8 replies to this topic

[exscousedave]

The wifes mini needs to have new wings, front grill panel, and bonnet replaced 'because she had some woman drive into her and the insurance are probably going to write it off. I've replaced all these on our other mini but as a flip front and bolted that whole thing together. How easy a DIY job is it to replace everything from and including the A panels forward but welding the panels back on. I've done some welding reasonably successfully in the past. I will also replace the lower windscreen panel with a repair piece as this is needs doing - this will probably be the more complex part of the build followed by finishing the A panel at the door shut line.

So, is this something that I can do given a reasonable level of DIY skils anyway, are there any other problems that I should be aware of?

Cheers

Dave

[Pavel]

Might as well go for a flip front? Or do you have your reasons not to? Youc ould even get a fibreglass one with a separate bonnet, that way you don't have any welding to do whatsoever :]

[Madmax]

my whole front end needs replacing due to the dreaded minature metal gobbling elves

im going for a flip front just to make things easier and more importantly cheaper. however my scuttle panel is in mint condition so i dont have as hard a job as you do.

[cowboy]

providing the bulkhead is not damaged then replacing the part you need should be straight forward but a spot welder attachment will help for some of the panels, this is one of the good things about our beloved mini's

[exscousedave]

hmmm....had thought aboutthe spot welding side of life but thought that I would drill holes in one side of the metal to be joined and basically fill weld and then smooth / grind the the metal down level. Hey presto a 'spot weld' and as long as it is OK to spot weld to make the car then it must be OK to do it my way too!!

Oh and I'm not allowed to do a flip front 'because my wife say so!!!

[nomininolife]

flip fronts are good because you effectively create a crumple zone :grin:

[exscousedave]

...totally agree but if I put a flip front on the wifies mini I effectively will become the crumpled zone...

[Guess-Works.com]

:fear: Don't tell her :fear:

but spot welding with a mig is exactly the procedure you described, but as cowboy said you can get a shield for the mig torch which you actually press onto the panel which then holds the tourch at a set distance from the workpiece, makes doing spots simple...

top standard shield, bottom Spot weld sheild

[Pavel]

You could fit a flip front that doesn't flip effectively!!!

I.e. cut out inner wings, put in brace bars (unnoticeable probably), and stick on a fibreglass flip front, and just attach it to the seams, and/or subby etc. so that you can't exactly remove it. Then just stick on a normal metal bonnet onto the hinges, and presto! :]

You could also try find a full front from a scrapped mini and only have to weld in a few small places then rather than attach the front panel to the wings etc.!