Thanks for the kind thoughts,everyone. Hagerty Ins. is covering it 100%, $0 deductible. Plus since I am doing it myself, they will cover my labor @$25/hr. While not body shop rates it will be a labor of love.
The Clown is Dynamite the clown from Reed City, Mi. at an A&W Cruise Night in Big Rapids. He is much more debonair looking than I am. Its funny the Mini always gets a more emotional (smiles and chuckles) response than when I show up with my 55 Chevy Nomad that is Candy Apple Red and polished and tweaked to the 9's, (fuel injected 327, 4 wheel disc's). The 55 seems intimidating.
BTW - In response to David Toft's post: I know it's a MkIII, never said it was a MkI, just a retro grille and other pertinent bits, the MkI boot latch was a son of a gun to fit. The title says it is a 1976 Austin Leyland but it has a 1275 lump in it and some other items make me think it is really an early 80's Mini.
Les