1146 replies to this topic

[sonikk4]

Keep going Hugh there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[grahama]

Hugh,

lovely work. Please make a mess of some welding so I don't feel all inferior Nice job on the arch, as I have said before you can feel your steel, oo errr, and if it's fine then it's good enough for me.

That stage of the back end is where I want to be before hols at the end of next week, not too far behind your stage. Great effort, keep it up.

Graham

[minimuk]

nice wheel arch,..you made a piccy from the inside too,...double weld? sand it flat, then primed the inside and outside? overall your boot section looks very good indeed.
I can se you do enjoy the big "puzzle"

keep at it,....

Edited by minimuk, 09 July 2011 - 10:10 PM.

[CLM]

Wow Hugh, I have been away for a while moving, but you have been moving as well, moving right along

Read through the whole post and thinkl you have made serious leaps and bounds. Not sure how fast I will be working now, no longer have assess to a shop, just a dirt floor garage.

Chris

[hughJ]

Fettling

Hello Chris, am I glad to see you back?! I actually had a wee lump in my throat and glassy eyes when I saw you back on my topic. My imagination had you dead of a heart attack or worse out there in the States! Well I've to be more of a man so stop crying Hugh and welcome back Chris and I hope we do see you getting back to work soon as I really enjoyed your fabrication. Neil, Graham and minimuk thanks as ever for encouraging me. It does mean a lot.

Got the rear valance on today.

Prepared for plug welds and primed.



Clamped in place



Plug welded



It is not a brilliant fit but nobody sees the seam as its hidden by the bumper



And all ground down and protected with a wee coat of etch primer



Now here's a thing I once asked on my post what fettling meant and no one gave me an answer

Found this on the web

fettle [ˈfɛtəl]
vb (tr)
1. (Engineering / Mechanical Engineering) to remove (excess moulding material and casting irregularities) from a cast component
2. (Engineering / Metallurgy) to line or repair (the walls of a furnace)
3. Brit dialect
a. to prepare or arrange (a thing, oneself, etc.), esp to put a finishing touch to
b. to repair or mend (something)

So here's my definition

Went to adjust the closing plates at the rear valance. The driver's side is OK



But the passenger side leaves a bit to be desired



So added an extension piece. My cutting out is awful compared to the likes of Neil. I can't work out how to use tin snips so I just use my grinder with a thin cutting disc.











So I would say that adding a wee bit of extra metal and persuading it into the area with a hammer - that's fettling.

I might get the closing plates in tomorrow but I think there is a better forecast and I would like to go for a wee cycle through the hills.

Fettling on

Hugh

[mini danny]

looking good ill be watching this one

[grahama]

Hugh,

loving the work as usual. I take it you made your own closers or have you just bashed them about?? Valance seam looks fine, as good as mine when I took it off and it was the original one too !! How is the fit along the inside of the valance??

Getting at mine tomoz if not too windy!

Graham

[minimuk]

Hugh,

loving the work as usual. I take it you made your own closers or have you just bashed them about?? Valance seam looks fine, as good as mine when I took it off and it was the original one too !! How is the fit along the inside of the valance??

Getting at mine tomoz if not too windy!

Graham

Same thoughts like you Graham,... Hugh is getting the hang of it, so you are going out for a cycle ride too?? Is this the new thing to get more inspiration to do a mini resto??lol

[grahama]

Hi. I cycle to work and I loathe every mile of it!! Keep telling myself it is better being fit. Now, strap an engine into the mix and that's a different thing!! Had hurry up this week when Matt decided to put in for his provisional, ahhhhhhhhh, got together a move on now!

Graham

[Timty]

Keep it up Hugh your doing an amazing job! your weldings very good now (much better than mine) what colour scheme are you going for? (if you don't mind me asking).
Tim

[Deathrow]

Looking good!

You've constructed your valance closing panels in a similar way to how I did mine, only you've made it look a thousand times neater .

[hughJ]

Hi Deathrow and Graham. These are actually Magnum closing panels!! If I had made them I wouldn't have had to extend them - well maybe knowing me I would. They are a bit bashed probably with me trying to persuade a better fit - 'fettling'.
Hi Tim I am going for an all green colour pretty much like grass!!
Thanks Danny.
minimuk always glad to hear from you. Cycling is great. I prefer it any day to removing rust and cutting out and grinding old bits of mini. So I did go for my cycle and enjoyed it thoroughly. You can see my journey here if you are interested - Glencalvie.

I put this on Graham's post - I've had a wee setback. I have an old XS650 which I love and don't use that much. I thought I'd take it for a wee spin today (Thursday 14th) and came off at a corner on gravel. Some of my pupils saw me and very helpfully pulled the bike off me. Great bunch of lads. They had a roll of duct tape on them (as you do!) and they taped my broken bits on. I'm fine but the bikes not. All that's hurt is my pride. But now I've to do a bit of work and put in a wee bit of Mini money to repair the bike.
Such is life.

Well I spent the morning straightening a twisted centre stand, fitting a clutch lever, straightening a gear lever and tidying up my old XS. It would break your heart. My lovely chrome exhaust has had a bit of a bashing but I will just put up with it till I'm rich. I've ordered parts to get it road worthy and MOT worthy.

But this afternoon I got back to the Mini.

Fitted the closing panels









Then moved onto this pain of an area to work in - at the bottom of where I cut out the passenger rear quarter





And cut out a dirty great hole. This took ages to minimise the damage. Still caused some damage.





And did a couple of minor repairs



I left it like this the end of the afternoon. I'm in the middle of making a panel to fill out the gap.



It's getting a bit more exciting because I'm approaching the stage of fitting the rear quarter panel. Then I'll get the sill done. I just hope I can maintain some momentum.

Crashing along

Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 15 July 2011 - 07:06 PM.

[puggered]

Excellent work Hugh! I have some closing panels to fabricate for my mini as mine have been removed by the previous owner when they welded new subframe mounts in the boot. I can't understand why they only done half a job. My car doesn't warrant a full restoration just now so I'm just tidying it up while I restore my Morris marina pick up

Best regards, Sean

[CLM]

Looking excellent Hugh! Leaps and bounds ahead of me, I wish you had some momentum to spare lol.

This van I am working on just makes me want to cry at times, but I need to get it back together before next year. I have been debating on posting pics of the work.. heh so slow...

Chris

[jagman.2003]

Great work, keep that momentum going.