565 replies to this topic

[Dick Dastardly]

Lookin' good Mark.

What's the estimated paint date? You're not that far behind me, which considering I've been buggerin about for 18 months is good going!

D.D

[jon_minis]

Keep it up great bit of kit.
1 day!!!! lol
Jon

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[markrally]

the bloke who is painting it wants it for a week leading upto good friday so i got just 10 days to prep shell and trial fit the front end and arches etc and seam seal the whole shell ready!!
Gonna be busy!

[F1 Mini]

Just a foot note Primer is pourus, so don't leave it primer to long in damp conditions at it will still start to rust again.... Personal experience.....

[markrally]

Cheers F1, i dont plan on getting it wet again!!! Garage is not really damp.
As im wirebrushing all the welds and bare metal, just spraying some primer on ready to seam seal everything!!!

Cheers

[The Matt]

the bloke who is painting it wants it for a week leading upto good friday so i got just 10 days to prep shell and trial fit the front end and arches etc and seam seal the whole shell ready!!
Gonna be busy!

If ya need a hand with out matey.....................................

[markrally]

the bloke who is painting it wants it for a week leading upto good friday so i got just 10 days to prep shell and trial fit the front end and arches etc and seam seal the whole shell ready!!
Gonna be busy!

If ya need a hand with out matey.....................................

I may need to take you up on that offer this week if your free in the evening ??

I have been flat out on it all day!! Not even stopped for lunch as i didnt know what time of day it was till the wife came home with the kidz at 4pm!!

I have now finished all the welding except i may need to brace the A-panels to stiffenthe fibreglass front up??
most of the grinding off is done aswell but i am bound to have missed something!! which i wont find till its painted. >
The front end is now drilled off and pinned up, bonnet gap isnt too bad for fibrelass but at the speed it will be going, i dont think anyone will notice
Just got the nice job of drilling off the arches which with sportspack can be hard enough with steel panels but trying align them on a moulding is going to be fun :'(








going to retire now for the evening with a well deserved Larger!!

Still to do before paint D-Day
Front panel lower mounting bolts to drill & fit.
primer on welded areas
Seam sealer on bulkhead, A-panels and sills.
Fit arches
Strengthen A-panels
Trial fit dashboard
Flat off the bodywork
Remove all glass and Side impact protection bars from doors

Thats it for now, but im sure there is more to do??

Cheers

[R1minimagic]

Mark

You will need to cut out the front arches, otherwise your wheels will be scraping like mad. I cut off about 1 inch above the lip on the front wings and left a small part at the back where it joins the A panel for strength. Best to do it now before you fit the arches and get it sprayed!!

Looking good though!

[markrally]

Mark

You will need to cut out the front arches, otherwise your wheels will be scraping like mad. I cut off about 1 inch above the lip on the front wings and left a small part at the back where it joins the A panel for strength. Best to do it now before you fit the arches and get it sprayed!!

Looking good though!

See i knew there was something else!!
There is a line marked on the template to trim the wings/A-panel but i was gonna get them to fit and then mark 1/2" down from the inside and trim to that line as its further up than the template line.

Cheers

[markrally]

well, not as much done on the Hayacooper as yesterday but progress is progress!!

Fitted the dashboard after a bit of fettling to suit the top dash rail so it now sits snug and drill some pilot holes ready for some rivnuts to be fitted.



I have also fitted a strip of metal back into the tunnel to make up for the gap between the kit frame.. :'(



The petrol filler cap is now blanked off aswell, just needs a skim of filler to smooth it over at the bodyshop but at least with it tacked in place it wont fall out, as i was just going to bond a plate in place!!



I also offered up the original washer bottle that was in the boot as i kept the bracket off the inner wheel arch aswell so this looks like a good location for it?? made sure it doesnt foul the wiper motor and the bonnet!!



Final shot from in the garage, the jigsaw puzzle!! i thought the garage was plenty big enough ??



Cheers

[markrally]

just a small update from tonites activitys in the garage..............

Stripped the doors down ready for painting, they originally weighed 19.g Kgs each complete with glass and winder, they now weigh about 8kg but i havnt trimmed the inner panel out of them yet so a bit more to be taken off!!






cheers

Edited by markrally73, 22 July 2006 - 12:20 PM.

[Dick Dastardly]

You're not hanging around are you?!

I was talking to Paul yesterday (spending more money!) and he asked how you were getting on with the project- judging by the progress you've made recently I may have over-estimated the timescale somewhat!

[R1minimagic]

Mark

I have just realised that the MPi shell doesnt have the round plate in the middle of the bulkhead. Learn something new everyday!!!

[welderman]

Your doing well mate, be on the road soon. But from your over head shot it's going to be pretty fast at going backwards.

[markrally]

Tonights update..........

The job ive been dreadding for a long while............ Fitting the front sportspack arches
As i have now fitted a fibreglass front the templates normaly used for them wer not exactly accurate anymore as the moulding is different to a steel panel but never the less i managed to fit them and they are only different in height by 2mm when i checked the height from the wing lip edge to the top of the arch which isnt bad going!!(sometimes being to fussy is a pain in the A**E)

So the end result looks like this............





I have also decided to refit the front and rear bumpers so i thought of fitting the original bumper bracket off the old front panel. after grinding all the old spot welds off i ended up with the bracket still intact and the original Reg plate bracket aswell. I am planning to rivet and bond this to the front panel which will make fitting the bumpers really easy once it's painted but if anyone has any better ideas??? as i havnt drilled it yet!! (job for tomorrow)



Now i have one last dilemma!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had a phone call and an e-mail off an old mate i used to go rallying with, he is running a guy from Banbury on the Tour of Cornwall Tarmac rally this weekend in his new car he has just purchased.
I have been asked to go along and service on the event, all expenses paid, meal and beer included and get to work on this!!! V6 mid engined 3.0 litre clio





Now the only problem is that i was taking the mini to be painted on friday night/ saturday morning as the boss is away on holiday for a week up to easter where it s getting painted so the mini is getting done as a favour. and i need to leave for cornwall on friday morning if i am going !!
Decisions...........Decisions.......

Cheers