to use some of my time to do a paint restoration job for a client of his ( my friend restores original minis ) I jumped at the chance, he said I could use the workshop facilities and give myself something to do and earn a little change.
First couple of hours work this morning so far.
Starting the roof and side’s tomorrow, then followed by chrome and interior. Will keep you posted.

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Looks good, I love the old minis. I took early retirement last year (57) and love every minute of it!

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Have to agree! I retired early, almost 10 years ago and it’s the best job I’ve ever had! Sorting that mini out will be very therapeutic I reckon :+1:TBH, lockdown AND retiring in the same year can’t be much fun as you can’t do the stuff you planned to do, hopefully, at some point, we’ll turn the corner!
Barrie

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I totally agree with you Barrie, you got to look on the bright side and say it’s not going to last forever. Then we can get on with proper living. Keep your heads held high people, we’ll soon be out in the sun and meeting up again.

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Day 2… cleaned roof ready for treatment, finished cutting in paint work and polished chrome. Tomorrow putting on roof treatment and laying on the wax.

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Just goes to show what a few days hard graft can achieve.

While i’m here, could you measure the diameter indicators for me
I’m trying to determine if the LandRover and BL used the same one, so I can add mini to the description.

https://www.beal.org.uk/automotive/vehicle-lights/mini-/-land-rover-indicator-light.html

I had mini Chelsea with 16k miles on clock back in 1988 :flushed::flushed::flushed::flushed:

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I had a mini city E in a rather fetching poo brown colour and matching poo brown interior if that helps? :grin: 1980, brand new! Like to think I’ve moved on a bit since then but wish I had it now, lovely little car :+1:
Barrie

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Will look tomorrow for you :+1:

A Mini was my very first car in 1968 l was 17 , proud as punch of that car bl@@dy thing was always breaking down , but I loved it always impressed the girls. :rofl:

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Just love real Minis and had many over the years. These were the last two of a long line going back to 1960.

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Looks like you may have yourself a fledgling business there J.P. :wink:

Another real Mini lover here too!

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Later model ones will fit as they have two screws like Land Rovers have, early mini ones won’t as they screwed on.

From what i can remember the Minis bulb holders were held in by 3 x self tapping screws that also held the rubber in place the lenses where held in with chrome ring that you had to fit in a groove in the rubber, Land Rovers had 2 x screws that went through the lens and into the body.

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Let’s hope aye. Finished this morning, client coming down from London tomorrow to give it a look, with a view for further work. I was glad roof came up as good as it did.

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That post should have been for Keats63, sorry about that, must be sausage fingers.
By the way did you do it by hand or mop?

My apologies, Wrinkly_Rover is right I think they do have three screws as he says.

Used Mop for colour restore and cutting in, then put polish on by hand always find final polish better by hand and then cleaned and treated roof by hand.
Total of nine hours work.

A lot of work but a very nice job, I hope your hands are still okay.
I retire in 479 days, 7 hours and 3 minutes and I can’t wait.

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