Blasting

Here are the parts I tried with the new blaster. I used sand in a 5 gallon bucket, and plugged my compressor into the site outlet (the power box was open!).

Results

Here is the fan shroud after a little blasting. Not bad at all! Now, if the weather would just cooperate, I could finish the parts up...

Dirty Bottom

The bottom, prior to cleaning. Messy, but certainly easier to clean up than if it had a coat of tar on it!

Clean Bottom

Here is the bottom after cleaning. I am not sure if someone had already done the dirty work (I doubt it), or if it came from the factory without underbody protection.

Mystery Holes

I thought that these were more drainage holes, but they are smaller than the normal drainage holes. Turns out that they are the holes for fuel delivery and the tank vent line. I just forgot!

Mystery Tube

I asked the MiniMania forum what this was, and it turns out that this was an air line, venting to the cabin, to relieve the diaphragm on the electric fuel pump (standard on Cooper 's' cars... Who would have thought they had electric fuel pumps back then!?!?).

Future Work

In this picture, you can see the very few places I will have to contend with the underbody coating (outlined in yellow, "spraypainted" where it's just a light overspray of material). Mostly just what's left of wheel wells and front bulkhead. It's pretty hard stuff, and I think I might try breaking it off, before I try softening it up...