948 replies to this topic

[sonscar]

I use a LED torch held in my steadying hand to light up the area.Steve..

[Mito]

I bought a little torch to clip on my overalls that helped light up the area I was welding and it didn't reflect to much in the welding mask.

It did have a tendency to melt a little bit though 😁

[Gilles1000]

Viktor, 

 

this is what I meant with the brass on the lower part (sill / rear quarter / door step). Do you know if you have it on your car?

 

 

 

As for the lights discussion, I had a portable LED spot which I could fix with magnets on the body, but it eventually fallen down and broke. Now I only have the general shed LED lights, but these are low enough to give good view on the body.

Edited by Gilles1000, 22 November 2021 - 12:52 PM.

[Viktor]

Hi Gilles,

Yes, my car has the same detail as per your photo.

I also have a magnet LED light that I bought from Lidl.  It is quite good and I normally attach it to the car or the garage door. I bought the tripod light, as sometimes I cannot fix the magnet one to anywhere.

I don't think the issue with my welding is due to lack of lighting, but more like lack of skills! 

Cheers 

Victor.

[Viktor]

So last week was the first anniversary of my project. One year has passed and quite a lot has happended since then. I have learned a lot, but still lots of learning to happen. The most important thing for me is that I'm having fun and I'm as excited as the first day, or even more!

 

Tiny progress this weekend. Hace to put all the Christmas decorations up, to keep the wife happy, so not much time left for the Mini.

 

I managed to put the drivers door in place and the alignment with the step seems to be okay.

 

 

 

Then I continued cleaning the rust underneath the car. Taking out the rusty sills and other bits.

 

 

 

And that is all done. I'm keeping the companion bins in place for later refurbishment.

 

 

There's a bit of sill that I still need to remove, but that would required a bit more time, as it is connected to the companion bin.

 

 

I also started to remove the seam cover on that side. The lower part of both panels is gone and rusted, with some big holes.

 

 

I started to peel off the seam cover, quite a lot of rust underneath, but other than that the junction between the panels seems solid.

 

 

 

 

There's rust in the lower part of the window, which I guess the new quarter panel will resolve. Also rust under the gutter, which I'm not sure how to tackle, but that's tomorrow's problem...

 

 

 

And that's the whole seam removed. The top area is good and solid, while the bottom is rusted and crunchy, nothing new there I guess.

 

 

 

I have a couple of weeks off during Christmas, so hoping to get something more done on the car.

 

Have a nice week everyone.

 

Victor.

[Gilles1000]

The quarter panel will sort the rust at the lower window, but not at the waist rail inside. This should, once the old quarter panel removed, be quite easy to repair. It should not be further than the first corner. At least this is how it was for me, I could get away with a repair section for the lower rear side, and patching the window aperture.

But I think my car is still in a better shape than loads of projects here...

 

Be prepared to find holes in the boot floor also, looking at the junctions near the rear lights...

 

Is the rust below the gutter deep? Maybe you'll get away by wire-wheeling it.

 

Cheers,

Gilles

[Viktor]

Hi Gilles,

 

Thanks mate. Yes there's holes everywhere in the boot floor near the rear lights. I saw there's a repair panel available for this, but not sure if the rust on my car is going further than that, probably yes.

 

Also noticed that the wheel arches are rusted, so these would also need replacing, the list never ends...

 

In relation to the gutter, I didn't pick it too much with the screwdriver. It doesn't look too bad, but I need to do a deeper assessment of that area.

 

My main concern now is to get the correct sequence for the works. I have initially thought to get the floors done, including the boot floor (most than likely), and then move into the rear quarters and back panel repairs (the back panel looks okay to me). Now, if the wheel arches need replacing, when is the best time to get those done? I don't want to cut too much pieces in one go.

 

Advice please. Thanks.

 

Victor.

[Kevinmini]

Hi Victor,

 

Check out my latest Youtube video as this may help you...... oh and subscribe if you can 

 

https://youtu.be/j3reY4BNcQ4

 

Although I don't think I have ever seen a shell with as much rust as yours!! I will look back as I am intrigued on the story of your car regarding the condition.   

 

JUST KEEP GOING you are doing well

 

Kevin

[Viktor]

I didn't do any work for the last few weeks, but I managed to get going this weekend. I started cleaning up the boot floor to see how bad the rust is in that area. I also cleaned up the wheel arch (inner), but I didn't clean the top wheel arch as I'm going to replace them on both sides. Some photos of the process:

 

 

There's a few holes where the spare wheel sits

 

 

And a few repairs here and there...

 

 

The inner wheel arch looks solid, it is so good to find shiny metal from time to time!

 

 

The top wheel arch is rusted and gone in some areas. Also the rear lower valance closing panel is quite crusty. That would need replacing...

 

 

Then I moved to the bottom of the companion bin, where there was a bit of floor and sill still to be removed. After a bit of cutting and drilling I got it out...

 

 

This side is much better than the other one. The companion bin still has the lip and it is not rusted at all...

 

Then I moved onto the LH step. First thing is to remove the rest of the A-post panel. The A-post stiffener is really rusty on this side...

 

 

The bottom part of the stiffener is gone, so that needs repairing / replacing

 

 

That is the stiffener, as you can see a few holes also in the middle section.

 

 

 

And after the wire brush, you can see the extend of the rust.

 

 

 

My initial thoughts are about repairing this in place, and fabricating the missing section at the bottom. I'm concerned about removing the stiffener, as this is the base for the door position, if I don't get it right, the door will never fit well. 

 

Any ideas on this would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Cheers.

 

Victor.

[Viktor]

First day of the Christmas break. Removing the lower rear valance, which was very rusty. Some photos of the process:

 

 

 

This side is quite bad.

 

 

So I started separating the valance from the other panels.

 

 

The closing panel was really rusted...

 

 

 

Very rusty on this side as well.

 

 

And that is the valance removed. Ready now for the boot floor repair panel, which will be delivered in the next couple of days.

 

 

I also started removing the closing panel over the tunnel. A bit of work, but it is finally out.

 

 

 

I still need to remove the other bits on both sides of the tunnel, but that is for tomorrow.

 

Cheers.

 

Victor.

Edited by Viktor, 20 December 2021 - 06:15 PM.

[Viktor]

Today I started to remove the rest of the closing panel. Some photos of the process:

 

 

I also remopved a nasty repair done with an aluminium panel 

 

 

 

And that is the whole area completed.

 

 

And the other side also completed. I still need to clean the metal with the wire brush.

 

 

And just in time I received my first delivery from Mini Spares...  My dog was surprised about the size of the thing...

 

 

Some fresh metal to have fun during Christmas!

 

 

So I started to separate the boot floor from the rear panel. I drilled holes, as the rear panel is going to be replaced as well, and this is faster than the spot weld drilling bit.

 

 

Not sure why there are 3 layers in there. I thought it should be the rear panel and the boot floor only, but there's a third layer that I'm not sure where is coming from? 

 

 

Anyway, that was it for today. I'm hoping to get the boot floor repair panel setting out tomorrow.

 

Cheers.

 

Victor.

[gaspen]

I love the dog 

[Ben_O]

Third layer is the rear valance

[colinf1]

Third layer is the rear valance

He's shown it removed in a photo back up a few posts, looked pretty intact, so maybe it's the remains of a previous valance or a boot floor as it looks like it's had a boot floor repair panel in the past..

[Kevinmini]

I have / am covering this at the moment on my YouTube Channel.....

 

https://youtu.be/j3reY4BNcQ4

 

Good Luck!