61 replies to this topic

[benb12]

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

Has anyone noticed that the guy posted in this topic on page 1?

[Saoirse]

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

Has anyone noticed that the guy posted in this topic on page 1?

Yes... makes it even odder that he still hasn't messaged me...

[Calman]

Listen to any advice Shiftyseamus gives you. I've never seen his work personnaly but all my time on this fourm, pics of his restos are outstanding. He did mention that some pannels are reusable but it kinda went unheard i think...

[robtheplod]

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

Has anyone noticed that the guy posted in this topic on page 1?

Yes... makes it even odder that he still hasn't messaged me...

exactly...

[dave21478]

Hard to say if they are reuseable or not. A lot would depend on how (or if) they are welded to the inner wings. If the only welding thats been done is what can be seen in the photos, then yes, anyone with a little skill could save them, although I personally wouldnt bother with the a-panels or the dented wing. The a-panel folds dont look great and may not straighten out well, and filling the wing would be more hassle than its worth, especially when you include the work to undo the welding on the front seam of the same panel.

[widerim_pickup]

If you do want the work finishing for the same price, i'd be happy to finish it off, but only if you can get the car to my workshop, to maintain the peace.

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

The humane thing to do would be for him to offer, I'm not holding my breath

If you look above i have offered but has not been accepted, if you'd of been happy i could of collected it today and put pictures up of how it gets done for all to see. But instead you are asking why i haven't offered to do the work when i already have on here for everyone to see rather than Pming you and no one else knowing what the score is.

Unless he is willing to refund the cost of the panels, I would write off that as a loss, put it down to a very bad experience and go elsewhere. I would not let him finish that job, under any circumstances.

So you would say none of these panels are usable?

The panels are useable, the reason for the welding on the outside is due to the poor fit of 2 different manufacturer's repro panels the only way i can get them to fit correctly, is to tack them on the outside, form the next inch and tack it, thats why its taken a day to get as far as i have. If you want it to look right you'll have to trust me on this, cowboy doesn't even come into it! The gap at the rear between wing and front panel started off 2 inches wide. Its no problem to me as i can grind that back and reform the seam as i have started to do on passengers side. The a panel on passengers side isn't welded, i've got half way through bending the lip and called it a day. Scuttle isn't a problem as wing is only tacked on at the rear edge to hold the shape whilst i did the front panel area as there was no scuttle panel availible to sort it out and would of been a waste of a trip to your house if i hadn't of started.

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

Has anyone noticed that the guy posted in this topic on page 1?

Yes... makes it even odder that he still hasn't messaged me...

You seem to of not read my post on page 1. Its you that should be messaging me, i've made an offer to sort it out for you, for the original fee (£200 iirc) if you can get it to me.

Edited by widerim_pickup, 25 October 2009 - 09:51 PM.

[cambiker71]

In twenty years or working in the motor trade that has to be the most unprofessional body work repair i've seen, if somebody had just bought a hobby MIG and had a practise go with no previous body knowledge then this is what i would expect to see, pattern panels will fit but often need a fair bit of work to fit together properly, welding them on the outside like the pictures show is a bodge to save time, nothing more. The above post explaining the work done is utter rubbish, the job should have been done in the correct order, end of story. All the pics show the standard of work, the front panel and wing join seam doesn't look too far different to any pattern panels i've ever fitted and i've never welded the outside before like this. I'd expect the repairer to have the decency to replace all the panels at the very least so somebody else can fit them properly.

[Saoirse]

If you do want the work finishing for the same price, i'd be happy to finish it off, but only if you can get the car to my workshop, to maintain the peace.

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

The humane thing to do would be for him to offer, I'm not holding my breath

If you look above i have offered but has not been accepted, if you'd of been happy i could of collected it today and put pictures up of how it gets done for all to see. But instead you are asking why i haven't offered to do the work when i already have on here for everyone to see rather than Pming you and no one else knowing what the score is.

Unless he is willing to refund the cost of the panels, I would write off that as a loss, put it down to a very bad experience and go elsewhere. I would not let him finish that job, under any circumstances.

So you would say none of these panels are usable?

The panels are useable, the reason for the welding on the outside is due to the poor fit of 2 different manufacturer's repro panels the only way i can get them to fit correctly, is to tack them on the outside, form the next inch and tack it, thats why its taken a day to get as far as i have. If you want it to look right you'll have to trust me on this, cowboy doesn't even come into it! The gap at the rear between wing and front panel started off 2 inches wide. Its no problem to me as i can grind that back and reform the seam as i have started to do on passengers side. The a panel on passengers side isn't welded, i've got half way through bending the lip and called it a day. Scuttle isn't a problem as wing is only tacked on at the rear edge to hold the shape whilst i did the front panel area as there was no scuttle panel availible to sort it out and would of been a waste of a trip to your house if i hadn't of started.

