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Project Zippy - Mk1 1981 Midas Project.


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#271 MrBounce

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Posted 26 March 2015 - 09:34 PM

Just a quick update tonight. I've finally got back in there and have finished repairing the door plate. I decided that the easiest thing to do was to cut off the rusty section, create a new one out of sheet steel then attach it. I chose to rivet it as a) it is really easy and b) I wanted to try my new rivet gun. I made up a template out of a Shreddies box, then cut what remaining steel I had to size. Then it was a simple matter of bending it in the right places, clamping it and drilling the holes for the rivets and then using the rivet gun to fuse them together. I then gave it a covering of the nearest rattle can to hand, which was stonechip paint. That should make sure there won't be a repeat of such corrosion.

 

Cardboard template.

 

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Roughly bent to shape

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Riveted on and stonechipped.

 

dfaa33b6-c9d5-481c-9aa4-367b90c95eba_zps



#272 MrBounce

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Posted 04 April 2015 - 08:34 PM

The Manroom has been in a bit of a state recently and I have the battle scars to prove it as I've been falling over stuff. I spent the entire morning today tidying it up - I pushed the Midas out on to the driveway so I could have more room to play with and it is now a much happier place to be. So much so that it was time to crack on with the doors. The frames needed to come off as it is the only way to get the glass out short of smashing it. I REALLY need to change the channel rubbers and all the other window seals as they're so rotten - not a problem really, but the state of them is quite comical.

 

First thing was first was to remove the 7 screws holding the frame to the door. 2 of them go through each frame upright with 3 securing the end piece and 2 through the front edge of the top of the door beneath the quarterlight. These were horrible on the driver's door, and I have ended up bending the frame over these as they simply would not shift. Nothing a bit of hammer work won't cure. The others were all fine, with the exception of the screw through the upright near the rear of the door. I had to use an impact driver on this one in conjunction with some WD40. Didn't take too long though as I like hitting things with a hammer. The frame then came off with no real issues, and this was followed by the lock, latch and handle mechanisms. All easy!

 

The other side was next up. Firstly I drilled out all the rivets on the winder plates (the main one looked horrible!) and removed all the window winder gubbins and the door pull. I then moved on to the frame. The front screws were a struggle - I resorted to Dremel-ing a slot in them - the heat from this allowed the fibreglass to release its grip enough to let them turn. The back 3 again were no issue but the rearmost upright screw was a proper bar steward. Of course the head was just chewed enough so the impact driver wouldn't work and you could not get the Dremel in there to cut it off. I eventually released it using a very small pair of Molegrips, which took forever because I could only move it about an eighth of a turn at a time. Eventually it gave up and the frame parted company with the door.

I cut the rusty bit off the door plate and once again repeated the process of making a replacement part, riveting it on. I then hung it up and gave it a coat of stonechip. Am feeling good!

 

Frame finally off driver's door.

 

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Handle and locking mechanism out.

 

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Frame ready for refurbishing.

 

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Passenger door ready to be attacked, including...

 

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...very ugly looking door plate.

 

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This screw was a pain. I cannot thank the inventor of Molegrips enough.

 

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Frame is finally off this one too!

 

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Repaired door plate in stonechip.

 

Midas20813_zpsuoniuznb.jpg



#273 MrBounce

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Posted 07 April 2015 - 08:37 PM

Isn't it amazing how one small tiny little thing can make your life a misery? When I was taking the car apart, the screw for the passenger window winder was seized and no amount of impact drivers, Plusgas, grinding or heat would shift it. I drilled the head off it to get the winder handle and then the door card off with a view to drilling it out at a later date. That later date has arrived. 3 broken drill bits later plus a LOT of bad language and still only part of the screw has been drilled out. I at first though I would just replace it with a standard Ford part (Fiesta Mk1 or 2), but of course Midas redesigned it slightly by chopping it about and re-brazing with a piece of triangular steel. So out came the drill again, this time a bigger drill bit, and I drilled out the rivets holding on the winder wheelbox. The "new" Fiesta winder should arrive in the next few days, so I will do the same to that, and rivet the new wheelbox back on.

