920 replies to this topic

[Minidarren83]

SOOOO!! the big update never came just been too busy at work all you lot wanting too much petrol and diesel means 12+ hours a day and no energy to work
after that but i have a few bit for you all and a few quwstions. so i will start of with my latest buyings from the great bay

got myself some of these little badboys 10x6 with as new tyres £130 not bad i think just need to be black





then these are the hinges from a rover 75 i will use to lift the front end up work just the same as minitec ones but the only cost me 15 delivered and are probably better made too plus they have a built in strut



they will fit here on the inner wing when chopped a little on a custom bracket



and will work like this to move the front forward and up allowing the bonnet and wing corners to clear the scuttle



now for my questions i have fitted the door back on and offered up the a panel but at the ends of the scuttle there is massive gaps is this normal?



and then after the trail fitting the a panel the seam that the new scuttle end has is no where near where the a panel needs to meet it can i just slot this add a little strip and weld up?



hopefuly some of you will have the answers as i need to get this moving on and will be in there tomorrow and have tuesday off too so should get some more done

cheers for looking and sorry its not much darren

[minimikej]

Guessing it's not the Heritage scuttle? First things I'd check how the fit you currently have lines up with the outer wings, it may be the scuttle itself which is off. Make sure you get the bonnet in place too when doing any front end work. I would expect to have to cut slots in the scuttle, reshape and weld up. The fit with the front wings is crucial to get right.
Good luck!
Mike

[grahama]

Hi Darren,

Like the hinge idea, very clever thinking, and the Wellers are ace, I love mine and I think nicer than Minilites. On the scuttle front, mine were exactly the same when the ends were replaced and I just put a filler piece in the gap you have to close it. The wing covers it all up anyway but I think it should be closed so I closed it !!



ended up like this



wing cover like this



Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

regards,

Graham

Edited by grahama, 03 March 2013 - 08:21 PM.

[Minidarren83]

Guessing it's not the Heritage scuttle? First things I'd check how the fit you currently have lines up with the outer wings, it may be the scuttle itself which is off. Make sure you get the bonnet in place too when doing any front end work. I would expect to have to cut slots in the scuttle, reshape and weld up. The fit with the front wings is crucial to get right.
Good luck!
Mike

Thanks for the tips mike it seems that the cheap scuttle ends are the problem and I will just have to add a piece in

Darren

[Minidarren83]

Hi Darren,

Like the hinge idea, very clever thinking, and the Wellers are ace, I love mine and I think nicer than Minilites. On the scuttle front, mine were exactly the same when the ends were replaced and I just put a filler piece in the gap you have to close it. The wing covers it all up anyway but I think it should be closed so I closed it !!



ended up like this



wing cover like this



Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

regards,

Graham

Ha funny you should put these pics up only today I read back over your thread as I know you did the ends of your scuttle. This is why we put so many pictures up so we can learn from each other

[sonikk4]

Even Heritage panels leave gaps but certainly nothing that big. Nothing that a small section of metal wont cure though.

[mini-luke]

Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

Think it's a non genuine scuttle end problem, that's a Heritage panel in my pic

[Minidarren83]

Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

Think it's a non genuine scuttle end problem, that's a Heritage panel in my pic

I did see on your thread you had a gen one but I'm just too tight to pay out for it lol but next time this is one place ill pay for genuine the repro ones are terrible

Cheers Darren

[Minidarren83]

big day today i was slowly loosing interest and momentum on the build so needed to spur myself on so this happend!!!!!



and next comes the usual overload of pictures showing my panel gaps ive managed to smash, bash and cut into the repro panels









bonnet gaps are ok not the best but it will more than do for a daily driver







and as i am too tight to buy front mounts that i dont need for the flip front i used some 12mm ply in their place



the a panels are way off one side gaps too big other side too small but they will come out ok i think just need to use the hammer some more lol





all the panels are just tacked together at the moment and will be removed and fully welded to make the one piece i need to cut the upward return lip from the wings so i can weld the bonnet on and squeeze some sealer in the gap but i still need to close up the scuttle ends which i will get done tomorrow

and one last pic because i love em. my garage is a little full at the moment



as always comments and suggestions welcome cheers darren

[Skortchio]

That's not a bad bonnet gap at all dude, especially given the interesting panel combo!

Glad you're feeling the buzz again. Mine withered about 20mins after getting the bracket in, due to... problems

[grahama]

Darren,

that's exactly how I was with my wings and a panels, ended up slotting and piecing the pass side and shuffling the driverside about but it fit in the end. A nice job so far, just some more fettling and you'll be there.


Graham

[Minidarren83]

Cheers graham it should come together fine a few cuts here self tapper there lol

[mini-luke]

Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

Think it's a non genuine scuttle end problem, that's a Heritage panel in my pic

I did see on your thread you had a gen one but I'm just too tight to pay out for it lol but next time this is one place ill pay for genuine the repro ones are terrible

Cheers Darren

It's the only gen panel I'm using and there are certainly lots of panels!

[Minidarren83]

Couldn't see any other way of doing it but it turned out fine. Also if you have a sneaky look in Mini Luke's Gunmetalmini thread he has just put in a new scuttle and it is closed up.

Think it's a non genuine scuttle end problem, that's a Heritage panel in my pic

I did see on your thread you had a gen one but I'm just too tight to pay out for it lol but next time this is one place ill pay for genuine the repro ones are terrible

Cheers Darren

It's the only gen panel I'm using and there are certainly lots of panels!

Ha ha I only have two inner wing and floor half tge rest is just cut and shut non gen takes a while but they all fit the same

[Minidarren83]

UPDATE TIME!!!

managed to get the apanel door gaps spot on so needed to close up the scuttle ends and as it will be a flip front it was important that they looked presentable so as always lots of pics to show the process

started by making a card template and cutting in steel tried my best to follow the line of the scuttle and its curve



then tacked and fully welded



then cleaned off and primed very happy with this side





now this side started off horrific and i wasnt going to show it but where would that get me im not perfect. i decided to weld it to the flitch but the other side will just be sealed i think



cleaned up ok and will be fine with a skim of filler



not much as it seems to be the way lately but plodding along and more to come this week

comments welcome as always Darren