764 replies to this topic

[blue blood]

need more updates!!!

Blue

[Tupers]

I need to do some work on it first, plus I'm waiting on a pedal box.

[Tupers]

So it would seem everyone else's projects have been moving along but mine has barely been treading water.

I decided the best way of raising my interest again was to buy something shinny for the car. I had originally planned to stick with the standard brake and clutch MC's but got a good deal on a Wilwood set-up and seized to chance to clean the engine bay up a little more.




Now for the second part of my madness.
First thing's first I **** the cross member braces, they're ugly and I can make something nicer so they're gone.






Then there's this.
Although from a distance the smoothed off bulkhead looked ok I still wasn't happy.




The most logical thing to do (in my head at least) was to chop it out and make a new one piece bulkhead. I started by drilling out the spot welds along the bottom of the windscreen frame and slitting either end of the scuttle.




Then came more chopping.


I've retained the hinge perches and the new steel will the butt welded in around here once it's all tidied up.




I also removed the bottom dash rail as it will be covered by the dash board I have planned and I can add something more suitable for my new pedal box and steering column set-up to mount to.

[blue blood]

Love it. This is one of my favourite build diaries on here and for good reason. The pedal assembly looks sweet irony the group buy didnt happen but some of us still have the same setup :) Keep it up Tuppers.

Regards Blue

[leaky]

That pedal box looks tasty! Coming along well man.

[leaky]

In fact does that fit straight to a mini you do you have to mod it? Do the reservoirs still poke though to the engine bay or do then hide under the dash rails.

[jonny f]

In fact does that fit straight to a mini you do you have to mod it? Do the reservoirs still poke though to the engine bay or do then hide under the dash rails.

No you'll need to make up a bracket to fit it under the dash rails.

Everything is hidden inside the car dude. The reservoirs can be remote to so you can put them where you like.




Cars looking good. the bulkhead will look amazing!

[morley]

Ahhh going for the clean look like me Is the bulkhead going to be similar to the one you guys did on mine chris? You must tell your Dad that i've been trying to pop down but work is very very busy!

[Tupers]

Love it. This is one of my favourite build diaries on here and for good reason. The pedal assembly looks sweet irony the group buy didnt happen but some of us still have the same setup :) Keep it up Tuppers.

Regards Blue

Yeah I had my heart set on that pedal box so I had to get one. Just need to sort out my steering column now and I can figure out how to mount it all.

In fact does that fit straight to a mini you do you have to mod it? Do the reservoirs still poke though to the engine bay or do then hide under the dash rails.

No I'll have to make mounts for it, shouldn't be too much of a hassle though.

Cars looking good. the bulkhead will look amazing!

Thanks Jonny, I think it'll look nice it a really clean engine bay.

Ahhh going for the clean look like me Is the bulkhead going to be similar to the one you guys did on mine chris? You must tell your Dad that i've been trying to pop down but work is very very busy!

I'm not sure yet I've got a few different ideas floating about in my head, possibly doing some swaged lines in it. I'll let Dad know, we're pretty flat out at the moment as well.



Seen as I'm being all annually retentive ( ) about keeping the engine bay simple and clean I decided to get rid of the dip in the centre of the front crossmember. It was there to clear the bottom of a carb but seen as I'll be on a throttle body I don't need it.


I started out by making a the top section long enough to also do away with the old clutch and brake M/C holes and the heater hose holes.


Then I folded a section for the front of the crossmember.


After a little measuring the disc cutter came out and so did some more of the car.


It still needs a lot of trimming and fettling but this is basically how it will look. I've made the vertical section go out further so it will tie into the rest of the crossmember a bit better. I'll also be integrating two engine steadies into it.

[hoody99]

Very interested in how you do the internal gear stick you have done any more on that? Project is the dogs dangles by the way loving all the work

[java gt]

Like the idea of a clean bulkhead.And the pedal box is class,I bought an OBP one for my GT and it is pants.Deflects when pushed hard.

[80' Estate]

Spent the last two days reading over this, great work. Really enjoyed watching the progression of your metal skills. Have to say my favorite part is the center console, im sure ill be "borrowing" some ideas from that
I cant wait to go pick up my Clubby next week!

[festus]

nice mini mate love clubbie estates had one when was 18 wish had not sold it now :-( good luck an keep pics coming

[Tupers]

Very interested in how you do the internal gear stick you have done any more on that? Project is the dogs dangles by the way loving all the work

We've done a few other internal linkages for customers but so far we've done something original each time.

Like the idea of a clean bulkhead.And the pedal box is class,I bought an OBP one for my GT and it is pants.Deflects when pushed hard.

I had read about a few people having issues with OBP while I researching them. I think the Wilwood one should be more than solid.

Spent the last two days reading over this, great work. Really enjoyed watching the progression of your metal skills. Have to say my favorite part is the center console, im sure ill be "borrowing" some ideas from that
I cant wait to go pick up my Clubby next week!

Thanks dude that's quite some commitment, I'll be changing the centre console again soon so I'l have some more ideas for you to abscond with.

nice mini mate love clubbie estates had one when was 18 wish had not sold it now :-( good luck an keep pics coming

I shall indeed keep the pics coming, I've got about 1,700 of this so far.



Last night I got to work on the final trimming of the crossmember to make the new centre section slot in. I started out by clamping the new vertical face on so I could mark up and remove the old section that ties into the internal tower bolt gussets.


Having the ends of the vertical and horizontal sections staggered will also mean any load will be spread out more and not just carried across one straight weld.


I also removed the dip in the centre of the bulkhead and flushed in a new flat section as well as removing the final section of crossmember from above the old pedal box holes.




I added two plates on the inside of the crossmember to help the new horizontal section sit at the correct height they will also allow me to get a stronger final weld without fear of blowing through.




I drilled 4 holes in the each end of the vertical section to plug weld into the internal gussets and cleco'd it into its final resting place. The new steel is now nice and flush with the original crossmember and should be a breeze to weld in.




The horizontal section is also sitting nicely I just need to add a couple of Cecos and a few internal gussets.




Both section are now where they need to be the next job will be to reinstall the engine and ad in the top engine steadies before welding the whole lot in.


I also got my new steering column in the post. This has got most of the essential controls on the stalks so I can retain a clear dashboard.

[yeti21586]

I'm going to gues the new steering wheel is from a fiat as its got abarth written on it