208 replies to this topic

[yorkshirechris]

Been busy painting today.

I'm in two minds about it at the moment. One half of me says the blue I've used doesn't match the body and looks ridiculous.
The other half of me says it looks a hell of a lot better than the scruffy paint that was on before, so its an improvement and the only visible bit (due to me masking off the inner sills) will be the part riiiiiight under the rear seats, but I am putting in a speakerboard so that won't be visible anyway.

Comments please as per usual, a few before and after pictures:

Front Driver's side floorpan before:


And after:



Rear drivers side floorpan, before:




and after :




The blue paint I used is 1 pack Poly, and the spec sheet says it is used for painting historic and vintage motor vehicles. It covers really, really well, apart from directly over the top of Hammerite, where it goes all funny but a couple of coats and it doesn't look too bad.

Just got the passenger side to do now but I will have to wait til the drivers side is completely dry, so I can fold over the carpets... can't be bothered removing them because that will mean undo-ing bolts and removing things, and I can't be bothered - doesn't matter if the carpet gets torn, it's old and manky anyway, new one should be here tomorrow!

2 hours after it was painted it still isn't dry, damn Sun has gone in, meaning I've resorted to leaving a hairdryer blowing hot air into the footwells to try dry it before dark

Edited by yorkshirechris, 11 February 2008 - 03:45 PM.

[yorkshirechris]

The paint on the floors still isn't dry

Closed all the windows and doors and got the hairdryer in there to try dry it all quicker

Tomorrow I will most likely be painting the passenger side floors in the same fashion. Not bothering with the boot floor because it'll all be covered up with the Boot Liner Kit - it's been hammerited so is protected against rusty rust anyway

[Pie]

Chris, the blue paint looks good, and as you said tidier than whats there.

If i were you id strip the complete floor of paint, and then give it a coat or two of the blue your using. Would look smarter and then the floor would al be one colour.

[yorkshirechris]

Cheers

Yeah I might do that. Trouble is, if I do the whole floor, where do I stop? The paint is body colour for all of the interior - up the door pillars, rear door bins, dash rail etc. If I leave the door bins the body colour but the inner sills are painted (right up to the door step edge) in the new blue, then they'll look a bit dodgy . I masked off the inner sills because the body-colour paint on them is more or less intact, and they'll be the visible bits when the carpet is laid.

I'm getting the carpet tomorrow hopefully, so when I lay it I will see how it looks.

I'm starting to doubt my choice of carpet too I chose the Huddersfield Spares "deluxe" plain black 8pc carpet, it has moisture resistant backing. For the same price though I could've got the normal black Deluxe carpet with blue piping around the edge... to match the boot lid liner and parcel shelf liner.

There again because I've chosen plain black it will just there in the background and if I change the interior it will match anything

Edited by yorkshirechris, 11 February 2008 - 07:21 PM.

[yorkshirechris]

I recieved delivery of black bonnet straps, new switches and some clear bulbs today from Minispares. I ordered one too many of the Brake Light Switch so to save messing about sending it back I'm selling it. Unfortunately I've just realised the Black Bonnet Straps I recieved don't match - one has a glossy, woody effect and the other is normal leather effect (satin) so I'm sending them back for a replacement. Mistakes happen.

Anyway, I painted the passenger side floors today.

Front floor, before and after:





Rear floor, before and after pictures:










I'm quite impressed

I also fitted my new switches, already had a new Hazard Light Switch (doesn't everyone )...
Here's a before and after pic, because I love before and after pics... :





Amazing what a subtle but good difference new switches make!

Had help from a small black half-bald pet of mine. Don't take the píss, she had an operation a couple of weeks ago, that's why shes half bald

Edited by yorkshirechris, 12 February 2008 - 05:03 PM.

[yorkshirechris]

Sorry about all the pictures... this post is picture-free

Managed to get the rear heated screen working - the multi-plug wasn't connected to the rear of the switch so naturally I found this when replacing the switches

[yorkshirechris]

Recieved a man-size box today from Minispares containing....




Loads of black carpety stuff and some shiny new rear lights!

Also here's the centre console I bought from Bingley:

[tedmcedd]

those lights will make your car look so much better!! not that she doesnt look sexy anyway!

