202 replies to this topic

[dezshearer]

Keep it up mate, i know the feeling of "oh my god, its worse than i thought"... "i should really stop digging into my car, and just pretend it ain't rotten"

What did you paint the back of the new panels with?

[apbellamy]

Keep it up mate, i know the feeling of "oh my god, its worse than i thought"... "i should really stop digging into my car, and just pretend it ain't rotten"

What did you paint the back of the new panels with?

I know, I'll get there. I was hoping to finish the shell this week, so we'll see...

The paint is POR 15. It's tough rubbery stuff that likes rust. It doesn't come off for anything. It took ten days to come of my hands. They sent me grey instead of black, so I thought I'd slop some on anyway.

Going to buy a big power saw tomorrow. that'll make me feel better!

[apbellamy]

Today has been an expensive day!

After yesterdays subframe 'issues', I passed my weary switch card over the counter at my local heritage suppliers and walked of with a brand new heritage back subframe, some stopping bits and some shinny bits to stick it all together with.

As usual, the paint finish on the new frame was poor, so two coats of smooth Black Hamerite later and it looks a lot better.

 newbacksubby.jpg   173.82K   38 downloads

While that was drying I stripped and cleaned up the trainling arms and all the bits and pieces that are stuck to the subframe, ready for some black paint.

 drumbacks.jpg   171.27K   10 downloads

Also had a go at making the drivers side wing and A panel fit.

 newwing1.jpg   120.63K   34 downloads

They don't look too bad. They've got a nice tight fit against (the very solid ) skuttle, but the wing to lower front panel is slightly out.

Had to get a new grinder. The bearings in the old one have fallen apart and I'm starting to get vibration white finger!

Tomorrow I'm going to put quiet a lot of metal back onto the car.

[apbellamy]

Well... today has flown by. I got a lot done though.

I started off with the A Post. Basicaly I hacked the lot off and put in some new metal.

 apost2.jpg   113.3K   28 downloads  apost3.jpg   110.14K   28 downloads

Then I stuck the A Panel on.

 newapanel1.jpg   112.65K   28 downloads

And the wing.

 newwing2.jpg   131.75K   22 downloads  newwing3.jpg   140.39K   21 downloads

It's all lined up really nicely. Especially where it meets the skuttle.

 newwing4.jpg   92.46K   56 downloads

I suppose it justifies the cost of buying heritage panels if you don't have to spend hours making them fit right.

Tomorrow I'm going to take the passenger side apart and see how bad that is. It looks OK from underneath, but then so did the drivers side!

[backstreetclassics]

looking good dude how do u find the time to do so much work on yr mini get wait to get mine into its new home so i can work on it more

[apbellamy]

looking good dude how do u find the time to do so much work on yr mini get wait to get mine into its new home so i can work on it more

Thanks

I've taken some time of work this week. Also the girlfriend ( ) is on nights this week so I'm bannished from the flat during the day! We'll be moving into an actual house soon, and I'll have me a double garage to put my mini's in. yay! no more 25 minutes drive to a cold and windy container!

[apbellamy]

When I took the drivers door off, I had access issues. So when it was the passenger side's turn I got the big power saw out and...

 wingoff3.jpg   144.23K   22 downloads

The hinge panel and sill step where rusty, but no where near as bad as the drivers side....

 hingepanel.jpg   108.38K   11 downloads

So I made some repair panels and stuck them on.

 hingepanelfixed.jpg   127.07K   19 downloads

With that done, I cleaned up the joints and trial fitted the wing and a panel.

 newpwing1.jpg   139.03K   22 downloads  newpwing2.jpg   145.18K   18 downloads

The join to the skuttle is not quite as tight as the drivers side, so it will need some more work tomorrow.

I don't want them rusting, so I've had the POR15 out again. I should be able to fit them tomorrow.

 newpwing3.jpg   113.63K   15 downloads  pinnerwing.jpg   128.19K   34 downloads

I don't think I'm going to get this on the road anytime soon. I think it might be better not to rush it, and get it just right. I think I will fudge my other clubby though a MOT and run him until this one is done, then he can come back off the road for some fettling and some 'slight' modification. That's a lot of thinking, time for a beer...

