205 replies to this topic

[joezone2001]

Hi joe

Just read your thread from start to finish
Great work it's going to be a really nice mini when it's finished I've always liked the mini 30

Keep up the good work I will be following your progress

Thanks Marco. Its good to know someone is reading my thread and enjoying my progress. Thanks for the comment. Joe

I'm still watching nice to see you back and getting on with it!

Hi Darren.
Thanks for the comment. I really must crack on with it. I've given myself a deadline of April next year which is when my sister is getting married. My previous deadline was going to be this Saturday when my cousin is getting married.. I somehow think that deadline Is un-attainable.. Especially with a full time job and a house to look after And now a poorly Ford Focus to sort too hehe.
Cheers. Joe

[Minidarren83]

That's funny as that is my new ish deadline for when our new arrival gets here although it is a flexible deadline I just want to make imm next year

[joezone2001]

Hi all!
So anyway, I've been busy on the mini since my last update. Needless to say it wasn't ready for my cousins wedding in the end! Haha! (Congrats Dan and Jo)

I seem to have spent an age tidying up the welding that I'd done upside down on the back end making it acceptable. I ground down any bits of rust and treated it. I then gave it a good coat of etch primer.


Looking much better.

Can I just point out that I did not do that sh***y patch in the passenger side wheel arch. That will be cut out when I've got the floor back together. It really is the worst bit of welding I've ever seen. Haha

I have also prepped and painted the valance




I have prepped and painted the valance closure plates too


I also seam sealed the joints using upol brush able seam sealer. I masked up where I wanted to seal and applied the sealer with my finger. It's not some out too bad. Slightly untidy in places but it will sand down.

What does everyone else think is the best seam sealer? I have seen people say that marine stuff is the best. Is it?

I plan on painting inside the valance closure plates with chassis paint. I will also paint the valance corners in the same stuff. Does there have to be a way in which they can drain (like the sills) or is it ok that they're sealed? From what was left of them before I couldn't tell! Haha.

Thanks for reading. Comments always welcome. Hopefully I will have welded it all on on my next update.

Cheers joe

[domdee]

nice work!

[Archived4]

Brill work! and tiger seal is popular

[joezone2001]

nice work!

Thanks mate. I'm trying. Hehe

Joe

[joezone2001]

Brill work! and tiger seal is popular

Thanks smiler. I've heard good things about Tiger Seal. I will get some ordered. I plan on using the upol stuff for things like mounts etc and something a bit better for the seams. I was actually quite surprised that the standard factory stuff had lasted quite well and my seams aren't baddest at all. I think rover went in fits and starts with build quality.. Sometimes it's ok and sometimes it's shoddy..
Thanks for the comment.
Joe

[Minidarren83]

They need to have a hole in them just like the sills just an evaporation hole also big enough for the waxoil lance

Darren

[joezone2001]

They need to have a hole in them just like the sills just an evaporation hole also big enough for the waxoil lance

Darren

Thanks Darren. That's what I thought. Cheers mate.
Joe

[joezone2001]

Hi all!
The boot floor is almost done!! We welded the boot floor repair panel on today. It looks quite good


I took the seam strips off the back of the car.. The seams aren't even painted! How this car has stayed on one piece since 1989 is beyond me! I am shocked that it left the factory like this!



Some of the build quality issues that I've uncovered on this car are really shoddy. All it would have taken to stop these cars rusting so much would have been a bit of paint.. Maybe if the bosses at Rover had cared about the longevity of their cars a bit more then their customers may have kept on buying their cars and they wouldn't have gone bust.. But that's by the by now I suppose..

Anyway whilst I'm moaning about build quality.. I ordered my new GENUINE valance closures and one arrived with surface rust bubbling under the paint! I have also realised that it isn't put together properly.. The bit that cups into the valance has been welded on too high.



I wish I'd have noticed before I seam sealed it and painted it.. I'd have sent it back!
Never mind.. Haha.. I'll drill the spot welds and re weld it in the correct position..

I have also cleaned up the surface rust from the roof (the blinking cat was sick on it and it dissolved the paint!)



Obviously this is a temporary measure.. I just want to get as much protection as I can for over the winter..

So this is how she sits/hangs at the moment..


I can really start to see the end to this project now. I haven't got that much welding to do now. As soon as the welding is done I am going to seal, stone chip and paint the underside then it will be off to a bodyshop to get painted.
Thanks for reading.. Sorry about my little 'quality' rants.. Haha.
As usual, comments always welcome.
Cheers, joe

Edited by joezone2001, 09 November 2013 - 10:26 PM.

[Minidarren83]

It looks great joe but I can't believe the that cat sick dissolved the paint!!! Lol that's the best paint stripped ever. On the valance closures it looks like you could hammer that lip down some more to make it more level

Keep it up mate Darren

[joezone2001]

It looks great joe but I can't believe the that cat sick dissolved the paint!!! Lol that's the best paint stripped ever. On the valance closures it looks like you could hammer that lip down some more to make it more level

Keep it up mate Darren

Hi Darren.
Thanks for the comment. I know what you mean about the cat sick! What must I be feeding them!? Haha. I think the paint that was on the roof perhaps wasn't the right paint or something. It was obviously done with a spray can and seems to be a bit rubbery or something when you sand it. Underneath the black paint it is a light gold colour!! I know, eww! I can see why the previous owner painted it! Lol.
As for the valance closing plate thingy.. I thought the same as you about 'adjusting' it with a hammer but it might distort the panel too much. I'll just drill the spot welds and re-weld it. Shouldn't take long I don't think.
Cheers mate, joe

[alex-95]

Good work joe, The closer looks like the bit thats to high is at an angle so you may need to make it square with the side that is spot welded?

[joezone2001]

Good work joe, The closer looks like the bit thats to high is at an angle so you may need to make it square with the side that is spot welded?

Hi Alex. Thanks for the comment. I'm going to look into the 'situation' tomorrow. Your project is looking great by the way mate!
Cheers, Joe

[joezone2001]

Hi all.
Long time no update (I know... AGAIN) I've been busy with the mini though!
Right, so anyway. I took the seam finishers off the rear end and realised there was no paint underneath.. So I cleaned it up and painted it.

Note. the rear panel is mounted lower than the rear quarter panel.. Annoying (very annoying actually.. Damn Rover!) I'm not changing it though..

I sorted out the valance closure plate and re-sealed it.




I painted the boot floor as there were bits of surface rust appearing where I'd damaged the paint etc

I cleaned up some places on the inside floors and re-painted.


We sorted out the pieces under the rear lights and welded in the new bits


They shouldn't need too much filling as the welding was very flush.
I re-fitted the petrol tank so that I could re-fit the bracket that holds it in place in the correct position.


Remember this crappy repair by a previous owner?

Well.....


The mind boggles.. Honestly this is an example of the 'weld'!

Quite how this stuck to anything is beyond me as we chiseled a lot of it off. I hope no one paid money for this bodge! Still, if it hadn't been done the likelihood is the car would have been scrapped years ago I suppose..

So anyway..

Obviously this is far from complete. I still need to grind it back and re-paint but this is where I'm up to...
As always thanks for reading.
Cheers, joe. Comments welcome :)

Edited by joezone2001, 30 November 2013 - 10:56 PM.