246 replies to this topic

[SukiDawg]

New parcel shelf and quarter panel on today... Just on skin pins for now.

For some reason photobucket isn't taking uploads very well this evening; I only managed to get a pic of the quarter panel up when I tried just now...

[SukiDawg]

[SukiDawg]

Grrrr....


This is a bit of a moan, and nothing else.

Last week (Tuesday) I ordered a quarter panel and parcel shelf from one company (Somerford Mini), and because I didn't think they did it - I also ordered a rear panel lower repair section plus a LH and RH under scuttle finisher panel from another supplier - minisport.co.uk

What a difference in service! Somerford mini sent me an email with tracking number automatically, and without even paying for overnight I received my parts the next day. They were also cheaper than minisport listed on their website.

Minisport, well... what a poor service I received. When I rang on Friday to find out where my bits were, I was told the scuttle panels were out of stock and it would be two weeks before they came in. SO, if I'd not have rung I wouldn't have known any better until the bits EVENTUALLY turned up. Well I thought, these things happen, so giving them the benefit of the doubt I cancelled the scuttle finishers and accepted an additional £10 charge for overnight delivery. I even asked if they were definitely sure they would get the remaining panel out to me that day for Saturday delivery (I had already waited in on Thursday and Friday to meet the non-existing delivery). I was promised that they definitely would despatch the bits for Saturday delivery.

So I waited about AGAIN all day on Saturday and hey presto - nothing was delivered.

This morning, feeling a bit grumpy about it all, I called minisport again - to be told they had still not despatched the parts to me. When I asked to have my overnight delivery charge refunded, and suggested that perhaps they should be meeting this additional cost due to the extreme amount of messing about I'd been subjected to, I was told by the operator lady that she would have to ask someone called "Mick", and as he was going to be with customers all day, they absolutely couldn't do anything about it today! I was entirely cool and polite throughout all of this, but I can tell, it made my blood boil a little.

So I cancelled my order (eventually - at first the story was that "Mick" would have to authorise even this!!), rang Somerford mini - and low and behold they do actually do what I wanted after all. Having placed my order at about 10.00am this morning, I just got an email to say the parts were en-route to the courier's distrubution centre and would be delivered tomorrow. All for over £20 less than minisport....


I whole heartedly recommend Somerford Mini, and suggest you avoid Mini-totallyuseless-sport


Grumble grumble grumble.......

[SukiDawg]

Been out there again this morning and fitted the lower rear panel repair section (it turned up yesterday, less than 24 hours after ordering it)..







A weld and a grind later...  





Will have to stick a burr in the die grinder and clean up the boot aperture after a little bit of lunch..

[Tupers]

Nice work on the repair panels, the rear panel looks like its blended in nicely.

Edited by Tupers, 13 April 2011 - 04:04 PM.

[SukiDawg]

Hi,

Thanks - using the heritage panels does help - they fit really well. My father owned a small back street garage place (before he retired last year), so as I was growing up I did quite a bit of bodywork. We always used pattern panels, and I can honestly say that the heritage ones are an entirely new (pleasurable) experience...


Anyways..


The steel for my chassis jig turned up today...



Chop Chop Chop Chop.....

[SukiDawg]

Well, after cutting all the steel into manageable sizes I've put it to one side until the bulk of the shell weld repairs are completed. The main garage floor is the flattest thing I've got to assemble the jig on, so it makes sense to wait until I can move the shell out of the way. Also then as soon as its done and the paint has dried I can move the shell onto it. Which will indeed be a good day....


So - with that in mind I've been back on the rustbucket side of things this afternoon and evening. The worst it is probably the driver's floor / footwell / sill so I got stuck into that.





The floor is /was really badly dented from careless trolley jacking - spent a lot of time with the body hammer and dolly trying to get all the dents out and back into something like the right shape. Some of the seams are separating because of all the distortion, so once I've fixed it there'll be more hammer/block work to do to try and close them up. Shows why they rot there though - improper jacking opens the seams, water gets in - game over.