[apbellamy]

I've had a slow day, but I still got some work done.

Started off with the A panel

 newpapanel1.jpg   123.62K   17 downloads

Then the wing

 newpwing4.jpg   132.03K   8 downloads  newpwing5.jpg   137.43K   6 downloads

The gap with the skuttle isn't quite as tight as the drivers side, but it's still pretty good.

 newpwing6.jpg   84.98K   16 downloads

The front looks much better with out a load of rust.

 front1.jpg   133.94K   14 downloads

I started taking out the head lining and found more of the usual rust.

 oldroof1.jpg   97.96K   21 downloads  oldroof2.jpg   110.02K   11 downloads

It's a good job I chopped the donner roof off half way down the pillars, I'm going to need a few repair panels...

I've done well with the roof photos. I've not managed to get any of the rude grafitti on the container walls (and there's a lot!)

I think I'll have a day of tomorrow. Probably go and play with one of my other minis. Maybe one that needs a little less work.

[Elisha-The-Cooper]

thats exactly where our roof hole is too

we also got a donor roof x

[apbellamy]

thats exactly where our roof hole is too

we also got a donor roof x

The drains get blocked, then they get water sitting in the gutters. There's a very conveniently placed piece of foam in the corner on the inside, just nice for holding water and making rust!

[Elisha-The-Cooper]

thats true... we pulled that out, caked in rust

xx

[apbellamy]

As we're going to be moving house soon, again, (and I'll have me a nice double garage for the minis ) I though it would be best to get the car back on his wheels ready for the move.

While my brother was putting the front shocker brackets and old shockers back on, I gave the radius arms a quick coat of hamerite. No point having shabby arms on a nice subframe.

 radiusarms1.jpg   158.26K   19 downloads

Then we started bolting it all together. New genuine cones, high lows, new bushes and bolts, new handbrake cable, new brake pipes and braided hoses all looking good.

 newsubframe1.jpg   190.32K   36 downloads  newsubframe2.jpg   176.98K   43 downloads
 newsubframe3.jpg   187.3K   35 downloads

I just need to put it on the car along with the spax shockers and fit the rear brakes. Should handle well when it's all done.

It's much more fun bolting nice new bits togather than poking holes in expensive bits...

[ninham]

Its comming along nicely.

Good job keep it up.

[apbellamy]

I started fitting the back subby on Monday, but ran out of time. I'll finish it off at the weekend and get some pics up.

I've been busy at college repairing the drivers door. The bottom is all welded up, with a thin skim of filler and a coat of primer - will hopefully get a skin on it next week and fully primed the week after.

 door5.jpg   105.07K   18 downloads
 door6.jpg   116.42K   13 downloads

Not looking too bad for an amature...

[apbellamy]

I got the back brakes and shockers fitted yesterday, all looking nice. It was all going well until I came to adjut the shoes up to get the drums on - no 7 or 8mm spanner. Not to worry - I needed to go and get some bits anyway, so I added a brake adjuster spanner to the list.

 backsusp1.jpg   146.32K   8 downloads  backsusp2.jpg   166.96K   8 downloads

I went over this morning to get the car back on it's wheels, ready for moving to the new garage (assumming the people at the top of the chain ever give us a completion date! ).

With the passenger side adjusted up nicely, the drum slipped on and I started on the drivers side. And guess what... the adjuster was seized and I rounded the bolt. Doh! > Luckily I had another backplate (trashing two subframes has come in handy after all!), so I stripped cleaned and painted one and put it on the car. I can recommend Minispares cylinder clip fitting tool, it makes life a lot easier.

Job's a good un I thought, wheels on and whip the trolley out. mmm. Those of you with a keen eye, will have noticed that the hi-low's look a little loose and that the car is sat a touch low at the back (and I can't get the jack out from under it....).

 backsusp3.jpg   137.67K   14 downloads  backsusp4.jpg   132.39K   10 downloads

So I came home and had a little dig around the forum. Maybe fitting some nuckle joints might help! Ah well, Back to P&L next Saterday and then whip the hi-low's back of again!