[Sleepy Stu]

Chris looking good!

Let me know how you get on with fitting the carpet as i will be needing one soon maybe and any tips or advice you have would be very useful!! Lots of pics of the carpet process please

[yorkshirechris]

I may even fit the lights at the weekend...

The main plan though is to get the *cough* BOOT LIGHT KIT wiring in. I already have the positive to the switch pre-wired, just need to run a wire under the current carpets , riiiight the way into the boot, NEATLY, and get the light fitted. Not sure how I'll be doing it yet, because the parcel shelf is hardboard so if I screw into it I'll be able to see the screws inside the car.

So I think I'll just screw it to one of the boards of the boot liner kit where it's hidden

As soon as I have the wiring put in, I will be able to permanently fix down the new carpets... and therefore install the centre console... and stereo and speakers!!

EDIT.

I need to find out how to fit the carpet first... got a Minispares fitting kit "the original fixing kit for your carpet" not sure how they actually fix to the floor?? I think I may just buy a can of spray adhesive.. before I do all that, I need to sort out my wiring though. With Bumble it didn't really matter, but as I've paid for this carpet set I don't want to keep ripping it up!

Cheers for your comments

Edited by yorkshirechris, 13 February 2008 - 08:59 PM.

[Pippinio]

Nice work on the new mini mate looking really good. Wishing i had more time to spend on mine so am taking time off to get some work done on it should really start my own project page. Don't suppose you know anywhere local i can get my doors sorted out do you? the top run on drivers door is practicallly rusted away, Bloody RUST ! How much did you part with for her then did the money from selling bumble cover it or did you have to chip in some?

Rob

[Pie]

Yeah I might do that. Trouble is, if I do the whole floor, where do I stop?

Youve answered your own question you plum lol

Just do the floor. So repaint the front floorpans, crossmember, and rear floors (under the seat squab too). Thats it. Itll be hidden by carpet and wont be on show, but you will know its all one colour and all neat.

On the topic of carpet kits. One tip i was given when i was going to fit carpets was to put a layer of either thin foam (5-10mm think) or carpet underlay. It will fill the ridges of the floorpans, act as sound deadening, insulate the car more and if, god forbid, any water finds its way in, the foam/underlay will absorb it before the carpet, makign the carpet last longer

Tip for fitting the rear lights. Have as little fuel in the tank as possible.

[yorkshirechris]

Had to put £100 towards Evelyn, which wasn't bad really considering I don't have to worry about an MOT till January next year!!.
I don't know of anywhere that does doors, sorry, I parted with Bumble before his got "that" bad!!

Yeah I might do that. Trouble is, if I do the whole floor, where do I stop?

Youve answered your own question you plum lol
Just do the floor. So repaint the front floorpans, crossmember, and rear floors (under the seat squab too). Thats it. Itll be hidden by carpet and wont be on show, but you will know its all one colour and all neat.
On the topic of carpet kits. One tip i was given when i was going to fit carpets was to put a layer of either thin foam (5-10mm think) or carpet underlay. It will fill the ridges of the floorpans, act as sound deadening, insulate the car more and if, god forbid, any water finds its way in, the foam/underlay will absorb it before the carpet, makign the carpet last longer
Tip for fitting the rear lights. Have as little fuel in the tank as possible.

I'm not painting the whole, floor, it will look stupid. Because if I paint the crossmember, you can easily see that with my seats (especially when lifting them to get access into the back) and it's near the Rear Door Bins (which are painted body colour) - and if I paint those, it will look daft, because the metal work around them - under the rear quarter windows - is also body colour. So in a way yes I have answered my own question, I will be leaving it as it is because doing what you said IMO is a silly idea

I think I will get some foam insulation from somewhere, I might even buy some proper carpet underlay - I fitted 3 layers ( ) of carpet underlay in the front floor pans of Bumble, made quite a difference to the vibration factor. Need to decide quick though.

I know about having the fuel level low... I'm not that daft

[blacktulip]

chris, love the car, looks just like belindas except yours is alot cleaner

[yorkshirechris]

It isn't clean when you look closely... damn cat has been on the roof with muddy paws!

Evelyn took us to a restaurant tonight and has developed a knocking noise when accelerating and turning right at the same time...