Boot2Bonnet Restoration

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Boot2Bonnet Restoration Boot2Bonnet Restoration opened for business in 2010, and is owned and operated by Nicholas Upton. We Service, Repair, and Restore Classic Minis

We offer high quality paint and body restoratio.

Sometimes we get to have a little fun in the shop!We took a break from the usual Classic Mini work to build a prop for a...
10/01/2026

Sometimes we get to have a little fun in the shop!

We took a break from the usual Classic Mini work to build a prop for a local theatre production of **Rock of Ages**. 🎸🤘

Using parts we had lying around the shop—including a Mini front end left over from building my desk—we did a little cutting, fabricating, and creative recycling to turn old Mini parts into something completely different.

It’s always fun when the tools and skills we normally use for restorations and fabrication get put to work on a project like this.

Can’t wait to see it on stage!

09/26/2026

Sometimes the right performance upgrade requires a little precision machining.

We’re clearancing this differential housing to properly fit a limited-slip differential. Using a fly cutter in the milling machine allows us to remove exactly the material needed for clearance while leaving plenty of material behind to maintain the strength of the housing.

It’s not about grinding away until it fits—it’s about controlling exactly where and how much material is removed.

Whether you’re building your own Classic Mini or having us assemble the complete power unit, we can handle the machining and component work needed to make the combination work correctly.

🌐 Boot2bonnet.com

Not every day in the shop goes as planned. 🔧We went to remove the rear swing arms from this Mini and ended up breaking f...
09/23/2026

Not every day in the shop goes as planned. 🔧

We went to remove the rear swing arms from this Mini and ended up breaking five of the eight outer bracket mounting bolts.

Once we got everything apart, we found the bigger problem. The rear swing arm pivot shafts had seized, and at some point grease had continued to be pumped into them. With nowhere for the grease to go, the pressure split the plastic grease tubes inside the arms.

Just because a grease fitting takes grease doesn’t mean the grease is getting where it needs to go. A damaged internal grease tube can allow grease to fill the inside of the arm while the pivot shaft and bearings remain starved of lubrication.

Not exactly how we planned for the day to go, but that’s part of working on old cars.

Tomorrow we’ll be rebuilding both rear swing arms, installing four new suspension cones, replacing worn suspension bushings, and completing a full service and alignment before getting this Mini ready to go back to its owner.

Whether you’re doing the work yourself or want us to handle the repair, the parts we sell are the same parts we use every day in our shop.

Boot2bonnet.com

🔧 Supporting the DIY Classic Mini owner—from parts to specialized rebuilds.You don’t have to bring us your whole Mini to...
09/22/2026

🔧 Supporting the DIY Classic Mini owner—from parts to specialized rebuilds.

You don’t have to bring us your whole Mini to take advantage of what we do at Boot2bonnet.

If you’re maintaining, repairing, or restoring your Mini yourself, we can supply the parts you need and handle the specialized component work that may be difficult to do at home.

Need a wiper motor rebuilt? A gearbox case cleaned and prepared for your build? An engine, gearbox, or complete power unit rebuilt? We can help—and we can supply the parts you need to finish the rest of the job yourself.

That’s also why our parts department is closely connected to our workshop. The parts we sell are the same parts we use, install, and evaluate in our own builds.When there are different options available, our hands-on experience helps us determine what actually works.

The cleaned and polished gearbox case and rebuilt wiper motor pictured here are just a couple examples of ways we can help.

Buy the parts from us. Do the work you want to do yourself. Let us handle the specialized pieces when you need us.

Shop Classic Mini parts and contact us about component rebuilding at Boot2bonnet.com

The right suspension parts are only part of the equation—we install, adjust, and test the same parts we sell.With the ne...
09/18/2026

The right suspension parts are only part of the equation—we install, adjust, and test the same parts we sell.

With the new suspension springs installed, we’re setting the ride height and putting this Mini on our four-wheel scales to corner weight the car. When taking our readings, we always simulate the driver’s weight in the car, so we’re setting up the suspension for the conditions it will actually see on the road.

From there, we can make precise ride-height adjustments and balance the corner weights for predictable handling and proper suspension operation.

