723 replies to this topic

[stevede]

Hi All, time for the next installment.

I've been thinking about the bonnet and kept going back and forth between hinges, straps or a pinned fully removable bonnet.

I finally made the decision to go fully removable (hope I don't regret it), and as well as an update thought I'd do a little "how to" as I struggled a bit to find info before I started.

Please: This is how I did and it and so far, it seems to work okay. There may be another / different / better / easier way out there

Reminder of the before





I measured up some scrap 2mm thick pieces of plate that I had left over. I held them in place whilst I marked the body line on them and then after a bit of experiment & measuring of the bonnet itself, decided that 100mm was sufficeint to get the pin in the right place on the bonnet.



Back on for a second check and there was a gap as the scuttle is higher as it curves accross the front of the car.



After trimming the pieces it was into the vice to bend up the back lip.





Happy with that, I did similar at the front only here I had to put a slight curve on the plate so it fitted close to the body.



Measurement again 100mm (ish)



I then fully seam welded them in place (bit ott probably) before grinding back, a skim of filler, bit of etch followed by some primer and Robert's your mothers brother.







I have been playing around with the bonnet today so will post the "part 2" in the next day or so.

If anyone wants more detail, measurements, extra pics etc, leave a reply here or drop me a PM.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Steve

Edited by stevede, 15 December 2010 - 08:13 AM.

[mighty mini jack]

Really tidy work there, Steve.

Look forward to the next update

[benno1275]

great work steve done a really good job keep it up

[mini.cooper998]

looks to be coming on amzingly steve, thanks for the replys. ive taken a week of work to get on with mine however come down with the man flu saturday so not been able to get in the garage yet.

when your redy to do your spray can you give me a shout as id love to watch how you do the prep and paint will give me a bit of an insigt into doing mine.

also what paint are you going to use 2pack celly or base.

thanks

hope to speek soon

andy

[stevede]

looks to be coming on amzingly steve, thanks for the replys. ive taken a week of work to get on with mine however come down with the man flu saturday so not been able to get in the garage yet.

when your redy to do your spray can you give me a shout as id love to watch how you do the prep and paint will give me a bit of an insigt into doing mine.

also what paint are you going to use 2pack celly or base.

thanks

hope to speek soon

andy

Hi Andy

Thanks for the comments & hope you are feeling better soon.

I'm still playing around with the body work, bit here & a bit there and it's coming along. I have decided to use Cellulose and actually ordered the paint yesterday!

It will still be a little while off yet for the final painting but more than happy to share my limited knowledge of it helps.

Catch up with you soon

Regards

Steve

[stevede]

Once again, thank you for the positive comments.

As promised, stage 2 of the bonnet pins. Again, this is not an exact science so please double check any measurements if you are using this to do your own car.

With the bonnet laid back on the car, I marked the area covered by the plates underneath.





I then transfered the line to the underside to check where the pin would sit.



Using a best guess measuring system, I marked the spot and went in with the drill.



Through the skin and with the bonnet firmly wedged, I drilled right down and through the base plates.



Initial progress with the biggest drill I had (13mm) and a file to clean up the holes in the bonnet was not good so a quick trip to Screwfix and I bought one of the step drill / hole cutter thingy's. Worth every penny!



I opened the hole to 18mm and to 22mm in the web on the underside.





Some more measuring on the top side to line up the clips, some more small (4mm) holes as I am using some stainless allen cap bolts instead of the self tappers that came with the kit.







And finally, the finished result. I have rounded off the corners of the bonnet on the underside to stop it digging into the paint. I now need to find a thin edging strip or similar to protcet the paint when to bonnet is in place.





As well as the pins, I have also thought about some holes in the bonnet like the guys with the turbo's etc, so I had a play about with a stencil and some black paint to see the effect.

Did I go ahead and cut holes?........ You'll have to wait for the next episode.

Thanks for stopping by.

