890 replies to this topic

[Tomf]

Thanks Well it well look 1000x better in about a month if i can get my money sorted. Once the front is sorted im going to look to see if i can either borrow a cone compressor or ill buy one, then ill fit the Hi-lows that i got off you (thanks ) then ill refurb my wellers and fit my sportspack arches. Then i think im going to have to de-bumper the rear, then once i have finished this ill be fitting a smooth bootlid SMOOTH

Once i have done all of this i will be taking it down to the spray booth and ill be getting a full re-spray but im not telling you what colour im going yet.


EDIT: WOW I THINK I USED A FEW TO MANY lol

Edited by Tomf, 15 June 2007 - 02:00 PM.

[The Matt]

Well, I've been thinking about your grille dilema. I have a spare MKI grille and moustache that's grotty, you could basically have that for postage costs, just to give it a whirl and see how it looks??

Dunno how much it'd cost to get it to you, but might be worth a shot? Basically, the chrome's all pitted on it and I very much doubt it'll poish out. Could be sanded and painted a funky colour, but I can't be bothered to do owt with it myself!

[Tomf]

PM sent.

Well I got all the front end off, I then gave all the cut edges a smooth over and I cleaned up the scuttle corners were the wings haad been cut off. I then fitted the brace bars.

after this I went in to town for lunch and too meet some friends, so I couldn't get much more done, but when I got back I did make a start on the solid subframe/floorpan mounts and I got the passanger side mount fitted. I then got a bit board lol, so ill finish the drivers side mount tomurow.

tomurow ill also have a go at fitting a pair of new a-pannels, ill also weld some tabs to them so I can lock my duze fastenera to them. then ill have a go at making some hinges and if I can sort that then ill fit the flip front

[Tomf]

Well iv finally sorted some picture:

Front end stripped minus electrics, left them because it will be easier when i come to fit the front.



I then took each wing of one at a time:



I then unbolted the front, front subframe mounts and took the grinder to part of the inner wings:



I then chopped the inner wings back so i now have loads of space to work on the engine :



Once the wing was chopped back i tidied up the scuttle corner, need some fullering to make it smooth but i expected that, also fitted passenger side brace bar:



I then fitted the drivers side brace bar, also gave the driver side scuttle corner a quick tide up but that will be finished tomorrow:



I then started to fit the subframe/floor pan solid mounts, i only did the passenger side one because i got board and i was going to have dinner lol Ill fit the drivers one tomorrow, lets just hope the tower bolt isnt as tight as the passenger one was lol (soz pic isnt great, there wasnt much light under the mini lol):

Edited by Tomf, 15 June 2007 - 10:48 PM.

[miniallsort]

wow u have been busy mate

[Tomf]

Ok its officially be the WORST day in the world.

First off i fitted the drivers side a-panel which i THOUGHT went well!!! yea i thought it went well but when i went to put the door back on first i noticed that the a-panel wasnt quite in a perfect curve with the rest of the body. I then tightened the door up. i then tried to open the door but no chance, the door would open about 4" then the skin would hit the door So i took the door off and tried to see what was wrong... It didnt make sence to me because when i was folding the edge round i made sure it was tight.

Well i couldnt work it out so in my anger i chopped it off and not i couldnt use it anymore

So because i want having much luck with the a-panels i decided to fit my smooth bootlid. I decided to use the standard mini hinges and and handle, the hinges went in great, then u cut out the parts so i could fit the handle, out it back together but found that the new bootlid was wider, so i cant acctually use the handle because the rod that goes through the middle doesnt reach the internal bracket thing so i took that all out and im going to buy one of the locking bonnet pin things now so ill have to spend more money

So after this i phoned my friend and he said that he had a heritage driver side a-panel so that was lucky, so i got a lift of my mum and went and picked that up, i got back and got straight on to fitting it. So i welded the top in place lined the seam fold part up and folded it over, once the edge was folded i realise that it had bowed again, i know the mini has a bowed edge but this was a bigger bow than normal. Anyway i decided to fit the door again, just to see if it worked this time but again the door would only open 4" so now i just gave up and came in here to see if any of you knew how to fix my problem. I dont want to ruin this a-panel so if i have to remove it ill pay extra care, but im not sure if i will even be able to use it again

Can someone help with my a-panel problem? Ill make a post in the tech section aswell but just thought i would update here 1st

[Jordie]

I thought when fitting A panels you had to line it up with the front wing and door to get the correct gap for the door to open....

