JW7998 All Cleaned Up
To finish off yesterdays story, todays shot (a photo of a photo from my pre digital era) is of my finished rebuild of JW7998.
Its funny, and great how looking at old images re-accesses memories buried deep in ones head. Looking at my old Mini wheels, I now recall the effort I went to hand sanding and polishing them back, before adding the golden centre paint. Searching a local wreckers yard for months before I found the “just right” side mirrors (which were bonnet mirrors). Locating and fitting the mk1 grille. Ah memories!
Best I stop reflecting for now, or I’ll end up on our local buy/sell site looking for a new project!
The Rise of JW7998
Roughly now 15 years ago was the first time I met JW7998. I was working at one of the local servos (petrol station) one day when JW7998 came rolling in. By rolling in, I mean literally rolling in. The owner,a man probably around my current age had run out of petrol and had coasted down the road before jolting to a stop outside the front.
We got talking and by the conclusion of our discussion I was handing him $50, and he was handing me the pink slip (well, actually, just keys – we don’t do pink slips here) to his car. Two minutes later he ran back inside asking if it was ok if he took his boys seat (toddler was with him) and petrol can. I said sure.
At the end of my shift I pushed it by the bins, raced home in my usual ride and came back with a friend to both drop me off and see that I make it home. As in todays photo, IW7998 was short one eye. It was dark. To avoid possible legal trouble I took the back way home. The back way was part gravel. After a fun and slightly cautious drive, I made it home in one piece. JW7998 made it home in the same shape it rolled in on, which is possibly better than could be expected!
JW7998 was not my first project car, but it was my first major project car. Within weeks I had stripped it down to a bare shell. I welded up holes, repaired panels, designed and welded up a new bodykit. I then rebuilt the engine, reupholstered the seats and interior, made a new wiring loom, added central locking. Back outside I modified the suspension – more welding. Finally a long prep and paint in an almost fluro yellow.
Even now, after many other projects, I reflect on JW7998 as my favourite completed project. Every now and then I kick myself that I didn’t keep it longer (Mini sale prices have gone up tenfold since I sold it).
I drove it around for something like a year, maybe a year and a half, and was once again bitten by the car building bug – so it was time to say goodbye. I sold it to a young lad, his first car! – he must have been stoked.
Writing this up today I did a quick plate check on JW7998 (whom received a different, new plate when I had completed my build). I was happy to see that for many years after my ownership JW7998 was still on the road (so many of the old 70’s cars are long gone now). I was then surprised even more to see it had since been shipped off overseas to live elsewhere.
Who knows. Maybe JW7998 and I will cross paths again one day…
The mini Mini
Not one of my own projects today, rather a spotted project in the St Heliers area of Auckland’s central coastal area. Compared to most cars since the 70’s, the Mini has always been a small car – however a mini Mini makes a normal Mini look like a family saloon! Being they are constructed with a front and rear subframe, bolted to a mono construction body, the mini Mini is a ‘moderately easy’ (for those who know what they do) modification. I toyed with doing one years ago, but was put off at the time with the certification process. A very unique fun little car – rare as hens teeth now days too!
Image wise, shot on the Sony Nex with a Sigma 30mm lens. In post I slightly cropped, desaturated and added additional blur in the background to keep focus on the Mini.
Auckland Round the Bays run tomorrow morning. Its the biggest fun run in the country I believe, so I will be there running, and with mobile in hand to capture an image or two – at the very least whilst I wait for the start canon!
Project Supra
Several vehicles (projects) before yesterdays Project Mini, was project Supra. I remember this car sitting across the road from my then flat for about 6 months. At some stage it got a for sale sign on it. Upon enquiring with the owner, it had two blown turbos. A negotiation later and I was the owner. Driving it back from my flat to where I worked on it was an adventure. I topped up the oil to save the engine, but this in turn helped the turbos become the most powerful smoke machine in existence!…
Starting as a slightly rough grey unit, I sanded it back and painted green (not the best paint job I have done as my compressor had some issues), swapped out the auto box for a 5 speed, added the Mk5(?) Supra wheels and no doubt made a few more modifications here and there. In the end it was a fun vehicle (albeit heavy on fuel). I used to see it driving around, but have not for years now. I guess its either down the line, or has disappeared from the road!?
