947 replies to this topic

[OllyD]

The worst mistakea to makea with a grinder is when you put too much pressure on it and end up putting your head right in it's path, just as it kicks back and recoils right at your face. Always puts the ******* up me!

Anyway,looking good! I know the feeling of looking at all that rust, as I'm dealing with exactly the same thing. Keep at it!

[jack_marshall]

Nah the worst mistake with a grinder is what my friend did.

Plugged it in but didnt flick the switch. Go over to the grinder, flick the switch on the grinder.. didnt work... put it down.. with the disk on the floor.. walk over to the mains switch and then switch it on.

Needless to say the grinder did a rather violent dance along the floor/air/around his ankles.

He tried to catch it (without goggles on) and ended up with bits of smashed grinding disk up his nose, in his ears.. luckily not in his face.

So be warned.

[TJenkos]

Im not sure what i'd do if that happened

Edited by TJenkos, 01 August 2006 - 11:12 PM.

[Dog]

Hence if you look in the pic, where I have been chopping out the rear bins... the FULL face sheld

[Dolts]

Im not sure what i'd do if that happened

If id only just turned it on , id still be by the switch, so id turn it off

[Dog]

Right a bit hit and miss today...


Ripped the outter sill off, to see what was lurking behind, and actully found out it was over sill
So got it off, as you see in the piccys, LOADS of holes, and paper thin, "strutual" surrports.

Whilst taking the sill off, I decided to take the door off too...
and found this;


Which after a bit of tapped, ended up to be just filler;


NOT HAPPY!! but saying that, it wasn't hiding the much...

Now, moving along the sill, and towards the subframe mounts... *Just as my new air tools arrive* yey!! =)
I find more filler;


I have another picture I wanted to post, but ti wouldn't let me... its basically a piccy of where the subframe mount... was meant to of been, which it isn't now
And well, been looking at it, and looking on here, and other forums, eventully consolting my "bodywork" friend. He came over had a look, and said "the shells scrap" :'(

So I don't know what to do now, he says, your going to have to cut half the mini up to repair it, he said cut your losses, and either get a new shell, or just don't bother with minis any more :'( :'(

So I am really down hearted atm, and in a rather confused state, as I just don't know what to do.

[liam_italian]

lol, it's costing me loads to replace all the dodgy panels on my mini, probably about 60% worth, but i just cant let my mini die, it must survive!

[minivanman]

to be honest dog he's probably right. it sounds like blackout and previous owners really f d the car up. see if you can get a part done project without the running gear off ebay, or SMD and just swap the parts over. then again, bodywork people look at it from a point of view where a job has to be worth their while doing - all it will cost you is your time and panels. it isnt like its your main car any more, so you can spend all the time it needs on it.

[Dog]

So what you think?

Cut my loses and takle a different shell, or take the subby off, and see if I can build this back up!

I don't like to be beaten, but this really got to me, as I was hoping it was a few holes here and there!!

[Jobu]

My car was abit like that fibreglass bodges etc. Ended up having to replace: Whole front end (including A-panels) Front floor both sided, inner seals, outer seals, both door steps, both lower rear quaters, scuttle corner, both scuttle closing panels, boot floor, rear valance.

Dont give up! You could end up getting another donor ripping it apart and finding its just as bad.

[minivanman]

its gotta be worth dropping the subby off and seeing if its repairable. m-machine do just the ends, or the full panel - i've got to do it to my van. wait till I get some pics up - i've got a serious load of steel missing now. looks like fred flintstones car.

[Dog]

Thats what I am holding out on doing, I'll drop the subby, and see from there...

But I have a problem... how can I keep the back end up, with out resting on the subby... and having NO right hand sill?

[minivanman]

roll it on its side? you can see the condition of the underside as well then

[Dog]

Can't roll it, shes sat on the road,
"was expecting it to be minor"

[Alburglar]

Dog I've got some sound advice for you. You're always better off with the mini you've got, because you already know what's wrong with it. The next 100 mini's you buy could be just as bad and covered in chicken wire, filler, chemical metal etc and still look good on face value. Do what you can on the driveway and take it too a mini garage to sort the stuff you can't sort out.