60 replies to this topic

[Junior Mini]

If that's the first time you've genuinely fabricated from steel, you're in the wrong job now!!!! That's bloody amazing ?
Can i ask what you cut it out with? It looks very clean.

[Bdshim]

Cheers yes honestly is I have spent way to much time on here reading projects etc for information ha ha, I'm a cabinet maker/joiner by trade.
All was cut with a grinder with a very thin disc all bends done with blocks of hardwood in vice etc holes in bottom series of holes the cleaned up with a dremel.

[Junior Mini]

Ahhh cabinet maker, that explains the eye for detail. ?
Good work ?

[Bdshim]

so started offering up the boot floor abit of adjustment around the comp bins and it fits very well apart from the centre bumper hole doesn't quite line up with the rear panel either side ones do so will see what happens when I offer up the new panel maybe had a rear knock at somepoint.

 

the subframe holes all line up perfect with the jig I made.

 

done my first bit of welding made a fill in piece for the fuel pipes waiting on some flap disks to clean it down but didn't blow anyholes so was happy with that

 

then started drilling out the spot welds to start removing the rear panel, even the higher holes were showing sings of rust so glad I brought the whole rear panel .

[Bdshim]

done some more today started to remove the rear panel to see how the new one fits, found some rust on the rear quarter seam but just goes to show were the rust lurks on these minis. 

 

 

then tried the new panel its overall ok but seems to be 4mm lower in the rear screen area which im slight miffed by as the boot floor is up against the orginal subframe mount on the wheel arch and up against ends of the rear quarters maybe its because I need to do the final cut on the c pillars?  any advice on this would be great il be back In there tomorrow fiddling around with it,

[Project_1275_GT]

Looking like a very nice project. Such a shame minis rust as bad as they do. I will be starting body work soon and will be doing very similar. 

[Bdshim]

with some guidance from the kind folk on here I did the final cuts today and got it clamped in place boot on the cheak for fit and twist ect all is good there so im pleased with that .

 

[MaximMini]

Hi Bdshim,

It's funny how similar some of the pictures of your project look to some of mine. I ended up with too big gaps in the c-pillar as well. Since my welding skills are not that great I decided to weld a reinforcement plate behind the gap (see my project diary). I really need to put more time and effort to allign EVERYTHING first before pulling the trigger on the MIG.

Cheers,
Christian

[Bdshim]

Hi the annoying thing was I took ages till I marked the cut but when fitted was slightly to much gap I should have left more of my pen line on and gradually removed metal to get the fit, but live and lean atleast this is something that can be got over.

[Bdshim]

so yesterday I welded on the new rear panel pleased with how it went, the c pillar joins turned out well they need cleaning down still and need to go over the one with a flash of primer theres a few pin hoels to fill my gas was not on properly    but I went steady and didn't get any distortion also test fitted the boot door again still fits fine. 

[Wise Old Elf]

Lots of grinding to do, have you told A&E you will be in soon?

I am hoping to get my front wings on this week but waiting on some Tiger seal.

Jason

[Bdshim]

Ha ha hopefully the mystery bit of metal that somehow got in my eye through fully sealed goggles wont happen again I blame my lockdown hair getting full of bits and Bob's,
Cool look forward to the pictures of that ?

[Wise Old Elf]

Ha ha hopefully the mystery bit of metal that somehow got in my eye through fully sealed goggles wont happen again I blame my lockdown hair getting full of bits and Bob's,
Cool look forward to the pictures of that

I could not take it any longer and shaved my head to a number 1. Easier to get the dust out of.

[Bdshim]

If it goes on much longer I will probably be going down that road as mine is going sideways ?

[Bdshim]

not a big update but cleaned down the welds on the rear panel and flashed the area over with some zinc primer, bit more tickling up to do at a later date.

 

both ends of the heal board were gone to bad and there were areas of floor that were joined onto the heal board that need repairing so I decided to remove the whole thing, I made a start on that which is not an easy job but will get there, found some over sills aswell that made a nice rust sandwich over the years.

 

 

a new heal board rear quarter closing panels and two new arch tubs should arrive next week. looking at my floor im banking on replacing the inner cill then the floor just past the first flue the rest hopefully will be ok,

Edited by Bdshim, 17 May 2020 - 12:49 PM.