Regards

Steve

[Saxo-Fiesta-Mini]

lol my brain says to it self will ur daught like holes in the bonnet yet i realises ur probs going to love the car more so who cares

[stevede]

lol my brain says to it self will ur daught like holes in the bonnet yet i realises ur probs going to love the car more so who cares

You're spot on there S-F-M but she would probably like them too. We're also toying with the idea of a couple of huge spotlamps on the front "rally style" so thinking it may fit in with the overall look. (Wide 10's big arches etc).

The best bit about playing with the bonnet (and the boot also) is that if I don't like what I do now or in the future, it's not a big job to simply replace with standard parts.

Cheers

Steve

[mini.cooper998]

like the idea of the holes and big lamps very retro, sometimes worth putting a spring or rubber behind the bonnet clips as they can rattle like mad

coming on well though

as regards your knowledge how do you sand the body sides and fill so they look flat as mine have a small warp in one side

cheers

[Down&Out]

lol my brain says to it self will ur daught like holes in the bonnet yet i realises ur probs going to love the car more so who cares

That is so badly punctuated i cant even guess what your on about...

Nice work on this mini, though.

[stevede]

Hi Guys (& Girlies), time for the next update.

The paint has arrived and if it looks as good on the car as it does in the tin I'll be well chuffed.

Bought a new spray gun as well. A Sealy one which was recommended in Practical Classics magazine. RRP of £70, Sealy had it on offer at £40 and a company called Just off Base had it at £33 with free delivery. Ordered on Sunday and received Tuesday. Spot on service.

But before all this, I had a major problem with the roof as the paint I had been using, (high build primer from a spray tin) has reacted with the existing dodgy paint on the roof to the point where it has all cracked and lifted.





The problem only showed after a while, I'm just glad it happened before the final painting. The only option left is to scrape it all off, back to the factory paint and seal it before moving on.





A similar, but much smaller problem on the front when I re-primed over the test colour I had done, meant I rubbed back to the base coat in fear of the same thing happeninig when painting for real.



Talk about one step forward, two back!

Anyway, armed with my new paint supplies, gun & much enthusiasm, I set about test spraying a door. All was going well (ish), with my tiny compressor working overtime running the gun until it decided enough was enough and threw in the towel.

A call to a Pal and a much bigger & better replacement was borrowed. (Trouble is I want one just like it now)!

Bit more playing around, couple of tests and a dolop of bar coat on the rear panel.



Closely followed by a door



Doesn't it look great when it's all one colour rather than patches?



Now I feel a bit more confident with the gun I intend to crack on and get the bar coat all over the car ASAP.

And finally, for those wondering did I cut the holes in the bonnet?.........





Well....... You only live once!










Oh, and if anyone has a compressor for sale, give me a shout.

Thanks for stopping by

Cheers

Steve

[xBR4DLEY]

Nice mate
Good to see its coming along been watching this from the start
How long has it taken you up to this point
Whats your plan after painting are you just getting it all back together or do you still have the small niggly bits to do
Good luck with whatever you choose to do next

[stevede]

Nice mate
Good to see its coming along been watching this from the start
How long has it taken you up to this point
Whats your plan after painting are you just getting it all back together or do you still have the small niggly bits to do
Good luck with whatever you choose to do next

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

I've had the car since the end of May this year. After painting, I have most of the bits for the subframes, new brakes, suspension etc but still need new brake & fuel lines before they go back on.

I have a set of wheels and 2 engines. A 998 which was running when I took out and a 1275 partially dismantled. (future project)

I have no interior as yet and as for the other "niggly bits" it's a very long list.

Cheers

Steve

[Shifty]

Bar coat is a god-send!!

You're making life a bit tricky for yourself using celly though, blooming/reactions etc(but I don't need to tell you that!!)

(cough 2k....cough!!)

None of this waterbased crap either......

Look what happened last time I used water based!!

[cookie4343]

Bar coat is a god-send!!

You're making life a bit tricky for yourself using celly though, blooming/reactions etc(but I don't need to tell you that!!)

(cough 2k....cough!!)

None of this waterbased crap either......

Look what happened last time I used water based!!

Nice proffessional paint job that shifty, l.m.a.o
Stevede your mini looks so nice i wouldnt be giveing it your daughter when finished, that would just be crazy.

Edited by cookie4343, 16 November 2009 - 09:25 PM.