Editing wise, as with yesterday I desaturated the background in Gimp. I must have lost and recovered these images from somewhere as I cant see what they were taken on, and all are low res. Still, good enough for records of memory!
Project Mini
A photo, and project from the archives today. Although I have not done much of recent, in the past I almost always had a project car on the go. Todays image was of my old 1975 Mini Clubman 1000. The second Mini project I have completed, it started life (well started for me) as a somewhat run down blue Clubman (I might feature a before/after or project post one day). After driving it around for a day (initially it was just going to be a runabout), I stripped it down to a bare shell and started the restoration.
Image wise, I am not sure what camera I used at the time. Possibly a fuji superzoom, but my image on file is a tiny 600×800, so smaller than my usual down sized posts. Editing, I desaturated all but the red of the Mini.
The Corolla
Running out of time and looking over old images from a few years ago – mostly of the collection of different cars I have owned, I pulled out an old imaged I used to sell my Corolla Ceres. Shot on my Sony A230 and Minolta 50mm lens, I recall using this image as a bit of a template for my ‘for sale’ images for the cars that followed.
There was certainly nothing special about this car. It did take me on holiday around the North Island, never missed a beat and was good on fuel. Like many cars I have had, I owned it, drove it, grew tired with it and moved on.
I still like the shot of it though.
Something newer tomorrow!
Cars of the 30’s
This is my last post from Sundays art show…it wasn’t really a piece, but I have a interest or soft spot for classic and vintage vehicles., this particular model from the 1930’s. I have restored a number of 70’s vehicles, but never something of this age. Perhaps one day when I get some time and space I will be able to. I love the style, the lines and stand out design these old models bring.
Photo wise, I wanted to simulate a more period look. Using Gimp I desaturated the image after cropping out some of the left of the image which had more modern cars. I then added a faint sepia layer and added a rough boarder. I think if I spent some more time and either further cropped or clone stamped the other cars nose out from next to the building it would look pretty good.
Fish-eye’s Bug
I mentioned perhaps a week ago that I had taken delivery of a wide angle and a fisheye lens for mobile phones. I have been waiting for the opportunity to give the fisheye a go as I love the distorted reality they offer – as well as the potentially useful capacity to record ~180 degree vision in one shot.
Armed with my Galaxy sII, and a busy day of chores and shopping, I kept the lens in pocket (and you cant say that about many lenses, especially in jeans pockets! I spotted a nice old VW Beetle in the carpark. That alone made me want to take a snap (I’m quite the fan of nice 70’s and older cars). Standing out with all its curves, the fisheye gave it even more of a sense of warpage.
Really this is more of a fun snap testing a lens than a serious image – but for many/most of us, that’s part of photography. I must say I was impressed with the lens (it cost next to nothing) and accessories like it really do open the door of possibility even more for mobile/smart-phone photography. Whilst I still rather have a dedicated unit, I have many friends and colleagues who only use their mobile cameras now – and why not. The equipment does help the image, but its the user and their creativity behind the lens that makes something amazing or not.
I cant recall if I have linked to it before, but for those interested, check out the Mobile Photo Group for some photographers who have really picked up and gone with this as their primary tool.
Country Life
Coming home from a team afternoon out with work I snapped today’s image ‘Country Life’ from the passenger seat of the car. I have been giving a few of my older digital cameras a run this week, today being the Fujifilm Finepix J15fd. A very basic 3x point and shooter, I recall purchasing it as it came with an underwater housing, and is/was very compact for what it had to offer. Although a basic model, with a tiny sensor, and occasional struggle getting focus (comparing to the likes of my GRD and Nex), I do like the slightly sharp and saturated images it offers out of the box. Its one of those digital cameras I have no hesitation using in a ‘at risk to camera’ areas or when a basic documenting of the trip, without workable quality is needed.
Snapped in the Rodney District, just north of Auckland, I love and envy the real country surrounding the little house at the centre of the image has. Only edited for size for posting, the Fuji didn’t let me down in capturing the colour and tone I was looking for as we whizzed by in the car.
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