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Refurbing A Rolling Shell...where To Start?!


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#1 Zeemax_Mini

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Posted 06 March 2017 - 06:05 PM

So I've got a new project arriving imminently...a 1963 Morris Mini! It's a rolling shell at the moment, with some very poorly welded on patches (straight over the top of other panels) and thick underseal plastered over it which I'm sure is hiding all sorts of horrible stuff. 

 

SO...I've done some basic bodywork before and have friends who will weld for me if i can prepare/clamp stuff up ready for them etc, but never anything on this scale. My question is what's the best order of things - should I get it blasted/dipped (been reading the debate between the two today!) and then start replacing metalwork, or the other way around?

 

Cheers!

 

Dom



#2 Van13

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Posted 06 March 2017 - 06:17 PM

Brace, Blast it,epoxy prime it for protection,without pics it's hard to say where to start but most start with floor

#3 Daz1968

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Posted 06 March 2017 - 06:56 PM

As above need pictures really but on my current project I fitted a full floor and have found it very easy and gets the shell solid and straight in one go. Saves a lot of welding and time, when you work it out it's not expensive for what you get. I didn't get mine blasted as I was replacing most the shell anyway.

#4 sonikk4

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Posted 06 March 2017 - 07:23 PM

Bare shell it so you can then get it media blasted or chemically dipped or if that is too expensive then do it all by hand then you can assess it for the panels you will need. This will be the driver for your budget.

 

The fact its covered in underseal does not bode well, however on the other hand it may have actually protected the car but until its all off you really wont know.

 

The biggest thing with any major restoration certainly structurally is to ensure the car is braced correctly and not just lashed in. BUT unless you are going to rip the complete or half a floor this may not be needed. Again this decision can be made once you have assessed the car. 

 

Post pictures once the car has been stripped, no point in doing it otherwise as its easy to miss things with subframes fitted etc.



#5 Zeemax_Mini

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Posted 07 March 2017 - 09:56 AM

Cheers guys! The full floor is something that I'm tempted by even though it *looks* (famous last words) solid...Daz how difficult is it to get the old complete floor assembly out and the new one in? Would just get the full M-Machine one with inner/outer sills etc I guess. Perhaps I'll just get the lower half blasted to remove all of the underseal and gloop, so that I can see what's going on. The rest of it I could do by hand as it wouldn't take too long or be such a crap job.

 

It was meant to be coming tomorrow but that's been delayed until next week now unfortunately...so will get pictures up then!

 

Dom



#6 Daz1968

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Posted 07 March 2017 - 10:05 AM

If you look at my thread from page 4

http://www.theminifo...2-cooper/page-4

you can see how I tackled it, but others have done it different, which is best I cant say but my method worked fine for me. I preferred to keep floor level and fit shell to it, then put car on spit afterwards.

#7 Zeemax_Mini

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Posted 07 March 2017 - 11:55 AM

Daz - WOW! Thanks for the link...though I'm now absolutely petrified about what I've done and the potential work that may lie ahead...!

 

Haha. Cheers mate and what a cracking project :)

 

Dom



#8 neon1991

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Posted 14 March 2017 - 05:17 PM

start at the bottom and work your way up! :)






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