320 replies to this topic

[sonikk4]

Got the arch in today along with the closeout. Bit of a faff with the subframe jig in place but it was worth doing that as i found an issue which i managed to sort out without any grief later on.

Then it was out with the companion bin

and even for a car of this age (1979) there was still bits fitted without any paint as this section of the companion bin shows

[Marco1972]

Great work mate

I'm still having therapy after replacing my companion bin
Did you drill out the spot welds for the bottom of the bin from underneath or down from the top ?

Marco

[sonikk4]

Great work mate

I'm still having therapy after replacing my companion bin
Did you drill out the spot welds for the bottom of the bin from underneath or down from the top ?

Marco

 

Marco the bits i had left were drilled from the top as i'm replacing the inner sill anyway so no point in crawling around the floor.

[bartman]

your doing an excellent job look forward to seeing the finished mini keep it up 

[sonikk4]

Spent most of today drilling out spot welds on the floor crossmember ends and along the inner sill to doorstep, very boring literally. Now just have to attack the heelboard and toeboard / flitch spots as well.

 

In the meanwhile the spit is now up and running

More rust though

Its the small plates either side on the boot floor where the little felt pads attach to. They will get a good dose of sorting out in the near future.

Got some serious scraping to do now

 

The other fly in the ointment is the rear closeout i fitted has an issue. The curved section that attaches to the rear valance is bent too far into the car leaving a 1/4" gap. So now need to drill out three plug welds to bend it the right way. 

[Marco1972]

Great work mate

Wish I'd of had one of those sub frame jigs that you made when I replaced my heel-board end would of saved me a load of time and hassle
Are you going to replace the whole floor on this one ?

Mark.

[sonikk4]

Great work mate

Wish I'd of had one of those sub frame jigs that you made when I replaced my heel-board end would of saved me a load of time and hassle
Are you going to replace the whole floor on this one ?

Mark.

 

Cheers Mark, no not on this one, there is no need it just needs the inner sills to first flute replacing to be honest. There is jacking damage to the front on both sides so this will take that out completely. 

[sonikk4]

Sorted the heelboard end today so went from this

to this

to this

to this

and then finally to this

 

next fit of fabrication is the inner sill stiffener

i already have a section of folded steel ready for it but needs to be shaped. Once thats done its on or in this case out with the inner sill.

[Marco1972]

Hi Neil

I've got this repair to do on my lads mini
What gauge steel are you using for the heel board repair ?
Did you make a template or just take measurements from the old one

Great work keep at it

Mark.

[sonikk4]

Hi Neil

I've got this repair to do on my lads mini
What gauge steel are you using for the heel board repair ?
Did you make a template or just take measurements from the old one

Great work keep at it

Mark.

 

I use 1.2mm steel sheet for this job. No template as such, i rough cut a section of steel and offered it up to the heelboard end. then drew around that.

 

This was then cut and trimmed to size and the subbie holes transferred through. Then the sections added and tacked together, once that was all good i then welded it all together. The subbie holes were drilled at 9 mm if i remember correctly (the bolts are 5/16th UNF so the holes bigger than needed but they match the original holes in the heelboard panel) then i used my subframe jig to position the repair. I then added the heelboard / subbie mounting bracket and bolted it all together.

 

A final check to make sure all was good then welded it all in place.

[sonikk4]

Back on the car today so first job was to make the new inner sill stiffener

 

then it was onto the inner sill and cutting it out

and i was careful not to damage the build plate so whipped it off and found this

 

Thats not good so wont be refitted. Had to stop with the inner sill as i needed the new flitch panel so they are now in my car ready for the onslaught tomorrow. 

[alex-95]

Good work Neil, How come you made the heelboard ends with an bend in the middle? I thought they were straight?

[sonikk4]

Good work Neil, How come you made the heelboard ends with an bend in the middle? I thought they were straight?

 

It is straight what you can see is the weld where its not been dressed fully flat.

[alex-95]

 

Good work Neil, How come you made the heelboard ends with an bend in the middle? I thought they were straight?

 

It is straight what you can see is the weld where its not been dressed fully flat.

 

Sorry meant the angled bit next to the holes, I thought it was straight down parallel to the 2 holes?

[sonikk4]

Ahh i see what you mean now Alex, nope thats how they come. That was copied off the original panel.