1842 replies to this topic

[Noah]

Nice work....

Your pictures are incredibly good, they give a massive look into whats been done. Really helping me to plan my attack lol...

I can't wait to start, just waiting for a bit of cash flow and some storage solutions; though I may just send the shell of too the welders; keep everything else at home.

[minimaxie]

Oh my another MPi saved! Interiors gorgeous by the way! Secretly everyone wants an MPi they're just too afraid to admit it! Keep up with the speedy refurb!

[Noah]

Oh my another MPi saved! Interiors gorgeous by the way! Secretly everyone wants an MPi they're just too afraid to admit it! Keep up with the speedy refurb!

I'd love an MPi, just once a few more developments in engine tuning have come our way. Infact when I first started looking for a mini, I wanted an MPi, but couldn't afford one LOL.

[Petrol]

Thanks guys and glad the pics are helping. If there's anything specific you would like a pic of, just ask

-4C tonight but Mika removed the OS arch and finished splitting the boot floor from the rear panel



Every seam has rust inside





Seams that are staying will have the holes filled with weld, sanded smooth and de-rusted to enable the replacement panels to be spot welded on.

[CCX]

It's a Tahiti Blue Sportspack, what's not to like.
Good luck with the resto, I love your documentation of the project with pictures and descriptions. Great work!

[ZEBERDEE]

Great build thread will be following with interest
PS what is your plan with the webasto roof ?

[Petrol]

PS what is your plan with the webasto roof ?

It's being binned, it works OK but we are not a fan sun roofs. If anyone has a has a roof, please drop us a PM

[Noah]

Minimuk has one for sale as far as I am aware....

http://www.theminifo...roof +for +sale

[ZEBERDEE]

I would be interested in taking it off your hands what condition of the inner lining as mine is ripped ?
Thanks

[MikaRaymond]

Boot fabrication & repairs have begun!

Once both rear arches were removed, we took exact measurements of the placement of the brackets (taking photos for reference). We plan to re fabricate the existing brackets by filling the holes with weld, sanding them down, priming and painting them:








Since the boot floor & rear panel seams were split, we noticed it had dropped slightly due to the lack of support. Mounting a block of wood between the rear seats & panel allowed us to regain the panel accuracy again:



This pushed the rear panel back into the correct position to allow us to start measuring up the new parts.

The replacement floor was placed on top of the existing one and in order to get the most accurate placement possible, we put in three bolts in the mounting holes, followed by various clamps to hold it down in the correct position:







From this, we drew out the template on the replacement panel and used a jigsaw to cut it out. The same was then done on the existing floor to give us two jigsaw pieces that fit together nicely:











The panels were cut slightly too large, allowing us to sand the corners down for a more accurate fit. We just need to wait for a replacement part for our welder is its screwed.

Slowly getting there :)

Edited by MikaRaymond, 05 December 2012 - 03:50 PM.

[Petrol]

Thought it was riding a bit low. Here's why



Got the engine inside



It's been off the road for 4 years. This is what starting up for short periods of time does

[Noah]

Yum

Have you any plans tuning wise?

[sonikk4]

Plenty of rust and the seams are a pain on the newer mini's like your and the older ones. I chased rust until i changed every panel on Erm apart from the roof. Needeless to say i'm not chasing rust on Project Paddy as every panel bar the roof is going.

The door hinges are a pain. You can with care drill out the broken studs and then replace with two replacement studs but welding them in place is not easy but doable. If you go for replacement hinges try and get OEM ones as the pattern hinges out there vary in thickness and will play havoc with your door gaps.

If i was you i would use the complete inner sill replacement sections from M Machine. Don't mess about trying to fabricate repair pieces.

The door frame flanges are easy to replace as i have done quite a few now. get yourself a sheet of 0.9mm thick steel and use this for your repairs. I would say judging by your pictures the heelboard ends are shot so the inner sill to heelboard stiffeners will be shot as well.

[Petrol]

Mika will be the main driver of this car Noah (though I might take it for an odd spin now and again) Being such a young driver, we are limited to the mods we can do as it pushes insurance premiums through the roof so no plans for engine mods. Suspension will probably be tweaked a bit here and there though.

Sonikk4, thanks very much for your advice and as you suggest, I have ordered 2 full length inner sills. As for the door hinges, I have bought some ¼” UNF HT setscrews to make some studs. The plan is to drill the old studs out, tap the hinge and weld the studs in. Got some 0.9mm thick sheet for the doors also.

I was a bit overwhelmed when we stripped the car to the shell, I’m 50 and have worked on cars all my life. I have a 93 & 97 Nissan 200SX, these were deemed as rust buckets but this Mini takes the biscuit when it comes to rust! As “project manager” I’m just taking it one step at a time and not worrying about the heelboard / stiffeners for now. Fix one bit then move on to the next eh?

Thanks for looking
Pete

[Noah]

I'm in the same boat, all I'm going for is a whats on there now, which as far as I know is a Alloy Inlet manifold and A exhaust, probably the rest of a stage 1 kit as well. I love SX's. My favorite has to be a S14a the facelift one with the more angular headlamps. (Of course with ridiculously oversized exhaust and ridiculously low coilovers)