Project Mini Cooper S | Magazine Series Part 11: Final Assembly for Our Mini Cooper S

Update by Tim Suddard to the Austin Mini Cooper S project car
Jan 7, 2021

Alec Issigonis designed the Mini to be assembled quickly and efficiently. Still, that doesn’t mean putting one back together is just a weekend job. 

The big reason? Space is tight–really tight. The Mini is a master of space efficiency, but the extreme economy of its design also means many components need to go back together in a certain order. Miss a step and you may be headed back to square one; for example, we had the air cleaner and carburetors off several times as we tried to deal with master cylinder issues.

Putting our 1967 Mini Cooper S back together took about two months of nights and weekends, although a couple of stretches were spent waiting for a few rare parts to arrive. Finally, though, it’s starting to look like a car. 

Step 1:

We didn’t want the rust coming back, so we filled all of the crevices with Eastwood Heavy-Duty Anti Rust. This Waxoyl-like product stays semi soft and helps prevent rust from returning. For $16 per can, we figured that it’s cheap insurance. 

Step 2:

Our license plate mounting bracket has been powder coated. We rebuilt the license plate light, and then added the hinges and a new deck lid handle. The latch mechanism is date-coded to the car and a quick way to check your car’s originality.

Step 3:

It is nice when the body panels start going back on a project car. The rejuvenated deck lid looks great, and we’re very happy with our panel gaps. 

Step 4:

Things look just as good inside the trunk. Both fuel tanks and the lower trunk board have been installed, yet we still need to fit the vent tubes that cross over the tank and then vent out below the car. Beneath the trunk floor rests a spare Vredestein tire fitted on the original, optional 10x4.5-inch steel wheel. We also have the correct tool kit. 

Step 5:

Early Mini doors seem so simple: sliding glass and a generous door pocket. Putting them together is a challenge, though. First, we had the outer bright trim professionally polished. Then we had to assemble the glass mechanism. The trick is to first slide the window back into its track; then you slide the entire window assembly–track and all–back into the door. Finally, the track can be screwed to the door frame. 

Step 6:

A tip learned: seal the area behind the gas tanks and between the seat and quarter panels. This reduces noise, dust and moisture from entering the cabin. To do this, we went to Lowe’s and picked up some construction foam sealer for about $3.

Step 7:

Reinstalling the glass is difficult at best. Even though we had the original, date-coded windshield and hadn’t rebuilt this part of the body, we still struggled. The secret to success involved soaking the new seal in our hot tub at 104 degrees for a few hours. This made all the difference: On our second attempt, the windshield went in to place much easier.

Step 8:

Reinstalling the windshield molding without this tool is nearly impossible. Mini Mania sells their fillet tool for about $30. We installed the back window without this tool and, trust us, you want one.

Step 9:

Yes, those are original Lucas headlights that we sourced at the Carlisle swap meet. An American-spec car would have come with clear turn signal lens, while the European-market cars usually had amber lens. To increase visibility and thus safety, we installed amber bulbs in our correct, U.S.-spec lenses. 

Step 10:

Late Mk 1 Minis use a simplified quarter window hinge. This design does not use the piano hinge found on earlier cars. We were able to save our original and date-coded windows and their frames; we simply had to clean them with some steel wool before reinstalling. We did get a new quarter window seal from Mini Mania.

Step 11:

We largely finished the engine compartment in the last installment, but there was still detail work to be done. Notice that our late Mk1 has the heater hose reducer on the left side of the engine bay. We will need to find the correct hose to mate it to the grille. This change was made by BMC to free up more room around the brake booster.

Step 12:

The headliner simply snaps into place, so its replacement can be done at any time during the restoration. First we stripped the old headliner from its frame. Do this carefully–remember, you’re dealing with delicate, 50-year-old parts. We also redid half the headliner at a time so we could reference how the whole thing is put together.

Step 13:

Then we could glue and staple the new headliner in place. Mini Mania included some excellent instructions, and budget about $200 for a replacement headliner.

Step 14:

Ron Jernigan of Sussex Screen Printing has a side business that restores Mini heaters. He did a beautiful job on ours. Something we learned the hard way: We should have installed all the sound deadening before reinstalling the heater. 

Step 15:

DJ’s Minis had a pair of optional reclining seats that had recently been recovered in the correct red, grey and gold brocade upholstery. We snapped these up as we were missing one of our original non-reclining seats. Only the last of the Mk1 Cooper S cars like ours could have come equipped with these seats from the factory.

Step 16:

QuietRide Solutions makes a whole sound deadening kit for the Mini–figure about $625 for the Mini sedan kit. The package is incredibly complete, but you could just order material to do the floor, roof, cowl or trunk areas. The precut master kit includes everything, including directions.

This system uses a two-part approach: Dynamat strips to block noise topped with a heat barrier insulation. We have used these kits before, and they do an excellent job of warding off heat and noise. 

Step 17:

Then we could install the correct red carpet kit sourced from Mini Mania. This kit fit very well and is light as a feather. Not all Minis had the cross brace covered in carpet. We liked that look, plus the insulation properties, so we installed that piece, too. 

Step 18:

Our interior is coming together. We still need to install the period-correct tachometer housing sourced from Nisonger Instruments, while there’s one more piece of carpet to wedge up behind the heater. The seat mounting brackets and shift boot have also been installed.

Step 19:

In the back we installed the trim pieces that came in our interior kit. Our ashtrays were pretty badly tarnished, so we ordered new ones from Mini Mania–they’re about $25 each. Yet to be installed is the rear upholstery kit. 

Step 20:

The front seats are one of the last items to install–otherwise they’re in the way while putting together the rest of the interior. Thanks to a reader’s generous donation, we now also have a correct original steering wheel. Until we restore it, we’ll use this period-correct, aftermarket wheel that we found on eBay. 

A Hydro-Lasting Impression

Some people criticize the Mini’s hydrolastic suspension–too complicated, too expensive. Our car came with the hydrolastic setup, and we’re keeping it. 

After restoring the system, we had to pressurize it. To do so we used a converted grease gun. We just swapped the original nipple for the hydrolastic system’s Schrader valve. Before filling the system with antifreeze, we used air conditioning tools to evacuate the air. 

So far the system has held pressure nicely. Once we go for a ride–next issue–we’ll let you know if it delivers the promised excellent ride and handling.

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