52 replies to this topic

[Wizzalong]

Hi, I have purchased a 1275 cooper spi '93. I realised there would be some rot but the more I look the more there is! I have a heritage complete floorpan and now need a boot floor too, I have a rollover jig and have braced the shell,

Would it be better to assemble the floor sections and wheel arches then lower shell onto this? I need to replace rear quarters, Rear panel, inner front wings etc. but don't want to remove too much metal at once, 

Any advice is welcome also where is a good source for body measurements / dimensions.

Thanks for any help, Mike.

[sonikk4]

Hi and welcome to TMF.

 

Never changed a full floor but have done several boot floors. So going on from there remove the boot floor but do make sure your subframe mounts in the heelboard are good.

 

Once you have the whole of the floor out, everything cleaned up etc offer in the boot floor. Now refit the subframe unless you have a subbie jig made to ensure everything lines up. If all is good now pin the boot floor in place using skin pins, not clecos unless you have the wingnut type. You can at this point still adjust things if required.

 

Happy with everything, now you can weld the boot floor in place apart from where it attaches to the heelboard and arches. Do keep it pinned in place there though to help prevent any movement.

 

Rear panel next, the lower section with the hinges, everything down from the bottom of the rear window or the whole rear panel?? The process is the same for all of it, carefully remove what you need to, trim, clean up, offer in new piece. Happy weld in place. Don't forget to leave the quarter panel seams alone until the new quarters are in place.

 

Now you mention arches, i take it you mean the tubs?? If so you can do these next. Carefully remove the old tub, one side at a time. Now clean up everything then offer in the wheel tub. If its a good fit, pin / clamp in place then weld it to the boot floor. Repeat for the other side. Now again offer up the subframe and weld in the subframe mounting brackets.

 

Now normally at this point i would be taking off the quarter panels and companion bin. Does the full floor include the heelboard as well?? If so i would now move onto the full floor and go from there. You need access inside the companion bins anyway to be able to attach the inner sills to the inner sill stiffener. So do make sure your bracing is spot on.

[Wizzalong]

Thanks for your reply Sonikk, Heelboard is part of floor, I have removed both main floor and boot floor, The rollover jig is mainly attached to the rear arches/tubs so when I detach this there's very little strength, I'm wondering if I can assemble floors, arches as one unit then attach to bodyshell either upside down or right way up? 

[sonikk4]

Thanks for your reply Sonikk, Heelboard is part of floor, I have removed both main floor and boot floor, The rollover jig is mainly attached to the rear arches/tubs so when I detach this there's very little strength, I'm wondering if I can assemble floors, arches as one unit then attach to bodyshell either upside down or right way up? 

 

I have to say i never remove a boot floor on a spit even with the car braced. My choice there. I would not assemble everything then fit it. Trial fit each assembly in turn so for example boot floor then main floor or the other way round. Pins or clamps. If anything moves you have a chance to adjust. Welding everything on a floor then offering up is fraught with potential issues.

 

I would never remove both items as you have no immediate reference point. I mad that mistake once and had a job to align the boot floor and heelboard to get the subframe to align.

 

Heritage panels although expensive do not mean they will go together easliy and correctly.

[Daz1968]

It's a little late now, but I would change main floor first, then do boot floor afterwards, when I changed mine I braced the door openings and across a and b post, then dropped the full floor out, I left doors and subframes on the shell to aid alignment. I then fitted floor and aligned it with subframes and checked all dimensions including diagonals, I did not use the spit I did it with shell supported level on axles stands under the subframes I then welded floor to bulkhead .I then replaced door steps so I could attach shell to the floor. Next I supported rear under heel board and cut out the bootfloor, then fitted this with subframe and checked all measurements again, then welded this to heelboard. I then carried on cutting out and replacing other panels, as each one was replaced it was joined to the floor assembly so I was then left with a secure shell to put on the spit to complete work underneath.

[Wizzalong]

Thanks Daz, This all makes sense, I realise I have dropped a clanger as there are no reference points now, I have to get around this another way now and I am sure there is a way! looking at some early photos at Longbridge they seemed to assemble the boot/floorpan/arches before building the panels around them? They obviously had some form of jig, If I can get some help with measurements etc. it should still be possible.

[sonikk4]

Try this

http://www.theminifo...unt-dimensions/

[Wizzalong]

Thank you, need to study this!

[Ben_O]

I have done these panels last year.

 

There is a write up here showing the order I did it in that may help you

 

http://www.theminifo...l road garage

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Wizzalong]

Thank you Ben, I have read many of your builds with great interest, My project is coming along slowly! I measure and fit many times before welding, I have purchased only heritage panels but have a small question, The rear valance closer/subframe mounting panels supplied by mini spares came with a strengthener plate only on one side, I took it back thinking it was made wrong but was told they don't make them with this plate on now? Is this correct? I paid the same for both, Have you had this experience?

Thanks for your help.

Mike.

I have done these panels last year.

 

There is a write up here showing the order I did it in that may help you

 

http://www.theminifo...l road garage

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Ben_O]

There are two types. One with and one without

 

With - http://minispares.co...|Back to search

Without - http://minispares.co...|Back to search

[Wizzalong]

Thanks, I have ALA8623 (with strengthener plate) and ALA5528 (plate missing)

[Ben_O]

Thanks, I have ALA8623 (with strengthener plate) and ALA5528 (plate missing)

It's a fairly easy mistake to make.

I order these regularly and still sometimes end up accidentally ordering the ones without. I have a little pile of them building up where there I don't bother to return them..

[Wizzalong]

Not a mistake, I have the correct part numbers for the complete panels but the top plate is missing on one!

[Wizzalong]

Not a mistake, I have the correct part numbers for the complete panels but the top plate is missing on one!

Problem solved, Incorrectly labelled parts, should be hmp441020/1 British motor heritage were very helpful.