377 replies to this topic

[izzy]

wow! its coming along really nicely!

[blue blood]

wow! its coming along really nicely!

Thanks. Managed to get an hour or so in today which I spent adding some fibral filler to the underneath of the boot where I cut the battery box out for a smooth finish look (when I get round to sanding it that is).





And then I started to cut my alloy cross member. I had my girlfriend make the templates of the exhaust tunnel then I tweaked them and started to drill, cut, sand and file out the tunnel front part:






I will eventually cut the rear part out and the ends down so it can be then bolted to the floor.

Thats all for the moment folks.

Regards Blue

[jonny f]

Looking good blue!

[blue blood]

Well managed to get the last final bit of cutting the alloy cross member finished today. It took a long while to do the templates for it and mark it out as I only had one chance at it really, but I am very happy about the outcome :)

So to start of with I had the ends to cut down and at angles for the outer edges (they will have plates welded on the end eventually but i'll have to fabricate them).



Picking up from last time I also had the exhaust tunnel rear hump to cut out. So I took my time lining everything up and getting the correct template. Then with the shape inked on I drilled out the rough shape:



With everything cut out, de burred and smoothed off I placed it in for fitment and might I say like a glove.





For the middle I am also going to have some outer edge welded in place for rigidity because cutting the humps have weakened it a bit but it will be fine.


For those of you who are reading my project and like the look of what you see with a minus I do have another minus for sale. It has a removable front end and is in primer almost ready for the final colour to be sprayed. It comes with the doors that are in this project thread that just need finishing off, the original sunroof to it and a bonnet. If you are interested please just send me a pm :)

Thats all for now folks.

Regards Blue

Edited by blue blood, 23 August 2012 - 03:32 PM.

[Roach]

Great work on the cross member, it looks like taking your time to make sure it was all right paid off.

I'm enjoying your minus build thread, keep it up

[blue blood]

Great work on the cross member, it looks like taking your time to make sure it was all right paid off.

I'm enjoying your minus build thread, keep it up

Cheers buddy I'm glad you like the read. Its definitely a labour of love but is worth it :)

Blue

[SamMayfair1996]

Im still reading and enjoying :)

[blue blood]

So got a few more hours in today doing odds and ends. I started by cutting, squaring off and bending to fit the right profile a piece of 3mm aluminium ready to be tig'd into place this will add rigidity to the beam from where I cut the exhaust tunnel hump out. I will get it welded up after I have the corner plates cut and bent to shape.

I then turned my attention to my bonnet and the hinges after a lot of head scratching and measurements I made some headway. I started by taking aluminium angle and cutting them to a profile big enough to accommodate for the minivation articulated bonnet hinge fastening points. I will have to have a spacer on the passengers side as the bonnets resting lip on the wing is further away from the inner wing (where the suspension is bolted to).
So these are the mounting brackets I have come up with that will be fibreglassed to the bonnet. I still need to polish the exposed parts and drill hinge mounting holes and holes on the brackets mounting face for extra grip.






One partially polished for comparison:


I also bought an innocenti grill and surround from ebay (brand new old stock) I want to see what it looks like first before I make a decision on what direction I go in for final aesthetics.

Thats all for now once again.

Regards Blue

[blue blood]

After a lot of trial and error I have managed to fit one of the articulate hinges on the one side. It needs to mounted really far back and as high as possible or there isn't bonnet clearance. Due to the minus having quite a large sized lip for the bonnet to rest on at the back i've had to cut and sand a bit out for hinge clearance, ideally I didn't want to do that but its a compromise and to finish the edge I will use some thin rubber edge trim so any rain water doesn't flow into the engine bay.















I have drilled holes in the brackets I will be fibreglassing to the bonnet to bolt to an old bonnet I have so as to check clearances. These holes will eventually be made wider for better grip.



Thats all for today folks.

Regards Blue

[blue blood]

Well haven't had much time to work on the minus for a while due to starting two jobs at once!!! but I am so close to completing my alloy cross beam. I had the ends cut and bent to shape and a guy up that lives up the road from me tig it all up and I am well chuffed with the outcome.









All I have left to do to it is drill the holes for it to be bolted to the floor and some rivnuts in the shell for the end pieces (as there are two layers to the outer skin and it means less would be sticking out on the side externally).

Hope everyone like it :)

Kind regards Blue

[jonny f]

Looking good blue!

[blue blood]

thanks Jonny i'm itching to fit this cross member in as i am really happy with the results from an aesthetical point of view. It also has the benefit of letting me mount my seat just that bit further back and directly to the floor (for that real go cart feel). I want to see more progress on your build though so get your ass movin .

Regards Blue

[hughJ]

That is one beautiful bit of fabrication. The welding is too good and aluminium!!! - he's a good guy that lives up the road. Yes, I like it. I had thought of going down the grp bodyshell route but wasn't brave enough. This is going to be one nice and unique little car. All the best, Hugh

[thelegg]

you will have to get this featured in a magazine once its finished :)

[blue blood]

Thanks Hugh, its already been in a magazine once but once its finished I don't know wether I want it in one or just keep it exclusive to TMF people ;)

Regards Blue