That hands-on experience matters when you’re choosing parts for your own Mini. We don’t just pull parts off a shelf—we install them, adjust them, test them, and know how they perform.

Building or upgrading your Classic Mini suspension? Buy your parts from people who actually use them.

👉 Shop Classic Mini parts at Boot2bonnet.com — and if you’re not sure which components are right for your setup, contact us. We’ll help you choose a combination that works together.

Three Minis. One dyno. A full day of making A-Series engines perform the way they should.It’s Dyno Day at Boot2bonnet, w...
09/17/2026

Three Minis. One dyno. A full day of making A-Series engines perform the way they should.

It’s Dyno Day at Boot2bonnet, with three Classic Minis on the rolling road for testing and tuning—including our latest 1275 build.

After initial break-in, heat cycles, head retorque, valve adjustment, and a complete inspection, this 1275 is ready for controlled load testing and final tuning.

An engine is a combination of parts—not just a collection of individual upgrades. Camshaft, cylinder head, compression ratio, carburetion, ignition, and exhaust all need to work together. The dyno lets us optimize fueling and ignition under controlled conditions while verifying that the components we selected are working together to their maximum potential.

No guessing. Real data, real testing, and a properly tuned combination.

Build it. Break it in. Check it. Tune it. Prove it.

Not every shop does things the same way.Drive past some restoration shops after hours and you’ll see customer cars sitti...
09/16/2026

Not every shop does things the same way.

Drive past some restoration shops after hours and you’ll see customer cars sitting outside. You won’t see that at Boot2bonnet.

Every customer Mini in our care stays inside our building, every night.

It takes valuable shop space, but protecting your Mini from weather, theft, vandalism, and unnecessary exposure is simply part of the job.

Whether it’s here for a service, an engine install, or a full restoration—your Mini sleeps inside.

You trusted us with your car. We treat it accordingly.

09/12/2026

🔥 **First startup for this freshly rebuilt 1275!**

With the initial run complete, it’s time to let everything cool down before we retorque the cylinder head, adjust the valves, and give the engine one final check.

Then it’s onto our chassis dyno—better known in the UK as a **rolling road**—for final tuning and testing before this 1275 is ready to get back on the road.

At Boot2bonnet, a rebuild isn’t finished just because the engine runs. We make sure the complete package is properly set up, tuned, and proven before it leaves the shop.

Out with the 850, in with a little more power! 🔧🏁We’re pulling the original 850 power unit from this Classic Mini and re...
09/11/2026

Out with the 850, in with a little more power! 🔧🏁

We’re pulling the original 850 power unit from this Classic Mini and replacing it with one of our Boot2bonnet rebuilt 1275 power units.

The 850 has plenty of charm, but the 1275 brings a noticeable improvement in torque, drivability, and overall performance while keeping the character that makes a Classic Mini so much fun to drive.

Our 1275 power units are rebuilt in-house, allowing us to control the entire process and make sure they’re ready for many more miles of Mini motoring.

More power. More torque. Same Mini character.

🏁 **The Rolling Road Is Back!** 🏁Our chassis dyno— or as the British call it, a **rolling road** — is back together and ...
08/28/2026

🏁 **The Rolling Road Is Back!** 🏁

Our chassis dyno— or as the British call it, a **rolling road** — is back together and ready to put some Minis through their paces!

At Boot2bonnet, we don’t believe in guessing when it comes to performance. The rolling road allows us to test the **complete car under controlled conditions**, so we can make sure every engine combination is properly optimized.

🔧 Dial in fueling and ignition
🔍 Find problems that may be difficult to diagnose on the road
📊 Measure the results of changes and upgrades
🏁 Make sure the entire package works together as it should

Most importantly, it allows us to **prove that the upgrades we recommend actually work**.

Whether it’s a standard road-going 998, a warmed-over 1275, or a serious performance build, the goal is the same: make the combination work as well as possible.

We sell the same parts we install, test, and use every day in our shop. Having an in-house rolling road gives us another tool to understand what works—and what doesn’t—before we recommend it to our customers.

**Built. Tested. Proven.**

🔧 Classic Mini parts, service & performance
🌐 boot2bonnet.com

Address

325 Harter Avenue
Woodland, CA
95695

Telephone

+15303836213

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