749 replies to this topic

[lawrence]

Todays 1st update straight from the garage
welded in the rest of the inner sill then ground it down

pained it

next update will be cross member end and then i making my way to the boot floor
lawrence

[lawrence]

2nd update from today
Cross member tacked in place

and welded, ground down and primed

next plan of action is to move the mini forward, drop the rear subframe and make a start on the drivers side rear subframe mount as that area is holey as this picture shows

Shouldnt take too long to fix it up.
next update either tommorow or early next week
hope you like
Lawrence

[lawrence]

So todays update then.
Been in the garage all day so got a far bit done
dropped the rear subframe
started cutting metal out around the subframe mount, the reinforcement plates were all rather corroded so i jut them back to sound metal
as you can see there was a large hole made
pile of rust/metal removed

area all cleaned up ready for welding, i decided on 4 patches in the end

1st patch tacked in

ground down and primed

2nd patch made and tacked in

ground down and primed

4th patch tacked in

ground down and primed


next aim is to make one last patch to fill the space left in the picture above
hope you like this update
Lawrence

[lawrence]

so then this mornings update,
havent finished off the boot as that will be a relatively easy job to do another day.
therfore i instead cleaned up the rear arch , welded a few little holes at the top and then undersealed it

i have also cleaned up near the rear subframe mount and as you can see ive had to make a rather large hole

i then made a rather difficult patch panel to fill the space, i will be ordering a heelboard end to comlete the job once ive welded this in

and as you can see it fits snugly in the space


more will follow either tommorow or this evening:
Crrent plan of action is
>weld in patch+ order heelboard end
>weld subfame reinforcement panels on both sides
>make last panel for boot area
>weld up small hole by ps heelboard end
>tidy + prime rest of the boot floor and underseal

hope you all like this mornings update

lawrence

[minimuk]

Re; difficult patch panel,.. I bet you spend a lot of time doing that one, by the looks of it, nut i think you are going a it to fast there.... the panel you fabricated, the metal looks 1mm thick that is rather thin, especially for that place hidden by the subframe and is part of your rear seat, in the end it is a breeding place for rust, I would use thicker 1.5mm+ in that area. Don't take this the wrong way, if you do it right now you do not have to revisit that area for years to come.....

[lawrence]

Hey thanks for the comment. Yeah that patch took about an hour if not more to make I think its made with 1.3mm steel too which is what the boot floor width looked like to me. I`m also intending to make some rear arch liners to attempt to protect the area more than it originally was in conjunction with seam welding in the new panels to try and prevent rust creeping through spot welds.

This mornings update is that ive just ordered alot more panels to try and finish the car by the start of next year
these panels are:
>Both A Panels
>Wing
>Sill
>Heelboard end
>Rear valance
>Rearliner retainer
>Passengers doorstep

next update will be tommorow morning most likely

hope you like
Lawrence

[minimuk]

panel over panel,.......hmm..., make sure the panels do not touch the subframe, then seal it off good if you do, not enough air circulation in that area, as you know. other than that, all looks pakka from here.

[lawrence]

Well the arch liners im thinking off will probably be made of abs or some other easily mouldable and flexible plasic. Im thinking of welding a few nuts onto the arch to hold it away from the wheel. Still at the idea stage though
edit: just found a picture of what i mean if i wasnt completley understood
http://www.renault4....ished-large.jpg

Edited by lawrence, 10 August 2011 - 02:22 PM.

[minimuk]

like those arch liners for the front, as they will keep the water spray ( if it ever rains where you are) away from the lights electrics and will have better airo dynamics, not sure whether you need or can get those for the rear.

[Mad Max]

When restoring my clubman i welded in some tags to make my own arch liners out of plastic, they work a treat, i barmed the underwings with underseal anyway but with the underarches they've stayed completely clean over winter

[lawrence]

So then,
I havent made an update in a few days which is quite bad really
Ive been mainly working on the electrics again as i had never really finished them before and need to include some multi plugs for ease of removal and to re install my cobra alarm.

Today i was greeted by some massive boxes from m machine that contain the panels that i ordered


i theoretically now only need both rear quarter panels to finish the project welding wise.

New Update this afternoon with whats happened today
hope the progress is liked
Lawrence

Edit: Reply for Max: That is what im planning to do, to make my own as no way am i forking out 70 odd for some plastic shapes that i could probably make myself better. I think when I make them ill do a how to, to show how simple it is

Edited by lawrence, 12 August 2011 - 10:20 AM.

[lawrence]

so ive done a bit of work today. I didnt really feel much like welding so instead trial fitted the panels ive bought

I then decided to make a start with de bumpering the front and relocating the numberplate.

does anyone have an opinion for the new placement of the numberplate?
Lawrence

[minimuk]

I thought I might have seen that car in SOHO a while back,.. looks always good when you tryal fit them panels, all you want to do now is just finish it a have a drive,.....before painting.

[lawrence]

well ive never taken it there but maybe a previous owner has,

so todays update, not done alot for a while only made the handbrake into a fly off one as ive always wanted one
but ive got a full day off today so its gunna be a mini day
todays aims are
>Fit patch thats already made
>clean up drivers side inner wing
>fit flitch panel
>paint drivers side inner wing
>repair area around the drivers side heelboard end (needs about 3 patches)
>more when i think of what needs doing

ill be updating my blog from the garage too so there will be a stady stream of pictures
should be a productive day then.
Lawrence

1st update
patch tacked in


2nd update
patch in and ground down and primed

3rd update
inner wing nicely cleaned up and red oxideded, will make a start on the flitch panel when i get back from a lunch break

4th update, ive welded the jacking point hole up as im not replacing the jacking point. ive also trimmed, drilled and zinc primed the flitch panel

im now part way through fitting the flitch panel



5th update
Im still part way throught welding the flitch panel, but while i was waiting for it to cool to avoid warping, another problem came to my attention
the bonnet pins are very badly fitted so i improved their installation
Before

After

in my opinion it now looks alot more standard and better

Edited by lawrence, 16 August 2011 - 04:46 PM.

[lawrence]

6th final mini update of today
got the flitch panel finally welded in, took a while as my panel gaps were rather bad!

just the bottom of the flitch left

7th update
The bottom off the flitch is now welded, the area cleaned off and red oxided

The front of the car is now ready for the two new wings and a panels, should be a laugh fitting them!!

8th update trial fitted the wings and a panel. a panel looks like its going to be fine but the wing will be more fun
its looking nice at the front

the scuttle join needs alot more work tho

but at least its a change to welding!!
thats all for today folks, its been a long day
feel free to comment, its allways helpfull to me!
Lawrence

Edited by lawrence, 16 August 2011 - 06:11 PM.