655 replies to this topic

[MiniLandy]

Looking good! Painting the arches the same colour as the body always makes a mini look neater, in my opinion, they fade to grey very quickly otherwise...

[bcjames]

As nice as it looks, it's actually got to go back! Minispares are super as ever and say an exchange is no problem.



New head by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

I've got gallons of trim detailer to keep black arches black, but everyone I've asked says spray them brg!

[Mini_Magic]

I have to agree, or just go arcless!

[paul_s]

If it was me I'd keep them black, but I like the standard Rover arches on mine and actually prefer them to a body-coloured almost Sportspack look.

Either way it'll look awesome though. Only thing is I've decided I don't like your thread anymore: each thing you do to your car, be it repairs or adding something like overriders, makes mine look and feel more and more shabby. My to-do list is HUGE now thanks to you!
Seriously though - it's awesome, and I'm just jealous

[bcjames]

Haha thanks Paul! Just don't look too close, there are a few scruffy bits on this car. It's actually quite frustrating at times as I get one bit looking great I spot another that lets it down somewhat. Sadly at the moment I can't afford the money or lack of car to send it off to a body shop. I sometimes feel its a bit of a waste of a thread since everything I do is so small. Theres no chopping off panels, welding, painting, none of the epic work some people do, and since I like the standard look mods are sort of OEM from the Rover options list. Most of what has been changed from factory is for practical reasons and is hidden!

Random story, but when I had my mod'd 80's mini 1000 in Cardiff I used to walk past a standard Rover Cooper on my way to town. It was an SPi and I loved the way it looked like a happy little car, nothing particularly sporty or mean looking about it. That's when I started looking for a non-sportspack late mini. I've not really got an interest in the go-faster side of things so I go for the little-mini look!

I still can't decide on arches. Standard like my Cardiff mini idol or colour coded like the Cooper35 and other late LEs. Round and round... I bought these cheap second hand and already have sufficient matching paint so I suppose I have nothing to lose by trying and offering them up to the car. If I don't like it, just leave the black ones as they are.

My head has arrived back at Minispares yesterday, so all being well they can get another out to me soon and I can have the engine back together. That means I can get the front end looking like a car again! The rear subframe is still at least a week or more away, so a bit more waiting on that. I also need to renew the dust seals on the passenger side upper arm. It's the less awkward of the two sides, but I hadn't anticipated the job so parked tight on that side of the garage, so once it's rolling it will have to be jacked up again! Deadline now is the 10th of October!

[Mini_Magic]

I sometimes feel its a bit of a waste of a thread since everything I do is so small. Theres no chopping off panels, welding, painting, none of the epic work some people do, and since I like the standard look mods are sort of OEM from the Rover options list. Most of what has been changed from factory is for practical reasons and is hidden!

My thread has even less big or interesting updates, but it's still worth doing I think.

I might have to get my own camera sometime so I can actually update it with pretty photos.

I enjoy reading your updates anyway

[bcjames]

Thanks James

My car was obviously spying on me writing that quote. I took the rear bumper off to change the trim on the overriders and found some rust that needs attending to!

Overriders first:

The crappy trim that came with them fell apart after 2 days, meaning the overriders would scratch the bumpers. Given they were expensive genuine replacements I want them to stay perfect for as long as possible!



Broken old trim by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

The new trim is deeper at the bottom of the U section and has a narrower profile so should look nicer. It also stays on the overrider as you fit it rather than pinging off like the original stuff! I bought it from Phoenix Trim Supplies at Stanford for all of a pound or so



Old trim/new trim by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

The rear bumper is all back together now with lots of waxoyl and copper grease, but can't go back on because of this:



Rusty valance! by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

I'm not sure yet what to do with this, its like it all the way along that lip, both on top and underneath. So far I have just given it a couple of coats of Kurust. As I said earlier I can't afford to lose the car at the moment to have its rusty bits sorted out, so I'm going to have to sort a temporary fix. Given it is under the bumper and can't really be seen unless you look underneath, I might get some dark green Hammerite and just paint that along the lip. It will be really awkward to spray as I cant get to it without the garage door open. That said, I do have all the paint there to spray it again. It will all be chopped off and replaced when the car finally gets its restoration work done.

[bcjames]

I think I could do with a new camera too, it's a real fight to get a half decent macro shot out of this old one!

Edit: I've just gone over my free Flickr limit too!

Edited by bcjames, 21 September 2011 - 12:48 PM.

[bcjames]

Why is a genuine replacement bumper such a pain in the bum to fit! Given up on that for today!

[liam_italian]

Mine was a pain in the **** aswell, I just filled the holes bigger before I resprayed the car which made things alot easier.

[bcjames]

Hey Liam, I'm glad I'm not the only one! I need to take about 1/4 out each side to get it in comfortably. Trying to force it in while keeping those little plastic bits to the arches is not going to work!

[Shifty]

For a temp repair to the rear lip you could flat/grind it back a bit, then some more rust convertor and then give a a quick spray of some shutz in a rattle can. Follow this up with a lick of top coat and it should last a while and look ok. If you were to try and tidy that up with filler it wouldn't last long at all, shutz will help it last and as its quite thick will soak up the imperfections.

[bcjames]

Hey shifty, thats spot on what ive done! It's not in amazing condition along there and as a new valance is an easy one it'll be added to the list when it goes to the mini hospital. Got to save up first! I've dinitrolled the inside and underside of the bumper, do you think it's worth running some along the lip now, or would that do more harm than good now?

[bcjames]

A bit more progress today

The rear bumper is all back together, and with much faffing the overriders are all lined up and looking good again! After playing with that a bit more, I set about todays tasks!

Firstly, I drilled out the rivets for the front arch. I was really glad to find nice solid metal with perfect paint underneath.



Happy to find this! by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

Then it was on to sorting some rust. I rubbed down the front valance to get rid of some surface rust and stone chips, and then treated, stonechipped and painted it. Stonechipping with a compressor is so much easier! Just needs a clearcoat tomorrow. With the discovery of a mig welder in a friends garage to replace my own, I chopped out and welded in a new bit of metal under the headlight. With a quick skim of filler to even it all up, it is ready for some paint tomorrow. It's not perfect but at least it's solid and keeps the car on the road for a while longer.



Front stonechipped and brg'd by bcjamesmini, on Flickr



Headlight primed by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

I stripped my rockercover as it was looking a bit scruffy and as I had painted the rest of the engine a nice gloss black, I wanted this to match. After etching and priming it I found I had no gloss black in an aerosol, and I only have BRG for the paint gun. So, without intending to, I now have a colour coded rocker cover! Just needs a clearcoat and polish in the morning to get it shiny.



Rocker cover by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

I also painted the thermostat housing and sandwich plate with some vht gloss black to smarten them up.



Thermostat painted by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

And while it was off the car, a shot of my current and old reg plate. Just need one from my mayfair and mkI to complete the collection but they have long since sold and I didn't keep plates from them.




Old and new by bcjamesmini, on Flickr

I think my little point and click camera is suffering from abuse from use in the garage, it seems to not like focussing on stuff anymore!

[bcjames]

Replacement cylinder head from Minispares is listed as out for delivery on the tracking page.

Me =

I may have a complete engine again by tonight for the first time in about 6 weeks! I hope it doesn't leak oil