The outer sill was in worse shape than I thought, but its such a pain to replace the whole thing just because of a few inches at the front so I made a repair piece..

[Shifty]

Grrrr....


This is a bit of a moan, and nothing else.

Last week (Tuesday) I ordered a quarter panel and parcel shelf from one company (Somerford Mini), and because I didn't think they did it - I also ordered a rear panel lower repair section plus a LH and RH under scuttle finisher panel from another supplier - minisport.co.uk

What a difference in service! Somerford mini sent me an email with tracking number automatically, and without even paying for overnight I received my parts the next day. They were also cheaper than minisport listed on their website.

Minisport, well... what a poor service I received. When I rang on Friday to find out where my bits were, I was told the scuttle panels were out of stock and it would be two weeks before they came in. SO, if I'd not have rung I wouldn't have known any better until the bits EVENTUALLY turned up. Well I thought, these things happen, so giving them the benefit of the doubt I cancelled the scuttle finishers and accepted an additional £10 charge for overnight delivery. I even asked if they were definitely sure they would get the remaining panel out to me that day for Saturday delivery (I had already waited in on Thursday and Friday to meet the non-existing delivery). I was promised that they definitely would despatch the bits for Saturday delivery.

So I waited about AGAIN all day on Saturday and hey presto - nothing was delivered.

This morning, feeling a bit grumpy about it all, I called minisport again - to be told they had still not despatched the parts to me. When I asked to have my overnight delivery charge refunded, and suggested that perhaps they should be meeting this additional cost due to the extreme amount of messing about I'd been subjected to, I was told by the operator lady that she would have to ask someone called "Mick", and as he was going to be with customers all day, they absolutely couldn't do anything about it today! I was entirely cool and polite throughout all of this, but I can tell, it made my blood boil a little.

So I cancelled my order (eventually - at first the story was that "Mick" would have to authorise even this!!), rang Somerford mini - and low and behold they do actually do what I wanted after all. Having placed my order at about 10.00am this morning, I just got an email to say the parts were en-route to the courier's distrubution centre and would be delivered tomorrow. All for over £20 less than minisport....


I whole heartedly recommend Somerford Mini, and suggest you avoid Mini-totallyuseless-sport


Grumble grumble grumble.......

Congratulations...welcome to the "I will never use Minisport again as they are bunch of useless *******" club.

Took me 4/5 phone calls just to get a refund on a similar situation. Without a doubt the worst mini parts supplier out there.

(oh and good progress!!)

[SukiDawg]

Cheers Shifty...

As it happens, when I read your message thought I'd best check I'd got a refund (£189 - not insignificant!), and guess what? NO!

I called, and apparently they say it was refunded only yesterday, so I should expect to see this in my account on Monday..... Very very poor service

[kcchan]

Great work on that repair piece and the whole project in general.

[brianmacza]

This is an amazing project - I'd love to get the CAD images if you're prepared to part with them. I have been pondering a Blackbird powered mini for a while (I ride a 'bird and have access to a spare engine) and what you have done is stunning.

This is a thread worth following : o)

Brian

Edited by brianmacza, 03 May 2011 - 05:58 PM.

[Bert66]

Any more updates?

[SukiDawg]

Not just yet...

Work hasn't stopped - slowed a little as the wakeboard season has started, and as I do a bit of coaching I have been enjoying the sunshine. I have still been progessing the mini though, getting the shell into shape.

I thought I would wait until the welding was done and then update all in one......

Stay tuned!

[new_zealand _minis]

i have also told mini sport to take it up the a** and i will never use then agian . useless amazing they are still running

[cptkirk]

Its nearly been two months since any updates, that means your either well into the build and dont have time to update or your 'taking a break' from it whilst the weathers nice (I am from doing my mods).

Looking forward to updates as you have them.......