 

In the meantime, I gave the winder mechanism a new coat of primer followed by a squirt of satin black. I would have masked the wheelbox anyway so it won't be an issue. I also straightened the driver's door frame where I'd bent it on removal. An easy few taps of a hammer on wood had it back into perfect shape. I also removed the window tack rubbers. You can see from the pictures that it *MIGHT* need replacing...

 

Wiper wheelbox removed from winder mechanism...

 

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Because this little so and so was causing me a lot of grief. I'm gonna throw it in the bin!!

 

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Primed winder mechanism awaiting paint (Apologies for poor pic)

 

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I'm not sure this will go again...

 

Midas20817_zps7ea1s8bf.jpg



#274 Udo

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Posted 07 April 2015 - 08:58 PM

Keep at it Dave!



#275 MrBounce

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Posted 08 April 2015 - 07:58 PM

I now had two doorframes sitting around so I thought I had better do something with them, and that something was sand them ready for paint - they were looking a little tired. They are incredibly light (aluminium I believe) so attacking them with the wire brush on the angle grinder was out of the question. No, instead I went for the mouse - it's an ingenious little sanding device that oscillates rather than spins. A bit of 120 grit and all was nicely keyed for a new coat. I wiped them down with a white-spirit soaked rag then left them to dry, before a final wipe with a tack rag. I then gave one of the frames a coat of primer. I only did one as I hardly have any space!!

 

First frame sanded and put out of the way so...

 

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...I could get on with the other one. Mouse on bench is an awesome bit of kit.

 

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First frame primed. It's hung upside down on the bar because that bit goes inside the door so any hanger marks will be out of sight.

 

Midas20820_zpsz28p01x8.jpg



#276 MrBounce

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Posted 09 April 2015 - 08:52 PM

Something has been bothering me about this project for a while and that is the fuel tank. There is a small filter in a van tank near the bottom in the middle which is virtually inaccessible, and when I sealed the tank I also managed to seal this. It is virtually impossible to remove at the best of times, but covered with Frost's finest tank sealant it wasn't going anywhere! I have also noticed that there is a horrible section on the tank floor which has made my mind up for me. This tank will not be used. However, I have stumbled across a bargain. When I was at Brooklands Mini day the other weekend one of the autojumble traders was selling a van tank for the princely sum of £35. Considering what they usually go for I was gobsmacked. The inside looked in really good nick and although it had a dent, there was no way I was going to turn it down so it came home with me.

 

As with most things Midas-related, it is not a straight swap. You need to lop 2 inches off the top of the filler neck. Having marked it up, I grabbed my trusty hacksaw and set to work. All went without a hitch and some gentle filing made sure there were no sharp bits for my poor dainty fingers. There was a bit of a problem with the tank though and that was the paint. The guy I bought it from had it on a van he'd restored and just swapped it out for a new tank. He'd then given it a coat of "paint". I think it is fact more like tar. I got out the most horrible stuff I could find (Halfords equivalent of Nitromors from about 10 years ago!) and coated the top of the tank with it. I then spent the next hour and a half with a scraper getting very messy indeed. I wiped it all down with white spirit afterwards but it still needs a good going over with the wire brush. And I still have the bottom half to do. Lovely.

 

In the meantime I found a place to hang the already painted frame, then sprayed the other one with primer. Onwards and upwards!

 

Sealed filter. It was going nowhere. Tank wasn't "right" either so I will get rid of it...

 

Tank001_zps6856ed56.jpg

...and it will be replaced with this.

 

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Marked up, first cut made.

 

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No use for a van anymore!

 

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Half the "tar" removed. More work needed.

 

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2nd door frame primed. 1st one in the background.

 

Midas20825_zpsc22np0xj.jpg



#277 MrBounce

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Posted 11 April 2015 - 03:35 PM

I have finally finished removing the horrible tar-like paint from the other half of the tank. I think the vendor slapped it on quickly before bring it down to sell as it was still tacky when I bought it. It didn't help that it was very thick in places. I am forever grateful for paint stripper and my trusty scraper. The top I was wearing can probably be turned into rags now though... Once the paint was off I gave the tank a wipe down with white spirit to remove any traces of stripper, then gave it a tickle with the wire brush on the grinder to remove any stubborn bits. Another wipe down was followed by a couple of coats of primer - quite difficult when you can't hang it up...

 

Finally got the last of the "tar" off. Yummy.

 

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Primer on both the top...

 

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...and the bottom. Paint to follow.

