572 replies to this topic

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Been busy at it over the weekend to get the rear quarter finished so I can just get on with paint when the rest of the shell is done.





So filled over the joins and looks like it's meant to be like that. The on the B post looks like it's different heights but it's just colour difference through the primer and will go with some high build and colour.



This is it finished with all the welds covered over and sprayed in zinc primer now just have the front of the door aperture to grind some welds down where the brace bars were put in and to take everything back to bare metal. Fill over and cover in primer. Then start on the opposite rear arch, rear quarter and the waist rail

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Got up really early this morning and make some coffee



Put it in my best cup

Got down to removing old paint from the rest of the door aperture. Then filled over the welds from replacing the door steps and from the brace bar. Then had to go to work and have the worst day but ah well.





Got home about 9:15pm and then set about rubbing the filler down and then filling imperfections in the filler and then covering in paint. Good to see one side of the car in primer. Going to tackle some issues on the front bulkhead before starting the other rear arch and quarter. Mainly to make space by being able to fit the front subframe back on

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Any one want to guess what have been up to





Will let people know more later

[James_eaton_thewholething]

I've been busy over the past few days

 

 

got the top of the bulk head back to bare metal and removed all of the rust then covered in zinc primer hopefully it will hold out.

 

then i set to having the time of my life removing paint

 

 

 

 

 

so removed all the vinyl then set about taking it back to bare metal which was not fun as it took ages, i cleaned all of the seam sealer out of the roof guttering, then covered it in kurust just for good measure even though there was not a single even speck of rust on the roof. then got the good old zinc primer out and covered the panel. ran out of paint towards the end but at least its all covered. now just have the stress of hoping my 205 gti gets through its MOT which runs out tomorrow hoping it doesn't fail even though it needs a new drive shaft and possibly a tiny bit of welding at the front. most of the welding work on the 205 got done last year with 28 patches put in but the garage did an amazing job so all hoping when i take it in the drive shaft comes up as an advisory and nothing major 

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 09 September 2015 - 10:28 PM.

[Ben_O]

It's all good fun isn't it!

[Ben_O]

and good luck with the MOT

[James_eaton_thewholething]

and good luck with the MOT

cheers Ben. i had bought one of those poly discs for the grinder made life so much easier and quicker although i went through it doing the roof. and the filament wheel works really well so between that and the wire wheel bulk head was shiny. as for the mot i had a quick look over my 205 before and think it will fail on some patches on the inner wings. if it does then i already have steel and supplies to cut the rot out and replace it then it should be ok. not afraid of welding things up anymore haha

[Ben_O]

That's the good thing about being able to weld. Not only can you do your own stuff, you can do friends and families work and earn a few quid on the side

[James_eaton_thewholething]

That's the good thing about being able to weld. Not only can you do your own stuff, you can do friends and families work and earn a few quid on the side

yeah i know, after I've done my mini going to start looking at my dads which isn't as bad which isn't fair. then my mate once he has settled into his apartment and gets money back want a clubman so i think i will end up welding that. only reason i didn't do my 205 last year was time and not enough practice but this year if it fails will have it done by tuesday

[James_eaton_thewholething]

As tomorrow is pay day and I'm going to be picking everything up that is needed to finish the shell, I am yet to decide on a fibreglass bonnet.

So do I go s style bonnet



Or do I go standard bonnet



There are pro and cons for both bonnets like the S style would allow more air flow and cooling but let water in when it rains. Where as the standard bonnet keeps the car looking more original even though it's not going to look to standard anyway.

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 14 September 2015 - 10:30 PM.

[Millso24]

I'm I'm awe of this thread James. Can I ask what you do for s job, as it seems that you're reasonably well tooled up.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

I'm I'm awe of this thread James. Can I ask what you do for s job, as it seems that you're reasonably well tooled up.

Well I used to work for tesco when I drove it daily and that is part of the reason I couldn't afford to patch it up. Since then I now work for Transport For Greater Manchester as a bus station assistant helping to run Wythenshawe Interchange. A lot of stuff was bought over the years partly by myself or my dad. He bought the welder years ago when I used to drive the mini so we could replace outer sill and A-panel. For the fun of it he bought a compressor as well. The original grinder I was using and the drill are my dads and are about 30 years old. Other than that I read what people were using or asked questions and then went and bought stuff. Stuff like clamps or especially mole grips I search pound shops or wilko.

So yeah I don't work with cars for a living I work cleaning and basic maintenance of a bus station.

P.s I also get to shout at bus drivers on a regular basis although majority of them are good at their jobs

[James_eaton_thewholething]

So after discussing with the misses which bonnet she preferred. Even though she has already said she won't ever get in the car because it's embarrassing and I told her she has no choice. Really she hasn't ever been in a mini and this is the first time she has ever been close to one. Got to love her. She has decided that I should go with the standard bonnet without the grill lip. So today I rang up Tony at ABS Motorsport and placed my order so should receive that in the next few days excited

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 28 September 2018 - 09:17 AM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

As a surprise when I got home, I walked into the back room to be greeted by a giant box. I thought nothing of it until I read the writing on the tape keeping the box closed and it has ABS Motorsport written on it. I was kind of shocked and excited at the same time. Originally I was told on the phone yesterday at around 10am it would be with me in the next 4-5 days. I quickly opened the box to reveal.



The panel is so light and the gel coat is really good with no imperfections. I will most definitely be buying my fibreglass bumps and wheel arches from ABS Motorsport in the future

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 28 September 2018 - 09:17 AM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Been and spent even more money today so that's anoth £500 gone in no time but it's worth it, especially after all the overtime I put in.
Went to Moss and picked up all the front end panels which is good because it should mean that once they are all on it will look like a mini again. As I'm kind of sick of working with old panels and rust I'm going to be doing the front end first as the only old stuff to remove is part of the scuttle.



Packed everything into the back of the 205 and went home.



Obviously I had to test fit the scuttle and the wings before heading to work just wouldn't seem right if I didn't. Also spotted a bit of surface rust on a corner of the roof must of put enough paint on that bit. Next week I should hopefully get onto welding the scuttle in. To busy with work to have done anything this week