395 replies to this topic

[Viktor]

Righto so the battery tray wasn't quite what you'd call a perfect fit..

 

 

Marked up where it needed to be

 

 

cut little slits to assist with the bends

 

 

Flatten out the old useless lip 

 

 

This is where it's a bit tricky because already being a box makes it difficult to get the bends in, can't just use the sheet bender like I would usually prefer, so it's just on the vice to gradually work along the bend and using a hammer to get it tight

 

 

 

Then marking up what I want to keep (use the meat of the existing tabs to create new ones)

 

 

Cut off excess, tidy up a bit with the power file and voila:

 

 

same with the back side

 

 

 

and trial fit

 

 

Ooooo so close

 

 

might give the floor a little upwards whack to see if I can close that up, otherwise it's a slight adjustment required, all other edges spot on. 

 

Finish that off another day

Told you! :)

 

In any case, well done Stuart, that would save me lots of hours wondering what to do. Thank you so much!

 

Victor.

[stuart bowes]

yeah I have to say, you were right :) ah well today's lesson is don't listen to mini spares when they say it fits easily lol

[Sunnymini]

oooohh, power file! sounds like an interesting toy! Dear Santa.........

[stuart bowes]

it's a very useful bit of kit for sure :)    I've got a black and decker but I've seen this one recommended and it's a bit less bulky if nothing else https://www.amazon.c...r,aps,84&sr=8-8

 

easy to get carried away when working on thin sheet though so be careful take it slow till you get the knack of it

 

really useful for tidying up welds, you can be more accurate than you can with a grinder but it takes a bit longer.. swings and roundabouts

Edited by stuart bowes, 18 October 2022 - 09:04 AM.

[stuart bowes]

re-adjusted bend and re-trimmed flange to fit a lot better

 

 

close enough now to force the edges together as I weld my way around for a perfect fit

 

just a bit of final finishing to do now, thinking of welding in small corner pieces so the surround is even and tidy all round, and also just working a few bits with a hammer to tighten up the bends in a couple of places

 

might as well just leave the old flange in place as it gives a little more strength, and it'll all be smoothed out with a scraping of filler anyway so who's even going to notice

Edited by stuart bowes, 21 October 2022 - 02:37 PM.

[stuart bowes]

 

welding in and smoothing out corner pieces 

 

and then welded up the slits between the bends for one complete flange all round

 

easier than worrying about trying to close up tiny little gaps after it's already fitted into the boot

Edited by stuart bowes, 27 October 2022 - 09:25 AM.

[stuart bowes]

got a bit of the welding done in the boot

 

ingenious method of pushing the battery tray down on all corners, nothing wrong with a little bit of brute force and ignorance 

 

 

and tacked in for now to hold it down 

 

 

not sure how much I'm going to weld this, certainly not fully seam welded all round but I decided against plug welding with holes because the lip is quite narrow and the original hole in the floor actually isn't all that square so Id be welding onto thin air in places

 

anyway I did this bit of welding 

 

 

and this bit of welding

 

 

 

which looks like there's little holes, but there aren't, that's just dark shadowy bits and/or where the primer didn't get right in there which doesn't really matter just yet 

 

the other obvious weld from left to right via the wheel well was there when I moved in, previously mentioned as possible rear ender repair

 

next up, finish off around the battery tray, wheel arches and subframe brackets

 

then I can start on those big plates underneath

Edited by stuart bowes, 30 October 2022 - 06:47 PM.

[stuart bowes]

welding around wheel arch and bracket / finished off the join to the new lower rear boot opening

 

still to be ground down yet

 

 

decent penetration visible from other side

 

 

 

Also did a bit of a clean up on the old valance, still in pretty good nick I think I will reuse

 

 

ends starting to show age (ironically the bit behind the closing panel which is supposed to protect from rot?

 

 

outside face is good

 

 

Kurusted the inside 

 

 

and zinc primered both sides 

 

 

lots of work to be done on that before fitting obviously 

Edited by stuart bowes, 30 October 2022 - 06:43 PM.

[stuart bowes]

Bit of work on the rear valance

 

Replaced the section where my angle grinding went a bit off-course during removal

 

 

Replaced the section where the fog light fixing holes somehow ended up massive (kept the hole for the cable which will be grometted obviously)

 

 

And filled the small holes where the old arches were self-tappered

 

 

Smoothed that all down enough that a scrape of filler later on will sort it out 

 

 

And then also filled in where there was a little curved cut-out for the exhaust, didn't seem necessary and might go centre exit anyway who knows.  rather do it now than trying to faff about with it on the car

 

 

Now I just need to tidy up the curved ends and even up the flange edge a bit

 

yes, I could have saved time and effort just spending £30 on a non-heritage one, I did consider it, but in this instance it was raining out anyway, I needed something to do in the garage instead of outside, and it seemed like a good way to practise fabrication, why not (nothing wrong with a bit of make-do and mend from time to time)

Edited by stuart bowes, 04 November 2022 - 09:12 AM.

[stuart bowes]

plans updated slightly

 

 

folded up a little metal box to recess the rear fog instead of hanging it on a bracket like an afterthought

Edited by stuart bowes, 05 November 2022 - 09:49 PM.

[Retro_10s]

plans updated slightly
 

 
folded up a little metal box to recess the rear fog instead of hanging it on a bracket like an afterthought

Without a doubt this is one of my favourite modifications seen on various minis, it's sympathetic to the styling, relatively simple, and way way better than the usual 'bracket' of metal that was standard. Brilliant stuff

[stuart bowes]

Cut out valance and mark up box to my best estimation of what vertical is once fitted

 

 

I pretty much knew in advance the bottom edge would be minimal but ended up none at all.  probably for the best, one less place for water to sit

 

Fit it and realise due to curvature the top end doesn't line up right 

 

 

Finish the welding, grind down, prime with the top edge masked off and cut the top off

 

 

Fabricate new 'lid' section which closes in the top, gives me a little lip along the top edge, and spaces it out enough to not foul the boot floor (hopefully)

 

 

welded it on but should have taken a bit longer over it

 

 

I know this is a total dogs dinner, I just wanted to get it on quick before going out but I should have just left it for later really, lesson learnt

 

The front side looks ok though

 

Edited by stuart bowes, 28 November 2022 - 01:25 PM.

[stuart bowes]

Again from a better angle so it doesn't look wonky (weird camera perspective)

 

 

 

 

 

Can probably paint the black part body colour as well to blend it in nicely (although it's planned to be a dark colour anyhway)

 

I tidied up the back side a lot

 

 

and smeared a load of filler around the seams just to stop any damp getting in while driving along

 

 

which I'll tidy up, prime again and obviously all will be lavishly smeared with underseal

 

And building up the ends where the grot had to be cut off

 

 

 

I will leave the flanges off till it's being actually fitted so I can make them line up with the body seams more easily

 

 

*** EDIT all of this was later deemed too sh.t for real use (decent practise though I guess) and started again around the page 21-22 ish mark ***

Edited by stuart bowes, 28 November 2023 - 08:43 PM.

[elliot341]

Looks good for the fog light, might be better to smear seam sealer round the back of it than filler to give it a little flexibility, but probs be ok.  

[stuart bowes]

cheers, yeah that's probably a good point, I was in two minds about it to be honest, either way it's better than having gaps I suppose lol  mainly I didn't see the point of getting all carried away with lots of welding when it just wasn't necessary

Edited by stuart bowes, 08 November 2022 - 09:36 AM.