1146 replies to this topic

[racingenglishcars]

I think it's looking very nice now. I have also had problems with incompatible paints and had to sand down to metal (or epoxy primer which should be good enough).

But like some others, I have been on holiday the past couple weeks; Washington DC, where I caught sight of these, belonging to friends. (the red, orange and white ones)
http://s183.photobuc...rogeye61/Minis/

The orange one is what I was thinking of while reading through your recent posts.

You have done an amazing job so far. Just compare with what you started with.

[deebo]

looking grand Hugh, i know its an odd thing to focus on but i really love the finish in the boot lol

[hughJ]

minimuk, Brams96, Scott, Carlos, racingenglishcars and deebo a big thanks again. It is inching on and I'm still inching on - in some ways even inching backwards!! Thanks for the pictures racingenglishcars - nice cars - its as orange as mine is green - I like it! deebo the boot is one of the few places I have had no paint reaction!

It's all boring but to show it is inching along

Sealed seams below lights, sealed bonnet drain channels above and below! And repainted in the engine compartment!



And what do you know - yes paint reactions - this is happening when etch primer is put over Rustoleum Combicolor.



Sealed wings to scuttle





Then tackled where I had cut through the reinforcing plates on the bonnet. I didn't even think about this till reading Grahams pages. I've put this off for a while. But the bonnet will be my last welds and I want to get my Ferromax cylinder back to Air Products - its costing me over £18 a month cylinder rental!! It is fantastic to have the gas like this. Wish you could buy the bottles at a sensible price.





Here's some horrible welding - it was awkward but no excuse! Good thing the cylinder's going back.



Tidied a wee bit - no one will see it



Ground the underside welds



No photo to show them tidied! Sorry!

Tackled other side









Using carborundum stones and tungsten carbide burrs to get into the awkward corners - still had to leave some.





It takes hours to dress even a plug weld with them!!

Found this at the front of the bonnet



Have cut it out with great difficulty and rust treated



I'll deal with this hopefully last weld on Monday. Probably some of you will think why bother with this old rusty bonnet - well it is not concourse as I've said before - its an advanced MOT prep. I'm trying to keep costs down and can easily change a bonnet in a few years when I'm rich!

I'm building up thin layers of filler where I had to extend the wings - I hate sanding filler!





Well that's my lot - pretty boring - have to prove I'm still working a little

Still inching along

Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 05 May 2012 - 08:04 PM.

[Andrew O]

I feel your pain sanding filler, I've got an awful lot of that to do after debumpering it.
Keep up the good work though
Andrew.

[grahama]

Nearly finished welding, well done !! Not far behind, this week for the shell, bit longer for doors. Don't understand what you have done paint wise. Have you rubbed down the old combicolour and redone or just etched straight over the combi??

My bonnet underside is just as yours, tight horrible welds, strong but not pretty, still to grind mine down yet. The green is indeed growing on me Hugh, your painted bits look great, shame you keep getting the reactions.

Have you got a die grinder for the burrs or are you using a drill. I found the burrs didn't touch my crap welding when using a drill !!

Good inching tho

Graham

[minifcd]

Hi Hugh, looks like the etch primer could be the cause. Shouldn't really be used over paint only bare metal as the acid in the etch will react with the paint. I'm no paint expert but if you need to paint over a previously painted area you need a normal neutral primer or barcoat to prevent the existing paint from bubbling/lifting from the solvents in the new paint (or something to that effect)!

[CLM]

My goodness, that front is looking good Hugh! Soon the frog will be ready to hop

Chris

[miniBrain]

Hugh, the front end is looking really good now - you did a great job fitting it all together. I thought about using Rustoleum too - are you doing the exterior with this also?

[Shifty]

Hi Hugh, looks like the etch primer could be the cause. Shouldn't really be used over paint only bare metal as the acid in the etch will react with the paint. I'm no paint expert but if you need to paint over a previously painted area you need a normal neutral primer or barcoat to prevent the existing paint from bubbling/lifting from the solvents in the new paint (or something to that effect)!

He's right, etch is intended to 'burn' itself into bare metal, if can have funny effects when used over paint.

Good progress(as usuall!!)

[Carlos W]

£18 a month for cylinder rental is loads of money!

The scuttle to wing joins look great, you did really well solving the issues!

I love the green

[hughJ]

The welding is finished!!!! So its goodbye



And after all that I'm going to be kind of sad to see it go. No Chris I am not going to start on another. Though I was offered another Mini last week from an ex-pupil!!

Andrew sanding filler is awful - I don't know the secret of not getting my emery paper all clogged up! Graham glad the green is growing on you!! I put the burrs in my drill. It takes ages but I just decide to put the time in. It probably takes about quarter of an hour to take down a plug weld!! Glad there's not many in tight corners. Scott and Shifty the etch is part of the problem but inside the car I didn't use etch on a lot of it and got reactions!! I must look into this barcoat. Chris I'm looking forward to that first hop. miniBrain I'm just going to use the Rustoleum Hard Hat in rattle cans for the whole Mini!! Carlos as usual good to hear from you.

I got down to finishing the welding to the bonnet by finishing the bit I cut out last week



And some ghastly welding. The metal was kind of thin near the front and ran away!! I've at last reached the stage now that I'm finished where I don't panic and just keep filling and blobbing back till the hole gets filled. But by gum it looks 'orrible.



Then tidied the mess up.



It will do.

But you know me by now. Never showed you this last week due to shame. I always cut that bit too far or let the grinder slip and did this when getting the awkward metal out! Woops!



So blobbed some weld in with the welder on a very low setting



And dressed it up a bit



Well seeing the gas bottle is still here and to try and save a wee bit I tried repairing this







Now I'm not showing the welding here. With the thicker steel you'd think it would be easy. But with welder at higher settings the arc was so bright I couldn't see the gap I was welding into and went wandering down the side of it!! So I didn't even take a picture I was so disgusted.



The other shock mount will do its just a bit pitted.



After all that messing with the bonnet I refitted it and put in a thin layer of filler



It still sits a bit high at the driver's side



But if I take it lower the bonnet doesn't line with the wing - it will do.

On the passenger side



Now to try and solve my paint reactions and get it painted!!

Not welding along anymore

Hugh

Edited by hughJ, 07 May 2012 - 08:42 PM.

[minimuk]

Nice one Hugh, I think you need a wee bit encouragement here, take a deep breath and walk away from the mini for a few days,... get back to the last 3 pictures you have just shown us, and then tidy the bonnet-sides because both sides could do with a fillerstrip welded onto the sides to make it a smooth flat finish, you can do that easely. If you don't you will regret it if you don't after you have painted it. Trust me on this.

[Shifty]

If you're getting reactions then you need an isolator like "bar coat", need a compressor and spray gun to apply it though.

[CLM]

Not going to do another one? But a nice estate would go great with it! ;)

I don't blame you, it's a lot of work :)

Chris

[grahama]

Weh hey, welding done !! U lucky git !! I would however play around with the bonnet tho as Muk said, but if you're happy then I'm happy. I am going to spray rustoleum and am looking into a suitable primer so I can try to avoid the reactions.

Just a few rattle cans and you're done !!

Graham