[Tomf]

Well i was going to do that but i dont have a front wing at the moment... ill have a go at lining it up with the door tomorrow and hope/pray that, that works.

[miniallsort]

bad luck tom hope u sort it mate

[Tomf]

Well i got up early this morning and welded a patch over the only small rust patch i could find i then chopped the washer bottle bracket off the part of the inner wing that i chopped off and then welded this on the inner wing so that washer bottle is now located in the drivers inner wing.

I also forgot to mention i fitted the other solid subframe/floor pan mount yesterday, only took about 15mins where as the passenger side one took about just over an hour lol.

Im going to have a go at fitting the passenger a-panel today hopefully they will go on alot better than the divers one did lol. If that goes to plan ill see if i can reuse the drivers a-panel, but i dont think ill be able to use it again. But if i can get that sorted then ill wend some taks on to then and if i have a good day today i will get the front end fitted but knowing my recent luck i wont get anywhere today

[Tomf]

Well a bit of an update today things have both been good and bad. Well i went to take the passenger door off so that i could fit the a-panel and 3 or the 4 bolts snapped

But anyway i carried on, chopped remains of the a-panel off and luckily there was no rust

So i then used jordies advice thank. and re-fitted the door. Luckily i have a few spare doors so i fitted one of them. i then put the a-panel in place and welded it in. i then took the door off and folded the edge round so it all fitted now i then put the one pice fiberglass flip front in place to see what the fit was like. and i found that i was actually rubbish lol.

So i gave my friend a call and brought the 2 piece CF front back off him lol i then held that in place and fount that it was an amazing fit so im happy now , the bonnet is fiberglass but the wing and front panel are CF, so ill be selling the CF bonnet soon. On a different people say that there isnt much weight difference between CF and FG but when i pick up both the front ends the fiberglass front is alot heavier!





I also started to fit a door skin to a passenger door. just got to finish folding the edge round now .



Heres a pic of where i mounted the washer bottle, used a smaller bottle so it would fit better.



And heres a pic of the smooth boot fitted shame the handle didnt fit, however it will look smart with a looking bonnet pin so im not that annoyed.



I might fit my gaz adjustable shock soon but i might do that when i can sort a cone compressor to hit my hi lows.

Edited by Tomf, 17 June 2007 - 03:28 PM.

[miniallsort]

looks like you did a great job mate well done ???

[Tomf]

Well i have just been out and welded a tab on to the passenger side a-panel, so iv got to order another a-panel for the drivers side, fit that, then weld a tab to that, then iv got to finish fitting the door skin. Once thats all iv got to do is make up some hinges, fit the duez fasteners, fit headlights and indicators and side repeaters. Once i have done that then i will atleast be able to drive the mini again, but i will probs have to still sand back the corners to make the for 100%. Then im going to buy a new rear valance and de-bumper the rear, then ill be sending it down to the spray booth to get it painted up all nice a bit bright.

a-panel tab fitted:

Edited by Tomf, 17 June 2007 - 05:07 PM.

[Tomf]

Well iv been buisy doing other things the last few weeks, so i havent been able to get anything done on the mini however i have brought some parts so that i can get it finished for spraying. Iv ordered a new rear vallance, mine is fine, however im going for the smooth bum look so i thought i might aswell put a new one on whilts im at it. I also ordered a smooth bootlid for the trailer, so this weekend howefully ill get alot of the work sorted

Im also looking everywhere to get a rag type sunroof, but im not having much luck to be honist lol. but once i have sourced on at a reasonable price ill buy that, get that fitted tehn off to the spray booth it will go.

Iv decided to go for a gloss black, with white arches and seam trim

[Tomf]

I have just sorted out a full length electric rag top sunroof for my mini, the scrap yard are removing it for me today, so i shoul have that very soon

Now all i have to do is bring myself to cut a big hole in the roof.