572 replies to this topic

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Received another package yesterday.

It was a package of something that I wanted to try and be a smarty bum with. I started by finding my grill.



Then cutting out a small section



Welded in a little section



Taking the things that came in the package



Pitking panel buttons. They are really cool and versatile if they weren't so expensive I would fit my bonnet with them but then again I do like the look of regular bonnet pins.



Fitted into the grill.





So when I have finished the grill and painted it in satin black the buttons should just blend in and give the impression it's floating. The grill has been modified to allow fitment of my lamp bracket, will just need to weld a couple of small holes up on it then take it back to bare metal and paint it.

Going to get in with cleaning welds up next week then move on to doing the little bits of jobs that need finishing on the inside of the car and boot then hopefully when I'm off in a weeks time get all the bits that need filler sorted and the other door re skinned and repaired.

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 17 October 2015 - 01:29 PM.

[Rocket.]

Looking good !

 

Like the idea of having a proper support on the grille

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Looking good !
 
Like the idea of having a proper support on the grille

I think I'm just being stupid but I don't quite follow what you mean by proper support in the grill lol

[Rocket.]

 

Looking good !
 
Like the idea of having a proper support on the grille

I think I'm just being stupid but I don't quite follow what you mean by proper support in the grill lol

 

 

Welding in the pieces for the grille buttons to sit on they usually just bend the slats in the pressed grilles  

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Looking good !
 
Like the idea of having a proper support on the grille

I think I'm just being stupid but I don't quite follow what you mean by proper support in the grill lol

 
Welding in the pieces for the grille buttons to sit on they usually just bend the slats in the pressed grilles

I get you now. Yeh I didn't like the though of it doing that, I also wanted it to be really quick to release hence why these have a push button in the middle and it is quick to put back on as well so it's definitely a quick release grill

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Just wanted to post this as I had fitted the bonnet pins and drilled the holes for my lamp brackets. Then when I sat back and looked at it I thought wow the front of this car is going to look mean.

[Ben_O]

Looking great James.

 

Is the ceiling of your garage upholstered with old mattresses?

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Looking great James.
 
Is the ceiling of your garage upholstered with old mattresses?

Hahaha no would be cool though. It's from when the garage had a partition and a sound dampened room in side for when me and my brother used to be in bands.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Yesterday I managed to get brackets made up for mounting the bonnet. I was under the instructions of going and playing with the mini by the fiancé as she wanted to watch to on her own so I gladly obliged.

Didn't get any pics of the brackets before welding them in but not like they are interesting.



Picked up the last panels to finish the shell also last of the cheap parts to buy for the car 😔.



Also picked up my solid subframe mounts.

So tonight after work I got home and marked up when the bonnet pins will go in the brackets. Cleaned up a load of welds on the wings and on the scuttle repair. Cleaned back to bare metal and covered it in zinc primer.



Going to put some seam sealer down the wings and and then I will put some along the wing to inner wing join from underneath the wings.

All for now

[James_eaton_thewholething]

All I've been able to get done over the past few days is boring tidious stuff. I've removed the steering rack mount to clean the rust off of it and the toe board. Got the last few welds in on the bottom of the inner wings and ground back haven't taken photos of this as its boring lol.

After work today I set about thinking what can be done today in a short space of time because I'm shattered.



Got both front arches cut out so that the wheels won't rub. I used the sports pack template off of mini spares website to get enough room at the front.











Spent ages masking all the joins up ready to put seam sealer in.









Happy with how it all turned out so I'm leaving that to dry before making any other dust in the garage so that's all for now.

I'm off work all this week so I'm going to get the outer sills on, which won't take long. I'm going to finish the boot off clean it all up from the underside too. Fit rear valance and closing panels, close up the battery box hole. grind all welds back do any bits of filler take the rest of the car back to bare metal hopefully get it covered in zinc primer. Got a big list to sort this week hope I get it all done

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 24 October 2015 - 05:08 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Since it's my week off work and having my first full day at getting stuff done I got up late after lying in which was needed.

First things first was to cut a hole in the rear valance



Then set about making up a bracket.



Then got it welded up to the valance.





Well that's my fog light position sorted and it sits below the bumper and right in the middle.

I also got the closing panels welded in for the rear valance. I will say now I really really hate welding on my back, I should have definitely got a spit. I wish I had enough room to roll the car on its side but ah well it's easy enough to just get on with it and weld.





That's it for today going to clean up some of the welds tomorrow, cover behind the closing panels in zinc primer then weld in the rear valance

[jpw1275]

Hi James ..... Just read it from the beginning.... Top work mate , you are probably doing the same as me regarding panels or I'm doing the same as you as your ahead hehe

James

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Hi James ..... Just read it from the beginning.... Top work mate , you are probably doing the same as me regarding panels or I'm doing the same as you as your ahead hehe
James

Cheers for reading I appreciate anyone that reads through it. The panels have been fun to replace, my most favourite was the floor though.

I'm sure you will catch me up soon enough

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Over the past couple of days I hve got the valance welded on and the welds cleaned up.

I spent all of yesterday doing the thing I love the most and I can't believe how much I love it. I forgot how much I loved stripping old paint from the car it's so so much fun.



Got the whole back end back to bare metal, one to see if there was going to be any surprises and thankfully there wasn't. I'm glad there is no rust around the fuel filler hole as that is obviously a usual place.



Got it all covered in kurust as there is some minor rust around the window but nothing horrible.



After a few hours covered it all in zinc primer. Now all I have to do is remove some of the paint again and put filler over the joins of the boot hinge panel as I removed the side I had already done as I thought I could do it better and the passenger side hadn't even been done. Hopefully the misses will tell me to leave her alone for a few hours and I can go and get the filler put on

All for now

[GraemeC]

Those grille buttons are a smart idea.  Can you remove the grille OK even with the spot brackets in place?