37 replies to this topic

[Benoit_Dupont]

your car will be something to check out at a show when you've finished fiddling?

I'm just looking for another excuse to take my mini back to mainland Europe ?

Thx! To be honest i am not going to any shows or even clubs. I think often they got it wrong. Those things are meant to be driven :)

[cooperd70]

your car will be something to check out at a show when you've finished fiddling?

I'm just looking for another excuse to take my mini back to mainland Europe ?

Thx! To be honest i am not going to any shows or even clubs. I think often they got it wrong. Those things are meant to be driven :)

I agree completely! As soon as I bought my mini I drove across northern France into Switzerland, over the Alps into Italy, around the Italian lakes, down to Genoa then back into France along the coast and then back to the UK ???

Wish there were more meetings that are driving get togethers rather than shows.

[Benoit_Dupont]

Hi guys,

 

did not want to mess the categories of the forum. usually place here the parts I am customizing, but the next one is a dashboard, so I wrote it in the "styling" section, you can find all about it here:

 

http://www.theminifo...oden-dashboard/

 

with sources of parts and stuffs :)

[beardylondon]

I thought the term "cafe racer" normally applies to motorbikes, not cars, I see David Brown has some Cafe Racer inspired Minis for sale and from googling I found the below link. Before now I had no idea people were applying the term to Minis, we live and learn!

 

https://www.classicd...ther-set-wheels

[Benoit_Dupont]

Actually you are correct. The term applies to motorbike following the british 60's leather jacket mouvement, ton-up boys, 59 club and so on.

So it is not canonical so to say. But it does not mean we should not get inspiration :)

[Benoit_Dupont]

You can also check this superb vid from Steveston MotorCo :
https://youtu.be/MbT3Vkkac3o

[Benoit_Dupont]

Allright, after a LLLOOONNNG summer waiting for my parts from the chrome shop (you know, french people, holiday, no work and all...), I got my parts from the chrome shop ! and well, It looks quite good ! 

 

 DSCF0650-W600.jpg   23.93K   6 downloads

 

was not cheap, but it's made here locally near my place, and quality is quite good I think. 

 

next step is to put those on my car... as soon as I get it back, that is... 

[cooperd70]

sounds like the French are like the Italians ?

To be honest I'd rather wait and get back some quality parts than a quick turnaround and shoddy bits.

They look amazing B. Looks like you're a bit of a photographer in what other little spare time you have...the photo shows the parts off to a T ??

Edited by cooperd70, 01 October 2019 - 07:20 PM.

[Benoit_Dupont]

sounds like the French are like the Italians

To be honest I'd rather wait and get back some quality parts than a quick turnaround and shoddy bits.

They look amazing B. Looks like you're a bit of a photographer in what other little spare time you have...the photo shows the parts off to a T

 

thank you Cooperd70 ! I agree with you! I'd rather wait a bit and get it done properly. my car is 30yo. I have it for 15y, so what's the point in rushing and cut corners. 

 

and thanks for the photo compliment. as a matter of fact, I'm a photographer as well. turns out that for some reason, many people in mini-world have photography in their blood too. don't know why. but if you take a look at instagram for instance, you can see a clear difference between the mini girls and boys and the lambda car tuner. :)

 

have a good evening mate ! 

[dyshipfakta]

They really look great mate good effort worth the wait.

[Benoit_Dupont]

Thx!

[Benoit_Dupont]

allright, got some news !

 

after my initial prototype above, I was still not very happy with the adherence I got of the chrome on the handles. the handles are pot metal which is difficult to chrome. So I went back to the chroming shop with this time brand new handles that I have drilled. that way I'm sure of their state before processing.

 

Of course, being little obsessed with the precision of my work, I made a "drilling template" to be sure the handle stays firmly in place while drilling. that way I always get the same result every time.

 

so here is a perfectly fine door handle before I ruin it 

 

 IMG_20191012_160610-W600.jpg   32.7K   3 downloads

 

here it is in sandwich with the drilling template:

 

 IMG_20191012_115706-W600.jpg   45.2K   2 downloads

 

the previous one was dry assembly. I did had some paint of the lovely "gardening tool-Green" tone so I finished the rig accordingly 

 

 IMG_20191012_160746-W600.jpg   33.98K   1 downloads

 

Now I can process as accurate as I want. The handles (from Minispares actually) were then sent to the chrome shop with a new formula: chrome on brass, which offer better adherence apparently. here is one finished:

 

 IMG_20200129_204411-W600.jpg   38.2K   2 downloads

 

it is a much more accurate result than what I had before. 

 

now it's time for reassembly, with a brand new set of keys and locks that comes with the new set:

 

 IMG_20200129_204411-W600.jpg   38.2K   2 downloads

 

and tadaaaaaa !!!! 

 

 IMG_20200201_172757-W600.jpg   43.87K   0 downloads

 

Now I will weather test those things on my car. I want to be perfectly sure it behave correctly under stress. the only weather I have to offer is right now cold (substantially) sub-zero Alps weather with a bit of heavy rain on the side. I let you know if that survives well.

 

cheers guys !!!

 

 

 

 

 

[Benoit_Dupont]

so I guess everybody is in lockdown and therefore is doing something to his mini. It has been a long time I gave you some news about those door handles and here they are finally mounted on the car!

 

 IMG_20200328_162721_601-W600.jpg   32.35K   3 downloads

 

and the mechanism works. I did not break anything. (this time) 

 

I think they came out quite nicely. I did everything I could to keep things local:

 

the original handles are from UK (but I doubt it's still manufactured there)

the design is mine

the drilling and machining is home made right here in the french alps

the chroming is done on a local shop as well (in Saint Etienne, France)

 

Now I'm gonna see if it can live with the weather we have here. snow is apparently expected by monday. :)

 

cheers and have a good week-end !

 

 

[RustyAutoCityE]

You have done a nice job with them, I hope they hold up well for you.

[cooperd70]

A very nice job BD! Love the drilling and the chrome work, v nice indeed! ??