The worst thing is you've been fair and tried to get it resolved by contacting him. He has chosen not to respond you say, so is aware he made a pigs ear of it. The problem now comes in that you'll have the devils own job getting anything back out of him...... really feel for you on this...........

Has anyone noticed that the guy posted in this topic on page 1?

Yes... makes it even odder that he still hasn't messaged me...

You seem to of not read my post on page 1. Its you that should be messaging me, i've made an offer to sort it out for you, for the original fee (£200 iirc) if you can get it to me.

Seeing as you just asked me to discuss this in public via a PM (which I think is pathetic because it is not something that should involve other people), I shall.

You have shown me zero respect. Really, I was a customer. No business would start a job and not return to finish it giving no contact what so ever in 5 weeks.

You have my email address and phone number from a message on the mini forum when I first contacted you. You have my phone number from an answer phone message I left on your mobile. I sent you an email. I sent you a lot of messages via this forum.

There is no maybe about keeping me "in the loop", what was I meant to think when you didn't contact me and left my car in this state?

No time to send a PM saying, I'm having personal problems - I will contact you ASAP,? But enough time to come on this from and comment on topics?

Perhaps you can explain your workmanship to people who know more than welding about me? But I don't need to be an expert in this instance...

[widerim_pickup]

In twenty years or working in the motor trade that has to be the most unprofessional body work repair i've seen, if somebody had just bought a hobby MIG and had a practise go with no previous body knowledge then this is what i would expect to see, pattern panels will fit but often need a fair bit of work to fit together properly, welding them on the outside like the pictures show is a bodge to save time, nothing more. The above post explaining the work done is utter rubbish, the job should have been done in the correct order, end of story. All the pics show the standard of work, the front panel and wing join seam doesn't look too far different to any pattern panels i've ever fitted and i've never welded the outside before like this. I'd expect the repairer to have the decency to replace all the panels at the very least so somebody else can fit them properly.

So you would travel for 45 mins to a house to work on a car remove the front, realise the scuttle panels you asked to be supplied were not there and then go home?

I'm well aware of how much work repro panels for minis take to fit, personally not tried to fit repro panels from different manufacturers together before with such bad lines. I actually have a BS 4872 certificate in MIG and TIG and a level 2 c and g in welding and fabrication, so i kinda have an idea of welding. Of course the panel would of been plug welded together but how is that possible if you cannot get the 2 panels within half inch of each other at one end, using all the clamps and grips i have, even the straight edges took some convincing to get even close.

Your evaluation of my work is based on what you see as being the finished article, it couldn't be futher from that.

I have offered to finish the job to my usual high standards and going by some of the comments on here that isn't going to happen. I'm not willing to replace the panels for someone else to repair as i feel that panel replacement is not needed. I've made my offer and that is all i can do.

[Dan]

Forgive me for getting involved, this matter is nothing to do with me at all but I do have one question. I can't understand why, if the front panel is only externally tacked to the wings for alignment (which I can understand but I do find a little odd and unconventional), why the passenger side wing to front panel seam has the start of some continuous welding which has then been dressed back and looks for all the world as if it's there to stay. As I said I can sort of understand the external tacking for alignment, especially if the vehicle has to stay on its wheels until final welding and it's not on a ramp but why do something that is going to be so hard to correct once the welding is finished? Ignoring other matters like the complete lack of structure around the driver's A post, making a temporary tack into something approaching a permanant weld strikes me as odd.

[liam_italian]

I think the least he can do is replace the panels, then find some else to carry out the work for you. Like others have said try and look at someone's past work before letting them loose on your car.

[ROBBIE 1]

GAWWWD ! i dont want to take sides atall but be careful people you could make this guy homeless if its his job ?? ok im outta here !

[widerim_pickup]

Seeing as you just asked me to discuss this in public via a PM (which I think is pathetic because it is not something that should involve other people), I shall.

You have shown me zero respect. Really, I was a customer. No business would start a job and not return to finish it giving no contact what so ever in 5 weeks.

You have my email address and phone number from a message on the mini forum when I first contacted you. You have my phone number from an answer phone message I left on your mobile. I sent you an email. I sent you a lot of messages via this forum.

There is no maybe about keeping me "in the loop", what was I meant to think when you didn't contact me and left my car in this state?

No time to send a PM saying, I'm having personal problems - I will contact you ASAP,? But enough time to come on this from and comment on topics?

