572 replies to this topic

[James_eaton_thewholething]

I've got loads of spare wheels will probably just support the boot floor with them while I cut the whole floor out and support the front on the front subframe then remove the front subframe to finish the inner wing sections and flitch panels going to leave it on its wheels while undo the door steps though. Does this sound right as long as the shell is braced ?

[James_eaton_thewholething]

got some more stuff done today.
 

 
got boot lid and rear bumper removed not sure if i can save the lip and not sure if the hinge panel will be ok but can always replace.
 

 

 
 rear quarter bottom and part of the boot floor are bad but fixable. its having two new rear quarter lowers.
 

 

 
passenger hinge panel was worse than drivers side also some idiot in the past thought its was a good idea to weld the hinges on to the door aperture so took a while to get the hinges off.
 
positive note though is that the drivers door i repaired fits nicely and lines up good with the coach line so I'm happy about that so it will be good once the shell is finished

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 01 June 2015 - 09:24 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

so got quite a bit of stripping done the past couple of days. been getting up early so can get stuff done before i have to leave for work.
 

 
got the engine out yesterday and also had a re arrange of the garage so that the car is positioned so i can get all the way round it since it won't be moving for a good few months. 
 
today i have been having more fun and managed to get quite a bit done wish i had got more but it took ages to get the rear subframe off due to both bottom bolt heads shearing off at the heel board mount
 

 
used some axel stands on the rear arches with some wood underneath to get the car as level as possible.
 

 
I then set to bracing the shell ready for me to start cutting out the rot tomorrow. first I've got the door steps to replace followed by replacing the hinge panel.
thats it for today, but i will be back soon with more updates

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 21 April 2015 - 01:53 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

So got one door step in place today pretty pleased with how easy it was to go in but getting the old stuff out was a pain

Will post pictures later after work

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 01 June 2015 - 09:25 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

picture time of todays events

 

 

 

old step cut out and new step in

 

 

 

welds cleaned up didn't go all the way flush but nothing a skim of filler won't fix

 

thats all for today going to get the other step in over the next few days

[evansisgreat]

Looking good. My mini is in a similar state of dissolving. I'm scared about door gaps, so I started at the back. I'm glad your doors lined up, you obviously lined the skins up nicely.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Looking good. My mini is in a similar state of dissolving. I'm scared about door gaps, so I started at the back. I'm glad your doors lined up, you obviously lined the skins up nicely.

Didn't even put the door on the car to fit the skin just guessed and noticed that the door skin sits higher than the inside of the door. I've got to replace my rear quarters so will line them up with the doors. Door gaps can always be adjusted just hoping when I put the new hinge panels in the doors will sit nicely

Edited by James_eaton_thewholething, 25 April 2015 - 12:03 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

so I've managed to get a few things done in the past few days also found some more rust.

 

 

passenger door step in

 

 

thought i should pay some attention to my daily weapon so give her a good clean.

 

 

new door hinge panels and closing panels bought 

 

 

 

 

cut out part of both flitch panels this morning and also the valance. thought i would test fit the hinge panels so that I could see how easy it will be to get it all lined up. I still had the drivers side hinge panel and door step from when i cut it out to see how they lined it up.

 

 

I then came across this behind the shock mount. when i found it i had a moment where i sat there for a few minutes contemplating what i have got my self in to then thought i guess i can just repair the inner wing and the cross member and create a new fixing point for the shock mount. I'm going to be reinforcing this area anyhow since I'm going to be using coil overs so gives me the chance once i have removed the front subframe after i have done the floor to have a good proper look at how to reinforce it.

[Minidarren83]

I can see from your bracing steel (welded on the outer door apature) that you haven't tried the doors on with the new steps. I would do that ASAP I didn't and paid the price much further down the line when it was harder to fix

[James_eaton_thewholething]

I can see from your bracing steel (welded on the outer door apature) that you haven't tried the doors on with the new steps. I would do that ASAP I didn't and paid the price much further down the line when it was harder to fix

Once I've put the hinge panels in I might be able to give it a go. Issue I have is the door steps aren't connected to the floor pan as that is being completely removed and replaced. I did do measurements before and after I replaced both steps and all seems good. Plus the door step is lined up with the old step as I never drilled out the spot welds and just cut under the seem and made it flat so I had a reference point. I'm sure it will be ok I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to things like this and everything has to be right the first time. I kept checking panel alignment after every weld so should be ok. But when I get the chance to check I will

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Managed to get the passenger door hinge panel welded on last night. Also checked the fitting of the door in the apature which to no availe still needed the shims that came off the original door. Now it's still a bit of a tight fit but clears on the upper door frame. Mainly have clearance issues due to the hinge panel flexing as isn't connected to the floor and has no closing panel and or flitch panel and as hinges are new the are rather stiff I'm not to fussed at the moment. I can always adjust the hinges after the shell is solid to get a perfect fit. Going to get drivers side in tonight and then will take pictures and post them up.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

so later than expected but also go some more stuff done and also came across one annoying problem but is also another problems solution so here goes

 

so got hinge panel and inner A panel in 

]

 

then checked the door fitting which was a good fit

 

 

 

 

then thought i would make sure everything lined up and was good with a door seal in. so after putting one on and then re fitting the door and making sure that the hinges were in the fully closed position i noticed this

 

 

the problem to which i was referring in my opening to this post. the check strap holder seems to foul on the door post. don't know why it does this as the post isn't twisted and was obviously causing issues but the flex  in the post was not allowing the hinges to close fully but also causing this to sort of twist into the opening. so the issue will get fixed by cutting the check strap mounts off the door and i will make or use another way to fit a check strap. With these removed it will now give me a slot to which i can post a speaker cable through into the door so i can make the wiring invisible.

 

 

also got the rest of the front scuttle removed so i could see how bad the top part of the inner wing was and now i know what i will have to rebuild but at least its moving along quickly. will get even more done tomorrow and will have even more time to complete this when i get transferred at work to being closer to home

 

thats all for now

[minimissions]

Looking good nice to see another one saved from the scrap yard. Looks like it will be needing a fair amount of panels but will be worth it in the end :)

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Thanks, yeah will be definitely worth all the cuts and bruising that will happen. Cannot wait for it to be done so can get on with driving it again and annoying people on the roads lol

[James_eaton_thewholething]

so got more done today before the weekend where i will be taking a rest from everything except work but at least I'm on the home stretch to be able to put a new floor in.

 

 

new hinge panel and closing panel on drivers side

 

 

door needed shims to get it to align but fits now. both doors will need a bit more fettling once the flitch panels are fixed and the floor is in

 

 

good to see it with two doors in though

 

thats all for a while