17 replies to this topic

[tomlminimad]

Hi everyone i just need a few pointers on how to de-seam the rear of my mini as i have a flip front with no bumper and looks abit stupid at the back with a bumper.

Cheers thanks alot everyone

Tom

[Figs122uk]

[leigh21]

i have not done this myself but i believe you just cut off the lip to 2 inches at a time using a angle grinder or something similar, and weld, then another 2 inches and weld a bit more, but if this is only deseaming your rear bumper it should be fine to cut the whole lip off and just weld straight across, then fill and respray.

Edited by leigh21, 13 September 2009 - 02:30 PM.

[m1tch]

What actually is de-seaming? I keep hearing the term a bit and I don't know what everyone is getting at lol

[minipip]

de-seaming is where the pannels meet ans there is that lip, like down the a-pannel to the wing, its where you chop it off and weld it up....

[joakwin]

i got about half of the front of my car de-seamed here, working on the rest but it takes time and im out of welding gas

[redhotmini]

, but if this is only deseaming your rear bumper it should be fine to cut the whole lip off and just weld straight across, then fill and respray.

do that and watch the back of your car fall apart! just cut a couple of inches, weld up and cut the next 2 inches, weld and so on. there is 3 panels which joint together to form the rear bumper lip, and cutting the lip off in one go is going to mean your rear valence, boot floor and rear panel is going to come apart.

[tomlminimad]

Cheers do u think its worth leaving the smallest part of the lip at the corners if u no what i mean n jst trim it or jst jst the whole lot off

[m1tch]

Ah so de-seaming is removing the lips that allow the water to drain correctly away from the guttering in the roof then?

[minidaves]

de-seaming means the death of a good mini

dave

[Boycie]

de-seaming means the death of a good mini

dave

x2..

Bumper seams are not too bad... and it's not just a case of being keen with an angle grinder.. the rear bumper seam is where the rear panel/ boot floor adn rear valence are attatched. All these need welding together properly if you chop off the seam. Not easy to do at all and inevitably ends up with lashings of the bodger's special sauce - filler

[ROBBIE 1]

1.good welds !

2. grind off 6 inches at a time !

3. weld as you go !

4. dont concentrate the heat for too long ,alow to cool ,or your worp yer panels !

[mini_surfari]

1.good welds !

2. grind off 6 inches at a time !

3. weld as you go !

4. dont concentrate the heat for too long ,alow to cool ,or your worp yer panels !

DO NOT grind of six inches at a time!! One - two inches max!

[mighty mini jack]

Its a recommened three inches at a time..


EDIT: Changed, i got it wrong

Edited by mighty mini jack, 14 September 2009 - 09:03 PM.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Some people round here need to stop giving out wrong and DANGEROUS advice.

Do NOT cut off 6 inches at a time.

This is how to do it properly.

Where accessible, weld a plate behind the seam before cutting, this strengthens the area and holds the panels in place. Cut off up to 3 inches at a time, make the cut so that a couple of mm of the seam is retained. With a dolly behind where acessible, tap the seam down evenly, so it is flush with the surrounding bodywork. The reason for this, is that mini panels aren't always all tightly joined, and if you cut off the seam completely, you can end up with a gap, which takes alot of time to fill with weld, and will almost certainly warp the surrounding panels. Weld a few strong tack welds down that one section, and then cut the next, and so on until the seam is removed, and you have the whole seam tack welded. The reason you shouldn't do a seam weld straight away, is that if you get heat in such a small area all at once it will warp the panels. Slowly weld up the seam, alternating from one end to the other, not concentrating the heat in one place at once. Once you have welded the whole seam up, grind it down and skim it over with filler to gain the shape. Using the technique above, you will reduce the amount of filler needed, lots of filler is never a good thing! The same technique is used on all body seams, except of course the front bumper lip which can be removed very easily with a spot weld drill bit. I would never advise removing the roof gutters, it can look ok if done right, but water tends to drip off all round the roof and makes it more likely that the doors will leak, plus water falls on you as you enter and leave the car! I've seen minis with just the side gutter retained, which looks quite good and stops the leaking/dripping issue!