Perhaps you can explain your workmanship to people who know more than welding about me? But I don't need to be an expert in this instance...

You got other people involved, not me, i don't really come on this forum very often seeing as i haven't owned a mini for about 8 months and got sick of people offering silly money for stuff out of my garage that i decided to throw it all in the skip at work. I have come on a few times a made a couple of comments as and hen i've had 2 minutes to myself to relax, not to reorganise a meeting with you when i did not know what i'd be doing in the morning let alone a few days later for a whole day or 2.

I would just like to make it clear that i am not a company and you were not a customer. I offered to do the work in return for what i thought it would cost me to do, plus a pint or 2. Maybe now have some quotes for the work to be done by a business you'll wonder how i could do all the work your car needs for £200 and make anything??

Thats because i wouldn't, same as the job i did for hekmat, it ended up costing me money to help someone keep their car on the road. As it transpired that didn't happen but thats not my fault.

[widerim_pickup]

Forgive me for getting involved, this matter is nothing to do with me at all but I do have one question. I can't understand why, if the front panel is only externally tacked to the wings for alignment (which I can understand but I do find a little odd and unconventional), why the passenger side wing to front panel seam has the start of some continuous welding which has then been dressed back and looks for all the world as if it's there to stay. As I said I can sort of understand the external tacking for alignment, especially if the vehicle has to stay on its wheels until final welding and it's not on a ramp but why do something that is going to be so hard to correct once the welding is finished? Ignoring other matters like the complete lack of structure around the driver's A post, making a temporary tack into something approaching a permanant weld strikes me as odd.

The welding on the outside is to hold to 2 halves together, in the correct position ready to be plug welded behind and then have the seam recreated by dressing and grinding. If you look at the RH wing you can see where i have tacked it and tried to pull the rest of the wing front panel into aligment and it has snapped leaving what looks like a burn hole, with another hole opposite from where the top weld had almost pulled out as well and took a quick twist with pliers to remove, ready to be plug welded up and dressed back. Hence the stitch weld. This way of doing things is unconventional but would of looked fine had i of put the time it required and been as strong as the original. The amount of force i have needed to use on these panels to get them lined up is unreal, maybe i should of said something but at the time i felt i didn't need to as i could see my way around the problem.

As far as i am aware she did see my previous work, as shown on my photobucket album.

Edited by widerim_pickup, 25 October 2009 - 10:41 PM.

[cambiker71]

In twenty years or working in the motor trade that has to be the most unprofessional body work repair i've seen, if somebody had just bought a hobby MIG and had a practise go with no previous body knowledge then this is what i would expect to see, pattern panels will fit but often need a fair bit of work to fit together properly, welding them on the outside like the pictures show is a bodge to save time, nothing more. The above post explaining the work done is utter rubbish, the job should have been done in the correct order, end of story. All the pics show the standard of work, the front panel and wing join seam doesn't look too far different to any pattern panels i've ever fitted and i've never welded the outside before like this. I'd expect the repairer to have the decency to replace all the panels at the very least so somebody else can fit them properly.

So you would travel for 45 mins to a house to work on a car remove the front, realise the scuttle panels you asked to be supplied were not there and then go home?

Yes i would, if i wasn't able to do the job properly then that's how it would have to be, but my wasted time would be charged for.

I'm well aware of how much work repro panels for minis take to fit, personally not tried to fit repro panels from different manufacturers together before with such bad lines. I actually have a BS 4872 certificate in MIG and TIG and a level 2 c and g in welding and fabrication, so i kinda have an idea of welding. Of course the panel would of been plug welded together but how is that possible if you cannot get the 2 panels within half inch of each other at one end, using all the clamps and grips i have, even the straight edges took some convincing to get even close.

The panels never fit right straight away, it's an unfortunate fact of life, all the welding/fabrication certs in the world don't make you a car bodywork repair expert, have you a set of hammers and dollys? You really need set and the ability to use them to make the adjoing panels match BEFORE any welding is started, forcing them together with clamps does nothing except warp the panels.

Your evaluation of my work is based on what you see as being the finished article, it couldn't be futher from that.

My evaluation of your work is that you OBVIOUSLY have absolutely no idea on how to fit these panels to a mini correctly.

I have offered to finish the job to my usual high standards and going by some of the comments on here that isn't going to happen. I'm not willing to replace the panels for someone else to repair as i feel that panel replacement is not needed. I've made my offer and that is all i can do.

Then i suggest this topic is closed and legal action commences, as the panels have not been fitted correctly, and are now damaged beyond reasonable repair. They need fitting properly, weld blow holes and the short seam welds along the front are incorrect panel fitting techniques for a mini, but i'm sure you know that already.