304 replies to this topic

[Ben_O]

Hi all.

 

I have now welded on the scuttle panel

 

 

I made up and fitted a new closing panel as the old one was a bit thin

 

 

 

Then started to align the new nose panels

 

 

 

 

Overall pretty good but the wing to bonnet gap on the passenger side needs some work as the fit is pretty terrible.

It turned out to be the new scuttle panel. It was the wrong profile causing the wing to not be able to move over round it far enough on the seam.

 

After sorting that out i removed the front as a complete unit

 

 

And welded the wings to the front panel

 

 

 

 

And then fitted it back to the car

 

 

Once everything was lined up, i began by welding the drivers side wing

 

 

 

I have began the welding the other side which needs to be finished tomorrow and then i shall fit the A panels which means doors back on and then drop out the subframe to complete the welding on the front panel to inner wing areas.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Ben

[spraybeater]

Nice work as usual, Ben seems we have a lot of the same equipment I used to have

one of those Snap-On bonnet props!!! unfortunately sold it along with most of my

other tools when I retired and went to live the dream in Cyprus

 

Then came back and started restoring minis as a hobby.

[Ben_O]

Nice work as usual, Ben seems we have a lot of the same equipment I used to have

one of those Snap-On bonnet props!!! unfortunately sold it along with most of my

other tools when I retired and went to live the dream in Cyprus

 

Then came back and started restoring minis as a hobby.

It's a useful piece of kit even though it's worn out and slightly bent 

 

I sold all of my stuff when i came out of panel beating and am now having to re-buy it all now i'm back at it.

 

Still, it is a good chance to get better stuff than i could afford before.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[spraybeater]

HaHa my bonnet prop was a bit the same! was more used to jam brake pedals

down when replacing brake pipes.

I was fortunate to manage to get some of my panel beating tools back from the 

guy that i  sold them to they were pretty good quality Snap-On hammers ect and

a couple of Gedore dollys that I had since I was a first year apprentice , and I don't

what to buy any more as my current restoration will be the last now in my 70th

year finding it quite hard on my bodywork!!!!!!!

[Ben_O]

HaHa my bonnet prop was a bit the same! was more used to jam brake pedals

down when replacing brake pipes.

I was fortunate to manage to get some of my panel beating tools back from the 

guy that i  sold them to they were pretty good quality Snap-On hammers ect and

a couple of Gedore dollys that I had since I was a first year apprentice , and I don't

what to buy any more as my current restoration will be the last now in my 70th

year finding it quite hard on my bodywork!!!!!!!

I'm finding it hard to avoid buying more and more

Our painter has moved on so i'm on my own in the bodyshop now which means I have now had to buy spraying equipment so i can take over that too.

 

A decent spray gun isn't cheap but you can't do a nice job without it.

 

I have got a long way until retirement so i need stuff that will last

 

I think when i sold my tools, i only kept my hammers, dollys and other beating gear and a few hand tools so needed to buy a fair amount when i came back to it.

 

I don't think i will ever stop needing to buy tools, there is always something you think of just when you need it!

[jamesquintin]

You got yourself a spot welder then...?

Q

[Ben_O]

You got yourself a spot welder then...?

Q

Yes.

I finally managed to find a proper one that wasn't thousands of pounds and i didn't want to use or trust anything other than a proper one which is why it's taken until now to get one

[jamesquintin]

nice, looks like factory welds. What one was it?

 

Q
 

[Ben_O]

nice, looks like factory welds. What one was it?

 

Q
 

Its an Elektron multispot M80

[panky]

That's brilliant, I wont show you any pics of my plastering, sorry, welding

[Ben_O]

There should have been an update tonight but i left the Camera at home last night so couldn't take any pictures.

 

Basically, the front end is now fully welded on and i have removed the subframe.

 

I have put the doors back on ready for fitting the A panels which i shall hopefully do Monday.

 

Other than that, it is ready to prep for paint.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Ben_O]

Hi all.

 

I'm a little behind at the moment after catching up with all of my day to day bodyshop jobs but at last, i had chance to work on the Cooper this afternoon.

No jobs are in tomorrow so ill be able to get all day on it which should see it prepped and hopefully in primer.

 

So to catch up, both Apex panels are now fitted

 

 

 

I have finished all of the last bits of welding and finishing ready for a smidge of stopper here and there to smooth things out.

 

And then i started the irreversible task of trimming the wheel arches ready for the sportspack arches

 

First up, some tape is stuck on

 

 

And then the templates are carefully cut out and pieced together

 

 

Then the cut line is transferred onto the tape

 

 

And then trimmed with the air saw

 

 

I have prepped the new lip/stiffener and trial fitted it. It doesn't fit too well as they are formed to a completely different profile to the wings but i shall overcome this with some careful trimming to improve things to make it a nice tidy job despite the fact it will never be seen under the arch..

 

More tomorrow

 

Ben

[skoughi]

When I trimmed back the arches on my Clubman I marked out the line where the new arch was to be then marked a second line 10mm inside this, I cut to this line then formed the lip by slowly bending it out with large vice grips then finished off with hammer and dolly. At least doing it that way it saved a lot of welding and to my surprise it actually turned out ok!

[Ben_O]

Today i finished up the last of the panel work.

 

First up, I welded in the arch lip/stiffener on the o/s

 

 

 

And then marked out for the mounting holes.

 

First up, I stuck tape in line with the stud holes and marked the centre of the hole on the tape

 

 

Then transferred the markings onto the wing

 

 

Before drilling the holes

 

 

And then test fitting the arch

 

 

 

All is well.

 

Then i started the process on the other side

 

 

 

 

I test fitted the bumper to check that the arches do not foul the bumper ends

 

 

So that's that job sorted.

 

So that's the panel work complete

 

 

So onto the prep.

 

I sanded the e-coat to key it up and took it off in places where there looked to be imperfections under the coating

 

 

 

 

 

I finished up today by doing a small amount of filler work to smooth things up in places and apart from a small amount of cleaning back to do on the bulkhead, it's ready for primer.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[nicnoo]

Love the trick with taking the front end off and turning it upside down. will have to remember that one when doing mine. 

 

Excellent work as usual