 

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#278 Ben_O

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Posted 12 April 2015 - 09:49 AM

when you come to top coat it, could you not get a thick piece of metal bar, tie something to it and then slip the bar in through the sender hole so the ends of the bar go either side of the sender hole inside the tank?

 

Then you could hang it



#279 cubby1701

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Posted 12 April 2015 - 10:02 AM

amazing work Mr bounce fantastic well detailed build thread



#280 MrBounce

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Posted 12 April 2015 - 03:23 PM

Not much else to report today other than I have finished painting the tank. I put in a new sender unit and used brand new screws. I might even chuck it on the car just to get it out of the way...

 

Midas20829_zpsojjp4ep3.jpg



#281 MrBounce

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Posted 18 April 2015 - 05:02 PM

I have finally sorted my window winder issues. Well - almost. As the screw that seized in the old winder seemed to be made of diamond and was thus impossible to remove, I did the honourable thing and bought a Fiesta window winder, drilled out the rivets, removed and then re-riveted the new wheelbox on the Midas mechanism. It works perfectly - the thread for the screw was even clean! However, this was when I discovered that Mk1 & Mk2 Fiesta window winders have slightly different splines. Anyone got a Mk2 window winder going spare??

 

As I am getting nearer to the stage where I can bolt stuff back on to the car, I realised I really ought to sort out the driveshafts. They'd been sitting on the bench pretty much when I removed them from the car (that was in 2012!!) so I dunked them in the parts washer to remove all the grit and old grease - they've come up rather nicely. There were no obvious marks or wear on the inner pot joints, so these will be regreased and reassembled with new boots. I have new outer CVs to go on the other end of each shaft.

 

New wheelbox attached. Winder required...

 

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Driveshafts & pot joints in need of a clean.

 

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Looking a bit more presentable!

 

Midas20832_zpsdzxlljij.jpg


Edited by MrBounce, 18 April 2015 - 05:04 PM.


#282 MrBounce

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Posted 19 April 2015 - 01:28 PM

Once the pot joints were cleaned up, chucking a couple of new boots on the driveshafts was easy. At least it would have been if one of the cages hadn't been put on the wrong way round. The drivetrain on this car has been a bit weird, what with the broken castellated nut on the front end and the "modified" hub. I guess it was no surprise that the driveshaft was going to be wrong as well. So out came the balls (carefully noted where they came from) and I turned the cage to its correct position, subsequently remembering that "refitting is the reverse of removal". Still, could've done without it... I've put the shafts to one side (again) as I won't be putting the CV joints on until I'm ready to fit the subframe.

 

I have turned my attention back to the dashboard and have done a lot more sanding. However, rather than crackle finish it, I may instead be using vinyl and a heat gun. It could take forever to get this stuff smooth enough for paint, so I will see what vinyl comes my way. I offered up the multi-gauge binnacle liberated from an XJ6 and also made the first hole for my 52mm rev counter. More to follow!

 

First pot joint quickly sorted.

 

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Second one took longer because I had to put it right...

 

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5-gauge binnacle offered up.

 

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Rev counter hole sorted.

 

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#283 Udo

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Posted 19 April 2015 - 03:49 PM

Was going to say the cages on the driveshafts were different, glad you spotted before you put the boots on  



#284 MrBounce

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Posted 12 May 2015 - 10:15 AM

A short update today. It was time to turn my attention to the rear end of the car. I am in the process of ordering some new rear springs so in theory I should be able to bolt everything together and be able to take the car off its trolley and on to its wheels. So the beam came off the shelf and the brackets came out of one of the boxes. Of course it should have been as easy as just bolting everything together but of course that was some hope. If there's one thing I hate about Mini radius arms it's those rubber seals and big washers on each end. Eventually both arms were sorted, both brackets were bolted on and the whole shebang was back together for the first time since 2012. I have laid the braided brake hoses in place because (of course) I can't find my 3-way brake splitter. It's not where I thought I'd left it, so I am currently annoyed. I do however have the (new) brake pipes ready to bend up. More later.

 

Beam retrieved from the shelf.

 

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All bolted together. All I need now is brake pipes, a splitter and new coilovers.

 

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#285 Ben_O

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Posted 12 May 2015 - 10:33 AM

Can't wait to see it rolling again

 

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