M03 Resto

[phiber_optik 86]

I acquired this the other evening for a grand sum of £15, it does have the rear stub axles & body posts, came complete with a mix match set of wheels and a rough aftermarket body lol.

My plan is to strip it, clean it, find the missing parts and build it up as a phatbody mini car park racer.

What I've noticed so far is that it does seem to be fitted with proper bearings which is nice and it seems to be in good condition overall. Will maybe invest in some fibrelite shock tower braces.

More to come...

[TurnipJF 9192]

Looks to be in fair nick without much missing. At £15, I'd say that you got yourself a bargain! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. 

[phiber_optik 86]

It's been a slow start, I had a few other things to wrap up before getting to it. So tonight with a mug of tea and some sweeties I got the little M03 taken apart and into pieces ready for a wash.

All seems in order and there was a full bearing set fitted which was a nice touch and I've obtained the missing servo saver.

 

[phiber_optik 86]

An early morning scrub in some warm water and fairy liquid with a tooth brush and set out in the sun to dry before work.

[djmcnz 754]

Watching.

[phiber_optik 86]

All the parts where nice and dry when I got home, so I spent the evening trimming off all the bits of parts tree which were left on nearly all the pieces and then started putting it back together again.

Should have it rightly finished off soon. My son has decided that this should be his, so the final plans might change with keeping it's mostly stock.

More updates coming soon.

[berman 5315]

Fine purchase! Looks in good nick as well.

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it! 😁 I think another M03 is on the cards for me soon too.. 

[phiber_optik 86]

Quite a few of the parts seem very similar to the TL01 Chassis, I've had a quick look and if I bought the A and C parts trees, Id probably have enough bits from TL01 to build up a second rolling chassis.

This is the first M chassis I have ever owned and I think I might be in love with it lol, low profile steering servo to take some of the top heavy weight off it, nice set of CVA dampers a Nice motor it could be a fantastic little car. It amazes me how much smaller it is than a normal 10th scale touring car but than again a mini is also tiny compared to a real car lol.

[phiber_optik 86]

Blitzed the last bits on the wee M03 last night, it's scrubbed up really well. Threw on an old set of dampers I had and a servo along with a set of adjustable steering links and we have a rolling chassis. When I bought the chassis the fella dropped in a few shells, a MK1 escort which doesn't fit very well, a mini turbo she'll which looks to have been cut out with nail clippers (I think it can be saved) and a black mini shell, the paints terrible and the cutting is rough but again I think it can be saved. So for now going to trim it and sand it and scrub off the loose paint and just paint it black again. She'll be whizzing round the car park in no time now.

[phiber_optik 86]

First job on the shell, get it into some sort of shape, masked off all the arches and hand drew them into a round shape and cut them properly, also retrimmed all the body lines where it finished. It's looking much better already.

[phiber_optik 86]

Super productive afternoon, trimmed, sanded, had a half empty can of tamiya black so fired that on after making some masking tape window masks and threw on a few stickers I made on the vinyl cutter.

[Badcrumble 4203]

I once bought a used M03 with that Mini body painted in red. Yours was in far better condition than mine and cost considerably less!

Have to say that it looks very cool with the refreshed Mini shell combined with those wheels and the decals. 

[phiber_optik 86]

It was a bit of a bargain, which is why I snapped it up, I surprised myself with how the shell turned out. The decals where just cut using a vinyl cutter and where actually left overs from my son birthday party, just thought it would add a splash of colour.

Thanks for the kind comments, I think another M03 might be on the horizon at this rate, so my son and I can do some mini racing together.

[phiber_optik 86]

The little M03 got its first spin out tonight after sitting collecting dust. It's so quiet! Both my son and I had a hoot driving it.