477 replies to this topic

[Avtovaz]

did a bit more today, the front end lining up and what a job that has turned out to be. The o/s i thought was going to be the hardest, but i was wrong by a long way...

 

some pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the fit of the n/s

 

 

Its hard to see but at the bottom its very close

 

so you can see better i painted it white

 

 

 

Its quite high there too, was trying everything to get it something like, but int eh end the only way was with the grinder i could see

 

 

 

 

put some slits int eh bonnet to so it would bend better

 

 

 

you can see here how high the wing is now, much better

 

 

 

 

 

o/s side looking good but not 100%

 

 

 

N/s i cut the front part out!

 

 

 

 

I was feeling brave at that point!

 

I had to hit the folds in the wing with a chissel as that is why it didnt fit on this side so well, they where badly formed.

 

 

 

looking much better

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just cut into the bonnet and welded it back up in a better place

 

 

 

So is the £140 front end worth it? I dont know yet, but its looking ok so far.

[mini_in_progress]

That looks a good fit bud. Ill be using a magnum front end on mine when i get round to doing it too. 

[Avtovaz]

i dont know how well the heratage ones fit, but i think this will look teh part when done, may take a bit of time, but its £250? cheaper, and if i bend the car i wont be so unhappy. i think i have a bad set of panels, ive just got on with what i have, and its not taken that much time so far. Need to get the headlights in it and make sure it looks ok!

 

good luck with yours mate!

[Avtovaz]

got a new phone so still figuring it  out here, so text then pics

 

had a quick look at the wings again, i want to be dead happy with them before i weld them on. So tried to get the seam to loom a bit  better, and it does, but will do more to them before the big weld. I also put the rubbers under the top subframe mounts, i had forgotten to do that and its made a difference.

 

I also got a delivery from minisport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Important part inthe box is the scuttle boxing in plate thing for the n/s,, so i can get the front end welded on.

[Avtovaz]

pushed the car out of the garage today, and in the parcel from mini sport was a windscreen rubber, so i tried to fit the screen to make sure it fitted after fitting the roof.

 

 

 

Got the screen in, but not sure if as this is a new rubber and needs some time to settle, or if the bottom of the scuttle needs a little fettle some how, i was thinking it may do when i fitted it as the corner line was a little different to the inner old panel.

 

 

still not used to the new phone LOL!

 

 

But the top of the screen isnt in properly

 

 

maybe needs something doing around here first

 

 

i cracked the screen unfortunatly, but it was the old one, i have a brand new one to fit but would have liked to have this one in and out a few times first so i know it fitted..

 

 

tec screwed the new bonnet lip back on.. I wonder how many people this weekend removed these panels to make their cars look like something they arnt?! LOL!

 

 

 

then went in the loft and found the grill, its not the original one but will be painted in the right colour and i have the badge to go on it too

 

 

I have to say i stood back and it looked like a car for the first time in ages, was impressed...

 

 

 

i then got bored, and the loft where i keep the mini parts for now above the kitchen the hatch is a pain, so i put it on hinges, and made a handle for it LOL!

 

 

 

Easier access to the parts now, with 1/2" 5/8 i think i t was spanner handle!

[Avtovaz]

pushed the car out of the garage today, looks good at that stance to me, like a rally cross car!

 

 

 

My mate ste came around and i wantd his opinions on panel gaps, all not so far off, but a little messing to do yet. But took the screen out again, and refitted it, and it looks fine now..

 

 

 

I have a heratage panel to fit tot he scuttle, but both scuttles are different shape now?

 

 

 

Will bash the o/s to match the n/s i think!

 

witht he front end off i can see where i need to clean up before the big weld on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mate also said about under the car, they from the factory are painted, not sure weather to do it in raptor 2 or 2k paint now...

[minimissions]

This is starting to look like a mini again nice work mate you will soon be in paint

[Avtovaz]

thanks! its getting there slower than i thought but its on its way!

 

 

more today

 

the door to quarter gap was bad really near the handle, so i did a bit of messing, and its turned out quite good. I tacked a little plate onto the quarter, as the edge wasnt that straight.

 

 

 

 

then welded it on

 

 

I took the edge of the welds off with the grinder and then started with a file

 

 

cleaned up, i primed it to see what it looked like

 

 

I have found that when i put the door on, looking down it to see if the lines are right, its quite hard when its in primer, so that is what the green pen lines are, i can see it much easier..

 

Then i welded on the a panel

 

 

 

Turned the car around so i could do the n/s

 

 

I folded the lip over and welded that one on too

 

 

 

Its taking a lot of time but its getting closer to be ready for turning over again, welded the last bits on and then its time to start on the paint prep. Not lookign forward to that as i have to learn so much to get it right.

