1146 replies to this topic

[racingenglishcars]

I think a slice near the front of that A-panel and grafting a new edge would be easiest and unnoticeable in the end. This would be similar to the closing panel you modified the edge of back on 11 July 2011.

[olds_kool_lews]

Good work mate! I had a similar problem with my wings coming up short on my '73 auto mini, ended up slicing the wing lip off, welding the wing lip to the a-panel and then welding a filler strip in the gap, some said I had done something wrong, but every panel lined up and fitted as it was ment to, just the wings came up short, it's not a big problem, but those who haven't experienced pretty poor fit after Market panels won't understand and blame work already carried out. But your doing a great job, keep it up, worth it in the end!

[hughJ]

Shifty, minimuk, Brams96, Graham, racingenglishcars, olds_kool_lews thank you for your help and advice. I do appreciate.

Graham - I don't think I redid any plugs. racingenglishcars, olds_kool_lews I've taken your advice and done this tonight. 2½ hours!! How am I so slow. racingenglishcars I didn't notice you were from Denmark! Great to have your advice.

So tackled this



Cut out the original flange and made this wee piece



And clamped in place



Tacked in place



And welded in place



And plugged to the flange on the A-panel. I am a lot happier with this side now



I think I'll compromise on Shifty and minimuk's advice. I think tomorrow I'll cut away the drivers side flange and fit a filling piece like this. Then have another bash to get the wing that little bit higher against the scuttle.

Sorry if I'm boring you with the ongoing front fitting saga. It is working out every bit as bad as I expected - probably worse. But the kind words from all you gents really helps. It forces me to keep going and not woose out.

Welding along

Hugh

[grahama]

Hugh, you are an absolute star. Picked yourself back up I see !! The repair I have read is far from uncommon, mine will probably be the same, and with a little grinding it will be invisible. Has that improved the scuttle gap, or is that fixed now??

As the yanks would say, Good Job !!

Graham

[Andrew O]

Those scuttle gaps look fine now ( Very similar to mine ) and that work on the A-Pannel is excellent, Keep it up

[minifcd]

Great work Hugh. Did you actually make that piece? If so how did you get the slight curve at the upper edge? Did you have to use the stretching technique with a cross pein hammer? Great stuff!

[minimuk]

Hugh, as Graham, star indeed, definately your mark on your mini. Although not my choise of repair, I do think you have done a fab job and no messing for an 'amateur'. Now you are over this hurdle you can finish the rest with ease. Well done

[CLM]

Good job Hugh conquering that obstacle! It's looking great Nice to see you battling through your uncertainties :)

Chris

[racingenglishcars]

Your metalwork on this, and previous patches, is superb.

Forgive me, I don't know the rules in GB. Are you required to do butt welds or are you doing them just because they produce finer results than lap welds?

[087dave]

Going great Hugh just read from the start chin up keep going

[Shifty]

Looking much better!!!

A tip though....

I've had to do similar filler pieces when making flip fronts before. Use a straight edge and find out if its the wing or the a-panel thats out by laying it on the body seam.

If the filler piece doesn't give you a straight line on the seam then you'll run into trouble when fitting the seam strips.

Looking good though.

[hughJ]

Well that is so encouraging and helpful. Better watch I don't start choking up! A big thanks as always Graham. Thanks Andrew, Scott, minimuk, Chris, racingenglishcars, Dave and Shifty.

I'll answer racingenglishcars first. No we don't need butt welds for the MOT. The advice that I saw on this forum at first was to butt weld as it eliminates a rust trap. I've kind of got used to it. I notice now that Shifty uses overlap welds as he thinks it is stronger. I suppose it becomes a matter of taste and choice. I've found I can cut the panels to fit the gap and get them to fit for me with butt welds.

Scott this is in reply to you. I knocked up the filling panel with my hammer, vice and dolly. I've seen the technique you talk about but I just shape round the dolly. I photographed what I did tonight

Cut out an oversize piece of steel



And shaped the flange in the vice in sections





Then did the fold for the lower lip on the wing - again just bent over in the vice



Then clamped my dolly in the vice - the left edge is useful for shaping



And hammered out the curve - I just keep hitting it at the back where the folded lip is in stages and keep straightening the folded flange. Maybe not text book stuff but it works for me. There's a few dents in it but nothing that filler wont solve!





I'll trim it back in stages tomorrow to fill the gap.

Then I cut the previous welded flange out and ground out the plug welds. It was under too much stress and had bent the flange on the A-panel. This took a long time. I was impressed at the strength of my plug-welds!



So tomorrow I'll try and get the filling piece fitted. Anne and I are out for a good bit of the day.

Graham you wanted to know about the scuttle to wing gap - took these tonight for you





Can I give advice on fitting. I had cut two relief cuts on the flange of the wing that sits against the scuttle before fitting and this made it far easier to shape. I didn't do this on the driver's side. I am trying to puzzle out how I can get two relief cuts onto the fitted wing.

We shall see

Still trying to get a front fitted

Hugh

[Shifty]

Looking good hugh!!

You'll be on a TMF stand soon.

[minifcd]

Thats great work Hugh, I'm impressed. Thanks for showing how you did it.

[grahama]

Passenger wing scuttle gap is fine Hugh, from my amateur point of view, and I am going to have to do a similat thing to fit mine, although I may well take up the gap in the end with a filler strip, we'll see. The driver side, are you going to try to raise the wing as it sits lower than the pass side, or is that the pic??

Liking the fabrication work, thanks for the pic of how you did the curve with the dolly. However, when you did the curve with the right angle, ( for the wing to a panel flange ), did it bend the right angle at all, or did it just stretch to the curve??

Going well, will be catching up this week hopefully, weather permitting.

Graham