[Avtovaz]

So today i had another look at the front end, i had the front wings and panel on the roof of the car, and i noticed this

 

 

 

 

Its not magnum LOL! after all what i said, its not magnum, sorry Mr Magnum, Mr Rhibo, your not able to make a good wing. hmm..

 

 

 

going to give this bit a tickle soon like i did the other side..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and also some gaps

 

 

 

I pulled the front edge over with the slide hammer threw the ehadlight hole, and it s better but not right. Not sure what to do, may buy some magnum wings but havnt decided yet.

 

 

 

 

the other side looks good but still not sure of it

 

 

 

 

 

Will push it out this weekend and have a proper look at it, see how they fit and go from there...

[Avtovaz]

These wings have been bothering me ' I can get them something like but I know really I won't be happy with them so I've just spent £100 on a set of magnum ones

[pete l]

I ditched my magnum front panel because it was pulling the front sides of the wings down too far and causing big gaps between the wings and bonnet.

[pete l]

I'm worried your magnum wings you just ordered might be to replace magnum wings.

 

Apparentely there are only 3 manufacturers of mini panels, Heritage, M-Machine and Magnum.

 

But you might have found a forth one !

Edited by pete l, 16 May 2019 - 09:18 AM.

[Avtovaz]

Well Pete, i ordered the wings, and then posted on here, i thought it would be better to have something closer to being right than what i have now as they are welded in a few places. So P&M delivered the wings, and never guess!! they sent these Rhibo wings. So while the lad was there i got him to phone P&M and ask, and they said it was magnum but they just different stickers. Not convinced i phoned magnum, and they congfirmed they have them made in china and then come over and they sell them.

 

 

Ok i thought got home took the front off and put the n/s wing up to the car, then tookit off again and put it back in my car as its not as bad as the ones i have where to start with, but its the same job, cut weld and sort out. The main part that is bad is same as the 2 i have, where the bonnet curves at the front, it was at least 1/2" out to my eye. Maybe i have a stupid bonnet and its my car, but it dosnt ever look like its been crashed on the front, everything is even, so ill get my money back tomorrow.

 

 

So i can either go heritage or plod on with what ive got. So had the front end on the roof of the car, and looked at it, drank some coffee, and then made a decision. Polish the turd i have.

 

 

 

So

 

 

This is the main problem now, the fold needs to be even closer to the bonnet to match the rear bonnet gap. ALso where its been cut and welded , i wasnt happy

 

 

 

 

Also see at the bottom by the front panel, its not right there either.

 

 

When i come to put the headlight in i need to make sure the mounting face is flat first too..

 

 

 

 

 

It isnt as you can see...

 

Didnt like this part at all, so

 

 

 

got the grinder out

 

 

 

and i didnt like a bit further down too

 

 

 

 

 

 

so this is the part where skill comes into it. i need to make the corner of the wing, and got the bonnet gap right. So if anyone has some god skill and wants to do it let me know LOL!

 

Ill have a go and see what happens, worst case is scrap wing, but i should be able to do something with it.

 

...maybe!

[Avtovaz]

i got my money back from P&M today, thankyou ;)

 

So started with the repairs to a new wing

 

 

 

 

 

I cut the plate out and bent it, then i remembered watching youtube vids of how they stretch steal into corners etc, and i remember seeing one where he just hit it with a chisel to stretch it and i thought id have a go

 

 

 

 

 

That went into the bin

 

 

 

 

 

So then i made it out of bits

 

 

 

 

 

 

ground the lip off and the welds flush

 

 

 

I can now get the gap right and fill it with weld...

 

 

 

Need to do the bottom part tomorrow

 

 

 

 

I forgot to say also, when i phoned magnum the first thing he said was did you get the wings from M&Ms in warrington? I said no, guys a idiot, it was like he knew him so well.. I was talking to a lad who works at another part of the company that i do today, he said about a company in warrington that sells mini parts, ill let you guess which this is , he went in with a spi exhaust, and a few other bits etc, and was told he could come back and they would do a deal on the parts he would leave. He went back a week later and the owner said he had never met him before... Just thought id mention it.

Edited by Avtovaz, 17 May 2019 - 08:07 PM.

[Avtovaz]

had 2 hours today to do some on the car, finished off the wing, and im quite happy with it... I was surprised, still needs some finishing off though

 

 

 

 

 

 

looking at the other side now, it dosnt look as good!

 

 

 

 

I bought some grill ends today too, and fitted them and not so good

 

 

 

 

 

 

looks like when i fitted the wings they were slightly over to one side, i thought by starting out at the edges it would be central, but no it off, not by that much though

 

Moved the grill and had a mess about